Regrets

[InTheSticks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AllDone It depends how flexible the part-time job is. My aunt (close to my age, not her sister's age) works when she wants to as a locum tenens. I wish that I had set that up, but I wouldn't want to be locked into showing up at an office two days a week. My aunt can say, "Sorry, I'm not available in August."

The arrangement would have to be very flexible. I don't know that I could be gone for months. But, to be able to work more when it's too hot or too cold to be outside. And work less, when the weather is nicer. I would like to get an arrangement where I worked an approximately 1,000 hours/year.

[Which Roger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by InTheSticks The arrangement would have to be very flexible. I don't know that I could be gone for months. But, to be able to work more when it's too hot or too cold to be outside. And work less, when the weather is nicer. I would like to get an arrangement where I worked an approximately 1,000 hours/year.

I'm from the "get out and never look back" camp, but my situation was different from yours. Given what you've told us, as long as fear of retirement is not driving your decision (and it doesn't seem to be), part-time seems like a good option for you.

[InTheSticks]

Also, my employer is hiring programmers like crazy and that also makes me think they open to such an arrangement.

[Animorph]

I was happy to do some part time and short duration full time work when the opportunity arose. Even picked up a new patent for it (assigned to the employer of course). But I wouldn't have missed it if I had turned it down. DW was still working, so it was an interesting way to pass the time and look like I was doing something useful.

[Options]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rustic23 None for us. ... I will say free time is addictive! It seems like the more I have the more I want. I have gotten to the point that I don't even like things scheduled against my time that I enjoy! So, no regrets for us. Our retirement is well funded, we are who we are, and are ok with it. We enjoy our freedom. Do we miss friends from work, yea, a little, but not enough to go back!

Emphasis added

+1
Odd. I was having this very conversation this morning with a retired attorney. One thing he said, which I found quite funny, was that he had tried to work PT after retiring, only to find he had no interest in being "supervised" anymore by some "kid" 15 years out of law school, or witnessing all the politics. Once you cross that [retirement] line, he said, it's hard to go back.

I had planned to work a few weeks a year over the next couple of years, but have been surprised how quickly that idea has wilted. I have only one thing to do today, and cannot believe how emancipating that feeling is.

[RE2Boys]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Live And Learn You could always try P/T initially and then decide if it is putting constraints on you before you go full ER.

+1

When retired from career job (15 years ago), did some consulting but when the time/travel interfered with other activities, I gave it up, even though money was good. For the past 8 years I've been a seasonal employee, only work Jan to April, (I refer to it as my Dog Days of Winter job). I generally decide my own hours and do not have to put up with the corporate BS. Come in, do job, follow guidelines, but don't get into any company self-promotions, latest HR program of the month. Haven't even had a personnel evaluation yet.....in 8 years. Guess they are happy, and I'm happy.

[Cobra9777]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjm-7 No regrets. I thought about going part time, but I still would have had the full time BS.

+1

In my line of work, part-time just means less pay. The stress, expectations and BS would still be there full-time. Bad formula. I love full-time retirement. No structure needed. Only regret is not pulling the trigger earlier. I do miss some of the people from work but we stay connected in other ways.

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

I am anticipating the necessity of returning to the work force in some way. The collapse of oil squeezed my Play Money to nothing.

Thinking about dropping in to Manpower for casual labor. No committment required and I could use the exercise.

I am worried that the demand may be more than I want to supply, though. I like my free time these days

Sent from my SM-G900V using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

[daylatedollarshort]

Quote:

Originally Posted by InTheSticks This question is for those that have already retired. Did anyone regret not going part time after your could RE? I will be in a position to retire next March. I'm thinking of asking my employer if I can go to half time. I already work from home. The type of work I do would appropriate for this. I am a software developer. Thoughts? Thanks!

I have worked at home for awhile. I cut back my hours when DH left his day job but still work part-time at assorted hobby jobs I can do from home. I can quit anytime as the income is not in our ER plan but it is easy money, I like the extra income and the brain work. I always have a long list of projects I want to work on so I will most likely work until they pry the mouse out of my cold dead hand.

