reluctantly FIRE'd @ 56

[Fired2020]

Hi, I've been perusing the forums here for two years & registered maybe six months ago, but have put off the obligatory introduction post...laziness.

I was essentially downsized in Sept 2020, Covid wasn't the reason but it accelerated things a little. I worked in commercial credit for a large automotive auction chain. They eliminated my job title and invited me to post/apply for a newly created position with essentially the same responsibilities; they'd done this on three previous occasions and I'd re-interviewed and maintained employment through all of that. This time I decided to accept the layoff; the severance package was more than fair and I feel like I have way more than enough to retire on ('probably 75X annual expenses, plus two modest non-COLA'd pensions).

I have no dependents and live by myself. My "problem" is that I have few hobbies. I walk 5 or so miles every day & hit the gym a few times a week, I do it to keep weight off but honestly I think some of the motivation is that it makes time go by, lol. It's a first-world problem. I get up in the mornings with the whole day ahead of me & no plans. I feel like I'm enjoying life but I do miss the structure and camaraderie of the workplace. If a part-time job landed in my lap I'd probably take it. But, I don't have the motivation at this point in time to fill out applications, sit in front of interviewers that are half my age, or schedule drug tests.

 

[cat4ever]

Congrats! Even if that 75X expenses doesn't include your taxes and health care costs, I think you are looking great. Welcome to the club, what took you so long as they say. Your time is now completely yours, you can choose how to fill it on your own time table and on your own terms, there's no rush. It's a good problem to have as long as you don't put pressure on yourself to figure it out in a hurry. Walks and other fitness activities, movies, restaurants, travel are easy things that can take up a lot of time until you figure out your long term strategy.

 

[RetiredHappy]

Do you have some sort of sports and social membership thing around where you live? It is a good way to meet others and become a social thing in getting together to do things. It makes your days go by faster. I picked up golf in my retirement and now golfing 4 to 5 days a week becomes a routine, and I golf with friends whom I have met through the club.

 

[pb4uski]

+1 on golf. I would have thought my dad would be the last person in the world to take up golf, but he did and loved it. Ditto with a friend of mine...never golfed at all until he retired. Much of our retirement entertainment is centered around golf with friends and most of those friends we met through golf.

 

[Fired2020]

Do you have some sort of sports and social membership thing around where you live? It is a good way to meet others and become a social thing in getting together to do things. It makes your days go by faster. I picked up golf in my retirement and now golfing 4 to 5 days a week becomes a routine, and I golf with friends whom I have met through the club.

I have no memberships that I can think of, except a library card lol. I do go there on my walks & read the WSJ a couple times a week. I meet with colleagues a few times a year for fantasy sports leagues, gambling pools and the like. I left my employer on great terms and stay in touch with a couple of the people I worked with as well as some clients.

You mentioned golf, lol. It's a complicated subject for me. I played from the age of 7 or 8 until about 40 or 42. I love the game...but it seemed the more I played the worse I got. I still LOVE watching the Masters and the other 3 majors on televisions. I feel like I should to take the game up again...lest I grow old and look back with regret that I didn't.

Thanks for your post,

 

[RetiredHappy]

You are very welcome. Golf does get away sometimes, i.e. losing your swing. Get a lesson or two with a good PGA pro and you will get it back again. BTW, I just got my 2nd Hole-In-One yesterday, on Christmas Day.

 

[MBAustin]

Welcome, 2020. You're not the only one here who has gone through this. A couple of ideas:

- Ernie Zelinski's books (Joy of Not Working is the one I used) help you think about what might interest you and give you a sense of purpose every day

- I just read an article in the NYT that said people who volunteer on a regular basis are less lonely and more satisfied. A lot of organizations need people who just show up when they say they will and do what needs to be done, so try finding organizations that interest you. Like animals? Try a local shelter. Have a car? Deliver for Meals on Wheels or drive seniors to medical appointments. Like to be indoors? Sort food for the local food bank. Etc.

In the meantime, enjoy your freedom to do what you want when you want!

 

[aaronc879]

Buy a boat. I hear they are a very good way to get rid of some money.

 

[Dtail]

Yup, try taking up a sport.
I play Pickleball 6x weekly for 4-5 hours daily. Golf might work for you too.

 

[street]

You like to walk; I would plan some hiking trips. Explore and plan a few close trips with an overnight camping or hotel etc.

Plan one with detail and then just go with the flow and have an adventure.

 

[OldShooter]

... If a part-time job landed in my lap I'd probably take it. ...

One of my volunteer gigs is with the Red Cross. They seem to get shot up in the press from time to time, but I have been very impressed with the organization. One thing I was surprised to see was the number of volunteers serving in what I would call line management positions, even up to full time. There are many local opportunities that will get you out of your house as much as you'd like. Tons of jobs in connection with blood donations, including driving jobs transporting blood around a state. Another is local "Disaster Action Teams" that are requested by first responders and typically support families displaced by fires. The DATs can provide funds for a motel and food and will help connect the family to the local social service network. On a bigger scale, I have deployed across the country to support major disaster relief efforts on hurricanes and floods. This has been a high demand area lately as Mother Nature is getting grumpy.

https://www.redcross.org/volunteer/...ml/?icid=surge&imed=referral&isource=homepage

 

[HI Bill]

Welcome! At 55, I was way past ready to RE. But I have a lot of hobbies and things I like to do in retirement, and maintaining a house and helping with cooking adds to it. I love to scuba dive, do photography, home theater stuff, woodworking, household improvements, and travel. If you really don't have anything to fill your time, I'd suggest looking for some new friends (Meetup?), organizations, or read an Ernie Zelinski book mentioned earlier and complete the activity tree. If nothing in there appeals to you, then maybe it is time to start filling out j$b applications. RE isn't for everyone, to be sure!

