Poll:Do you have it made?

[scrabbler1]

I have to ask all of you who early retired in your late 40's, what are you doing for health insurance for you and your signficant other? I can't imagine paying $1500 a month for health insurance, that would deplete my hard earned savings quite rapidly!

At first, I had found an individual HI plan which cost me (no spouse or SO) only $470 a month (for 2009) which was very much affordable. But the premium rose 20% in 2010 and 25% in 2011 (to nearly $700 a month) so I dropped the plan a few months ago and switched to a hospital-only plan. It will cover much of my expenses for a long hospital stay, something which could wipe me out. But as long as previously covered events which would now be out-of-pocket do not exceed $500 a month (the difference between the old and new premiums) I will be okay.

No dental coverage either way, but I had some costly dental work in 2007 and 2008 before I lost that coverage, so my annual dental bills are only about $500.

 

[freebird5825]

The most stressful things I did today wete empty the dishwasher at 11 AM and make fried bologna and provolohe cheese sandwiches for Mr B and I. It will take me days to recover.

Sometimes I get worried about our future in view of Mr B's heart problem 6 weeks ago, but I think I need to lose that attitude ASAP. We have today together, so let us enjoy it.

 

[Walt34]

No one tells me I'm an idiot (except DW, of course). I do what I want, when I want (except when DW tells me what to do).

I have the t-shirt for that:

"I do what the voices in my wife's head tell me to do".

For some reason she was not amused when I brought it home.

 

[mh]

I have to ask all of you who early retired in your late 40's, what are you doing for health insurance for you and your signficant other? I can't imagine paying $1500 a month for health insurance, that would deplete my hard earned savings quite rapidly!

I don"t understand why you have such a high number for your insurance. Do you have preexisting conditions some kind ?

 

[Alan]

We have today together, so let us enjoy it.

at-a-girl - that's the right approach to life

 

[haha]

I have the t-shirt for that:

"I do what the voices in my wife's head tell me to do".

For some reason she was not amused when I brought it home.

I was listening to CEO Jim Tisch on a Loews Corp. presentation. Someone asked him if he had thought about retiring. No way he said, I do not want to wear the Honey-Do shirt.

Ha

 

[obgyn65]

I have it made, and I am happy to use some of it to help others less fortunate.

 

[GaryInCO]

ER'd 4 years ago. Despite serious withdrawals (gifts to kids for DP on houses), NW is up 50%.

If I could do that, I'd be confident of my ER path. But my NW is barely up at all in 4 years, and I've been w*rking and ADDING TO it, not living on it!!

Pray tell how did you accomplish this??

 

[GRambler]

We're pretty sure.
The problem we've got is we can no longer enjoy everything we have because we have too much and can't keep it all up. But we enjoy all what we have. A catch 22.

Some nice toys and nothing is exceptional in time maintainence, but add it all together and it's to much for us while we continue working. Retired it would be that much an issue and probably fun. We enjoyed building and aquiring it all over time.
Couple hours here and there each day is all it'd take, it's the weekend warrior requirement that keeps us from enjoying it as much.

So:
1-ER now and enjoy the maintainence and fruits of your labor but cut out the disposable income?
2-Downsize now and continue working a few more years but loose the things we've worked for?
3-Downsize and ER and change everything?
4-Hire help to maintian all the stuff so we can enjoy it and use our disposable income to pay them?

I'm for #4 but we hate hiring help, tough to find good help these days.

Having it made aint all it's crack up to be, but it beats a lot of alternatives.

 

[Sarah in SC]

I have the t-shirt for that:

"I do what the voices in my wife's head tell me to do".

For some reason she was not amused when I brought it home.

That is fantastic! I def need to get one of those for DH.
And yes, of course I have it made. I love my life!

 

[Automatika]

Pretty sure I have it made though I'm still w*rking.... just got the new Roland guitar synthesizer so I can at least sound like I have it made...

 

[KingB]

I have it made, and I am happy to use some of it to help others less fortunate.

Congratulations. I read this somewhere:
"You can't consider yourself successful until you have helped others".

 

[ls99]

I know I got it made.
Tough decisions for the day: go skating, or kayaking, or workout and sauna, or just do nuthin'. Yesterday for example did workout in the morning went skating in the afternoon.

Today a bit of lumberjacking, the go to the coffee shop.

 

[SteveR]

Not sure how to answer this one. By most American family standards we have it made. By our own standards we are "pretty sure we are on the way to having it made". I have retired twice already and now w*rk for DW doing the books and other manly stuff for her dress shop we bought a year ago. She loves it so it is not w*rk to her. I am not crazy about doing the books but it saves us a lot of money to not hire it an other stuff out. The business gives us some tax write offs so any income it makes is pretty much tax free for a while. As long as she enjoys it and can still do it we will keep it.

The market downturn and roller coaster ride right after retiring was sobering. We are back to where we were 3 years ago but the economy is far from fixed and the national debt will continue to drag it down for decades. I ran through all our retirement income and budget numbers last week again to recheck where we are and so far so good.

While I don't think we have it made...we are not hurting either. We are in the middle of an experiment to see if DW's dream will continue to be one or not. After we get some experience under our belts I am sure it will get a bit easier and she can back off a bit so we can start traveling again.

Ask me again in few years.

