What would you do?

pickninthepines said:
....No major fears, just my conservative upbringing causing me to wonder if I'm being selfish by leaving a perfectly good position at a young age. My parents never saved a dime, and there were some tight times as a kid. I'd probably worry about running out of money, even if I had $100MM socked away!....
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"Perfectly good positions" are rare and hard to come by, in my experience, I would value that; if you don't mind getting up on Monday mornings, that's a hard thing to give up especially with the culture telling you your are in the game, so to speak.

I relate to the parent thing, it took a lot of time just to give myself permission to buy furniture. I think it is perfectly rational to worry about running out of money, or that the money may become worthless, but what about today?
 
Do it. There will never be a perfect time or perfect scenario and you could find yourself agonizing over the decision for years (like I did). I finally got "pushed" out and I'm very happy about that.

You have the money saved up.

You want to do it.

Just do it.



Plus, you could always go back to w*rk if you decide you made a mistake!
 
Rescume's graveyard cartoon was apt. By the time most of us reach our fifties, we've seen too many friends or relatives leave this earth prematurely. I've decided to retire. If the economy tanks, or I feel as if I need to return to the workforce for whatever reason, I'm sure I can find something to do. Xman, 60 travel days in three months is a huge burden. Your family will appreciate you making the choice.
Thanks again to all for the helpful thoughts.
 
pickninthepines said:
No major fears, just my conservative upbringing causing me to wonder if I'm being selfish by leaving a perfectly good position ... .
Click to expand...

Maybe think of it as being generous enough to vacate your position and allow someone younger to move up to fill it. :)

If I were in your shoes, I'd leave and not look back!
 
gettingthere said:
If I were in your shoes, I'd leave and not look back!
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If I were in your shoes, I'd make up my own mind. This board says that after you have your needs met, there is nothing much else that money can do for you. This is not always true.

Yesterday I visited a RE open house a few blocks down the street from where I live. This 4 floor town house was exquisite, and the top 2 floors had the best sea and mountain and city views I have ever experienced in Seattle. On fl 4 there is even a little roof garden off the master bedroom for sunbathing, with a wet bar and climate controlled wine rack just inside the door.

The woman I was with practically came when she walked in the room. Price $850,000. I'll never buy it. I may not "need" it; but I would really like to have it.


Ha
 
haha said:
If I were in your shoes, I'd make up my own mind. This board says that after you have your needs met, there is nothing much else that money can do for you. This is not always true.

Yesterday I visited a RE open house a few blocks down the street from where I live. This 4 floor town house was exquisite, and the top 2 floors had the best sea and mountain and city views I have ever experienced in Seattle. On fl 4 there is even a little roof garden off the master bedroom for sunbathing, with a wet bar and climate controlled wine rack just inside the door.

The woman I was with practically came when she walked in the room. Price $850,000. I'll never buy it. I may not "need" it; but I would really like to have it.


Ha
Click to expand...

Come on over to BI where she can have that and much more for $100,000 less.
 
Congratulations, I think you're set. After the kids go to college, why not consider selling your home and downsizing? Do you really need a 500K home?
 
haha said:
If I were in your shoes, I'd make up my own mind. This board says that after you have your needs met, there is nothing much else that money can do for you. This is not always true.

Yesterday I visited a RE open house a few blocks down the street from where I live. This 4 floor town house was exquisite, and the top 2 floors had the best sea and mountain and city views I have ever experienced in Seattle. On fl 4 there is even a little roof garden off the master bedroom for sunbathing, with a wet bar and climate controlled wine rack just inside the door.

The woman I was with practically came when she walked in the room. Price $850,000. I'll never buy it. I may not "need" it; but I would really like to have it.


Ha
Click to expand...

I understand and sympathize with your reaction upon seeing this gigantic townhouse.

On the other hand, this being a discussion board I want to mention that many of us might have a sincerely different reaction upon seeing it. Some might not ever go to the 3rd floor, 4th floor, or roof garden of such a townhouse even if we splurged and bought it, because we just don't have any use whatsoever for that much space and are perfectly happy in smaller living quarters. For us, it would be a waste of money that could be used for other things or donated to charity.

I guess what I am saying is that while I love looking at beautiful mansions (loved Versailles when we were there, for an extreme example), I have no desire to actually own one. If someone GAVE me that townhouse tomorrow, I'd instruct a realtor to sell it immediately because it would otherwise be an albatross (for me, anyway) and nothing that I would personally want to live in or maintain.

Maybe I am unusually fortunate, in that I am perfectly happy with my present middle class lifestyle. Life is bowl of cherries. Yesterday Frank and I were talking about what it would take to get us to return to work. He said, "Everybody has a price". After thinking about it seriously, I don't really think that I have a price. Even if I were to be offered $1,000,000/week to return to work (yeah, fat chance), I wouldn't do it.
 
W2R said:
Even if I were to be offered $1,000,000/week to return to work (yeah, fat chance), I wouldn't do it.
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Sure you would...:cool: :flowers:
 
I have to say I'm totally with you on the townhouse/mansion thing. There's too much stress and uncertainty associated with massive homes, including taxes, maintenance, repairs, blah blah blah. I recentlly moved to a 3,000 square foot home north of Manhattan (Westchester County) and bought at the very bottom of the market, and actually paid off the mortgage in one year, but I now think this is WAY more space than we (a couple, no kids) could ever need. I realize the reason I have always lived in "cozy" apartments/condos before is not just because I like cozy, but because it felt good financially and mentally. These places were small and simple, not just physically, but psychologicallly. I have now how "simple living" is what makes me happy - extravagance, to me, just means less control. The financial advantage of living in this house now is that when the housing market turns around, we should be able to raise a lot of cash to fund our simple retirement dreams, but until then I will likely feel like I am living in an investment more than a home.
 
Pretty sure it won't be an issue. House is paid for, and we've lived frugally. No debt, etc. Budget has some headroom in it, if I'm off the mark on any budget item.
 
What is amazing to me is the perceptions on the house size. We live in one that is ~1,700 sf and when we moved in compared to the old house we felt we were rattling around like a couple of bbs in a box car. But there are only two of us so we're not exactly tripping over each other.

One of the options was an intercom system, which I scoffed at. But DW thought I was ignoring her if she was yelling her head off from the master bedroom and I couldn't hear her in the basement (and my hearing is fine, thank you ladies).

As far as the money goes, there are many who would be ecstatic to be in your position and are happily retired on a lot less.

Pull the plug and do it.

And if you end up looking for something more to do, as I did, you always have the option of working again, but with your KMA* hat firmly in place.

*Kiss My A--
 
You are bound to receive encouragement from those who have retired "early" from this forum. I was in your shoes one year ago and looking back, clearly this forum encouraged my decision. It feels good to know you're not the lone ranger but in the end, make up your own mind. Regarding the guilt trip, be prepared for dealing with that for awhile. Where I live it is as though something is wrong...fired, run off etc for the reason you retired. Plus, my father seems disappointed in me, ugh! Now, for the good part, I truly love my life now. I can deal with the guilt because most days I just want to jump for joy. I have many hobbies and still play some handball plus am involved with my kids. As one respondent stated, you have to decide and know what you will do with all the free time. I'm here to tell you it can be great!
Good luck!
 
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