 

[1242Vintage]

Welcome aboard!!! I retired 18 months ago at age 57. Couple of things that have helped me.

After I retired, I ramped up my participation in amateur athletic events. My thing is trail running and cycling. I compete with other 50+ year old guys. There are plenty of activities of many types out there. It’s a great way to extend your friend network and become fitter at the same time. And it gives those boring weekday gym workouts a purpose. Love lining up with my pals on a Saturday morning to figure out who has the horsepower, fitness, and endurance that day.

I wasn’t looking for it, but a very fun part-time seasonal job landed in my lap. It’s awesome. I look forward to getting up one day a week in the early morning, putting on a pair of grimy boots and getting a little dirty at the quarry. I spent my career as a Civil Engineer and working after retirement part time at a quarry that produces construction materials keeps me connected in a small way to the industry and people that I love.

Good luck and enjoy.

 

[Katiek]

If you like to walk, look if there are any hiking or walking groups in your area. Many conservation clubs or have walks on the preserved lands. Or local Audobon branches do bird watching walks.

 

[Fired2020]

Welcome, 2020. You're not the only one here who has gone through this. A couple of ideas:

- Ernie Zelinski's books (Joy of Not Working is the one I used) help you think about what might interest you and give you a sense of purpose every day

Thanks, I just checked on-line & my library has that book. I'll take a look. It shows a copyright date of 1997 so I'm thinking some of the info might be dated but maybe I'm wrong.

 

[DrRoy]

You could try Meetup to join a group with your interests.

 

[Fired2020]

My thing is trail running and cycling. I compete with other 50+ year old guys. There are plenty of activities of many types out there. It’s a great way to extend your friend network and become fitter at the same time.

Thanks for the input, I enjoy trail walking and there are a few "rail trails" and river trails close by me. They're beautiful, mostly asphalt and largely flat. Mostly I enjoy just slamming my house door shut and walking from home. I have my gym, library, and plenty of conveniences close by that I can walk directly to. The bar that I go to is walkable too which is obviously a good thing.

I enjoy running, by my knees don't tolerate it well. I was an avid mountain biker at one time but stopped. Honestly I'm weary of taking it up again at my age; injury is a concern especially since I mostly exercise on my own.

 

[mystang52]

...
I enjoy running, by my knees don't tolerate it well. I was an avid mountain biker at one time but stopped. Honestly I'm weary of taking it up again at my age; injury is a concern especially since I mostly exercise on my own...

I'm an avid triathlete. But that doesn't mean I go far, or fast. No reason you can't resume mountain biking, but at a slower pace, shorter distance, and/or less challenging terrain. Same for running: run-walking is a great compromise, and you simply decide what ratio of run to walk is comfortable for you.
As to other hobbies, it's unlikely anything will "fall into your lap." Try a whole bunch of different ones, and you may find some that appeal to you. Keep in mind any recreational pursuit doesn't have to be frequent. For example, a few years ago I tried bird watching. I enjoyed it, but only on a once every few weeks basis. Don't rule anything out.

 

[pacergal]

Every day is yours to do as you want--that is the joy of retirement. You don't have to "be busy" every minute.
Think of any hobbies or things you enjoyed earlier in life--reading, woodworking, sports.
Does your local city have a Parks and Recreation department that has classes or sports programs that might interest you? Or check on community college classes, local volunteer opportunities, etc. Many ways to enjoy your day and possibly meet others.

Ernie Zelinski's "Get a Life Tree" exercise is an interesting thing to do to explore your interests.

 

[Act2]

Libraries often have group activities or are open to starting them. One near us has a weekly retiree group that meets to have coffee and discuss current events and also has several book clubs.

 

[COcheesehead]

Look at:
Classes at the local community college
MeetUp
A fun part time gig
Train for an athletic challenge
Travel
eBay
Learn an instrument

 

[flyingaway]

It is time to develop some hobbies, or something to help you spend your money.
I like travel, fishing, hiking, playing slots at casinos, etc. Some of these "hobbies" could be very expensive and I have to be careful and in control.

 

[Blue65]

Buy a boat. I hear they are a very good way to get rid of some money.

I can personally attest that is true. A smaller boat is less risk.

 

[bobbyr]

You mentioned golf, lol. It's a complicated subject for me. I played from the age of 7 or 8 until about 40 or 42. I love the game...but it seemed the more I played the worse I got. I still LOVE watching the Masters and the other 3 majors on televisions. I feel like I should to take the game up again...lest I grow old and look back with regret that I didn't.

Thanks for your post,

I can relate to getting worse and the frustration that comes with that. As others have mentioned though, golf is such a great social event maybe you can take some lessons or something with the extra cash?

 

[athena53]

I agree on the volunteer work- there's something for everybody. A lot of mine is connected to my church (vestry warden, manage the web site, preach occasionally) but I'm also the HOA Board Secretary and the Garden Club Treasurer. I prefer work that doesn't require me to show up at a specific place at fixed times but we're all different. It's amazing how many leadership opportunities there are when they don't have to pay you!