5 Reasons I'm Not Retiring Early

[farmerEd]

I think you folks are being too hard on the author. There are in fact people that love what they do for a living, don't have any outside interests, and would prefer to work and all that goes along with it. I personally know several people that could *easily* retire based on large inheritances they received, but they like there co-workers, they like their jobs, and like the routine they have - one is a school teacher, one is a nurse who just loves helping sick people.

I think its awfully presumptuous to assume anyone of us knows better how someone else should live their lives.

 

[MichaelB]

I think its awfully presumptuous to assume anyone of us knows better how someone else should live their lives.

That is what she does in her article. It's just here people disagree with her. She wrote another article titled Keys to Health and Happiness After Retirement here. They are

Create a Social network
Reduce Stress
Have a Sunny Disposition
Abstain from tobacco
Don't diet

Regarding stress, she writes "While it may be tempting to go back to work or volunteer, consider first whether doing so would bring happiness or stress."

Perhaps the disagreement is she is just writing about a subject while people here are living it. There is little depth or analysis to what she writes, so this may be a case of much ado about nothing.

 

[REWahoo]

I think its awfully presumptuous to assume anyone of us knows better how someone else should live their lives.

If everyone who posted here stopped being presumptuous this site would be really dull...

(...and yes, I realize it is presumptuous of me to say that.)

 

[rescueme]

So do I (and I reached that point long before my current age of 45), but it would appear that the author values money more than her remaining time. It looks like a poor deal to me, but she's entitled to spend her time how she wishes.

Time to pull out my favorite ER image:

 

[Walt34]

It's not all that simple for everyone.

While I don't have to work, I choose to do so. I like the people there, the unplanned-for income is gravy, (I certainly wouldn't have blown $12k on a motorcycle without it and if DW wants to spend more on gifts to nieces that's fine) the hours suit me, I can get time off when I want it, and the commute is 3.4 miles. If both traffic lights are red (rare) it takes eight minutes to get there. There's only one on the return.

That said, I've also got my KMA hat and if things go sour I'm outa there. I'm not getting an ulcer or stressed out over some supervisory lunatic. Nor am I personally defined by the job or the income. Those last two are issues for some people. We have no problem saying to others "We can't afford that." Or perhaps more accurately "We're not going to allocate that much of our available financial resources to that."

The unplanned-for income gives us options we wouldn't have had otherwise later on. If one thinks about it, that is an optimistic position to take since it requires assuming that there will be a "later".

And if there is no "later", well, I lost the bet. Happens all the time.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Once I wore a pedometer to work and logged in 300 steps for 11 hours of work. If the printer had been closer to my desk it would have been so much less. So for me, the activity level has increased tremendously since leaving.

 

[DeborahB]

I have never regretted retiring at 62! I like to be with people but prefer people that I know well and like. At work I often was with people I knew well and didn't like.

The first 18 months of retirement didn't go as planned. I lost a finger in January 2011 by catching my ring on something - on a cruise. The time since then has been mostly spent resting and recovering. It's immensely stressful and I can't imagine how I could have worked during this time. It is mostly healed.

But more to the point - a lot of people talked about time. I resent this past year that I lost. I can't reclaim it but it cut a year off things I intended to do in retirement (art work, in particular). In addition, the clutter in the house expanded radically because I couldn't use my hand much. I'm just now barely able to work at stuff for more than an hour or two.

All this will pass: the house will get organized, the art work will resume, I won't leave a mess to sort out like my parents' house will be when my dad dies (he's 91). I do find that time is much more important than money. I mostly live in jeans and sweatshirts and t-shirts. Costco is a fine source for jeans... and cheap.

The time lost really bugs me but there's nothing - NOTHING - I can do about it or the missing finger. I don't see money as an issue at all. I have enough if I live reasonably and don't buy expensive clothes (which I don't need). I just hope to have time to make art and do other creative things, travel, etc., while I still have energy. 20 years will go by very quickly and suddenly I'll be 83. It's so different than when I was 30! Time was endless - now time is precious.

