How many years do you work before retire???

[Brdofpray]

I remember a part time job. It was the summer of 1977. We were married one year. I was in graduate school. We were trying to make it through the summer till my DW job started. We were not going to make it. I took a 2 week job on a continuous concrete pour, a grain elevator in Iowa. Twelve hour shifts in 95 plus degree heat. It about killed me, but I stuck it out. Got the $500, and the rest is history.

It really gave me an appreciation for hard work, and what you need to do to survive. We applied that ethic to everything we ever approached. Thirty years later, here we are!

 

[Avalon]

I remember a part time job. It was the summer of 1977. We were married one year. I was in graduate school. We were trying to make it through the summer till my DW job started. We were not going to make it. I took a 2 week job on a continuous concrete pour, a grain elevator in Iowa. Twelve hour shifts in 95 plus degree heat. It about killed me, but I stuck it out. Got the $500, and the rest is history.

It really gave me an appreciation for hard work, and what you need to do to survive. We applied that ethic to everything we ever approached. Thirty years later, here we are!

Great story. I bet it was the United Western Coop in Missouri Valley.

 

[Brdofpray]

Great story. I bet it was the United Western Coop in Missouri Valley.

Nope, Slater, Iowa. The Conger Construction Company. Their next project they started collapsed, killing several. Don't know why I remember that.

 

[Avalon]

Nope, Slater, Iowa. The Conger Construction Company. Their next project they started collapsed, killing several. Don't know why I remember that.

Ah, ok. I thought maybe it was while you were at DeSoto. I can see how that would be a memorable experience. Wow!

 

[Free To Canoe]

I wonder if many of those remember our early jobs with pleasure. I had a lot of fun as a rent-a-car girl at the International Market Place in Waikiki. I worked at an outside stand where I could see and talk to all the passersby, and enjoy the lovely weather and breezes. I got to wear a muu-muu and sandals to work, and my boss brought me a pretty lei every day to wear. I was encouraged to tan, wear flowers in my hair, and especially to flirt with the guys and try to get them to rent a car. At barely 18, with raging hormones I didn't need much encouragement to flirt! And when things were slow, I could read or study and nobody minded.

Nah, nah. These fun gigs like lifeguard, toof fairy, paper boy, surf instructor don't count. We are talking work without parole here.

It was about 32 years for me. It was a bumpy road, which helps me appreciate ER all the more.

Hard to top the Rent a car story for best job.

 

[FreeAtLast]

30 years full time then semi-retired for 5 years.

 

[Meadbh]

I've been in the workforce for almost 32 years, apart from a one year sabbatical. That doesn't count summer jobs while in college. I might be retiring this year if the crash of 2008 had not happened. I may retire in 2014, or wait till 2017. That would be 32 or 35 years in total. It feels like more, but then I worked hard in school too.

 

[ocdokie]

Started working for state government full time right out of high school. Retired in 2010 at age 52 with a juris doctor degree and 35 years of service. Am currently receiving a pension -- we'll see how long that lasts.

 

[Shawn]

Not counting high school, college, and graduate school, I will have been in the workforce for 21 years if I retire this year as planned.

 

[Kabekew]

I put in 18 years before I retired, but realized after 13 it wasn't going to happen early unless I started my own business. After five years of that, I decided to sell it off and retire a couple weeks after I turned 41.

 

[justplainbll]

I made FICA contributions for 37 years and started collecting a SS retirement "entitlement" 52 years after my first contribution.

 

[chris2008]

I worked full time from 19-21. That was a trainee job in a bank.
Part time student jobs from 21 - 26, in banks and faculty jobs.
Full time from 26 to current age 53 and up to planned ER at 54.
That will make 30 years full time and 5 part time.

I have changed the full time jobs several times. So the 31 years do not really feel that long. But it adds up.

 

[Ronstar]

After high school jobs in the library and a bait shop, I started work in the summer of 74, then went full time in the spring of 75. So it looks like I've worked 37 years, and I'm not totally out yet.

 

[Chuckanut]

Part Time for a good 5 years in college and 8 years while my kids were young. Yes, Daddy took them to school and picked them up every day!

Full time: A good 27 years.
Education: 6 more years of full time education past high school. I think education has to count since it has contributed to my financial situation as much as my daily labors.

 

[Hamlet]

I got my first job out of college in 1996, so I've been working full-time for 16 years. I hope to be done in another ten years, although pro-creation decisions and the stock market may affect that date dramatically.

That date would put me at about 50 for retirement.

