The Best "Simple Things" in Retirement?

[ExFlyBoy5]

Well, I have just passed the two year point of being retired and I can say (and have said several times before) that this has been the best time of my life. Being able to retire fairly young was/is a blessing that I do not take for granted. As I was glancing over the forum, I was amazed at the different topics that are covered and how helpful folks are around here and how it might be helping others to get FIREd, too. With that, I thought that an entertaining topic might be one about what are the "simple things" that you relish the most about being retired? There are lots of generalities about the benefits of being retired, but there are so many other "little things" that make it GREAT. So, how about listing a few of the simple things you love about being retired? Here are a couple of mine:

1) I Enjoy Mornings Now Before I retired, I hated mornings. I remember being a little kid and loathing my walk to the bus stop. I hated breakfast, I hated cartoons (that early, anyway) and I hated talking to people before noon. That attitude remained into adulthood until I didn't *have* to get up at an appointed time anymore. Today, I get up earlier than ever and I love it. I have no alarm and I can *enjoy* my coffee...not just chug it down to "wake me up". You know all the commercials for Folgers where everyone is SOOOO happy when they are up and around in the morning? Yeah, those folks are all retired!

2) I Don't Have To Be Anywhere I Don't Want To Be This is a combination of lots of little things. Not dealing with bosses. Not sitting in traffic. Not coming home from a trip because I have w*rk on Monday. It's a freedom that is difficult to describe, but one that I cherish. Just today, the rain was making the commute absolutely miserable for a vast majority of the folks in my area. For me? I cracked open the back door and laid in bed for just a little longer and enjoyed the soothing sounds of the rain. It is simply heaven on earth.

Well, I could go on and on, but that's not the point of this thread, so I will turn it over to the good users out there!

 

[FIREmenow]

"You're killin' me, Smalls......"

2 years to go!!

 

[chilkoot]

Traffic.
I live only about 10 minutes from the office, but I would typically drive there, swap out my personal car for a pool car, and spend the day keeping appointments, usually involving L.A. freeway travel. Now when I hear traffic reports on the news I just smile 'cause I don't have to deal with it or even pay attention to it.

 

[ElizabethT]

On Year Six of ER here and my list of Simple Things would be:
- Doing my shopping midweek instead of on weekends. Everyone is so much nicer, less stressed, patient - both sales staff and fellow customers.
- Going hiking midweek, just because we can. Parking spots are plentiful and the trails are so quiet compared to the weekend.
- Going to the gym late morning when it's nice and quiet relative to the AM, Lunch and PM rushes.
- Going to lunch after the midweek worker rush, and lingering for as long as we wish.
- Doing things at night midweek, such as going to a concert or live theater, because we aren't stressed, tired, working late, etc.
- Visiting our family, particularly the grandkids, during the week to try and help take pressure off Mom and Dad by cooking, light cleaning, entertaining the little ones, etc, then leaving to return home on Friday nights so they can have their weekends in privacy.

I might return with more, but that's probably a good start.

 

[Dawg52]

The Best "Simple Things" in Retirement?


Just getting up at my leisure w/o having anything planned.

 

[hesperus]

The lack of stress when people talk about the stress of their jobs.

 

[l8_apex]

Haha, I'd agree with all of the above! I've been ER'd for just over two months now.

The only thing that I'd add is that I no longer have to communicate with a boss. Unfortunately my last boss didn't like me and was manipulative. My blood pressure is down 10-15 points from when I was employed

 

[Options]

Yesterday, upon completing a massive two-year project to optimize my health (by getting two final immunizations appropriate for my age), I rewarded myself by finally going into an inviting bakery I had wanted to visit. Every morning on my commute while working I would drive by but never had the time to go in. Yesterday my reward was this cozy little place. No overcrowded, harsh, loud, and fake starbucks "atmosphere" here. No, the place was delicously deserted and peaceful. I sat by the window, had my mocha and (of course) continued reading the book I'd taken with me to the doctor's office. At one point, some old song came on and I looked up thinking that this was one of life's moments.

 

[Major Tom]

The freedom to sit here with my kitties, and a hot chocolate spiked with whisky, and binge-watch as many Amazon Prime videos as I want - all day, if I like

The best part is getting out of bed whenever I want in the knowledge that I can do whatever I want.

 

[Sojourner]

Not dealing with bosses. Not sitting in traffic. Not coming home from a trip because I have w*rk on Monday.