 

[Lsbcal]

We need more people writing articles like this and thinking like this. Only the smart ones should be in ER. Will enable us slackers to continue enjoying our SS, medicare, etc.

 

[HawkeyeNFO]

Good responses here, everyone, I liked reading them.

As for me, my 5 reasons for retiring early:

(1) I hated the increasingly sickening commute more every day.

(2) I had the money. (And even if SS is reduced or eliminated, I will still be just fine.)

(3) Working, even part-time (2 days a week in the last 17 months and generally part-time the last 7 years) had interfered with my growing outside life in those 7 years, as it had become a juggling act.

(4) I hated the increasingly sickening commute more every day.

(5) I hated the increasingly sickening commute more every day.

I never saw work as a social outlet. I was mostly a loner, especially from the mid-1990s and later. In my 23 years there I never had any interest in attending the annual December holiday party (and was proud of my non-attendance).

The problem with commuting in New York is all the New Yorkers.

 

[haha]

Once I wore a pedometer to work and logged in 300 steps for 11 hours of work. If the printer had been closer to my desk it would have been so much less. So for me, the activity level has increased tremendously since leaving.

Whoa, that was a truly sedentary job.

Ha

 

[friar1610]

Let's see...I did 36 minutes on an elliptical machine earlier today and then an upper body weight workout. After lunch I walked the dog for half an hour. Yeah...I guess I'd be in better physical shape if I spent that time in traffic on the Beltway, walking to the copier to make copies, etc.

 

[urn2bfree]

It is not about presumption- it is about logical consistency. My objection to the "I'll/You'll be bored" excuse is that it is irrelevant to the question of early vs late retirement. If you will be bored - you should NEVER retire -ever -if you can avoid it. That is another discussion...but not relevant to EARLY retirement decision making.

 

[Chuckanut]

Two things I plan to do when I retire are: 1). Exercise more. 2). Eat healthier food. 3). Reduce work related stress in my life. Oh, thats three things. I can't help but think my health will improve.

 

[Nords]

20 years will go by very quickly and suddenly I'll be 83. It's so different than when I was 30! Time was endless - now time is precious.

I saw a t-shirt in Waikiki the other day on an elder: "Inside every 85-year-old is a 25-year-old wondering what the hell happened."

 

[old woman]

My reason for not retiring early is I am too old.

I have what you would say is enough money but I hope to live a very long time and don't want to be 95 and out of money. Mom is 85 and said this summer she wished she was rich but she has enough. When you are that age you can't go back to work and she has been retired 26 years so far. She said she can only afford 12 years assisted living if she has to go. Her doctor said she has nothing to prevent living to 120. I will work until something happens so I don't have to worry in my 80s and 90s.

I don't mind my job most of the time except having to get up then finding a place to park. The job is kinda fun, problem solving and helping coworker and my boss thinks I am wonderful. I got two pay raises this year totaling 10% and will get a bonus and profit sharing of about 30% of my salary so I will make about 80K a year with the bonuses. To me that isn't bad since I don't have a good reason to quit. When I retire I need to really clean the house top to bottom floor to ceiling and paint everything and get new carpet. Seems like a lot more work that just going to the office.

 

[REWahoo]

My reason for not retiring early is I am too old.

By far, the best excuse I've ever seen for delaying ER...

 

[Brett_Cameron]

By far, the best excuse I've ever seen for delaying ER...

Love it.

 

[Mulligan]

Thinker 25 said : The first 18 months of retirement didn't go as planned. I lost a finger in January 2011 by catching my ring on something - on a cruise. The time since then has been mostly spent resting and recovering. It's immensely stressful and I can't imagine how I could have worked during this time. It is mostly healed.

Thinker that is just horrible, Im so sorry! Especially on a cruise. Fate and luck sometimes turn on a slight fraction of an inch. My wife at the time caught her ring on a ski boat diving out into the water, swung her around smacked her into the boat and bent the ring to hell, but she came out unscathed somehow. I dont wear jewerly and found a good reason not to.

