5 Years - Reflections and Observations

[utrecht]

My pension fund has something similar. Its called PREP.
Pre Retirement Education Program. They encourage people to go to the class well in advance of retirement because they cover all kinds of estate planning, IRA investing and a lot of other financial topics. Its mostly a beginner class though. I cant say I learned much.

 

[Focus]

Perhaps a new subject for discussion:
When I submitted my letter of intent to retire at megacorp they said “OK, now you need to go to retirement school”. It wasn't a mandatory requirement but it was strongly encouraged. It was a three day class, on company time, and covered a lot of stuff about pensions, retiree health care, and “The Psychology of Retirement”. Has anyone else been offered a class like this?

Once. Vanguard came in one year to give a very good workshop on financially preparing for retirement. Otherwise, I always got the impression that the company thought of retirement like heaven -- it's everyone's ultimate destination, if you play your cards right, but best to focus on the living.

 

[Walt34]

Coincidentally, while I was at the grocery store this afternoon, I had the following thought: Do the other customers think I'm unemployed, or independently wealthy?

I worked rotating shifts for 18 years so I also spent a lot of time outside on weekdays. I remember being a bit surprised at how many people of "working age" were out there too and wondered if they all worked shifts like I did.

In all likelihood they didn't notice you at all. Sorry.

Indeed, as you said, there is euphoria and elation, and a question of "NOW WHAT?"

That's pretty normal and a phase that many people go through - I did. It finally dawned on me that I can do anything I want as long as it isn't illegal, immoral, fattening, or frowned on by DW, and nobody cares.

 

[jim584672]

Coincidentally, while I was at the grocery store this afternoon, I had the following thought: Do the other customers think I'm unemployed, or independently wealthy?

Once they see the Grey Poupon in the cart they know you are independently wealthy. I usually hide mine under a bag of rice.

 

[redduck]

Coincidentally, while I was at the grocery store this afternoon, I had the following thought: Do the other customers think I'm unemployed, or independently wealthy?

Well, if they give you any thought at all it might be: "That guy is wearing the ugliest shirt I've seen in a long time".