2009 retirees

[W2R]

And by "working" I assume you mean show up at the office and just smile as you sit at your desk, no matter what gets thrown at you those 18 days?

Woohoo!

Gonna try! But somehow I don't think it will turn out to be quite that easy.

 

[DayDreaming]

I'm very happy to be able to add myself to the 2009 retirees number. I was laid off earlier this year, I'm pretty confident that I'm FI enough to call it early retirement, and that's what I'm doing.

But every once in a while, I read a thread here that talks about the intricacies of individual bonds vs. bond funds along with some analysis of why this is or is not a good time to buy bonds and... well... sometimes I get so lost in the details that I wonder if I'm knowledgeable enough to manage my own finances. I have the occasional crisis of confidence, but then I assure myself that if I stick to a simple Bogleheads strategy of low cost index funds with a reasonable AA, then I should be fine.

And except for the occasional crisis of confidence, I haven't enjoyed a summer this much since I was a little kid.

 

[W2R]

I'm very happy to be able to add myself to the 2009 retirees number. I was laid off earlier this year, I'm pretty confident that I'm FI enough to call it early retirement, and that's what I'm doing.

But every once in a while, I read a thread here that talks about the intricacies of individual bonds vs. bond funds along with some analysis of why this is or is not a good time to buy bonds and... well... sometimes I get so lost in the details that I wonder if I'm knowledgeable enough to manage my own finances. I have the occasional crisis of confidence, but then I assure myself that if I stick to a simple Bogleheads strategy of low cost index funds with a reasonable AA, then I should be fine.

And except for the occasional crisis of confidence, I haven't enjoyed a summer this much since I was a little kid.

Congratulations on your retirement, and you sound like you are doing fine with a Bogleheads investment strategy and reasonable AA. You could do a lot worse, as some other posts by people in a real financial mess occasionally illustrate. Just keep reading and learning, like the rest of us who are not financial professionals.

After all, our financial plans have recently passed the most stringent of tests by surviving the Great Recession!

 

[Goonie]

My official application to retire is filed, my job duties are already almost completely transitioned to others, and assuming I don't expire from senseless job stress between now and then I am as good as there.

And by "working" I assume you mean show up at the office and just smile as you sit at your desk, no matter what gets thrown at you those 18 days?

I gave my official notice a year before my retirement date, they finally brought in my replacement several months later. I trained him for a short period of time, and was told by my boss to go get lost, and to let the guy figure out the rest on his own. I told the guy that I hoped he'd have good luck learning all of the rest of the lab procedures on his own, pointed him to my collection of lab manuals, handed him all of the lab keys, and walked out.

I spent my last few months sitting on the picnic table out in the maintenance shop, drinking coffee, listening to the radio, running miscellaneous errands (of my choosing), and other stuff like that. I did NO work at all...told the guys that the boss had me training for my final career....Full-time Retiree!!!

 

[dandetour]

I'm very happy to be able to add myself to the 2009 retirees number. I was laid off earlier this year, I'm pretty confident that I'm FI enough to call it early retirement, and that's what I'm doing.

But every once in a while, I read a thread here that talks about the intricacies of individual bonds vs. bond funds along with some analysis of why this is or is not a good time to buy bonds and... well... sometimes I get so lost in the details that I wonder if I'm knowledgeable enough to manage my own finances. I have the occasional crisis of confidence, but then I assure myself that if I stick to a simple Bogleheads strategy of low cost index funds with a reasonable AA, then I should be fine.

And except for the occasional crisis of confidence, I haven't enjoyed a summer this much since I was a little kid.

Joe's story is my story too. Laid off at 56, Feb 09.
I think we are set with spending 3% of the investments
per year, but have a 17 year-old that still faces college.

Dan

 

[W2R]

I gave my official notice a year before my retirement date, they finally brought in my replacement several months later. I trained him for a short period of time, and was told by my boss to go get lost, and to let the guy figure out the rest on his own. I told the guy that I hoped he'd have good luck learning all of the rest of the lab procedures on his own, pointed him to my collection of lab manuals, handed him all of the lab keys, and walked out.