 

[scrabbler1]

By far, the best excuse I've ever seen for delaying ER...

I thought it was fantastic, too!

 

[oldtrig]

I can tell you this.
I have never had as much advise in my life since I mentioned to friends that I plan on retiring soon. Most say it is the best thing they ever did. I had a person tell me today that I would be bored to death, this person does not work and he just told me last week he would never go back. My big boss asked me had I planned retirement. I told him I never planned going to work. People who work with me are in panic because they will finally have to start doing things themselves
It is amazing all the free advice I have been getting and I had to pay nothing for it

 

[Bikerdude]

The five reasons:

1. I don't do poor
2. I don't count on Social Security
3. I would be bored
4. Work provides a social outlet
5. It will keep me in shape

1. Really means, I didn't save enough money.

2. Really means, SS even if I get it will not be enough to make up for #1.

3,4,5 Are rationalizations as a result of 1 & 2.

 

[FreeAtLast]

Next article in 10 or 20 years to read:
Five reasons why I regret not retiring while I could enjoy my life.

 

[twigor]

Unbelievable perspective

After giving your employer(s) the majority of your lifes time and enegy why would you intentionally plan on extending it? I know of no employer who has grave stones as a benefit!

 

[audreyh1]

The five reasons:

1. I don't do poor
2. I don't count on Social Security
3. I would be bored
4. Work provides a social outlet
5. It will keep me in shape

Of course he left off the real number one reason: I lack the self-discipline to delay gratification and am in debt up to my eyeballs.

3. Why do so many people assume that you only use your brain at work? If you are doing your own thing [without pay] your brain shuts down?

4. Why do people think you only get social contact through work? Is there really no other way to have meaningful contact with other people?

5. So many jobs are very sedentary. And I always found the time demands and commuting for work severely interfered with my ability to get enough exercise.

But basically, as we've said so many times on this forum, to use your brain, develop and maintain friendships, and be physically active outside of work actually requires individual initiative without someone looking over your shoulder and telling you what to do, or telling you what your goals are.

So what I hear, when I (so often) read something like this, is that the writer/speaker basically has no confidence in their own individual initiative.

And maybe that is somehow related to being told what to do or what goals to strive for most of their adult lives?

Of course there is also the real issue that if your life is full of work, getting the basic daily chores done and maybe also raising a family, you might have forgotten that you ever had any personal interests outside of work. So when you contemplate work disappearing, you just see this huge void. Yes, I did know a lot of people who just couldn't see past their current busy situation, before I retired.

Independence can be intimidating.

Audrey

 

[MichaelB]

3. Why do so many people assume that you only use your brain at work? If you are doing your own thing [without pay] your brain shuts down?

4. Why do people think you only get social contact through work? Is there really no other way to have meaningful contact with other people?

5. So many jobs are very sedentary. And I always found the time demands and commuting for work severely interfered with my ability to get enough exercise.

But basically, as we've said so many times on this forum, to use your brain, develop and maintain friendships, and be physically active outside of work actually requires individual initiative without someone looking over your shoulder and telling you what to do, or telling you what your goals are.

So what I hear, when I (so often) read something like this, is that the writer/speaker basically has no confidence in their own individual initiative.

And maybe that is somehow related to being told what to do or what goals to strive for most of their adult lives?

Of course there is also the real issue that if your life is full of work, getting the basic daily chores done and maybe also raising a family, you might have forgotten that you ever had any personal interests outside of work. So when you contemplate work disappearing, you just see this huge void. Yes, I did know a lot of people who just couldn't see past their current busy situation, before I retired.

Independence can be intimidating.

Audrey

Hey Audrey!

Regarding 3, 4 & 5, I ask myself if the writers are reflecting their own view of life and work and have not successfully separated the two. I fully agree with your closing line, that might explain why some of us enjoy and appreciate early retirement so much.