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Old 09-16-2010, 03:27 AM   #21
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Originally Posted by John Galt III View Post
The fear of a huge uninsured medical expense keeps me chained to the work world, for cheap health insurance. Hats off those brave souls who "go naked" and retire early without health insurance.
I've said something like this many times already in the short time I've been on this board: I count my blessings that I'm in Europe. Having health care out of the equation means that we can think much more freely about FIRE. (It seems to me that it's actually such a huge component of the calculation for US residents, that it makes it harder for non-Americans to relate to some of the discussions which take place here. )
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Old 09-16-2010, 03:53 AM   #22
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It is normal to have these feelings sometimes. Like you I *think* I will retire in 2012, hoping I will make it too.

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Is it me, or is it just natural when you get close to retirement to start thinking that you won't make it?
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Old 09-16-2010, 08:07 AM   #23
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Health is good, knock on wood, so that hasn't been a major worry. But I'm ready to FIRE, and it's getting harder to be a tortoise...
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Old 09-16-2010, 09:46 AM   #24
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Originally Posted by BigNick View Post
I've said something like this many times already in the short time I've been on this board: I count my blessings that I'm in Europe. Having health care out of the equation means that we can think much more freely about FIRE. (It seems to me that it's actually such a huge component of the calculation for US residents, that it makes it harder for non-Americans to relate to some of the discussions which take place here. )


I checked private health care rates 6 months ago, and just recently checked on them again. The premiums have already increased due to the health care reform and the changes already put in place, and the insurance companies will tell you that.

They can no longer deny people coverage when they get sick, or to children who have preexisting conditions, and no lifetime caps on coverage. All of which seem like basic rights that every human being should already have!

You are indeed very lucky if you do not have to worry about health care coverage!
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Old 09-16-2010, 09:48 AM   #25
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Same here. It's really a struggle for me to stay productive in my job & not go crazy. In terms of longevity, I have it on both sides, so my worry is more about living to over 100 and too old to take care of myself, let alone enjoy it. I guess we always worry about SOMETHING.
I don't have to struggle to avoid going crazy, but I do think my motivation & attitude are slipping as I see retirement coming closer and closer. I find myself thinking and sometimes saying, "if there is a layoff, I will just retire earlier than I had planned, maybe that will save someone else's job", or "even though I'm planning to work a couple more years, I could really afford to retire as soon as I turn 55 (next January)", or "if housing prices drop any significant amount from where they are now, I will just pull the plug, because if my house goes much lower I won't be sure to realize enough on its sale to replace it in my new location, and I'm not going to delay my retirement for heaven knows how long waiting for prices to come back up". It's almost like I'm looking for a good excuse to bail. I never thought I would get "Shorteimer's Syndrome" but I think that's what this is. If it gets really bad and I feel like I'm not earning my paycheck, I'm outta there....or maybe that is just one more good excuse to retire sooner rather than later.

I'm not much worried about living to 100. All my estimates are based on the assumption that I will, because my parents and aunts are all in their mid-to-upper eighties and still kicking, and there was a centenarian in my grandparent's generation, a half-sister or cousin of my dad's mother. Most of my retirement income is lifelong—pension & Social Security—and I am thinking of maybe buying an SPIA for the little remaining amount with part of my tax-deferred money. Then whatever is left could be divided between an emergency fund and some earmarked for luxuries, and I think then I wouldn't worry about becoming destitute even if I do live longer than I expect to, though I might have to do without the luxuries.
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Old 09-16-2010, 10:23 AM   #26
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Is it me, or is it just natural when you get close to retirement to start thinking that you won't make it?
Your inner engineer is trying to tell you to hope for the best while planning for the worst.

Get a retirement checklist and start working on it. You'll feel more productive and you might actually find a few things that you've overlooked, or that have become more of an issue.

But, yeah, as I approached ER I tended to drive more cautiously, to drink less, and to generally behave as if I was going to be enjoying another five or six decades of life beyond work...

Once you ER you'll start having flashbacks & nightmares about being called back to work. (They eventually stop happening. The flashbacks & nightmares, I mean.) The nice thing about those episodes is that you can take a nap later!
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Old 09-16-2010, 10:27 AM   #27
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Get a retirement checklist and start working on it.
Yup - like this one: http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...tml#post387098
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What... me worry?
Old 09-16-2010, 11:11 AM   #28
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What... me worry?

