Never thought I'd want to retire!

[AboutThere]

I was the guy who thought he'd work until the end.

I have a job I love - or, more accurately, used to love - so I always thought I'd work well into my 60s full-time, and then part-time beyond that.

A lot of lurking here has me thinking that I might be of more use to the Republic with a fly rod in my hands than at a keyboard, so at the very least I have to start planning for the day I head for the Au Sable River with no return postage.

I have one concrete question that I'll post about strategies to fill a gap from age 59 to Social Security, but for now I'm just happy to be thinking about retirement.

Age: 52
DW is 49
One young adult DC out of the house
Great Midwest

 

[travelover]

Welcome. When MegaMotors said they would pay me to stay away, I took the hint.

I've never regretted it.

 

[jjquantz]

Welcome. Once you start thinking about retirement it can become very difficult to STOP thinking about retirement.

 

[AboutThere]

Thanks for replying:
I don't know if it's a sign, but I've worked for Mega Motors and lived for a time in Northern Virginia...

 

[MBAustin]

Thanks for replying:
I don't know if it's a sign, but I've worked for Mega Motors and lived for a time in Northern Virginia...

If it looks like a sign and acts like a sign...it's a sign.

 

[Nodak]

Welcome

 

[donheff]

A belated welcome since you have been lurking for a while. Many of us liked or even loved our work for a time. But things change, sometimes on the job side, sometimes inside. It sounds like you were smart enough or lucky enough to sock away sufficient savings to ER now that the bug has bitten you. I feel sorry for the confident "I plan to work till I drop" guys who don't save and then have a change of heart or a health setback and are not prepared to accommodate it.

 

[Katiek]

Welcome! As donheff said, even when you like your job, things can happen and it's a wonderful feeling to know you've planned to be financially independent and always have options.

 

[AboutThere]

A belated welcome since you have been lurking for a while. Many of us liked or even loved our work for a time. But things change, sometimes on the job side, sometimes inside. It sounds like you were smart enough or lucky enough to sock away sufficient savings to ER now that the bug has bitten you. I feel sorry for the confident "I plan to work till I drop" guys who don't save and then have a change of heart or a health setback and are not prepared to accommodate it.

I'm not there yet, but I'm looking at a 7-9 year window when I used to think that I'd be working until 75 or beyond. I'm running numbers and getting myself in financial shape to shoot for 59-61, which seems pretty early to me.

I do think that I suffered from the malady you mention, but now I'm pursuing the cure!

 

[gauss]

I was the guy who thought he'd work until the end.

I have a job I love - or, more accurately, used to love - so I always thought I'd work well into my 60s full-time, and then part-time beyond that.


Age: 52
DW is 49
One young adult DC out of the house
Great Midwest

I always wanted to get FI as soon as possible and have tried to save for such.

I tried to advise the young smart kids joining the group the benefits of saving early and often and how they will give you many more options in life 20 years down the road.

I met with the "I will work forever...." response. Didn't try to suggest it any more after that.

I wonder if his outlook has changed any since his divorce and bankruptcy.

-gauss

 

[AllDone]

For a long time I enjoyed working until one day when I didn't. I really, really like having no demands on my time, no schedules, no rush hour traffic. I suppose that someday I might get bored, but for now I'm doing great! In retrospect, although I was a diligent saver, I wish that I had been much less passive about retirement savings, however, in the end it all worked out nicely too.

 

[kcowan]

Don't be surprised if you find those 7 years to be way too long! Make sure you use all your vacay. It will help you cope.

 

[CRLLS]

If I had a nickel for everyone I know that said "I'm working until xxxx", and didn't make that date by any number of years I'd be retired by now. Things change due to medical issues, premature death, downsizing, family issues, etc. You never know what it is that blindsides you. But it happens more often than not. Oh wait, I met that 3rd criteria and I am retired (semi)!


The part that made me go from " I like my job and hope to retire before age 57", to "I really love my job and will stay as long as I am enjoying it" was when I became FI. Shortly after that is when the downsizing happened! Like I said, plans change for any number of reasons. And sometimes we just need a kick in the seat of the pants.


7 years is a long time to spend in a job that you don't like. I hope you find some way to manage it.

 

[fishndad42]

As a fellow Au Sable River fisherman, I welcome you. Happy or not with your current job, you've already started to learn what it actually takes to retire by joining the board. I started here curious if I could find a way to accelerate my retirement schedule from 65 to 62 because of some health issues with DW. There is a lot to learn that traditional retirement planning never reveals. Best to learn from the people that have done it, not those trying to tell you what to do while they hope they too can retire someday.

Preparation and confidence can come in handy. Due to my own health now, I will ER this year at 60. Maybe not as young as others here, I've been able to figure out and have confidence in a plan assisted by folks here.

So read, learn, and ask. And of course PM me your super secret spots on the river!

 

[rdy2go]

I recently heard the NFL player, Charles Woodson, tell about the day that he decided to retire. He was still a great athlete, still playing at a very high level, but decided one day that he would not care if the next week's game was cancelled. It was the first time in his life he had felt that way and said that he knew at that moment that it was time to retire. It hit me over the Christmas holidays. I took three weeks off and decided then and there that it was time. It will hit you too one day, as it has all of us here, some sooner than others. Welcome!

 

[Al in Ohio]

If I had a nickel for everyone I know that said "I'm working until xxxx", and didn't make that date by any number of years I'd be retired by now. Things change due to medical issues, premature death, downsizing, family issues, etc. You never know what it is that blindsides you. But it happens more often than not. Oh wait, I met that 3rd criteria and I am retired (semi)!


The part that made me go from " I like my job and hope to retire before age 57", to "I really love my job and will stay as long as I am enjoying it" was when I became FI. Shortly after that is when the downsizing happened! Like I said, plans change for any number of reasons. And sometimes we just need a kick in the seat of the pants.


7 years is a long time to spend in a job that you don't like. I hope you find some way to manage it.

I remember seeing a Federal study with some interesting statistics on this matter. One thing that stuck out to me was that most people's actual retirement year is roughly 5 years earlier than what they planned for a decade earlier. The number one reason was "physical or mental health or stamina deteriorated more rapidly than anticipated". Followed by unplanned layoff or termination, change in finances, or just realization that their career wasn't as important as previously thought. Etc Etc.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[RobbieB]

Hi AboutThere,

It's good to think about retirement, I've been thinking about it ever since I started working -

 

[AboutThere]

Thanks everyone. The first step for me was acknowledging that I'm allowed to not work.

Other than Sept 1982-May 1984 (first two years of college) I've been working full-time + for 37 years. My brother is 63 and is running himself ragged. My sister is 61 and working 55 hours a week with no 401k match.

I'm leaving tomorrow for a vacation, to see my DD and get my fill of museums. I'm going to do this as a test drive and see if I can leave all the work-related worrying behind. I'm going to check messages on Tuesday and Thursday at noon. Wish me luck.

 

[gauss]

Thanks everyone. The first step for me was acknowledging that I'm allowed to not work.

Indeed that is a big step -- congratulations.

Part of my decision to pull the plug was being comfortable with the concept AND comfortable communicating my ER status to others.

For me, since DW was still working, I had to "own it". I developed my message over time that is truthful and hopefully plays well to the recipients.

-gauss