 

[kcowan]

...I have retired twice already and now w*rk for DW doing the books and other manly stuff for her dress shop we bought a year ago. She loves it so it is not w*rk to her. I am not crazy about doing the books but it saves us a lot of money to not hire it an other stuff out. The business gives us some tax write offs so any income it makes is pretty much tax free for a while. As long as she enjoys it and can still do it we will keep it. ...

We have a friend who had a boutique clothing store in Monteray. She tried 3 locations in 12 years but never made any money. Finally tried to sell it and had to shut it down.

I did the accounting and tax filings for DWs business for a couple of years. Even though I replaced a bookkeeper and accountant, I was able to increase her deductions to improve profitability. She was happy. I also took over MILs portfolio and reduced her management fees by $8000 a year. So for 5 years, my sole proprietership limped along with $5000 in revenues and $10000 in expenses. I finally shut it down before attracting an audit.

 

[Surfs_Up]

On a daily basis I do feel I have it made. Then there are days when it's hard to even believe it.

Just the other day I was commenting to my friend that we truly have it made. We were on his boat surfing one of the many islands off of Panama's Pacific coast. The sun was shinning, the air temp and water temp were in the 80s, and we were surfing perfect warm water head-and-half sized waves (alone). Then I realized that it was Wednesday morning and it's a tough job but somebody's gotta do it.

 

[freebird5825]

Congratulations. I read this somewhere:
"You can't consider yourself successful until you have helped others".

I am enjoying watching Mr B fulfill his dream to be an active assistant to veterans who have trouble wading through too much info. It takes up a lot of his time, but I heavily encourage him to get out there and use his accounting, research, computer network and software knowledge, and public speaking skills for the local American Legions and VFW.
He is developing himself into a local grass-roots POC for info about programs through the federal, state, and county chains. It is fun to see him becoming the "go-to" guy.

I myself did my share of volunteering over the years, so I tag along and listen and learn, and always pitch in for the grunt jobs involved in fundraising events. I am one of the few Auxiliary members who w*rks directly with the veterans, instead of the usual channels.
My Mustang convertible will be transporting 3 VFW Color Guard members who can no longer march, in the next Honor America Days parade. Mr B will be the driver. I will be on my bicycle, roaming around taking photographs.

I no longer want to be in charge of anything but my own schedule.

 

[rcbrad]

Some could consider that I have it made at 48 years of age, but I am still working. No debt, no kids, and low expenses. I am saving about 50 to 75 percent of my $40,000 salary each year. I have saved 215000 so far towards retirement. I still need more savings. I suppose that I need to work for another 5-7 years to allow for the best 35 years of salary to be used for SS. (although that could change) I would not mind working part time to help make ends meet, but just very tired of a 40 hour work week. I work for a good company with nice people, but not crazy about the actual job.

Still, I am concerned about the cost of health care after I stop working FT, even though so far I am very healthy. A big concern too, is the eventual economic collapse of some degree that is most likely on it's way.

I guess I feel like I am in a good position, but there's so much that is very unstable right now to say that I have it made.

 

[Moscyn]

I have it made. Now, if only I could lose some weight.....

 

[obgyn65]

Hello Freebird - what type of volunteering did you do ?

I myself did my share of volunteering over the years, so I tag along and listen and learn, and always pitch in for the grunt jobs involved in fundraising events.

 

[freebird5825]

Hello Freebird - what type of volunteering did you do ?

- President of a social activites committee (w*rk related)
- Newsletter writer for snowmobile club
- Public Affairs Officer for boating club
- Judge and public speaker to recruit kids to do projects for local science fair
- Cooking crew chief for large quantity meals for local mission for homeless
- Sorter and packer for local food bank
- Assisted individual with severe MS (NYS VESID client) to learn speech (to text) dictation system on desktop computer, 1-on-1 training
- Transported disabled vets from VA clinic to their homes
- Setup/cleanup/cooking for Legion fundraiser events
- Digital photography for parades and public events for Legion Color Guard and volunteer fire department units
- Planned parties for boating club, hired contractors for food, decorated, procured supplies, set up, cleanup
- Internet researcher for several organizations

See why I just want to be a grunt now?

 

[obgyn65]

Yes I do

See why I just want to be a grunt now?

 

[freebird5825]

Yes I do

Back to having it made...consider this...most of those volunteer activites I listed were accomplished while I was w*rking. I love to help people, and was often put "in charge".
I found it to be very demanding while trying to w*rk full time, manage a household with a frequently traveling husband, and still have time for myself. But that was my Type A achiever side still running at full tilt.

Now I really do have it made. I can continue my volunteering, however the difference in FIRE is I am doing things on my own schedule, and can pick and choose what I want to do and for how long. Instead of focusing on one duty at a time, I can bop between helping several organizations and never feel pressured to be "in charge" anymore.

 

[Surewhitey]

I already had it made, a great wife, a great daughter, living in So Cal, great friends, goals for the future...one last thing & my wife gave notice today at age 47 that she was leaving her employer & I'll be following in a couple months! I'm 41 & look forward to moving to SOB and volunteering as much as possible.

 

[fisherman]

Would have to say I am blessed way more than I deserve.

As I was standing on the dock at our lake house, where we are spending the summer, reeling in a Bass that went 5lbs and was my 12th fish in a hour I had to wonder why I had so many blessing and those I work with where I volunteer at a Non Profit for drug and alcohol abusers have such struggles.

The kids are really enjoying the summer as are DW and I. It is a great life now though it certainly has been a struggle at times in the past.

Counting all that is good in your life as this thread makes one do is a great think to do regularly!