My ultimate goal would be to have passive business income (income based on human capital and no portfolio risk) cover all of our annual expenses. So I also actively work on lowering our expenses to try to reach the point of annual expenses < passive, or at least easy, hobby type income

[Mo Money]

I am doing very limited PT w*rk at the request of my firm and/or my clients. I would rather not be doing it, as it gets in the way of my ER adventures. The extra $ is nice, but my goal is to fade away from the w*rkplace as soon as I reasonably can.

[InTheSticks]

Due to rental property, our house, other real estate and pets, we are going to limited in our ER adventures for a few years. So, I think I can work PT and still do the non-work activities that I want to do.

[RAE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rustic23 I will say free time is addictive! It seems like the more I have the more I want. I have gotten to the point that I don't even like things scheduled against my time that I enjoy!

I totally agree. I can't imagine working 20 hrs/week (or any hrs/week, really) at this point in my life (I've been retired for 5 1/2 years). And remember, if you are working just 20 hrs./wk (or even less), you will find yourself thinking about the job (and things you need to work on next, etc) for many more hours than that. No thanks.......that's not my idea of retirement.

[Focus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cobra9777 In my line of work, part-time just means less pay. The stress, expectations and BS would still be there full-time. Bad formula.

I agree totally. Initially, I thought shifting down to part time would be ideal, and the company even let me write my own job description. But what was on paper was not reflected in the reality. It quickly became apparent that there was no way to opt out of the unappealing aspects.

[jim584672]

See no point to P/T. if you are FI why waste your time like that?

[RE2Boys]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim584672 See no point to P/T. if you are FI why waste your time like that?

Get paid for doing something you enjoy, whether for the challenge, intellectual stimulation, interest, obviously.

Or your barely FI and this gives you the funds to enjoy other things in free time.

Or you not sure of your FI and what you would do with yourself in retired life.......a transition.

We all have different motivations for doing things. Most folks would consider my backpacking as too much work (I'm 66), while I could not even consider wasting my time with a silly game called golf. Or waste hours following NFL football.

[Car-Guy]

I would agree if you are really FI, then why work part time and drag out the pain of working. Unless of course you like the work.

I know before I retired, several of my co-workers and I, often talked about the possibility of doing some PT or consultant work after we retired. We were all easily FI. To my knowledge, only one did. I know I was contacted a couple of times after I retired to do some consulting work and turned them down. No regrets here.

[RunningBum]

I went part time for a couple years and it worked well for me. Mostly I liked not having to dip into my savings yet, and keeping medical.

Be careful they don't still expect near full-time production. If you fall behind on a project or there is crisis mode or a big customer issue, they may expect you to work until it is handled. You've got to be able to step away after you've finished your hours. I was able to do this, but my director still rated me against others based on overall production, so I ranked low and eventually got laid off. It was with a package and I was ready to go so I was fine with that.

OTOH, sometimes full-time work is well over 40 hours. If you really can step out after 20, it can be more than a 50% reduction for half-pay.

[hesperus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rustic23 None for us. I would think this answer would hinge on several things: 1. How much of your social life dependent on your job 2. How financially close is your retirement 3. How much do your enjoy your job/skills 4. How much of you is defined by what your are or do 5. How much do you value control of your time 6. Are you happy working now, but just want a little more free time

+1 excellent questions before deciding

[rodi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RunningBum I went part time for a couple years and it worked well for me. Mostly I liked not having to dip into my savings yet, and keeping medical. Be careful they don't still expect near full-time production. If you fall behind on a project or there is crisis mode or a big customer issue, they may expect you to work until it is handled. You've got to be able to step away after you've finished your hours. I was able to do this, but my director still rated me against others based on overall production, so I ranked low and eventually got laid off. It was with a package and I was ready to go so I was fine with that. OTOH, sometimes full-time work is well over 40 hours. If you really can step out after 20, it can be more than a 50% reduction for half-pay.

These are valid points and are why I arranged my party time schedule to be based on whole workdays rather than partial workdays. If it was Friday no one looked for me it scheduled a meeting for me. I still worked more than 8 hour days, night that was true when I was full time. I found it easier to avoid weekend crunch time as a part timer.

[InTheSticks]

Interesting replies. Thanks!

Keep them coming.