|
11-11-2013, 07:17 PM
|
#1
|
Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 609
|
Am I retired?
In 2009 my net worth was cut in half and I had no income. In 2010 I found a commission-only j*b and w*rked pretty hard that year and earned over $250k. By 2011, I was only giving slight attention to my j*b and putting in maybe an hour a day of focus. It continues to produce pretty good income, and really, it's become more of a hobby. When I want to focus on sales I do. But most of my day is spent reading stuff, going to bookstores, hiking, hanging at Starbucks, etc. My net worth is at an all-time high and I can comfortably live off about a 2.8% withdrawl rate. I still do the "j*b", but as mentioned, it takes maybe an hour a day of focus and really doesn't interfere with what I'd otherwise be doing. (It's mostly emails with occasional phone calls.) I find I'm relaxed, I enjoy the little amount of w*rk I do, I have few restrictions on my life (except those imposed by having kids) and am happy. I used to think that retirement meant giving up all w*rk, but now I see lots of people have fun j*bs like mine and consider themselves retired.
So my question is...am I retired?
|
|
|
|
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
11-11-2013, 07:25 PM
|
#2
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 5,307
|
I think that is largely a matter of your perception of your status. I would guess that most here would say that if you work an hour a day then you are semi-retired and not retired. I personally work a roughly similar amount at present. I semi-retired 3 1/2 years ago and worked about 8 hours a week at first, then went to about 15 hours last year and am now closer to an average of 5 hours a week. I could also quit any time I wanted to and retirement survival doesn't depend upon this work. In my case, I work from home. Still I'm sure that most here would say that 5 hours a week means I'm not retired. DH who is clearly fully retired (no work at all) sees me as being retired since he considers this very minimal and more just an activity than a part of our overall financial strategy.
Me? I don't care. If someone wants to say I'm semi-retired I'm OK with it. If someone wants to say I'm retired I'm OK with it. It usually doesn't really come up though so I don't actually have to take a position on it.
|
|
|
11-11-2013, 07:53 PM
|
#3
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 1,688
|
I'd say it is entirely up to you to say whether or not you are retired.
FWIW, I retired on 30 September and have a part time consultancy gig until the end of 2014 - part time means I get an office and a secretary and turn up to work if, as and when I feel like it and be available to answer the occasional question. I put in about three hours last week in the office - I spent more time looking after our current foster kittens. The money is irrelevant (I have budgeted for zero income from work).
Like Katsmeow, I don't really think it matters whether people think I am retired, semi-retired, underemployed or delusional - I'm happy and enjoying life and don't feel the need to care about labels that have no meaning to me.
__________________
Budgeting is a skill practised by people who are bad at politics.
|
|
|
11-12-2013, 07:35 AM
|
#4
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Lawn chair in Texas
Posts: 14,183
|
I'll consider myself retired when I no longer have to go to w*rk! YMMV...
__________________
Have Funds, Will Retire
...not doing anything of true substance...
|
|
|
11-12-2013, 08:30 AM
|
#5
|
Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Morton
Posts: 56
|
As far as I am concerned you are retired. Good for you!!!
|
|
|
11-12-2013, 08:39 AM
|
#6
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 21,200
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katsmeow
I think that is largely a matter of your perception of your status.
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by traineeinvestor
I'd say it is entirely up to you to say whether or not you are retired.
|
+1. Does it really matter what anyone else thinks or what label "applies?" Your perception is all that matters IMHO, there is no universal set of definitions, and there's really no need...
__________________
No one agrees with other people's opinions; they merely agree with their own opinions -- expressed by somebody else. Sydney Tremayne
Retired Jun 2011 at age 57
Target AA: 50% equity funds / 45% bonds / 5% cash
Target WR: Approx 1.5% Approx 20% SI (secure income, SS only)
|
|
|
11-12-2013, 10:13 AM
|
#7
|
Dryer sheet aficionado
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 25
|
my question back is: why does it matter? is it just semantics? is it a general label?
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Threads
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
» Quick Links
|
|
|