Talking to 'regular folks'

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88 Mike

Confused about dryer sheets
Joined
May 15, 2018
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I retired at 47. I am 52 (today in fact). I struggle with how to answer the, "what do you do?" question.
My wife thinks every answer sounds snotty. I'm thinking of saying I won the little lotto a few years back. (Reality being we made lots and saved more never buying the BMW or McMansion)
I have jury duty coming up. Is retired even accurate?
Thank you for your time and thoughts.
 
Well, if you are not working and not intending to ever work again then I think that by all normal references that you are retired... or perhaps independently wealthy.

I retired at 56 and just said that I was retired, although it wasn't real comfortable initially.

While I was never really asked... how can you be retired at your age... I was prepared to just say that I had a good job, worked hard, lived below my means, saved alot and that my investments did well... and leave it at that.
 
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I say I am retired and don’t give it much thought. Some reply, you’re too young to be retired and I say I am older than I look. That usually ends it. Some say what did you do before you retired. Sigh.
 
Lol, I've got a few years on you (but people assume I'm closer to your age), not quite retired yet, when I casually mention the thought of retiring to anyone outside immediate family I get a strong visceral reaction along the lines for "oh no, you're way too young to think about that!" Reality being coulda RE'd years ago got stuck in OMY syndrome.
 
I was concerned about how to answer the "what do you do" "I'm, retired" "you are too young" conversation but it rarely comes up and is not as much of a big deal as I thought....

I was 55 (4 years ago) and just said "I'm retired" and when I get blow back I am honest and say something like "I got out when I could....enjoying life." whatever.

Again, not that big of a deal...like I thought it would be.
 
I have never had a problem just saying "I'm retired". I handle follow up questions on a case by case basis but most of them involve some version of "... and I highly recommend it".....:cool:
 
I'll say again what I've said before. Other people do not think about you nearly as much as you think they do. They have their own problems and their worries to give your life much thought. Don't lie to people. That is what they will remember. Just be honest without being smug and change the subject.
 
Give it a few years, and you won't be too concerned what others think. A few more years, and you'll be getting close enough to retirement age that others will be unlikely to even ask.

This particular thread is from 2004, but the same question gets asked several times a year. You might find some of the answers useful.
 
Well happy birthday....

I was 60 (almost 61) when I retired but I still got the question from time to time. When asked, I just told them retired and that was usually the end of it... Regarding jury duty, I'd just put retired on the form, until I made it to 70, then I told them "exempt". :LOL:
 
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MissMolly said:
I'll say again what I've said before. Other people do not think about you nearly as much as you think they do. They have their own problems and their worries to give your life much thought. Don't lie to people. That is what they will remember. Just be honest without being smug and change the subject.
Click to expand...

Yup, and very very few actually give a toss about your answer to "what do you do?"

Go with "I'm retired, got lucky, how about you?"

Those that probe and ask more than one follow up are annoying for the most part, so there's your clue to bow out.
 
I tell people I'm retired, although now that I'm 64 that wouldn't be unusual. If they ask what I did, I say I was a lawyer. Believe me, no one is interested beyond that.
 
I've been REd almost 20 years now and I've never been faced with the question.

I can understand it coming up in casual conversation, but who are all these people who 1: [-]Need[/-] Demand to know more or 2: advise that you're too young, etc?

Those who know me well considered my ER as an expected, natural, almost overdue event. For everybody else, I'm really not interested in filling in their blanks for them, were I ever asked.

Remember too that there's a lot of union/civil service and military careers with a 20 year retirement. It's not that unusual to be 43 and having retired...

Jury duty question: "Retired" because, yes, you are retired.
 
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88 Mike said:
I retired at 47. I am 52 (today in fact). I struggle with how to answer the, "what do you do?" question.
My wife thinks every answer sounds snotty. I'm thinking of saying I won the little lotto a few years back. (Reality being we made lots and saved more never buying the BMW or McMansion)
I have jury duty coming up. Is retired even accurate?
Thank you for your time and thoughts.
Click to expand...

Happy birthday! For jury duty, you will probably not be the youngest retired person in the pool. Many retired military, police, fire, etc, are around your age. If you get to voir dire, they will ask you what kind of work you did before you retired though.
 
Popeye said:
Money manager, with a client list of one!
Click to expand...
I started out saying I was a retired CEO which I landed from my business process engineering practice. They would ask what company sometimes.

After blank stares I changed it to Private Portfolio Manager. The follow-up question was who for and I said confidential.
 
Alternatives to “I’m retired” are “I’m unemployed”, I’m between jobs”, or “I’m taking some time off to think about my future and consider my options”.
 
I retired a few days after my 57th. I took a cooking class shortly thereafter and was asked that question and answered simply, “l’m retired.” The response was, “But you’re not 62 yet!” I think I just responded with a puzzled look. Some folks just can’t fathom retiring before SS or pension, I guess. I never let it bother me.

OTOH, a few years before FIRE, I had my hours reduced temporarily. Without thinking I made an offhand remark to a coworker in the same boat about nice it was to have more time off. Silly me, I used to forget how that was a hardship to those who spent every dime they got. Ooops.
 
Lots of hand wringing and suggestions to lie over such a simple question.

Q: "What do you do?"
A: "I'm retired."

What's so difficult about that?
 
MichaelB said:
Alternatives to “I’m retired” are “I’m unemployed”, I’m between jobs”, or “I’m taking some time off to think about my future and consider my options”.
Click to expand...
We’ll said Michael and the “I’m unemployed” response certainly applies to me. I’ve been desperately looking for work for 18+ years since MegaCorp moved the factory to China. No success yet. :rolleyes:
 
I just say "I'm retired" and I have gotten a strange reaction or two.

One went off loudly asking "how can he be retired?", which was a bit embarrassing.

But the other answers seem a bit too cute.

Except this one, "I'm taking some time off".
 
My line: am a leach on society, collecting SS, and proud of it.
 
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