Laurence said:
Congratulations, Dex! I went back to read your introduce yourself post, since you came on board here years before I did - you've had quite a journey!
Obviously, I can speak with confidence for this board you are making the right decision.
Laurence,
Thanks for reminding me of my first post. I found it and read it again.
I've posted it below for others on the path to RE to show it can be a long journey.
It is about 2 years and 7 months from my first post to my RE date
I could have and should have RE then but I didn't. I made some mistakes and has to get my act togehter.
This whole experience in some ways is about changing turning around a life and what we have been trained to do.
So now I've sold the home, given notice and bought a travel trailer. I'll post my progress to show it can be done.
Even as I'm doing it, I don't believe I'm doing it, but the doubts are getting smaller than the anticipation for the adventure that awaits me.
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General => Hi, I am... => Topic started by: dex on October 28, 2003, 07:31:58 AM
Title: Need Advise on if I should retire
Post by: dex on October 28, 2003, 07:31:58 AM
I'm hoping there is a wealth of experience on this board that can help me with the very important decision on should I retire early? I know you can not give me a definitive answer. What I am looking for is how to make the decision for the right reasons. So if you can point me in the direction of books, or an advisor (psycologists?) or from you experience it would be much appreciated.
Let me give you a little background and you might see why I want to make sure I'm not making a large mistake that I might regret latter.
As I type this I'm 49, single, work for a large company, good salary and benefits - $140,000 salary, head of my department so low pressure - I tell people what to do, computer, internet and television in my office. Financially in good shape - home paid in full, no debt, and about 1 million cash and I spend or need a lot of things. Why do I want to retire early? I'm not sure. I've been working since I was a teenager and I don't get any satisfaction from it. It is a labor to get up every morning and go to work.
Here are some of the questions I've been asking myself and haven't had much luck with the answers:
1. Am I crazy for giving up this job?
2. Has anyone in my position negociated a severance package from a company? If so, how?
2. What would I do if I quit? I've worked all my life and I can't say I have many interest. The one good thing about work is that it fills up my day.
3. Do I have enough money to live if I never worked again? (Wasn't there a calculator on this board that was all encompassing?)
4. One of my fear is that I live, work, die and do not enjoy life.
So as you can see, I'm looking for some guidance on how to evaluate my options.
Thanks in advance.