Twenty years AF, retired in 87 after 20 years. I was lucky to have 20 years flying. Both dw and I worked after retirement. Why, well with two kids one starting college, that’s what you did! And, this site did not exist. Tricare for life did not exist.
I had figured I had to make about $1,000 net a month to supplement retirement pay, and I could work at Walmart or McDonalds and make that. As is DW, a teacher, and I went in to Real Estate appraising (family business). I could have gone the airline pilot route, but was tired of TDYs and the effect on the family. In hind sight, the airline travel retirement benefit would be nice.
I believe if this site, and Nords book had existed, we would have retired earlier. The decision to retire was actually made when we bought a lot on a lake, and built a “lake home”. Less than three months after it was completed we both decided we want to retire and move there.
Having said all that, I am glad we did it that way. Working has greatly padded our retirement accounts, to the points that the house is paid off, and we have no financial worries. Yes we both worked an additional 15 years, but we both enjoyed what we were doing.