Funny... when I worked for myself I thought I'd never retire and now I can't wait. That has made me worry a lot more about making it to retirement age (whatever that is...) Sure wish Mom would let me retire
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Old 09-16-2010, 11:59 AM   #29
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I had a "run screaming into the night" retirement at age 54. I really think I would have had a stroke if I had waited for 'full retirement age'.

Hi Khan,

May I ask if that "run screaming into the night" feeling suddenly appeared at age 54? Or did you feel a gradual burn out for several years before that? How long after that feeling that you handed it your notice?
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Old 09-17-2010, 02:59 PM   #30
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Hi Khan,

May I ask if that "run screaming into the night" feeling suddenly appeared at age 54? Or did you feel a gradual burn out for several years before that? How long after that feeling that you handed it your notice?
It was not too bad for years as a cube rat programmer.
Then they reorganized and made me a manager.
My health (which had been marginal) went downhill.
About two years later after carefully studying all options, I applied for an early retirement in August, it was approved in November, I retired at the end of December.
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Old 09-17-2010, 05:16 PM   #31
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I've decided to work for 23 more months until I qualify at 55 for retiree health insurance.

Is it me, or is it just natural when you get close to retirement to start thinking that you won't make it?

Does anyone else have the feeling that something bad may happen to you just as you are about to start enjoying life?
Yeah.

Like an earlier poster said, I feel like I will retire on the way to the mortuary.

I see no end to work right now. We could retire to Mexico today, but that is only our Plan C. Plan A is work until I drop. The only thing death means to me is I wouldn't have to go to work the next day.
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Old 09-18-2010, 12:10 AM   #32
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The only thing death means to me is I wouldn't have to go to work the next day.
Better be careful not to work alone... especially anywhere your remains wouldn't be discovered for a while!
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Old 09-18-2010, 01:41 AM   #33
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(snip). The only thing death means to me is I wouldn't have to go to work the next day.
Only if you have submitted, in triplicate, a COMPLETELY filled out absence request, signed by your immediate supervisor and initialed by your department head, at least thirty days in advance. Failure to complete the required paperwork will be considered grounds for disciplinary action.
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Old 09-18-2010, 09:17 AM   #34
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A friendly accountant at a job long ago told me that the company had a personnel status category called 'part-time deceased'.

IIRC, it meant someone who had died during the year. As opposed to midnight Dec 31, I suppose.
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Old 09-18-2010, 09:18 AM   #35
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Better be careful not to work alone... especially anywhere your remains wouldn't be discovered for a while!
Don't give me any ideas, Nords!
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Old 09-18-2010, 10:12 AM   #36
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I don't think I ever had the anxiety the OP had, but at times in the 6-12 months leading up to my ER I was often muttering to myself, "Why am I still working here?" and "When am I gonna be able to end this?"

As the final pieces fell into place in the last few months, those questions intensified. But once I gave my notice one month before I left, I happily stopped asking myself those questions.
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Old 09-18-2010, 12:28 PM   #37
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Never had any anxiety about not making it. Now we're FI but not retired. My greater worry all along has been outliving my nest egg when I do retire, still is and probably always will be...
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Old 09-18-2010, 07:06 PM   #38
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Yeah.

Like an earlier poster said, I feel like I will retire on the way to the mortuary.

I see no end to work right now. We could retire to Mexico today, but that is only our Plan C. Plan A is work until I drop. The only thing death means to me is I wouldn't have to go to work the next day.
I know you have an answer to this conundrum that you prefer not to share, but as you keep posting this sentiment it makes me wonder what is really going on.

Is it really better to work until you die than to move to Mexico while you are still young enough to have some shot at adapting well?

I can tell you one thing for absolute sure- Mexico is more fun than Ft. McMurray.

Ha
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Old 09-18-2010, 07:12 PM   #39
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Shoot - I can remember when I was much younger thinking that I would never make it to 21 years of age! Then, experiencing cancer in my late 30's - I just feel like every day is an added bonus. I'm sure you deserve all that is good - and you worked hard to get to this point - so I hope you can just enjoy it and not worry!
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Old 09-18-2010, 07:55 PM   #40
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Is it really better to work until you die than to move to Mexico while you are still young enough to have some shot at adapting well?
It is not my call, Ha.

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I can tell you one thing for absolute sure- Mexico is more fun than Ft. McMurray.
How well I know!
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