What if it's just another whim?

[Nuiloa]

I'm within a few months of retiring but, as I get closer to the date, I'm beginning to doubt the wisdom of ER.

I'm a creature of impulse (sort of). I get an idea about something, and that's all I can think of for months. Then I do it - get it out of my system - and lose all enthusiasm for the idea.

Case in point: I've been wanting to buy an RV for years and have done hours of research. I was going to spend every waking moment travelling around and doing interesting things. Finally, I bought one on September 1st. I used it on the Labour Day weekend and haven't taken it out since.

This past weekend (Thanksgiving long weekend) was passably nice weather-wise. Instead of going out, I spent the weekend on the couch, watching re-runs of 3rd Rock from the Sun. And I did a bit of geocaching.

So, what if ER is another one of these whims? I've been thinking about it and planning it for years. But what if it's just another RV dream?

Has anyone ever had any regrets?

Nui

 

[REWahoo]

The only regret I've had was not retiring sooner.

 

[Coolius]

not me.

ER in April of this year. No regrets, just thankful that I did not delay - who knows what the stress would have done to me by now?

You are likely made of a totally different disposition than me - so if you enjoy the challenge of working and am not stressed by the work, just do it. Your finances will thank you.

 

[W2R]

The only regret I've had was not retiring sooner.

+1, although I couldn't have retired a day sooner than I did. I retired on the first day I was eligible to do so. Still, sometimes I think of all the years that are now gone.

 

[travelover]

You can always go back - maybe not to the same j*b, but slaves are always in short supply.

 

[Nuiloa]

+1, although I couldn't have retired a day sooner than I did. I retired on the first day I was eligible to do so. Still, sometimes I think of all the years that are now gone.

Gone? Where'd they go?

 

[GregLee]

I recall a post from a cancer forum I follow recalling some second thoughts as the poster was proceeding along the birth canal. "Do I really want to do this?"

 

[REWahoo]

Gone? Where'd they go?

There all recorded on your time cards at work...

 

[Nuiloa]

I recall a post from a cancer forum I follow recalling some second thoughts as the poster was proceeding along the birth canal. "Do I really want to do this?"

The answer to that would be no.

 

[youbet]

+1, although I couldn't have retired a day sooner than I did.

Yes you could have. You just didn't want to badly enough to take the risk and to live on less.

 

[Nords]

So, what if ER is another one of these whims? I've been thinking about it and planning it for years. But what if it's just another RV dream?
Has anyone ever had any regrets?

The only regret I've had was not retiring sooner.

... and with less money, too.

Don't worry, Nuiloa, you can always sell the RV and get another job.

The real tragedy would be staying at your current occupation until it's too late to do anything...

 

[MichaelB]

Has anyone ever had any regrets?

Nui

I am so glad I quit working. If I had come her first and learned all the financial analysis, safe withdrawal rates, portfolio survivability probabilities and such I probably would have thought - one more year, a little safer, blah blah blah. Analysis paralysis.

This is so much better.

 

[Telly]

.....I'm a creature of impulse (sort of). I get an idea about something, and that's all I can think of for months. Then I do it - get it out of my system - and lose all enthusiasm for the idea.

Have you tried tropical fish yet?

Any Regrets? - None!
But then, I knew that if I ever could retire, I would have no problem being my own boss, puttering around, not being responsible for other people anymore, not having to be PC anymore, not being in a near-continuous state of stress anymore, just taking the day as it comes, and 101 other things. Then suddenly, without warning, it happened!

 

[Nemo2]

The only reason I worked in the first place was so that I could quit.

 

[Nuiloa]

... and with less money, too.

Don't worry, Nuiloa, you can always sell the RV and get another job.

The real tragedy would be staying at your current occupation until it's too late to do anything...

Yes but.... I am in a dream job. My job is almost completely stress free; my staff are all competent and friendly; I have a lot of down time and I get 8 weeks of vacation time annually. My former boss doubled my salary a few years back which allowed me to pay off my mortgage 10 years early. I've built up a six-figure nest egg and my pension will be in the $60K range before taxes, less about $500/year for full health benefits.

