Do you remember your "countdown" to retirement?

[poorcarver]

Somehow or other I never thought I would retire. Don't ask me why, just seemed wrong somehow, sort of not for me. We were what I know would understand to be FI for years. That was not the point. Then one Summer I had this idea that I might retire in a few years, by Fall I was clear that it would be next Spring, by later Fall I knew I would go on the last day of February of the coming year. I was going to stay and say nothing until after the end of the year as Megacorp always did a 10% layoff each year (some idea of pruning leaving only the best). I figured I was a natural for the chop and wanted the package as a retirement gift. Come Xmas time (yes they lay off during the second week of December), I get a call and my co-worker is laid off not me. So I call management and point out that I am retiring at the end of Feb so they are now down two and why not save the other guy and lay me off. So amazingly they did. I got a very nice going away present.

I must say that other than attending phone meetings (I worked remotely), I more or less did nothing from around October till the end. So the count down was short and painless.

 

[martyp]

Anticlimactic for me - got an early out offer in October with actual last day February 28. Four very boring months .....then freedom!

Similar for me. It took me about 30 days to figure out I could ER. Then it was 3 1/2 months of extreme boredom before I left. I don't know how people do it counting down for years.

 

[Fedup]

8 weeks count down but I've been planning for 2 years.


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[Bamaman]

I remember mine:

1 and out. "Tomorrow's your last day."

MegaCorp overreacted 11/2008 and retired everyone 55 years old and older--and those working there under a year.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! And the severance package was ridiculously good.

 

[Kickernick]

Here's me two weeks ago taking down a Post-it Flag on a Friday afternoon. I posted 52 of these inside my desk overhead last April to mark my last year.

I also mark my "weeks remaining" inconspicuously in my work e-mail signature and in the background of PowerPoint title pages. It's my stealthy way of counting down to next April Fools Day when I plan on checking out for good. (it's fun to see an old email or PPT and see how far I've come).

 

[aldo]

Having survived a RIF at my fed agency in 1995, I then began my countdown to retirement eligibility in 2009, roughly 5000+ days. Now I'm counting the number of days since I retired

2298

 

[Redbugdave]

Having survived a RIF at my fed agency in 1995, I then began my countdown to retirement eligibility in 2009, roughly 5000+ days. Now I'm counting the number of days since I retired

2298

Aldo...I was much like you. I went through a major reorganization halfway through my career, had to move, possible job loss, etc. Also later, a constant threat of my job series being RIFed or banished. All of that was a wake up call to do something about it, years ago. Fight or flight. If something happened I would land on my feet. I had too much time in for flight, so I fought. My way of fighting was investing towards independence. We paid everything off years ago and maxed everything out, because of that threat. That is probably why some of us had such long count down calendars. As soon as I became eligible...I was out of there. If your job is safe, you become a complacent mushroom and live above your means.

I can understand, Aldo. When you survive a RIF, your whole outlook changes towards the job and career. No more sitting around becoming a victim. You are forced to take the bull by the horns towards independence, (being able to retire ASAP and leave it all behind).

 

[DFA]

2 weeks and laid off, a little contract work for them after that to close down the business. I was the only IT person so they needed my help to close the business and contract paid very well also got a great package. That was almost 2 years ago.

 

[Fishingmn]

My DW has had an app on her iPhone tracking the countdown for the last 6 months. As of this morning it's at 18!

 

[Taxman59]

I had a spreadsheet with the number of Mondays, Fridays and total work days remaining. It was fun seeing the milestone #'s (100 days, 10 Mondays etc), and then sharing with certain coworkers.



Have the day you deserve, and let Karma sort it out.

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[RE2Boys]

Two week countdown. When my fed agency announced that the early retirement program ends in two weeks. I had been eligible but never gave it serious thought as I was 50 with a one and three year old at home. Forced me to quickly do a serious review of income, expenses, pension, and investments. Came to the conclusion that I could retire but continue our LBYM lifestyle, no increase in standard of living. Fortunately, I had a paid off house. And it was a golden opportunity to be a daily part of my sons lives.

