I'm depressed but six months out and getting excited!

[rmcelwee]

You have not said where you're moving in the State of Franklin (NE TN)...

Have you considered buying a used fifth wheel camper with slides?

Pikeville, TN pop 2,000.

Dad says he has a camper with one slide that a friend would let go for dirt cheap. I have to convince the DW and that isn't happening. I think with a full sized single wide trailer we wouldn't feel rushed to get the house done and that might be a good thing. Losing $20K or more on the transaction with the trailer will be a hard pill to swallow.

 

[Bigdawg]

Pikeville, TN pop 2,000.

Dad says he has a camper with one slide that a friend would let go for dirt cheap. I have to convince the DW and that isn't happening. I think with a full sized single wide trailer we wouldn't feel rushed to get the house done and that might be a good thing. Losing $20K or more on the transaction with the trailer will be a hard pill to swallow.

What do you think the loss will be on the full sized single wide trailer after living in it for a year? Personally I have been in both. I would love a 5th wheel with slide outs for the versatility. If you bought used and then resold you wouldn't lose 20K.

 

[rmcelwee]

If you bought used and then resold you wouldn't lose 20K.

There is ZERO chance my wife will live in a camper, even a 48 foot with 4 slides. Still, I'm trying to convincer her...

 

[Bigdawg]

There is ZERO chance my wife will live in a camper, even a 48 foot with 4 slides. Still, I'm trying to convincer her...

Don't know your DW, but if she wouldn't be happy in a new(er) nice 5th wheel with slide outs then she certainly will not be happy in a (full size) single wide. Good luck sir. Love the barn plan.

 

[rmcelwee]

Don't know your DW, but if she wouldn't be happy in a new(er) nice 5th wheel with slide outs then she certainly will not be happy in a (full size) single wide. Good luck sir. Love the barn plan.

Well, just walked downstairs to talk to her about something else and she said "Hey, I've been thinking about that RV."

I think I am going to make some calls....

 

[old medic]

What do you think the loss will be on the full sized single wide trailer after living in it for a year? Personally I have been in both. I would love a 5th wheel with slide outs for the versatility. If you bought used and then resold you wouldn't lose 20K.

rmcelwee.... 1st off congratulations on your pending retirement... I'm 4 months away today with only 51 shifts left to work...
I would HIGHLY recommend going the camper route.... for several reasons...
1st and biggest reason is a singlewide is going to fall under a ton of regulations for power water septic... all requiring permits and inspections. Also professional set up. Buying used and moving is costly... And then once done the resale value is nothing....
A camper you can move by yourself at any time, run it off solar or generator, hand dig a septic pit for it... use it for travel , while working on your house.
And I speak from experience. We hunted around and found a well cared for 36Ft 5th wheel with 3 slides, $11,000.... We have been living very comfortably in this set up almost 4 years. We also bought a portable shed garage for storage, and have a 12X16 deck. I have several folks wanting the camper once we get the house done... for $8500. Keeping the shed for a man cave....

Tractors. We bought a 1538 Mahindra with a backhoe to work on our new property... and very pleased with it... but only have put about 300 hours on it so far.

 

[Gumby]

rmcelwee:

My friend, you can do anything for six months. Every time someone annoys you, you can think to yourself "in [-]6[/-], [-]5[/-], [-]4[/-], [-]3[/-], [-]2[/-] months, I'll be a free man enjoying my life. But you'll still be a miserable SOB for the rest of yours." No need to tell anyone, but just thinking that should raise your spirits.

 

[Bamaman]

Pikeville, TN pop 2,000.

Dad says he has a camper with one slide that a friend would let go for dirt cheap. I have to convince the DW and that isn't happening. I think with a full sized single wide trailer we wouldn't feel rushed to get the house done and that might be a good thing. Losing $20K or more on the transaction with the trailer will be a hard pill to swallow.

Pikeville's Sequatchie Valley is not that far out of Crossville, and you've got both Knoxville and Chattanooga an hour away. It's another quite a beautiful place just over the mountain from the Tennessee River.

We once had to go up to the top of the mountain there to find a customer, and it took everything we had in a 4wd Explorer to get there. We found he lived in a mobile home that must to have been airlifted in by a helicopter. ? ? ?

