Business Week: "The Golden Years -- At Work?"

[Nords]

Ellen Hoffman says that "If you've been reading BusinessWeek or any other mainstream financial publication, you know that a substantial number of baby boomers anticipate that their retirement, at least in the early years, will include work in some form. One example of the numbers being put forth recently comes from a study commissioned by AARP, 'Workers Age 50+'. The study, done by Towers Perrin human resources consultants, based in Stamford, Conn., found that '68% of age 50-70 not-yet-retired workers plan to work in some capacity into their retirement years -- or not retire at all.'"

Apparently Boomers are working-- not because they don't have enough money to retire-- but because they seek fulfillment and the shared camaraderie of their co-workers. Nothing in this article even hints at the possibility of being too broke to retire. However in conclusion, "Maybe the answer for you will be to develop a hobby, such as stamp collecting or visiting Civil War battle sites, into a major, time-consuming, non-paying pastime. But on the other hand, you could find that the best way to replace the rewards you receive from work is to keep working -- especially if it's a different, less stressful job, with fewer hours, a new boss (maybe even yourself), and a new focus."

http://www.businessweek.com/print/in...601_334331.htm

Ewwwwwwkay. Apparently if I'm not at work then I'm just wasting consuming my non-paying time with frivolous hobbies.

I'd love to continue this discussion later, but right now there's 5-7 feet at White Plains Beach!

[SteveR]

Looks like ESRBob was right. We all need to be working in retirement.

No thanks! After 32 wonderfully fulfilling years with mega pharma corp I will not be w*rking for a paycheck unless my nest egg hatches and flies away.

If I am viewed as lazy then so be it....I have earned it after working 60+ hours a week most of my life.

OTOH,
Having 60% of my fellow boomers out there slaving away to keep SS solvent is not such a bad idea. Just don't count me in that herd.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I suppose theres little hope to suggest to 40-50 million people that they might want to take a hard look at why they need a job to feel "fulfilled" and why they cant make friends with people that arent forced to sit next to them for 8 hours a day...

[heretic]

I wonder if those people who can't save and just plan to work have any idea that being 70 isn't exactly just like being 40?

[SteveR]

Originally Posted by heretic

I wonder if those people who can't save and just plan to work have any idea that being 70 isn't exactly just like being 40?

Kinda makes you think these folks don't have a clue there is life beyond the cube farm. Work for the sake of something to do besides being a vegatable in from the the TV all day is a sorry prospect.

Unless they plan on a career change into something that is "enjoyable" I don't see the attraction to w*rk until I drop dead. That would be like the olden times when you died because you could not work any more.

[audreyh1]

In our fast-paced world, it's all too easy too assume that the only retirement planning required is to figure out how much money to amass in a 401(k) or individual retirement account. But money is not the only valuable resource available to spend in retirement. Another is your time. As with the money, it would be a shame to waste it.

OK - so NOT working is wasting your time?!?! Funny, I always felt that working WAS wasting my precious time since someone else owned it.

Some people just don't get that there is life after work!

It's not my job to change their minds - I just as soon everybody else kept working.

Audrey

[d]

wonder if those people who can't save and just plan to work have any idea that being 70

wonder if those people who can't don't save and just don't plan to work have any ideas at all!

Yup! - I wasted my time (this whole afternoon) out on my back porch enjoying the beautiful June weather. Listening to the birds, feeding the chipmunks. Surfing the net with a glass of Chardonnay.

Just think, I could have been in a meeting with people I don't like saving for my retirement instead!

[TargaDave]

Originally Posted by SteveR

No thanks! After 32 wonderfully fulfilling years with mega pharma corp I will not be w*rking for a paycheck unless my nest egg hatches and flies away.

Nice thing about being self-employed most of my life is that figuring out how to make money has always been part of the fun, even if it's just a few bucks a week. Spent about 4 1/2 years of my 24 working years working at MegaCorps. No boss issues, just not a fullfilling environment.

Nords, I'm still waiting in great anticipation for photo proof of you in "surfing" action. Get your daughter to snap some shots.

[Telly]

Originally Posted by heretic

I wonder if those people who can't save and just plan to work have any idea that being 70 isn't exactly just like being 40?

Shhhhhh!

I want all those people to keep on working, keep paying into SS and Medicare, and keeping the heck off the roads and out of the neighborhood during the day!

I think it is their DUTY to keep working to 70+!

[Momtwo]

Geesh! As I am sitting here enjoying a glass of White Zinfandel reading this, I am remembering that DH and I made a list of all the little luxuries that we need to spend more money on. Should I have been looking for a job instead? I am so confused!

Momtwo

[sgeeeee]

Originally Posted by Telly

Shhhhhh!

I want all those people to keep on working, keep paying into SS and Medicare, and keeping the heck off the roads and out of the neighborhood during the day!

I think it is their DUTY to keep working to 70+!

I'm with you, Telly. *Don't criticize and condescend toward these folks. *Encourage them to work hard for their values. *Keep them off the roads and out of site. * You don't have to believe it, but every ER should learn to at least feign deep respect for those that want to work 'til they die. *

[lazygood4nothinbum]

lazy is my art.

[Nords]

Originally Posted by TargaDave

Nords,* I'm still waiting in great anticipation for photo proof of you in "surfing" action.* Get your daughter to snap some shots.

You mean like this one? (Just kidding-- this is Flea Virostko winning "Best Wipeout" at the 2005 Eddie Aikau.) I'll see if the kid wants to snap some next time she paddles in. Hmmm... I wonder how deep we could take a "waterproof" digital camera.

[Rich_in_Tampa]

Originally Posted by Nords

You mean like this one?

No, this one:

[lazygood4nothinbum]

caption for above pic: bud and flipper take early retirment from florida keys to surf hawaii with nords.

[Maximillion]

Spent the afternoon, cutting the grass, walking the dog, weeding the flower beds, planting the flowers,hoeing the vegetable patch, walking a mile into town to pick up the paper, dumping 5 wheel barrows full of grass on the compost heap in the back of the Orchard, checking the markets for some "Fallen Angels", doing some preparation for Dinner, cleaning out the garage, chasing the swallows from trying to make a nest in the garage, doing some light house cleaning, typical relaxing ER afternoon.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Originally Posted by Maximillion

walking the dog

i just wish you'd take that red sex toy away from him that he's standing over in your avatar photo :P

[maddythebeagle]

I find this topic amusing......the folks that need to stay at work to have friends are probably the reason that the rest of us want out We had a guy in his 60s just leave (he could have left years ago) and he certainly is one that kept coming back to the office after retirement (one of those guys that needs to push himself on others :P). I suppose that work was nec. for his social contacts.....