need to speak to early retirees

[mbenjamin2]

I'm looking to speak to a few people in their mid to late 50's who have recently left the work force, i.e. chosen early retirement. It's for an article I'm writing related to the work force, early retirees, and the overall economy. Please contact me at mbenjamin2@bloomberg.net. Thanks!

 

[JPatrick]

I'm looking to speak to a few people in their mid to late 50's who have recently left the work force, i.e. chosen early retirement. It's for an article I'm writing related to the work force, early retirees, and the overall economy. Please contact me at mbenjamin2@bloomberg.net. Thanks!

Good luck with your article, but I hope you are not going to include any disparaging cartoons about the early retired. The world has quite enough rioting as it is.

 

[Nords]

I'm looking to speak to a few people in their mid to late 50's

Missed the age limit again!

Well, he appears to be a real no-foolin' Bloomberg reporter:  "Adding to its Washington bureau under veteran Al Hunt, the wire has hired Rich Miller, the chief economics writer for BusinessWeek, [and] Matthew Benjamin of U.S. News, adding to previously reported hires..."

Here's a couple articles from a two-minute Google:
"What Growth? Economy Is Getting Worse, Americans Say"
"Greenspan, With a Calculated `Mumble,' Left Markets Guessing"

 

[Mr._johngalt]

Missed the age limit again!

Me too, and you know that I'd have a lot to say.

JG

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Me three.

Johnny...I think he's going to be looking to hear real information, not the same three or four things over and over again.

 

[REWahoo]

Anyone else besides me meet the criteria and respond?

He's writing about the growing trend of boomers over age 55 retiring early and the resulting economic impact. Looks like we may have been found out.

He wanted to talk to a "real" early retiree in this category, which I suppose rules you out JG. He seemed a little surprised that someone could actually pay off the mortgage and be debt free in their 50's. He also didn't go for me identifying myself as "REWahoo!", so I may have blown my cover and end up in the witless witness protection program. 8)

The article is supposed to be out in a couple of weeks.

 

[Jay_Gatsby]

He also didn't go for me identifying myself as "REWahoo!", so I may have blown my cover and end up in the witless witness protection program. 8)

Don't worry. The vast majority of people (at least in the US) won't believe you anyway.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

He seemed a little surprised that someone could actually pay off the mortgage and be debt free in their 50's.

More than a few of us did it before we turned 40

And actually pulled it off without still sending our wives to work and pretending we were retired when we were in fact cheap gigolos...

 

[REWahoo]

More than a few of us did it before we turned 40

On this board, perhaps. In the real world, very, very few.

I got the feeling if I'd told him something like that he would have said, "Yeah...sure. Nice talkin' to ya."

 

[Jay_Gatsby]

On this board, perhaps.  In the real world, very, very few. 

I got the feeling if I'd told him something like that he would have said, "Yeah...sure.  Nice talkin' to ya."

He'd probably accuse you of being one of them dot-com millionaires who struck it rich while the rest of us (the reporter included) lost money during the dot-bomb meltdown.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

[nelson] HA HA! [/nelson]

 

[justin]

He'd probably accuse you of being one of them dot-com millionaires who struck it rich while the rest of us (the reporter included) lost money during the dot-bomb meltdown.

I think we have one or two of those types here. CybrMike, where are you? Of course, that's called striking it rich, not ER!

 

[SteveR]

I fit the age range but since I went back to work my ER was not counted and was therefore ineligible for the discussion. My stash came the old fashioned way....I earned it one day at a time and saved by underspending. Not too glamorous I guess.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

that's called striking it rich, not ER!

Hey lets not split too many hairs We all did the same basic thing...made more than we spent and had the good sense to jump from the train when it slowed into a curve and took our chances with the road rash...

 

[unclemick]

Hmmm - never volunteer.

Boring as watching paint dry - DCA over a long period(1966 - 1992). Get layed off at age 49. Slowly discover(mental mind shift) that you don't want to move and that you don't have to find another job.

Being a really, really, really cheap bastard is also extremely helpful.

heh heh heh heh heh heh.

Hey Dory - I think we FINALLY hit 33% in 2005 - got a big push from Katrina. Like I said - never volunteer.

 

[FlogBlogger]

...I think he's going to be looking to hear real information, not the same three or four things over and over again.

Let's see...RE:
1) Requires 80% of current income and/or 25x required income in capital
2) Is over-rated and/or non-sustainable
3) Is beyond reach due to rising inflation and/or health costs
4) Is possible if willing to LBM.

That's what I gather...
FlogBlog

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Well lets see...

1. I'm working with about 5% of my prior working income
2. I love it and I see nothing that suggests it wont work out for me for 50 years
3. I'm having no problems with inflation or health costs
4. I'm not living below my means, unless low living includes driving a lexus and eating rib eye steaks, king crab and maine lobster regularly.

Of course, some might mention the working wife, but she just came along a little over a year ago when I was well into a self sustaining single ER.

Might wanna keep gathering...

 

[FlogBlogger]

Might wanna keep gathering...

True or false, that's the data that are perpetuated and seem to keep re-appearing in articles on early retirement.

Which 3 or 4 myths did you have in mind?

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I suppose it makes sense. Some people with an agenda (oh, say anyone associated with government) would like us to keep working until we drop. Others who cant or wont retire early might want to paint it some pretty drab colors. Investment houses want you to continue to contribute, not start withdrawing. News people want to sensationalize the topic or dismiss it to draw in readers. Yada yada yada.

Who without an agenda would want to write a fair and balanced article on early retirement?

Actually the comment I made was with regards to JG's apparent desire to be interviewed; my point being he pretty much says the same 3-4 things over and over again and that might get a little boring for an interviewer.

 

[FlogBlogger]

Who without an agenda would want to write a fair and balanced article on early retirement?

A book seller! Of course, that's not where the real money is at...

 

[MJ]

He also didn't go for me identifying myself as "REWahoo!", so I may have blown my cover and end up in the witless witness protection program. 8)

You could have used the old standby and told him that if you revealed your true identity to him, the CIA would have him eliminated.

xxxx 8) (alias MJ)

 

[Nords]

Let's see...RE:
1) Requires 80% of current income and/or 25x required income in capital
2) Is over-rated and/or non-sustainable
3) Is beyond reach due to rising inflation and/or health costs
4) Is possible if willing to LBM.

That's what I gather...

I wonder how many of those alleged journalists are actually ER'd... not under deadline... or have actually taken the time to interview a representative sample of the demographic.

None of us ERs on this board suffer any of those constraints!

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Well, I think a couple of us that are trying to get by on brains and balls and our working wife might have some of them apply.

 

[REWahoo]

OK early retirees, it's all your fault:

Retirements Keep Labor Market Tight, Fed on Inflation Alert

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aOiv3YRk3qnM&refer=us

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Yep, we're bad, bad, bad for the economy.

Except maybe for that part about providing invested capital in stocks and bonds...