I Think I'll Keep Working

[Webzter]

DW's grandparents are in their late 70's. Grandpa finally stopped working his part-time job last year (he's quite 5 times but 5th time seems to be the charm). He did enjoy the social interaction and ability to educate people but doesn't seem to miss the workplace for even a fraction of a second (I mentioned they're hiring in his area and they have new managers but he just laughed). Grandma has been retired for a good long time.

They're both so busy that they need to schedule us on the calendar when we're getting together. I'm pretty sure we have a lot less going on then them.

 

[Danmar]

Sorry, I can't help. I had a boring and unfulfilling career. I only have uncomplicated and undiverse views.

I didn't mean to insult. It's just that the mainstream views have been well expressed here already.

 

[Danmar]

Why would someone with a fulfilling and interesting career be hanging around an early retirement board? If it were me I'd be too busy to waste my time here.

Maybe not before they retire but once retired they may have more time and desire to "waste their time here"?

 

[REWahoo]

Maybe not before they retire but once retired they may have more time and desire to "waste their time here"?

Good point. I didn't think anyone with a career as you described would retire unless they were unable to function - even on an internet board.

 

[tmm99]

This is kind of the norm in various asian countries.

When I was in the Philippines for a few weeks last year staying in a condotel (furnished condo rented like a hotel), it was very common to meet males between age 45 – 70 having drinks in the bar with very attractive females age 18 – 28. The benefit of the Philippines is English is a primary language. A few were very open about how far their monthly SS check of $1200 - $1600 can go.

One bedroom units were going for about $20 a day, but monthly rates were available for cheap. One guy retired at 38 with less than 1M, living there full time…. Activities = golfing, drinking, dancing, swimming, girls, massages, etc. not always in that order. He will never work again. It was an interesting beer as he thought I should get a divorce and follow his foot steps.

For the record, I needed a 3 bedroom unit as we were visiting with a large party but due to jet lag I didn't sleep much for the time I was there.

Living expense sounds great.

I see a lot of men go to Thailand/Phillippines for all these reasons, but do you see retired single women there? What do they do?

 

[REWahoo]

...do you see retired single women there? What do they do?

Ya mean other than bitch about all the males between age 45 – 70 having drinks in the bar with very attractive females age 18 – 28?

 

[73ss454]

Ya mean other than bitch about all the males between age 45 – 70 having drinks in the bar with very attractive females age 18 – 28?

OK, give it up, where is this bar.

 

[Gone4Good]

One guy retired at 38 with less than 1M, living there full time…. Activities = golfing, drinking, dancing, swimming, girls, massages, etc. not always in that order. He will never work again.

I'll take the under on how long he stays out of the workforce. Does he really think the Peso is going to stay at 0.02 to the dollar forever? For his sake, it better.

I suspect a lot of folks who've 'retired' to developing countries are going to be in for a rude awakening as their USD pensions and SS increasingly buy fewer and fewer 'massages.'

 

[MasterBlaster]

I suspect a lot of folks who've 'retired' to developing countries are going to be in for a rude awakening as their USD pensions and SS increasingly buy fewer and fewer 'massages.'

I suspect a lot of folks who've retired here or abroad are in for a rude awakening as their US dollar denominated pensions and SS buy fewer and fewer anything.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Living expense sounds great.

I see a lot of men go to Thailand/Phillippines for all these reasons, but do you see retired single women there? What do they do?

You could probably find a few 18 year old men to date there.

 

[neihn]

Where in Thailand do you live? My uncle lives in Phu Noi, south of Hua Hin, and we've got family friends in Bangkok. After visiting Thailand one of my semi-retirement ideas is starting a game development studio on a beach there. Much lower amount of money coming in needed to fund that lifestyle than living here in California.

Coder #n

 

[Gone4Good]

I suspect a lot of folks who've retired here or abroad are in for a rude awakening as their US dollar denominated pensions and SS buy fewer and fewer anything.

Because of the inflation monster that is right around the corner, and always will be?

 

[tmm99]

You could probably find a few 18 year old men to date there.

I should have said

I see a lot of men go to Thailand/Phillippines for all these reasons, but do you see retired single women (who have no interest in dating boys.. or girls for that matter) there? What do they do?

I was actually curious, because I can picture all these old men with young girls there; then I thought, would this be a place for retired women too? Are there other retired women from US enjoying their later years there?

 

[Moemg]

Since I had already gone through a few transitions( Divorced , widowed ) I knew retirement would be one more transition and it was. It took me four months to get off the couch and create a new life . I had to find non working friends & a hobby . Accomplished both within a short period and now I have a new fun non working life .

 

[MasterBlaster]

I should have said

I see a lot of men go to Thailand/Phillippines for all these reasons, but do you see retired single women (who have no interest in dating boys.. or girls for that matter) there? What do they do?

I was actually curious, because I can picture all these old men with young girls there; then I thought, would this be a place for retired women too? Are there other retired women from US enjoying their later years there?

We'll if drinking and simultaneously dating 18 year old women doesn't appeal to you as it does to some of the lecherous old codgers here, at least you could enjoy the inexpensive living, the warm year-round weather, and the outdoor sporting opportunities. The observed activities of those old farts could then be used for endless entertainment and to tell your friends about back in Peoria. Are you certain though that you couldn't use a good pool-boy now and then ?

But then perhaps a place like beautiful Lake Chapala Mexico (an Ex-Pat community in the mountains above Guadalajara Mexico) or San Miguel de Allende Mexico (another Ex-Pat area with a bustling arts scene) or Panama would be better choices for a similar warm weather/inexpensive lifestyle sans the young girl thing. More costly alternatives could be touristy places like Puerta Vallarta or Acapulco or Cabo San Lucas.