You've got enough acreage to where you could rent the trailer after you finish building your house.

 

[stargazer08]

Congrats on your up coming retirement. 6 months will fly by and drag at the same time.
I'm done in 4 and just internally roll my eyes when more stupid crap trickles down from above. I just tell myself "I don't care cuz I won't be here" when the talking heads start blabbering like Charlie Browns teacher.

 

[DrRoy]

Hang in there. It's going to be great!

 

[ThunderFIRE]

I am within 6 weeks of retiring and made the decision that I was ready to retire early about 6 months ago. Only one close friend at work knows, and my employer will be very surprised (I'm 53, and no one knows my financial situation).

I have been having similar feelings as I get closer. to my end date. I thought I'd be care-free once I hit that FIRE mark, but instead every little thing at work annoys me and all of the corporate games have become unbearable.

I don't feel that I have been treated fairly in the past year, so I intend to only give two weeks notice. I don't have any hard date that keeps me there, but in your case since you do, I wouldn't give them too much notice if there is any chance that they can do something to you that prevents you from getting that healthcare windfall.

While I have been going through guilt and angst about retiring, I've had others counsel me that work is a purely transactional relationship....no matter how much we talk about being a team, or "like a family". I have been so loyal in my career that it has really hurt me and I have stayed in the same job at the same company for too many years based on empty promises.

Good luck to you. You are not alone in your feelings. Don't do anything to let them jeopardize that health care benefit! The way they are treating your coworker should be a red flag to you.

 

[EastWest Gal]

Get a countdown app for your cell phone, which can countdown workdays until whatever day you set. I hate to break it to you, but 6 months is a lot more than 60-70 workdays unless you have lots of vacation time to use up. There are a lot of emotional ups and downs with this transition-every other transition gave you more responsibilities. This one gives you less.

 

[Ready-4-ER-at-14]

"I am finding it very hard to not tell my bosses that I am leaving. Kind of a guilty feeling. They called me into the back office the other day and I thought they were going to confront me on my secret (a few people know). Nope, it was just to raise hell with me. Third time in the past month! It will be nice to tell them where to stick it. I might spring it to them in a couple of weeks when my land loan has been approved. "

I had a relative that I really didn't know very well that got harassed enough that he quit just shy of a lucrative retirement. It was a military job so I assume there was a personality conflict of some sort since there was no direct financial gain on the part of the harassers.

You might want to document what is happening especially if it is a family owned business which I suspect it is not. That way if it continues just prior to retirement you could have a legal recourse should it intensify and become intolerable. Hopefully it will never come to that. It just ticks me off if an employee is harassed with out a real reason and recieves no training in how to correct the problem.

 

[Jim59]

Get a countdown app for your cell phone, which can countdown workdays until whatever day you set. I hate to break it to you, but 6 months is a lot more than 60-70 workdays unless you have lots of vacation time to use up. There are a lot of emotional ups and downs with this transition-every other transition gave you more responsibilities. This one gives you less.

I intend to retire 6-May 2022, 8 months, and I estimate 63 work days left using up vacation time as you mention. I recently dropped to 3 days/week and 3 months out will drop to 2.

This is so true, however it is the way it should be as you handover your responsibilities to others as you ready for your freedom

 

[KrisQuit]

Truly sorry for the stress that you are experiencing. The final countdown is tough, but I think you would regret jumping ship ahead of your planned timing. Keep your head down, disengage with office politics where possible, get a countdown app to watch the time pass.

I announced five months out, as it seemed the right thing to do for the company and their ability to find my replacement. Soon after my departure was shared more broadly, several of my staff submitted their resignations, my responsibilities increased to cover work and engage in sourcing and interviewing of new candidates, and my supervisor’s stress levels have strained our relationship as the true reality of my departure is settling in. I am less than a month to retirement, at this point, and work is pretty awful. Lesson learned. I should have cared less about the company and more about myself. I regret my early announcement.

We all handle stress differently. I am exercising a bit more to help with my stress. I am disengaging as much as possible with anything at work that is not immediate to my work for the time period I will be employed, and I am focusing on what happens next and filling my conversations and thoughts with plans for a retirement lifestyle. Find your mix of coping mechanisms and work through this so you have no regrets.

