24 weeks left...in training now

[kitesurfer2]

April 30, 2015 is my last work day. due to sick leave and annual leave that is use or lose, I am now working 3 day weeks, 10 hour days. I am in the phase of identifying things to do around the house and day dreaming about future motorcycle trips across the US and mexico.

I will be retiring with 3 small annuities of appx $1000 each take home. I will be allowed to keep my health insurance and I also plan on starting TRICARE FOR LIFE. I will have in excess of $350,000 in my 401 (THRIFT SAVING PLAN) and another $50k in savings. Everything I own is paid for and my monthly expenses are $1000 to $1500 per month.

So far my health is good... Everything is rosy and appears like there will be no issues in retirement. Except...my wife is 8 years younger with no plains to retire at all. Her income is not even considered for my retirement needs--I have no idea what she does with her money other than give it away to her adult daughters so they won't have to work like the rest of us! (see our issues? )

I have worked since 8 years old and have no idea what I will do with my time and I have more hobbies than any 3 people I know! I do not want to be one of those statistics that die within 5 years of retiring. What do you do to feel usefull and productive?

[serie1926]

Congrats!

[InTheSticks]

Congrats. I have two of the three hobbies you do. I don't do the kite surfing. I'd get an RV. I know it works well with hobbies 1 and 2.

Maybe, I'll see you at an event.

[nuke_diver]

Looks like you already have a couple of things to keep you busy. I'm sure you'll find other things especially if your wife continues to work...like cooking and cleaning for her

Congrats, I'm right behind you (July 2015)

[CoolChange]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kitesurfer2 April 30, 2015 is my last work day....What do you do to feel usefull and productive?

Congratulations!

I used to ponder the same question; now, I realize that I have no real desire to do either. Someone on another thread mentioned that puttering all day is a perfectly reasonable retirement plan (paraphrasing); I cannot wait to try that myself.

[razztazz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kitesurfer2 View Post April 30, 2015 is my last work day....What do you do to feel usefull and productive?

We already did that. That's how we got where we are. We created a surplus of usefulness and productivity the results of which we can now draw on to sleep till lunch time every day.

It's all in the accounting and how you keep the books. Ver 1) Do a little every day and live off of that each day for a large number of days or, Ver 2) Do a lot up front, live off of very little then parcel the overage out over the rest of your time in this world.

[racy]

Hi Kite,
Congrats and welcome! We could be brothers from other mothers: worked since 8 (farm chores), Miata owner, motorcycle enthusiast, working wife who spoils kids...

What do I do to be productive?
Make wife's morning coffee to take to work and ride motorcycle to keep gas expense down.
Enjoy retirement!

[Walt34]

Welcome!

I never had any problems with finding stuff to do if I wanted, or just plain goofing off and taking up space if that's what I feel like doing.

One hobby is photography, and recently I learned how to mount, mat, and frame my photos. Now almost everything on the walls is something I either photographed, framed, or both.

And I can putter around with the best of them. If desired I can take all day to change the oil on the lawn mower.

[kimcdougc]

Congrats to retirement.


I volunteer a couple of times a week at our local community center. Love the ladies I work with and have a blast doing while "giving back". My husband just hates it that I don't get paid. He will be retiring in January and we will see what he does to occupy his time after we come back from our retirement trip. I informed him the household chores will be split 50/50. :-)

[rodi]

Welcome Kitesurfer2 - it looks like you have some fun hobbies.

You may have already seen this FAQ - but it runs through some things to think about when approaching retirement.

http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...ml#post1399715

Some people have a tough time adjusting to retirement... Personally, I did not. I now do things that *I* want to do... like taking Italian classes, experimenting with cooking, taking the extra 30 minutes it takes to walk the dog on the beach, rather than the neighborhood.

There's a (very) long thread about "what do you do all day?" - you'll see most regulars here have no trouble filling their day.
http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...day-37868.html

[kitesurfer2]

I've been on two 10 hour days weeks now and I think I am adjusting very well to having time off. I'm in the middle of making a carbon fiber hydrofoil for extreme light wind kitesurfing....and in the middle of this build, i realize i should be vacuuming these parts....which leads me to build a vacuum pump from spare reefer parts.....and... it keeps going!

i've got a very nice dodge truck with topper and now I REALLY NEED a van that will stow all my kiteboarding gear, my hydrofoil, my surf kayak and my whitewater kayak on top, a bed in the back, a bicycle rack on the front, and a receiver hitch with motorcycle hitch rack carrying a 500 pound bike.

I wanted the new ford transit @$35k plus but there is no rack for the top. For $24 k, I can get a 15k mile 2014 model.

The pros and cons of trading for a van has kept me totally busy researching!

oh yea, also bought a 12 string guitar...that's been good for 3 hours a day--another reason to need a big van.

[seraphim]

Somehow I don't think you'll be bored lol.


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