 

[Finance Dave]

Guess I hold the record. I started working part time, odd jobs at 11. Had my first paycheck with deductions at 14, started working full time at 17. Even in college had to work more then 40 hours a week. I retired after 30 years at one megacorp and doing so 3-31-2012 from another after 14 years. Counting from my first part time work, have been working for 55 years. But I never had any interest in not working. Even now I have some doubts about stopping. I have always loved work. Got to travel all over the world, meet people from all cultures speaking different languages and accomplishing amazing things. It's never been about financials. I could have afforded to retire at 52 when I left my first megacorp. I just enjoy working more then playing. And I play hard when I do. I ski, ride motorcycles, golf, travel, and do all sorts of fun stuff. I joined this forum to help me make the transition as I decided a year ago I really needed to stop working. So we will see how it all plays out starting April fools day.

Your story is inspiring, the active nature you portray. Well done. Although I don't want to always work, it seems to be the right choice for you.


I started work at 12 cutting grass. First "paycheck" job was a dishwasher at 15. I'm now 50, with no break in service. I'm hoping to "rehire" in 1-2 years...move to a lower-stress PT job for about 4-6 years doing something more fun. After that we'll just take it day by day.

 

[Evergreen]

You sound almost exactly the same as me Finance Dave. As you say, working to 65 is the right choice for many people but like you I don't always want to work. I'm seeking some lower stressed part time work on and off when I actually get off the full time treadmill in a year or two. I was checking my company pension out last week and it is better than I thought, I'm already getting quite a buzz thinking that I am almost free from this crazy hand to mouth existence. Just hoping that I live a healthy life to age 90 now!

 

[Finance Dave]

You sound almost exactly the same as me Finance Dave. As you say, working to 65 is the right choice for many people but like you I don't always want to work. I'm seeking some lower stressed part time work on and off when I actually get off the full time treadmill in a year or two. I was checking my company pension out last week and it is better than I thought, I'm already getting quite a buzz thinking that I am almost free from this crazy hand to mouth existence. Just hoping that I live a healthy life to age 90 now!

That buzz will get louder and louder each month. I may have to go to an ear doctor soon.

I will be interviewing for a completely different line of work in about a month or so...we'll see how it goes. I'm 90% of the way there financially, and I've learned it's so much easier when you have very little to lose. I'm not the least bit stressed about finding another job. Heck, if I had to, I could go back to being an auto mechanic for 3-4 years....I did that in my 20s. It's hard physically, but I'm sure I could do it. My pay would go down by about 70%, but that would be ok if the stress is low.

 

[ShortInSeattle]

Been working full time for 13.5 years so far, another 20 to go. Perhaps less if the markets are kind and we are lucky. . Fortunately we enjoy our jobs, so we're not just tapping our toes watching the clock.

 

[clifp]

I worked in high school, during college and full time in the summers. The only decent job in the bunch was tutoring students in computer science.

But after college, only just under 18 which looks like the winner so far. Blame it on my mom I told her I was going to retire before I turned 40 and I didn't want to disappoint her, or more truthfully be proven wrong.

 

[REattempt]

22 Years, 2 months...but who counted?

 

[Evergreen]

I posted on this thread over 2.5 years ago, I can now afford to retire. I won't be rich but I should be able to maintain my current lifestyle with company pension and investments. I should be over the moon but to be honest I don't know how to retire. It is almost as if I am embarrassed to retire now! I really want to get out now but society tells me I'm too young at 52.


Did any of you feel the same?


Help!!

 

[Walt34]

I posted on this thread over 2.5 years ago, I can now afford to retire. I won't be rich but I should be able to maintain my current lifestyle with company pension and investments. I should be over the moon but to be honest I don't know how to retire. It is almost as if I am embarrassed to retire now! I really want to get out now but society tells me I'm too young at 52.


Did any of you feel the same?


Help!!

I retired the first time at 52 and no it didn't bother me at all. Later I stumbled into a second job but it was optional every step of the way and when that went south I quit without a second thought.

 

[Evergreen]

I think that you are right Walt, it shouldn't bother me really. Maybe I should get out in the spring when the weather is better!

 

[Ronstar]

I was just short of 40 working years when I retired at 58. The first 2 years I worked part time while going to junior college. And the last 10 years I gradually angered down from 60 hours to 8 hours a week. It didn't bother me at all to retire at 58 - that's almost normal retirement age. Nor did the angering down stage bother me - I worked enough years of 50-60 hours a week to justify it.


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