I spent my last few months sitting on the picnic table out in the maintenance shop, drinking coffee, listening to the radio, running miscellaneous errands (of my choosing), and other stuff like that. I did NO work at all...told the guys that the boss had me training for my final career....Full-time Retiree!!!

I was sort of in that state and things were going along pretty smoothly with just a few tasks left and a light workload while I worked on getting rid of files nobody would ever need. My tasks are in good hands. One third went to someone very experienced, and one third to someone new but a quick study who is bright, capable, and well liked. I trained her for six weeks and wrote a manual for her. The final third is up for grabs because they haven't really hired my replacement yet.

But in the last week or two management has started to panic and twitch out. Anyway, management is bouncing off walls lately and wildly throwing major assignments and travel at me, that are incompatible with my retiring, and chewing me out for bad attitude when I politely point out the incongruities.

But next week I start using all that vacation time....

 

[dessert]

If all goes as planned I will be working only 7 days in September, 6.5 days in October, and 4.5 days in November.

Congratulations WTR! I've been watching your calendar days count down and it looks like the time is almost near. I know you must be estatic.
Glad everything is going your way.

 

[W2R]

Congratulations WTR! I've been watching your calendar days count down and it looks like the time is almost near. I know you must be estatic.
Glad everything is going your way.

Thanks! Yes, I am really happy but a bundle of nerves as well. I am sure I will calm down once I start taking my vacation time and it sinks in that I am really on my way to ER.

I can't imagine the emotions a person feels when turning in their badge on the last day. But I will find out in 72 days.

 

[audreyh1]

Wow - this reminds me of the "Class of 20XX" thread on the Escapees Forum - a forum for full-time RVers. Every year they start a "Class of 20XX" thread for the folks who are planning to go full-time that year. As you can imagine, those threads are very active.

This site should do the same for retirees targeting the current year.

Audrey

 

[Budman]

Two Months Post FIRE

Thanks! Yes, I am really happy but a bundle of nerves as well. I am sure I will calm down once I start taking my vacation time and it sinks in that I am really on my way to ER.

I can't imagine the emotions a person feels when turning in their badge on the last day. But I will find out in 72 days.

It was very emotional. In fact, I was nervous/anxiety from the announcement date through the official retirement date, about 6 weeks. That feeling didn't go away until the retirement date had passed. Even when I was vacationing out, I still had the black work cloud hanging over my head. Now, its gone and everything is just plain awesome, no project work, no deadlines, come and go as I please, no more pressure around the neck and shoulders.

Some interesting observations: I find that time moves even faster in retirement than it did when I worked. I'm kind of blown away by that! I also find that I delay my to do list frequently. I would rather play on my computer (surfing, budget, investments, trip planning etc.) than do house/boat projects! Oh what a relief this retirement is! I just love it!! Perhaps one downside is I have gained weight. I need to put a control on this!

 

[CuppaJoe]

...

Some interesting observations: I find that time moves even faster in retirement than it did when I worked. I'm kind of blown away by that! I also find that I delay my to do list frequently. I would rather play on my computer (surfing, budget, investments, trip planning etc.) than do house/boat projects! Oh what a relief this retirement is! I just love it!! Perhaps one downside is I have gained weight. I need to put a control on this!

Sounds like you've got the hang of it, Budman. All in good time, as they say; at the one-year mark I decided to watch my weight; otherwise no real self-improvement goals. Enjoy!

 

[Stevewc]

I haven't even told anyone at work I plan to retire.
I hope to give a very short notice and train no one. If all goes as planned it will be a rushed and vague training session at the most. I'm very good at vague when I want to be.
The surprise is just desserts in my humble opinion.
I do have fearful moments and thoughts about the day I actually sign the necessary papers. Knowing, once I sign there will be no going back.
Steve

 

[SarahW]

I can't imagine the emotions a person feels when turning in their badge on the last day.

It's sort of like graduation day; very high emotions.

I'm almost ONE MONTH officially ER'd and still wondering if I did the right thing.

 

[SarahW]

Oh and Budman...I agree about time moving faster. Sometimes I wonder where the days go.

 

[CuppaJoe]

I haven't even told anyone at work I plan to retire.
I hope to give a very short notice and train no one. If all goes as planned it will be a rushed and vague training session at the most.
....