Finding another job like that would be impossible.

On the other hand, I'll have to retire sometime. Or die in the saddle, which is not an option. Mandatory retirement functions are bad enough.... forcing a mandatory funeral on my staff would cause me to haunt the place.

 

[REWahoo]

Yes but.... I am in a dream job.

This may sound strange, but I'm actually a little sad for you. If you had the job from Hell (or at least from one of the outer rings) you'd be salivating over the opportunity for retirement.

Find a job you hate and all your doubts will vanish.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Maybe you're right to be concerned, Nu, considering your Thanksgiving weekend (although I sometimes need a little downtime watching old sitcoms or reading really bad novels, too) when you have your RV at the ready and unused. Maybe your job is still providing you with enough psychic rewards that outweigh whatever tediousness it also entails. Is there something you can envision yourself retiring to that is better than what you'd be retiring from?

 

[GregLee]

... and my pension will be in the $60K range before taxes, less about $500/year for full health benefits.

Finding another job like that would be impossible.

Does your pension stipulate that you may not work and still receive pension benefits? If not, you needn't worry about retiring, getting bored, then not being able to find another job with comparable pension benefits. Because you'll still have the pension, even if you return to work.

 

[Nuiloa]

Does your pension stipulate that you may not work and still receive pension benefits? If not, you needn't worry about retiring, getting bored, then not being able to find another job with comparable pension benefits. Because you'll still have the pension, even if you return to work.

Not only do I collect the pension no matter what, I am also able to return to the same employer without having to give it up. I can work as a consultant.

I've actually considered working 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off. You never know about these things.

 

[Nuiloa]

Maybe you're right to be concerned, Nu, considering your Thanksgiving weekend (although I sometimes need a little downtime watching old sitcoms or reading really bad novels, too) when you have your RV at the ready and unused. Maybe your job is still providing you with enough psychic rewards that outweigh whatever tediousness it also entails. Is there something you can envision yourself retiring to that is better than what you'd be retiring from?

It wasn't just this weekend - it's EVERY weekend. Total inertia. It's not a good thing.

 

[Nuiloa]

My dilemma may have been solved for me.

I was talking to my sister and we were laughing about my geocaching adventures and my fear of being thought of as a pervert. Just as I said "I'm a pervert", my boss walked by the office with a couple of potential donors.

I have a feeling I'm gonna have some 'splaining to do

 

[REWahoo]

I've actually considered working 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off. You never know about these things.

Kidding aside, that sounds like a great idea. When (OK, if) you begin dreading returning to work from your two weeks off, you'll know it's time to pull the plug for good.

 

[IBWino]

Find a job you hate and all your doubts will vanish.

That could be an ER bumper sticker!

Currently, I can't get the chant "four more years" out of my head (and it has nothing to do with re-electing anyone).

 

[freebird5825]

It wasn't just this weekend - it's EVERY weekend. Total inertia. It's not a good thing.

I'm FIREd for almost 5 years now, and I have days like that (total inertia) sometimes. It gets worse during the winter.
The way I deal with inertia is to do some small project that requires light activity and takes an hour or less, such as laundry, dishwasher fill/empty, repot or trim dead leaves off houseplants, reorganize a closet, go through my file cabinet weeding out old paperwork, prune grapevines or shovel snow, wash curtains, etc etc.
I put on lively music CDs or a digital cable music channel (not always the same one) and get up out of the chair. It improves my mood and I get a feeling of accomplishment.

Make yourself a list and when you feel that major inertia, pick a project from the list and get it done.

 

[Nuiloa]

I actually have a bag of "to do" items which range from cleaning out a sock drawer to purging files, but also includes things like going for a walk or a swim.

In my more ambitious moments, I pull out a piece of paper and do it. It's not always fun, but it's always a surprise.

My problem is the TV. I need to learn to keep it turned off.