Put a fork in it already...

[ttvjef]

I was “lucky” enough to find a nice IT consultant position at a non-profit. I knew it was temporary when I accepted it a year ago; the longest I could keep this position was until 3/2018. I was more or less retired for 7 months when this offer came in. It sounded good, was in an exciting location, old city Philadelphia, so I was good to accept it. So now it’s more or less shutting down as my project is moving to the mid-west. Any way I’m struggling to hang on for the next 2 months. There’s pretty much nothing to do most days now and its crazy boring. My spouse covers our medical insurance and will be working for about 2 more years. It was ok as I was able to work from my home office twice a week, but now that option is not available. I’m trying to hang in there to get laid off, and qualify for unemployment, then be RE.

It’s a bit freighting to be this close to actually RE. We have planned and are pretty much ready, but it’s a bit sobering to finally be done. How can I get through this last push?

 

[W2R]

How exciting to be this close to retirement! Congratulations.

As for how to get through this last push, that trite old expression came to my mind: "Keep your eye on the prize". You're almost there.

 

[Mdlerth]

...I’m struggling to hang on for the next 2 months...

...How can I get through this last push?

I feel the same. Unfortunately, I'm still looking at nearly two years, not two months.

This forum has proved addictive, no doubt because of the high quality of the posters and the thought-provoking topics they present. I've learned a lot, enough to have carved something between 3 and 5 years off my expected retirement date. That's certainly to the good.

But it also has raised the prospect of retirement to such a high priority in my mind that I think about it constantly. I check in here several times daily just to breathe the air of freedom before descending back into the salt mines. Every weekend, every holiday, every vacation day teases me with a sensuous allure, singing a siren song: "Retire! No more 5:00 a.m. alarms, no more commutes! Bid goodbye to mercurial managers and the chaos of the rat race! Live for living instead of for w*rking!"

After 37 years, I often wonder if I'll make it. Most of those 37 years, RE was so far away it felt like a fictional place, with elves and dragons and hobbits. Now it's visible on the horizon, inching closer at a painfully slow pace. Arrgh!

Good luck to you. Didn't Zuzu Bailey tell her father something to the effect of "Teacher says every time a bell rings, a well-prepared person hits retirement!" I'll be listening for the signal.

 

[Surewhitey]

Don't call me a hobbit!

 

[Mdlerth]

Don't call me a hobbit!

Sorry. I guess "dwarf" would be far more complimentary!

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

Im my old job not too many people left on their own terms, they left because the boss was after them, they narrowly escaped severe bodily harm, the did receive great bodily harm, went through a long drawn out lawsuit, failed a promotion test, got transferred from a desk job to back to the street. You get the drift, im happy you found a part time gig to tide you over for a while. Very few had the date circled in red for 20 years and left on that date. The reason for this post was to tell you that you are not alone , and tell you it will be all ok.

 

[pb4uski]

I guess that the question becomes whether it is worth hanging in there commuting to work to be bored silly for 2 months to game the unemployment system or whether it is better to just quit and enjoy the two months.

At the end of days, is what you gain from unemployment going to nudge the needle at all? If it were me, I'd tell them that not being able to work from home 2 days a week is a dealbreaker and hope that they fire you.

 

[Aerides]

Are you sure about unemployment? Depending on the state you're in, it could get tricky. mine required active weekly submissions proving I'm applying for work - constant gaming. Also would not be effective if any severance, and my severance exceeded the time frame so there was that.

If you stay, 2 months will fly by.

 

[Walt34]

Are you sure about unemployment? Depending on the state you're in, it could get tricky. mine required active weekly submissions proving I'm applying for work - constant gaming.

Yes, depends on the state. When I applied for UI they did require that I keep a log of where I had searched for jobs but they never did ask to see it. One time was scary - I saw a job that I was actually qualified for! Needless to say, I logged another site.

 

[Gumby]

Bring a book.

 

[joeea]

It’s a bit freighting to be this close to actually RE. We have planned and are pretty much ready, but it’s a bit sobering to finally be done. How can I get through this last push?

Congratulations!

I found that once the definitive end date was in sight, the days jut flew by.

 

[street]

Congrats to you.
Well, make it a fun time for little time you have left. When it's over it's over and it will go fast.

 

[Out of Steam]

Very few had the date circled in red for 20 years and left on that date.

I circled a spring 2020 retirement date in 2014, and it looks OK right now. There was one stretch where getting there didn't look so good, though.

 

[cooch96]

Bring a book.

+1

 

[target2019]

I don't believe that 1099 consultant income qualifies you for unemployment. At least it didn't in my case.
Good luck with the wind-down.

 

[ttvjef]

Thanks for the thoughtful replies. I'm at my desk now just hanging out browsing the net.

pb4uski - That is the question I need to come to terms with. If I could get a couple days remote it would be more bearable. I must admit I have a slight problem with the income I would forfeit if I bailed now, just don't t want to leave anything on the table if I can avoid it. The last time I "retired" I left a unsatisfactory job and left a bit on the table and it did bother me, in principle. The amounts were talking about will not make a difference in my life; I just wanted to go out on my terms as much as possible. I'm going to try today to get at least one day remote, that will satisfy me till the end. I hope

Mdlerth - The closer I get to it the slower it seems to be coming I'm glad to feel a connection to this forum as it keeps me enthusiastic about my future.

Gumby - I'm so grateful I have amazon prime! I read several hours a day on my kindle lol!

I'm a W2 contractor, so I'm considered an employee of the contracting company and that will qualify me for UE. It's not a boat load of money. I have never collected UE and wanted to ride it out for a few months to ease myself into ER.

Thanks again for the supportive replies