Be strong. You’ll make it.

 

[mystang52]

I posted, here, when I was about 3 months out and also mentally struggling. I spent a lot of time planning my activities post ER, and that helped. I also kept a coded countdown (i.e., only I understood its meaning) on a page I kept taped to the wall next to my desk. Ticking off the weeks, and then the days, was a great feeling. And it sure helped that during any B.S. at w*rk I was able to tell myself "it doesn't matter, I'm outta here soon!" BTW, other than one friend/coworker I likewise did not tell anyone of my plans until I gave my 2 week notice.

 

[street]

KrisQuit, that is excellent direction.

 

[Nomad4hire]

Eyes on the prize, as the saying goes. Yes it is tough to hold that knowledge inside, but let it be the motivation to push on. Don't let the mgmt botch session get to you, just act like you care and then go back to your job. The bitch session is probably them getting pressure from above and the sh!t rolls downhill.


In addition, the other life activities you have going on are contributing to your overall stress level. Different than job stress, but stress none the less. So tough it out at work, keep up appearances and do your job knowing that the end is near. That light at the end of the tunnel will get brighter.

Great advice! +1! I am living through those final months and it is pure misery but the above advice is spot on!

Nomad

 

[Nomad4hire]

Meh. Suppose you were on your death bed. Would they come visit? Would they help out with things around your home? Would they bring over a casserole? My guess is NO. Companies have very (or NO) little allegiance with their employees these days, so don't feel guilty. You put in your time, you DESERVE your retirement.

And don't worry...those last 60-70 days will go by pretty quick. I know it sure did for me, even though I thought they would crawl.

Oh, and CONGRATS!!! Sounds like you have something to "retire to" which many people struggle with. I think you will do just fine.

So very true - sadly.

 

[bigriver]

I was with my last company 15 years and 2 months, 3 layoffs. Stress got worse the closer it got to my resignation date. Thought about 1 month, 2 months, 3 months...you can't be replaced in that time and train a replacement. Like others have said nobody would care if you died. Once I was fully committed, no stress, what they would fire me. If they wanted me to stay they would have negotiated for more time which I would have done as a consultant. I did off that. Left an agreement, after 30 days, I sent and e-mail saying it was null and void.
Oh I got a cupcake party for my early retirement, last minute notice, the CEO of our small company didn't come or talk to me. I made a point to say goodbye on the last day.
It's a job, I've been through 6 or so layoffs, its a business, people are numbers at some places. Depending on your situation and stress level and how you are treated, it should dictate how you leave...in my humble opinion.

 

[KarenF]

Based on my experience, I would not give very much notice to your employer. I gave 3 moths, and, on top of my normal job, they gave me a difficult "Special Project" to complete before I left. I got it all done, but I REALLY wished I had only given them a months notice.

 

[wbrecht333]

Giving notice is overrated. 2 weeks is sufficient for most jobs. Companies find a way, and would never do the same for you. Double check your calculations, and pull the plug on your terms. You earned it!

 

[old medic]

Giving notice is overrated. 2 weeks is sufficient for most jobs.

I'm required to give one month as a supervisor or they can with hold paying me my vacation and other bonuses. Plus the state gives you a 90-120 window to submit your paperwork ....I have been talking about retiring for several years.... I wrote on our office work calendar my last day back in January...
Most folks still think I wont retire....

 

[newchapter]

When I turned my notice in 2019, I gave them a 60 day notice attached with some conditions. I had already used up all my vacation, but I told them in writing I wanted 3 weeks off during the 60 days. I sold it to them as "you guys need to be without me for a bit to see what you need me to focus on when I transition my job ". I went to Hawaii and hit all the islands, then came back and did a transition (I worked in IT). They went for it as I think in the back of their minds I would change my mind once I returned after 3 weeks. It just made my decision easier.

 

[bobbyr]

You have not said where you're moving in the State of Franklin (NE TN), but the entire region is such a secret to the outside world. It's a place of extreme beauty, where people are funny and jovial--and like a place lost in time.

Amen!