All turned out good. Could have loosened the purse strings years ago as net worth is 2.5 what it was 15 years ago.

 

[rodi]

My originally planned retirement day was my 55th birthday. I started a WEEK countdown at the 3 year mark. Days was too big of a number. I wrote it on the corner of my whiteboard and updated it weekly.

Then stuff happened that made me realize I could pull it in and retire sooner... so my number got pulled in dramatically and I put it into days. I ended up retiring before the 1 year mark of my 3 year countdown.

 

[InTheSticks]

I'm at 131. I started my countdown at 523. I use Excel to track total days, work days, weeks and months. But, that is until I announce. I must give 30 days notice to be paid for unused vacation. They may make me work 30 days or they may ask me to leave sooner.

 

[Bir48die]

Started 16 months prior to Aug 30th. Had two calendars: would cross off the monthly by week. Then a second sheet that started at about 35 weeks where I would check off the number.

However, then the P/T offer came and I changed it to know that I was just counting down the F/T work. So, kind of anti-climatic. However, it is now open ended that at any time I pull the trigger and it's two weeks.

 

[foxfirev5]

Multiple countdowns right now. 7 days until 59 1/2. 118 days until the 2015 incentive??, 3 dental crowns for DW and I, and final 401k annual company 5% contribution. Good enough to fund the 2016 Roth's and finally cut the cord.
To be safe I'm off for the holiday's plus a three week trip to Fla in Jan - Feb.

 

[Danmar]

I knew the date about 3 years before. I wish I hadn't. The more J counted down, the longer it seemed. Best to focus on your job or other things as long as you can. It will come soon enough.

 

[Ronstar]

I had an employment contract to work 960 hours during my last year of work. I didn't have a countdown per se. I had a spreadsheet that tallied up hours worked and hours remaining bi-weekly.

 

[kcowan]

We had an announcement on Nov 1st, and had to make our decision by Feb 1 with Mar 1 as departure date (all voluntary). I declared Dec 15th but when management found out they asked me to stay. I agreed to stay until May 1st.

Set up my consulting company in April and started my first management contract July 20th. Worked another 10 years on various contracts.

 

[Sasset]

I started a spreadsheet with a count down. I passed the 3 year mark this last week that I have been counting down. I now have just over 100 days to go! Three years ago it seemed like it was going to take forever. Now that I am here it doesn't seem so long.

On the other hand, now a 100 days seems like a long time. Funny how time works.

 

[rrufus]

I place a BIG number on the frig....designating the number of months to go...first day of a new month, the BIG number decreases by 1. Friends ask what does the number mean....and the fun begins when talking, dreaming about that great Commencement Day! The day after Halloween 2015, that BIG number drops to 14. Oh Yeah!!! (Number-of-days-to-go counters not as exciting, since hundreds of days to go seems so far away.)

 

[OrcasIslandBound]

My "BIG" number will be 17 the day after Halloween. Only three months behind you rrufus!

 

[Ally]

I started mine at 970 work days and it seemed like it would never get to zero. The last few years of work were very bad and I was always stressed and anxious. I am totally in a worry free state of mind now after 5 months of retirement. I couldn't be happier! May your time pass quickly.


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[Marketwatcher]

I have fewer than 50 days that I have to walk through Mega's front door. I'm actually getting a little nervous since not only will I be quitting in early 2016, but also be selling my house and living full time in a travel trailer!

 

[OrcasIslandBound]

I would think that living full time in a travel trailer would be great for a while but then get more difficult over time. Is this being done to save money?

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[Marketwatcher]

I would think that living full time in a travel trailer would be great for a while but then get more difficult over time. Is this being done to save money?

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My partner and I are in our early 50s. We love camping, backpacking, traveling and being outdoors, so this is our dream. Gives us great opportunities to visit family and fiends in the US and Canada. Saving money is definitely a nice a benefit and we're tired of being tied to the same location.

I can picture use doing this for many years, and as long as we're physically able to do the things we love.