Seems like that's way it always goes, no matter how much notice is given. My trainee came up with 1/2 day training time after eight weeks notice, typical but not my problem.

 

[LoftyNotions]

I'm 2 months in to my retirement as of today. The end for me was an anticlimax. I had planned on w*rking another 2 or 3 years, but they kept on ramping up the BS. Finally in April, I'd had enough. I turned to my DW and told her I'd like to retire. She jumped on board without a second thought. I probably wouldn't have done it if I hadn't spent so much time here in stealth mode learning from you all that I could do it.

So thanks to everyone who posts here. You all inspire me.

I LOVE my new freedom!

 

[Kwirk]

I voted "Other." I retired from the full-time federal job in 2008 with everything in place to be completely retired. I have no boss (except DW ), no clock, no bullshit. So, I think of myself as retired. But, I've been generously padding the nest writing reports via the internet.

So, I guess I'm not really retired even if I feel like I am.

 

[Tesaje]

I'm going out at the end of the year. My last day will be 12/31. I am hording my vacation time because I get a nice big wad of cash for it. I've got some comp time I'm burning and I get credit hours to help me get thru the year. I might only have a single full 5 day week left in my career. I will be eligible by mid Sept so I am within a half month of emancipation. And yes, I am excited.

 

[freebird5825]

...I can't imagine the emotions a person feels when turning in their badge on the last day. But I will find out in 72 days.

I'll give you a hint...

No harm in getting your exit checklist going sooner. I've seen people leave it til the last day and that was a real mistake. I did mine over 3 days, at my speed, not theirs.

 

[beowulf]

I officially retired from DoD in March 03, but got kicked out of the house after 30 days and told to do something productive . Since then I've been consulting back to the government and am about 1.3 years past when I thought I would be really retired. The pay habit is hard to break - just when you think you can escape, you get pulled back in again.

But I think 2009 will be my last full year of work and then maybe several months in 2010. I keep getting these retention bonuses with 3 month commitments attached and I'm hoping my company gets tired of this game. No matter what anyone else says, it's scary to contemplate living on what you have with no salary replenishment. Even a pension doesn't drive away those feeling as 401K matches, bonuses and profit sharing disappear forever.

My DW has fully retired - she does not miss the chaos of the start of school this year - and her motto (plagiarized from elsewhere) is:

I didn't do anything yesterday and I'm going to have to try again today as I didn't finish.

Sounds good to me .

 

[REWahoo]

No matter what anyone else says, it's scary to contemplate living on what you have with no salary replenishment. Even a pension doesn't drive away those feeling as 401K matches, bonuses and profit sharing disappear forever.

Remember that a serious illness or death of a close friend can drive away those fears in a nanosecond... Then you will be asking yourself "Why didn't I do this sooner?"

 

[W2R]

My DW has fully retired - she does not miss the chaos of the start of school this year - and her motto (plagiarized from elsewhere) is:

I didn't do anything yesterday and I'm going to have to try again today as I didn't finish.

Sounds good to me .

I LOVE that motto!! I hope that ER can be just like that.

 

[REWahoo]

I LOVE that motto!! I hope that ER can be just like that.

It can - I have the indentations in my recliner to prove it.

 

[kumquat]

I gave my official notice a year before my retirement date, they finally brought in my replacement several months later. I trained him for a short period of time, and was told by my boss to go get lost, and to let the guy figure out the rest on his own.

In 2007, I gave 60 days notice. My boss (who I liked and respected) asked my to stay 90 so that he could hire a replacement and I could train etc. At ~ day 70 of meg-corp BS, he managed to hire someone. I thought he was an excellent choice. He was internal and had, however, previously booked vacation at his start date, so I stayed an extra 30 days to 'train' one day. On the bright side, I thought that once I'd pulled the plug, my annual stock option grant would be history. By staying the extra month, lo and behold, I have what is currently worth about 1 year's salary. Whooda thunkit.

 

[Khan]

Thanks! Yes, I am really happy but a bundle of nerves as well. I am sure I will calm down once I start taking my vacation time and it sinks in that I am really on my way to ER.

I can't imagine the emotions a person feels when turning in their badge on the last day. But I will find out in 72 days.

In my case, very low key. Went in at 8AM, signed papers, got picture for retirement badge, and left.