The Art of Off Peaking

[Denverite]

As a relatively new FIRE member, I found this New York Times article interesting:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/13/...ersion=column&rref=collection/column/retiring

So thought we might list some specific off peaking examples and their benefits. Here is one I've been using. A nature preserve is close to where I live and has some excellent hiking trails but it gets crowded on the weekends. However, on weekdays the trails are like having my own private preserve - quiet and very few other hikers. Nice benefit I intend to use more of this fall.

Other examples, anyone?

 

[Lukeee]

This is one thing I look forward to when I do RE. Off peak Costco shopping...off peak vacations....off peak anything that makes sense. It’s a much more relaxing way to live life.

When my kids were not in school yet, we did a euro trip before the peak travel season. It was light jacket weather but the crowds were not anywhere what I understand them to typically be.

 

[friar1610]

We have an annual pass for the Trustees of Reservations in MA. This gets us into a lot of outdoorsy places for free. We tend to avoid them on weekends and go during the week when less crowded.

Mid-week matinee movies and plays.

Weeknight dinners out in less crowded restaurants.

I go to some fitness classes at the gym although these are generally held at hours more convenient for working folks. But if I want to stay afterwards and do something on my own the gym has pretty well emptied out (except for ok'd geezers like me.) And today - no class - I went after the lunch crowd but before the after work crowd. Empty.

 

[Another Reader]

This is one thing I look forward to when I do RE. Off peak Costco shopping...off peak vacations....off peak anything that makes sense. It’s a much more relaxing way to live life.

When my kids were not in school yet, we did a euro trip before the peak travel season. It was light jacket weather but the crowds were not anywhere what I understand them to typically be.

Off peak Costco shopping? No such thing here. Long lines and a shortage of parking at 10 AM on a Tuesday or Wednesday. That was a major disappointment after I retired!

 

[jjquantz]

Ranges from grocery shopping at 9AM on Tuesday to going to Italy in January. Just walked right up to the Uffizi and went right in. Same at the Vatican museums, a great picture of the Forum with hardly a body in sight... and never a line at the checkout.

Oh, and kayak on weekday mornings - we have the whole river to ourselves.

 

[RunningBum]

Skiing, as the article opens with, is my #1. If I went here on a weekend, I'd have to park either a long walk from the slopes, or a shuttle ride. I'd be facing 20-60 minute lift lines, and ridiculously crowded narrow slows. On weekdays, I park 20 yards from the slopes, and usually ski right into the lift, without even having to stop if I time it right. Slopes are mostly clear too.

When I golfed, that was #2. Hit, walk to the ball, hit again. Rarely any waiting.

One disadvantage is trail running. Sure, it's nice to have clear trails, but if something happens where I'd need help, it could be a long time before someone else comes along. I was to the point of researching personal locator beacons, but I decided to just not go on remote trails by myself.

 

[Lukeee]

Off peak Costco shopping? No such thing here. Long lines and a shortage of parking at 10 AM on a Tuesday or Wednesday. That was a major disappointment after I retired!

What city are you in? I’ll be sure not to retire where you are when I pull the trigger.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

Lots of retirees in my city. I actually have to determine their peak times so I can avoid the crowd. Mondays seem to be teeming with gray hair; I suppose we all stay in over the weekend to avoid the younger crowds, then tend to emerge and clog Kroger after everyone else has gone back to w*rk.

 

[marko]

Boating. Beaches. Golf. 9AM breakfasts out. Haircuts. Folding in a leisurely lunch as part of a shopping day.

Where is everybody?

Skiing, yes. But we abandoned weekend skiing back in the 60's. Even during our work-lives, we'd take the day/week off to ski.

 

[Fedup]

Costco was pretty empty today for us compare to weekend. We’re close to a few universities where there are lots of young students.

 

[Another Reader]

What city are you in? I’ll be sure not to retire where you are when I pull the trigger.

Welcome to Silly Valley, where the freeways are clogged until 11 AM and again at 2 PM.

 

[travelover]

Washington State parks have an off season camping geezer-pass - $75 to camp free from October to April. In April it is only good for Sunday to Thursday, which I prefer anyway.

