Before I pull the trigger..... need a push from you guys

[Mdlerth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SumDay Picking up dog poo > w*rk.

All too true. It sounds like an insight from Mark Twain.

[Lukeee]

Wow thanks for all the replies.

Some comments:

- yes, I am not worried about the finances, and should some financial Armageddon happen, I have no issues going back to work.
- good to see that a few of you were in the same position and are happy.
- I do look forward to scooping poop during daylight hours and starting up running again .... not have to rush with breakfast AND taking the time to make it.
Some of your comments ... about pushing retirement hits home as mom did that never got to really enjoy retirement due to health issues... time is truly > money after a certain point.

It might be time to recalibrate my countdown.

[cynicalbuthopeful]

I will give you one more story to help your recalibration. My sister retired early last year at 56. She is very happy. Her close friend was giving it one more year. In early August he died suddenly of heart failure. He was fit, ate health, but had a congenital heart issue (he knew, but his friends did not).

[trirod]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lukeee - I don’t want to wake up at 1, 2,4 am every night thinking of the things I need to do and complete the following day. - I want to travel and not feel like I have to rush because I only have 10 days of vacation time. - I want to savor life (more) and not having regrets of not knocking items off my bucket list before age catches up. - I’m tired of being tired in the evenings with no time for a meaningful hobby.

All this sounds very familiar (or maybe I’ve been posting in my sleep again). I will turn 51 this year and am retiring February 1, 2019. I have been doing A OMY thing for a couple of years now and what made me finally pull the trigger was to buy our retirement house in Northern Michigan. There’s only so long I want to keep paying two sets of real estate taxes, utilities etc. And that 4.5 hour drive each way to visit it gets old really quickly. So if you are planning on moving on retiring then that is one option (not necessarily financially smart, but it worked for me).

[Badger]

You never actually said you were unhappy with your job. If you are then what's stopping you? If you have enough money then you have enough money.


Cheers!

[GravitySucks]

Keep working!
I'm expecting my first SS check next month and some body needs to pay in while I take out.

[Lukeee]

Thanks all again for the comments. I’ve adjusted my countdown timer from 450 to 85 till the last day of work...oh, this is with spousal sign off. The one expense I totally left out was for dental... the dental office plan I just looked up is $1200 / year for a family of 4 for 2 cleanings and an annual x-ray.

I can’t wait till Christmas... meanwhile it’s still full throttle at work.

[travelover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lukeee ...........The one expense I totally left out was for dental... the dental office plan I just looked up is $1200 / year for a family of 4 for 2 cleanings and an annual x-ray. ............

The consensus here is that unless you can find subsidized dental insurance, it is not worth the cost of premiums. There some discount plans you can pay for that might break even.

[Lucie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pacergal Consider yourself pushed! Really, only you can decide. If your spreadsheets/calculators tell you that you are financially OK, and your emotions are telling you that you are done with work and ready to leave, what is stopping you from taking that step?

+1
You sound ready, but all of the validation in the world doesn't make the decision any easier.

[Drake3287]

Next to maybe being a Professional Baseball player or something similar, I had the best job in the world for 32 years and almost always looked forward to going to work. And needless to say I had very few sick days in all those 32 years. Literally like going to a place to hang out with friends.

At 54 I hit the maximum pension limit and was working for almost nothing so at that point I pulled the trigger and never looked back. Best decision ever and after a few year's now I don't even think about work. Luckily I still keep in contact with a lot of friends from work that have also retired which helps.

You've heard it a thousand times but it's true, you only live once so why waste it working when you don't have to. Being in my mid 50's now not a year goes by that one or two of my childhood friends die from various causes. Don't cheat yourself by working needlessly.

[flintnational]

I have been retired for a little over four years. I am tired of the relaxed mornings with endless leisurely reading and all day coffee. I long for the fast pace of an office environment. I miss meetings. I miss deadlines. And, my new found weight loss and lower blood pressure can't be positive health trends. A man needs stress to survive. Maybe I am just travel weary from our recent trip to Europe. Working would have prevented our month long trip and the subsequent travel overload. I would keep working if I were you.

[HI Bill]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lukeee I’ll be 50 if I decide to FIRE next year.

Won't you be 50 if you don't decide to FIRE next year? Sorry, I just couldn't help myself...!

[Dtail]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HNL Bill Won't you be 50 if you don't decide to FIRE next year? Sorry, I just couldn't help myself...!

[jollystomper]

To the OP, while I loved my job, there was stress that I did not notice into after I retired. DW and at least a dozen of my friends/former co-workers have said they have never seen me so relaxed.

Maybe you do not need a push but a glide... ways to start taking less responsibility at work with some specific retirement date goal in mind, while at the same time exploring the "what would I do if I was retired" activities more. I got involved in a few projects outside of work that I really enjoyed and that increased my desired to retire... I did not stop enjoying my work, I started enjoying things beyond work even more.

[Lukeee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HNL Bill Won't you be 50 if you don't decide to FIRE next year? Sorry, I just couldn't help myself...!

Quote:

Originally Posted by flintnational I have been retired for a little over four years. I am tired of the relaxed mornings with endless leisurely reading and all day coffee. I long for the fast pace of an office environment. I miss meetings. I miss deadlines. And, my new found weight loss and lower blood pressure can't be positive health trends. A man needs stress to survive. Maybe I am just travel weary from our recent trip to Europe. Working would have prevented our month long trip and the subsequent travel overload. I would keep working if I were you.

71 days and counting....I half expect the first few weeks to run on a vacation mindset.... I’m really not sure what to expect honestly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jollystomper To the OP, while I loved my job, there was stress that I did not notice into after I retired. DW and at least a dozen of my friends/former co-workers have said they have never seen me so relaxed. Maybe you do not need a push but a glide... ways to start taking less responsibility at work with some specific retirement date goal in mind, while at the same time exploring the "what would I do if I was retired" ....

I unfortunately can’t go into glide mode as I’m currently project based and any personal slacking results in the other members having to pick up the slack. I have however been making it a very deliberate effort not to think about work on the weekend - it’s actually very invigorating. I’ve also been planning the next road trip (on the kids’ longer holiday break schedule) and ramping back up very slowly to a fitness routine.