Hi all. I discovered this site a few weeks ago and appreciate all the help and sharing of ideas I see here.
I ER'd five years ago at age 59. I had worked 28 years for mega corp. Like many companies, they were tweaking retirement plans and retiree health care so a number of us decided to take our money and run. My retirement was based on a defined payout (either lump sump or annuity) plus 401K (they matched the first 4%).
I was ready to leave the pressures of full time behind but not ready to stop working cold turkey so I had made arrangements to contract eight to ten months a year with my old company. So, after a few months of enjoyable contract work one my former co-workers (who I retired with) called and asked me to join him to help re-design a marketing group in a small company he was working with. That was four years ago so here I am at 64 and debating on retirement dates again.
In hindsight, retiring from mega corp was the right thing to do from a quality of life viewpoint and working for my new company was a nice bonus. It's fulfilling to help develop a new marketing department and it has allowed my DW and I to create an extra stash of cash to help our son with his college expenses. My other son recently completed his active duty in the USMC so Uncle Sam will pick up most of the tab for his college fees. College loans? Not here!
So, when the weather warms next spring, my DW and I plan to fire up our little motor home and do a bit more traveling across this great nation. Maybe we'll work one more year or maybe we'll simply keep on driving...
I ER'd five years ago at age 59. I had worked 28 years for mega corp. Like many companies, they were tweaking retirement plans and retiree health care so a number of us decided to take our money and run. My retirement was based on a defined payout (either lump sump or annuity) plus 401K (they matched the first 4%).
I was ready to leave the pressures of full time behind but not ready to stop working cold turkey so I had made arrangements to contract eight to ten months a year with my old company. So, after a few months of enjoyable contract work one my former co-workers (who I retired with) called and asked me to join him to help re-design a marketing group in a small company he was working with. That was four years ago so here I am at 64 and debating on retirement dates again.
In hindsight, retiring from mega corp was the right thing to do from a quality of life viewpoint and working for my new company was a nice bonus. It's fulfilling to help develop a new marketing department and it has allowed my DW and I to create an extra stash of cash to help our son with his college expenses. My other son recently completed his active duty in the USMC so Uncle Sam will pick up most of the tab for his college fees. College loans? Not here!
So, when the weather warms next spring, my DW and I plan to fire up our little motor home and do a bit more traveling across this great nation. Maybe we'll work one more year or maybe we'll simply keep on driving...
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