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Why do others not want me to retire????
02-16-2011, 11:47 AM
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#1
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Earth
Posts: 334
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Why do others not want me to retire????
I have been telling my friends and family about my plan to retire in 2013, but they keep tell me "you could do consulting".
I though that retirement was not doing working and enjoying life, am I missing something ??
I am in the IT business and when I ask why they think I should do consulting their answer is to keep my skill fresh
Again, am I missing something here??
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02-16-2011, 11:52 AM
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#2
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Allen Park
Posts: 118
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The think most people don't understand how to plan for retirement and are afraid of the process. Therefore, they are afraid for you.
If I ask a few of my friends here at work, who are 10-15 years older than myself (mid 50s), about retirement they either say that they'll never be able to retire or they don't have a clue about how to plan for it.
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02-16-2011, 11:57 AM
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#3
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Hooverville
Posts: 22,983
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DFA, I want you to retire. I see beauty in your plan.
__________________
"As a general rule, the more dangerous or inappropriate a conversation, the more interesting it is."-Scott Adams
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02-16-2011, 12:09 PM
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#4
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Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Flyover country
Posts: 25,356
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Quote:
Originally Posted by robbridg
The think most people don't understand how to plan for retirement and are afraid of the process. Therefore, they are afraid for you.
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I agree with this response. The majority of your friends probably have the old fashioned idea that retirement is something that happens to you when you're too old to do useful work any more. The concept of voluntary early retirement is simply foreign to them.
__________________
I thought growing old would take longer.
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02-16-2011, 12:16 PM
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#5
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Smith
Posts: 743
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Get used to it. Many people either have no desire to retire or no means to retire. They are jealous, fearful or just don't understand the motivation. They compel you to do something familiar. Work more.
Don't listen. Too many people, for many different reasons, feel that retirement is the end. The end of life, the end of good times, the end of usefulness, whatever. You know different. It's the beginning of the best part of your life. Go do it and do it without shame or fear. Just be prepared for all the naysayers.
__________________
Retired July 4th, 2010 at age 43
Trout Bum, Writer, Full-Time Dad and Husband
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02-16-2011, 12:22 PM
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#6
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 12,901
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I want you to retire too.
Given the number of people who asked me "what will you do all do" and "how can you afford not to work anymore", I have concluded that:
1) Many people wouldn't know what to do with themselves if left with a lifetime of leisure on their hands.
2) Many people can't afford to retire at a young age, so why should you?
I also think that some people see retirement as a waste. People think that "consulting" is a gold mine and might wonder why you are leaving so much money on the table by retiring. The concept of "enough" is pretty foreign to Americans, IMO. "Not working and enjoying life" is more dolce vita than protestant work ethic.
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02-16-2011, 12:26 PM
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#7
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Collin County, TX
Posts: 9,296
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Why do others not want me to retire?
I dunno....ask them.
__________________
There's no need to complicate, our time is short..
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02-16-2011, 12:33 PM
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#8
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Lake Livingston, Tx
Posts: 4,204
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Not me, you keep on working! Somebody has to keep SS funded!
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If it is after 5:00 when I post I reserve the right to disavow anything I posted.
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02-16-2011, 12:49 PM
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#9
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 17,774
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I looked at your earlier post and you certainly look like you're in good shape to retire as planned. Maybe they're worried about the Italy part of your plan not working out?
People who consult seem to be for the most part either people who need the money and weren't able to get a "regular" job in their field "in these tough economic times," or people who are already financially independent and enjoy the stuff that goes with consulting including the flexibility to turn down a project. I'm sure your friends and family think of you in the second category.
__________________
“Would you like an adventure now, or would you like to have your tea first?” J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
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02-16-2011, 12:52 PM
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#10
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gone traveling
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 3,851
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I agree. You should w*rk till you drop...
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02-16-2011, 01:02 PM
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#11
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 270
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We pulled the plug at 49 and traveled extensively in our RV for a number of years. The fact that I was open with our RV travel plans diffused the "what will you do with yourself", so that wasn't an issue. People at work had one of two reactions; they either thought we were crazy, or wished they could do the same. OTOH, the reception we received in RV resorts was an eye-opener. We were officially too young to stay in 55+ parks, although most made exceptions (we didn't work, didn't have children, and we weren't loud and rowdy). I was absolutely amazed at the number of rude remarks made to/about us by the older set. We frequently heard...why aren't you still working, we had to work until we were 65 so why don't you. Oh, and the most frequent question (declaration actually) you must be retired military. No, not retired military...and so on.
What we learned was a lot of people don't understand your decision to retire early and many actually resent it. We stopped trying to explain our decision and learned to say something like, we've had all of the fun in corporate life that we could stand so we're trying this for a while. In your case, maybe you could just agree to think about consulting.
PS: We also came to love camping in wilderness areas and pretty much gave up on 55+ RV resorts.
