How Long Have You Been Retired, UnEmployed, Footloose Fancy Free and Not Working

[Goonie]

Originally Posted by rs0460a

Before May 1, 2007 I did something else. Unfortunately, I don't remember anything prior to that date...

- Ron

I can relate to that....'cept for me it was April 4, 2007! I remember the times up until Kindergarten, then things gets pretty fuzzy from then until that wonderful day in April '07! Up until the 'big people' sent me away to K-garten, I experienced about 5 magnificent years of "Endless Days of Play"........Now, for soon to be 14 months, I've reconnected with, and have been relishing in, those re-discovered "Endless Days of Play"!!!

[rocketdog]

It's been 4 months and 30 days. Every day, I feel like it's the first day of summer vacation. There's this feeling of endless possibility stretching ahead--I can't believe I finally made it! Life is great!

[Dreamer]

Tomorrow will be 2 years for me. I am loving it. I don't know if I would have taken the early retirement offer if I had not been reading here. Thanks to everybody here for all the great information!

[Retire Soon]

It will be two years June 18th. DW and I just returned from a six week cross-country RV trip last week. Next Saturday we fly to Hawaii for a two week vacation. Life is good!

[FreeAtLast]

Cut my work week back to 25 hours about 2.5 years ago. Last month I cut back even further to 15 hours. Working only 4 mornings a week is great. Not sure when I will pull the plug all the way. I can work from home and still have full benefits so I stay on. My DW passed away about 5 years ago, still have a son in high school. Older daughter just finished law school.
It gives me something to do, pay is ok, hours are flexible and Insurance is fully paid for. At 55 this seems right for me. I have worked most of my life and don't have many hobbies or friends that are retired. I am trying to change that now that I have more free time.

[Nords]

Let's see, it's 12:01 PM HST 1 June, so that would make it-- five years, 364 days, 12 hours, and one minute. Maybe I'll wake up at 2359 to celebrate the ticker rolling over... but probably not!

[RE2Boys]

From a career job, been away since Feb 3, 2000 at age 50
From any job related to the profession my degree is in, sometime in Feb 2001. Did consulting work for a year but finally decided to quit that.
Since then, work Jan-April doing tax returns. Keeps reminding me what other parent's lives are really like.

RE2Boys

[kevin92610]

6 years and 11 months. Everytime I think I want to find a paying job....it interferes with my workout schedule, or nap time, or my kid's games/practices.... and then I get to thinking about the commute and that clinches it!!

[boont]

I actually did time the market and retire. I sold out in December of 1999 because I knew I was going to retire and not be adding anything more to my account.

I sold with the S&P at 1330 or there abouts. Today the S&P is 1361 so I would have gained nothing by staying in compared to the money market interest I made. My work mates were not so lucky. They were all "buy and hold" guys, even my doctor, and the other guys at my boat harbor.

I retired in 2002 with a buy-out, a pension, health care, money market returns, and real estate income. Still keep an office for my own projects and do an occasional job if it looks like fun.

Spending a lot more time at the ranch, I'm there now. It's great not having to go back Sunday night if I don't feel like it. I remember driving to work in the early morning and thinking, "I wish I could just keep driving and play hooky."

Now I do.

[kramer]

I FIREd almost 14 months ago. I have spent about 8 months of that time traveling around the world. About half of the rest of the time was spent moving and doing necessary FIRE stuff like getting health insurance, getting ready for my trips, etc.

I return to the USA in just over a week and I will be relaxing more for awhile instead of traveling around from country to country. I plan to live in Thailand in the Fall, but it will be more living and less traveling.

My spending has been a bit less than I anticipated.

Kramer

[Jake46]

Retired 53 weeks ago. Best period of my life.

[megacorp-firee]

It will be 1 year at the end of this month. Traveled around Asia, visited family around the country, trying to get house (30+ years of accumulation) in order, 3 months just hanging out and playing poker in Sin City. The budget is about right (but that's more LBYM habits than good planning).
LIFE IS GREAT!

[Bikerdude]

It's been 8 yrs and 3 months since I was tied to the 'plow'. That means I retired March 1st 2000 . So far I survived the blow intact .

[albundyz]

it's been 11 months and one week for me

been 5 months for my wife

I've almost perfected the art of having fun all day long without accomplishing anything. just one big goof-off. After 34 years straight at Megacorp, I deserve it.

[bosco]

11 months, 3 weeks.

built a woodshed, skied all winter, have taken several trips, started playing piano again....

life is good!!! How did I ever find time to go to the office?

[Yipee-Ki-O]

July 1 marks 2 years for me. First 3 months were especially sweet while I burned accumulated leave. Not only was it cool to get paid every Friday without going to work, but I learned a higher-up was quite tweaked with me that I had accumulated so much vacation/personal time and with HR for granting my time-off requests. I Don't know why, I played by their rules. I suspect it had much to do with my declining to accept a new work assignment and instead submitting my resignation letter which ended with "Oh, by the way, I'll be taking the next 3 months off and I won't be coming back." I know one isn't supposed to burn bridges, but it was extremely satisfying nonetheless! The (or his agent, FIRE) made me do it!