Absolutely, these are all at the top of my list. Yesterday I went out to meet a friend for a few hours and ending up heading home right around 4pm. Oh boy... what a miserable 40 minutes that turned out to be. All the way home I was muttering and cursing at the hoardes of worker-bee drones in their cars, clogging up the roadways like lemmings marching towards a cliff. Made me truly appreciative that I hardly ever have to deal with that sort of insanity anymore. And it really does seem like some bizarre combination of insanity and masochism when you're unexpectedly caught in it after several years of freedom.

 

[Bamaman]

I no longer have to spend 10 hrs. a day on the telephone. And since cutting off my cell phone, I'm like a bird out of a cage.

Having a 5 year old Brynley wake up and tell me "I love you Big Dad."

Walking down 27 steps to my boathouse, punching a button and my 24' boat lowers into the water. I'm gone in 60 seconds.

 

[Starsky]

Not feeling rushed when I drive.
Disconnecting from my past career.
Taking better care of myself, even being a little self-indulgent on a regular basis.
Having the ability to be totally flexible. It's all good.
Monday used to be my most hated day of the week, now it's my favorite...

 

[travelover]

Being able to stay home when I'm sick.
Not feeling guilty for taking a 3 week vacation.
Not having to wonder if I have to cancel or postpone my 3 week vacation.
Not having to suck up to people that I consider my intellectual inferiors.

Never having another performance review.

 

[socca]

Never having another performance review.

For my technical work, I get to define and apply my own standards for what constitutes excellence. This is huge.

 

[Souschef]

Sitting out on my front porch reading, watching the planes, and looking at the 2000 foot mountain 2 miles from my house.
In the summer, after dinner we go out on our porch, DW plugs Pandora into our mini speakers, and we read and watch the sunset.
I now have time during the week to fly patients for Angel Flight West.

 

[Dash man]

Sitting on the balcony watching the ocean waves while drinking my coffee in the morning or wine in the afternoon or evening. And taking a nap in between if I want.

 

[DrRoy]

2) I Don't Have To Be Anywhere I Don't Want To Be

4 months to go. This will be a big one for me. I travel quite a bit to customers, and I want control of my time again.

Not feeling guilty for taking a 3 week vacation.
Not having to wonder if I have to cancel or postpone my 3 week vacation.

This one has not been so bad. I have been taking 2 - 2 1/2 week vacations for a while, and did 3 weeks to Norway in September. I just book them and go.

 

[treypar]

No driving to work
Not having to make calls to clients
Going to the fitness center in the morning on my schedule
Riding my bike every day weather permitting
Hiking regularly
Going back to school

 

[Just_Steve]

The Best "Simple Things" in Retirement?

Getting two EFT's to my bank account every month like clockwork. One on the 15th and one on the last day of the month.

 

[foxfirev5]

Freedom to not feel obligated to explain anything to anyone.

 

[street]

Great thread and have enjoyed reading your simple responses. They all are so stress free! Lol

Now what ever I do I take my time. I don't have to hurry and have to try to meet deadlines all the time.

Absolutely no schedules I live for the moment and do things on the spare of the moment. When I have to be some place now it makes me upset. Lol

I hike and walk when ever I please.

I can spend time at my cabin and don't have to rush to get back for work. I can stay as long as I or as short as I want.

I ask myself often should I do that or this, then I think yes I will because I can. Lol

I also enjoy nature more then I ever had because I can and have the time.

 

[ls99]

Allows me to figure skate on days when I feel like it, which is about three times a week. Play at my mancave, kayak in the summertime. Sure beats w*rking.

 

[nuke_diver]

For me the best simple thing is not having to set an alarm. I don't necessarily sleep late but not having an alarm wake me (even though the amount of sleep is the same) and I feel so much more rested by waking naturally

 

[template]

After I retired in 2001, my driving habits became more relaxed -- no longer hurried.

Other changes include shopping on weekdays instead of weekends, multi-hour lunches and coffee breaks with other retired friends, daily walks without time limits, etc.

On the other hand, I'm more apt to speak my mind to strangers. Hope that doesn't get out of hand.

 

[RAE]

Having the freedom to just pick up and go somewhere for longer periods of time if I want to, and not worry about all the work that will be piled up for me when I get back. I used to dread going back to work after vacations.