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02-16-2011, 01:03 PM
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#12
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: East Nowhere, 43N Latitude, NY
Posts: 9,037
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I also got the old "do some consulting" advice too. I was an Engineer, and these were other Engineers telling me to do this.
What they didn't realize was I was tired of the politics and stress, hence the LAST thing I would do after FIRE is perform like a monkey stay in the field drawing a paycheck.
It was fun in the early part of my c*reer, but when it was no longer fun...it was time to do something else.
Specifically...the first and only choice was FIRE!!!!!
I think you should do what YOU want.
__________________
"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." - Walt Disney
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02-16-2011, 01:12 PM
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#13
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Earth
Posts: 334
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Maybe the SS is what they want me work for; so they will have money when they retire just like several of the post here;0)
I think I will take my chances and skip the consulting.
Thanks all for the comments!!
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02-16-2011, 01:22 PM
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#14
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Chicago
Posts: 13,186
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DFA
I have been telling my friends and family about my plan to retire in 2013, but they keep tell me "you could do consulting".
I though that retirement was not doing working and enjoying life, am I missing something ??
I am in the IT business and when I ask why they think I should do consulting their answer is to keep my skill fresh
Again, am I missing something here??
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Yes, you're missing something extremely important. If you're talking to anyone other than your closest family and a very few trusted confidants, you're making a huge mistake. What you're missing out on is the fact that whether you're talking your RE up to gain consensual validation or just to have your ego stroked, you're bringing up a subject where you're unlikely to hear the responses you want.
BTW, what were you expecting to hear?
There is an easy solution. Zip it outside of your DW and maybe a trusted, kindred spirit friend or two. The results of your decision will be yours to bear and you know how you want to live your life. So, go do it. Stop talking about it...........
And, enjoy FIRE!
__________________
"I wasn't born blue blood. I was born blue-collar." John Wort Hannam
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02-16-2011, 02:03 PM
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#15
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Bossier City
Posts: 2,183
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Quote:
Originally Posted by haha
DFA, I want you to retire. I see beauty in your plan.
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me too! I talked to a lady at my front door last night ( she knocked to ask me who owned the truck parked in front of my apt.) for about 10 minutes. During the conversation, she asked me where I worked. I told her, told her a little about my job with the govt. based at a local defense contractor. She seemed interested. Then, I told her I planned to retire in 23 months. She thought that was funny, especially after I told her I am now 53, & would be 55 when I retire. She said she would be working until at least age 70, if not longer. I felt sorry for her, but she didn't seem to think it was any big deal. She knows she has no option, because she hasn't planned for retirement. She's just gonna keep working till she maxes her SS and that's what she'll live on. I love boats, but I'm glad I'm not in that one!
__________________
“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”
-John F. Kennedy
“Hard work never killed anybody, but why take a chance?” - Edgar Bergen
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02-16-2011, 02:26 PM
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#16
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 13,566
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marty, a friend told us one day that he'd have to work so long that they would have to dig him up to clock in at work! I have never forgotten the look on DHs face when he heard that. Not for us! Some people seem remarkably resigned to it. For this fellow, though, we worry, as his is a very physical job.
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“One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching.”
Gerard Arthur Way
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02-16-2011, 02:40 PM
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#17
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,596
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Hey, I'm totally cool with you being retired. As long as you stay off my lawn
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I purr therefore I am.
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02-16-2011, 02:45 PM
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#18
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Earth
Posts: 334
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Youbet wrote:
BTW, what were you expecting to hear?
I don't know what I expected to hear just was not expceting to get what I got.
I only talk to Very Close family and only one friend about RE.
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02-16-2011, 03:49 PM
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#19
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 12,901
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Yet another data point:
This is a gorgeous day here in the southeast, so I decided to sunbathe for a few hours outside my favorite coffee shop. A group of well-dressed middle aged men sat at the table next to me (looks like they were fresh off the gold course) and started talking about retirement. Several of them made negative comments regarding retirement in general. They all agreed that, even if they had a few million dollars, they would continue working to "have something to do all day". Gosh, people really have no imagination. All also wished they could inherit a few million dollars to have the "option" to retire. I found two things particularly interesting here: 1) during the conversation, "inheriting money" and "retirement" were always connected. I guess making/saving money the old fashion way was not so appealing for them. 2) these five guys were professing their love for work and disdain for retirement while clearly enjoying a beautiful Wednesday afternoon away from work alongside us retirees.
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02-16-2011, 04:09 PM
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#20
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 12,657
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Some people automatically associate "retired" with "cranky, boring, and in poor health" because those are the only kinds of retired folks they have ever met or seen. So when you say "I want to retire soon," they picture you becoming like that overnight, and they feel sorry for you.
Amethyst
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If you understood everything I say, you'd be me ~ Miles Davis
'There is only one success – to be able to spend your life in your own way.’ Christopher Morley.
Even a blind clock finds an acorn twice a day.
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