 

[SnowBound]

Skiing, as the article opens with, is my #1. If I went here on a weekend, I'd have to park either a long walk from the slopes, or a shuttle ride. I'd be facing 20-60 minute lift lines, and ridiculously crowded narrow slows. On weekdays, I park 20 yards from the slopes, and usually ski right into the lift, without even having to stop if I time it right. Slopes are mostly clear too.

When I golfed, that was #2. Hit, walk to the ball, hit again. Rarely any waiting.

One disadvantage is trail running. Sure, it's nice to have clear trails, but if something happens where I'd need help, it could be a long time before someone else comes along. I was to the point of researching personal locator beacons, but I decided to just not go on remote trails by myself.

There is a way out of long lines anywhere somehow. I ended up become a "race official". Get to ski an hour before slopes open provided it looks like your are doing doing something official. Carrying something big up the lift works. Though I do have pick up lost on course skis, poles, racers, etc once racing starts. Plus there is the slope side free lunch...

 

[Teacher Terry]

We do most things off peak. Went to Italy twice in February. We cruise when kids are in school.

 

[Red Badger]

We chose September to tour a few cities in Europe. It's been great 10 days in and not a drop of rain with temps in the 70' and 80's. Crowds have been manageable to non-existent.

At home, we limit outside the home stuff to 9-3 unless going out for dinner or other event. Those commuters are way too serious to be in their line of sight.

 

[GR111]

Wow. Every where I turn you guys provide another reason to RE. Big thing for me will be hiking trails as well - 4 more months to RE!

 

[pj.mask]

I find Costco after working hours on the week days to be the lowest crowd. Everyone wants to go home, nobody seems to be bulk shopping. I do worry about going during the day to some places. There may be less people but some of them can’t drive. I watched 2 cars back up into each other just the other day. Neither looking (and were backing straight back). Wow

 

[Denverite]

Ranges from grocery shopping at 9AM on Tuesday to going to Italy in January. Just walked right up to the Uffizi and went right in. Same at the Vatican museums, a great picture of the Forum with hardly a body in sight... and never a line at the checkout.

Oh, and kayak on weekday mornings - we have the whole river to ourselves.

Nice. Love the idea of off peaking museum visits. My family once went to the Louvre during tourist season. Very crowded. You could barely get to the Mona Lisa - a "permacrowd" around it.

 

[Koogie]

$75 to camp free from October to April.

Something does not compute...

 

[JustCurious]

We chose September to tour a few cities in Europe. It's been great 10 days in and not a drop of rain with temps in the 70' and 80's. Crowds have been manageable to non-existent.

What are the off peak times to visit Europe?

 

[scrabbler1]

Errands in general are so much easier since I stopped working FT (I worked PT for 7 years, so that's when the transition began). The bank, post office, supermarket, pharmacy, barber, and shopping mall are far less crowded at 10:30 AM on a weekday than they are at 10:30 AM on a Saturday when the whole world is there. Traffic is light and parking is easy.


Another somewhat off-peak time, I have found over the years, is the middle day of a 3-day holiday weekend, usually a Sunday night, to go out to eat at a restaurant. I always think of that Sunday night as a "second" Saturday night but without the crowds.

 

[Spock]

Off-peak = scheduling any appointments so I avoid rush hour traffic.

As far as Costco, it's not so much "off-peak" as "before the sample carts and the associated @$%^&! free mealers" plug the aisles.

 

[audreyh1]

What are the off peak times to visit Europe?

April-early May, Sept-Oct. Certainly Airlines consider peak season to be around mid May to the end of August.

September can be still be darn hot some places.

When we were in Bruges in early October one year it was absolutely packed. It’s hard to beat the crowds in Europe.

 

[ABQ2015]

Mostly I've benefited from traveling in the shoulder season and scheduling the most popular destinations during week days to save money on hotels and avoid crowds. I usually shop and do errands during the early afternoon. It would be better to shop in the morning but I am not a morning person and am not planning to become one. In my true night owl days I would go grocery shopping at 10 pm or so and have the store to myself. Unfortunately the better produce or sale items would be gone by then.

 

[GravitySucks]

Went for a bike ride on the Old Erie Canal yesterday. Kids are back in school so only saw 4 people in 6 miles.
Grocery stores are Monday through Thursday only now. I did a Costco run on a Friday morning thinking Id beat the weekenders. Big mistake as it was packed with old people thinking the same way.