If this type Ex-Pat arrangement interests you then search on this forum and on the Internet for a wealth of information. Many people indeed retire to these places and live well for not much money.

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/chapala-video-52120.html

 

[Pete44]

I should have said

I see a lot of men go to Thailand/Phillippines for all these reasons, but do you see retired single women (who have no interest in dating boys.. or girls for that matter) there? What do they do?

I was actually curious, because I can picture all these old men with young girls there; then I thought, would this be a place for retired women too? Are there other retired women from US enjoying their later years there?

I see retired women here in Asia, it's just more popular for the lecherous old male pensioners. It may be that they don't hang in the same bars I do.

I'm not a fan of Mexico but it is closer. I don't see many Americans here. I think it would certainly be a place for woman to retire. I do volunteer work at the school. There is a million things to do. Every activity you can think of is here. I think it's fairly easy to develop a social network. A round trip ticket is $1200. Hotels are $25. A meal is $3. You want to go the backpacking route it's cheaper than that. Transportation is inexpensive. Thailand is safe for a woman traveling alone. Come for a month and travel around and see for yourself. I wouldn't plan a retirement move anywhere if I hadn't been to see a place multiple times.

There are other forums for more information.

 

[MasterBlaster]

pete44:

Just out of curiousity (and for the team's info of which I am collecting scientific information), Is there a distinction between the girls that work the bars and the girls the old codgers date ? Or are they the same group of women ?

 

[Khan]

"Re-defining themselves" is the essence of retirement.

If someone views re-defining as "suffering" - they should keep working.

If they view re-defining as liberating - then retirement, preferably ER, is right for them.

A lot of people do not have the energy, guts, and conviction to re-define. When this happens, they retire "idle un-re-defined" - and that would s_ck - I'd almost rather be working.....

I posted something a while back (should go look for it) where I asked what I was since no longer employee, child, spouse...

 

[haha]

pete44:

Just out of curiousity (and for the team's info of which I am collecting scientific information), Is there a distinction between the girls that work the bars and the girls the old codgers date ? Or are they the same group of women ?

Let me guess- same group, except when Daddy is in town they stay out of the bars?

They have bills to pay, one doubts that they are doctors or social workers who just happen to enjoy sleeping with older men. But of course, "It could happen!"

Ha

 

[Khan]

I sometimes wonder if the type of career you had before you retired has alot to do with how happy you are after you retire. IN GENERAL, my guess is that people in high prestige types of careers (ie. doctor, lawyer, ceo, etc.) have a more difficult time adjusting to retirement than people in non high prestige types of work because they miss the extra attention they don't get after they retire. Also, they probably invested more time and effort getting to that level of prestige and have a hard time justifying early retirement because it took so much effort to get to that point. My brother in law is a doctor and almost 70 years old and continues to work and my impression is that his identity is so tied to being a doctor that he has a hard time letting go of it. I was a computer programmer before I retired at 53 and although it was a good career for 30 years, in my opinion it didn't impress people very much...I had little trouble letting go of it and adjusted to retirement fairly quickly.

I was a cube rat, maintenance programming. Would have left earlier if had enough money.

 

[Pete44]

pete44:

Just out of curiousity (and for the team's info of which I am collecting scientific information), Is there a distinction between the girls that work the bars and the girls the old codgers date ? Or are they the same group of women ?

Being I'm new here I don't want to make this topic into something else but I'll answer the question. (Youth wants to know.)

There is no distinction. It's the girls we tend to meet (I resent the implication that I'm an old codger by the way, mature codger, okay). Often the girls don't want multiple partners, they want someone to take care of them. Many woman come to the tourist areas because they've been abandoned by a husband and they have a baby to take care of that they've left with Mama back in the village. Thai men can come and go with no child support. The average salary here for a job is less than $300. Farangs (foreigners) are all thought to be rich. Thus many young woman pair up with older men. That isn't always the case. I see men with older women.

Age doesn't have the same stigma here it does back home. At 60 I'm not pulling many 25 year olds on Match.com That said not many Thais women want older Thai men. It's about the money. But isn't that how it is in the States? Rich guys get the young woman?

The tendency is to find a girlfriend. Her background may be working at the 7/11 or a bar. Usually the man will give her an allowance of something like $300/mo. Usually get someone who enjoys taking care of the house and hopefully, you. Cooking, cleaning etc., etc. They can be too thorough. It use to drive me crazy to go looking for the shirt I wore an hour and just took off already in the wash. However, one constantly hears horror stories of getting taken to the cleaners. Bank accounts cleaned out, house in her name gone. Too easy to fall in love and lose judgement.

I have mantra I repeat. I have it in needlepoint above my computer. "Sexual compatibility is not love."

All my friends have stable long term relationships with beautiful women and most of the girls worked in a bar at one time, is the short answer.

 

[Spanky]

For those who might be interested in dating young Thai women:
Thai Dating, Thai Singles, Thai Brides, Thai Wife, Thai Women

 

[Pete44]

For those who might be interested in dating young Thai women:
Thai Dating, Thai Singles, Thai Brides, Thai Wife, Thai Women

I wouldn't. Many (most?) of the girls are scamming. Doesn't hurt to look I suppose. Don't believe anything they say and don't send them any money.

 

[Aviator]

UP! Forgot to add: shoveling snow, battling mosquitoes, black fly, etc

I like shoveling snow with my Ariens snowblower and those bugs...just fish bait to me Now if I could only find a way to put them on a hook.....

 

[Spanky]

I wouldn't. Many (most?) of the girls are scamming. Doesn't hurt to look I suppose. Don't believe anything they say and don't send them any money.

I concur. It does not hurt just to look at the pictures.