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Retirement

Best of luck on your retirement. Enjoy it!
 
I'm 65. I like my job. We have free health care. So that part is tough to leave. But my wife and I feel great so why wait until you dont? I started in the auto repair business because of my passion for hot rods. Now we've saved enough that with SS we can live comfortably. Every thing we own is paid for. Zero debt. So that part is good. To keep busy? I'm going to do muscle car repair, engines, transmissions . My shop is set up for it. Can pick and chose how much I want to do. The best is now they'll be more time to race. And aside from diesel fuel, doesnt matter where that race is.
Doug
 
Congrats and good luck. My wife retired 4 yrs ago at 51 due to health issues. I'll likely be working another 10 yrs or so - the last few yrs will depend a lot on health care costs as hers are high. I echo the advice that many others have given to stay busy and have some purpose. That has been my wife's biggest struggle, especially since I am still working and she knows that her situation has affected our long term plans due to loss of her income. Projects take longer and some plans went on indefinite hold. I'm ok with it and have told her so - I'd rather have her healthy than working for a few extra bucks, but she still feels guilty from time to time - mostly when she gets bored and has too much time to think.
 
Hey Hawk, Good Luck and Enjoy the fruits of your labor! The only advice I have is if you
don't already have one, open up a Roth IRA. If you have one, you're good. The worst
thing that can happen is you running out of money in retirement. I look forward to
seeing many more posts and hearing of your Adventures!
 
So I am ten years off, but dreaming of it already.

But, I watched my Father agonize over it.. In the end, he retired early and had a great 20 year run, running out of Money and breath at the same time.. He Traveled, he watched his wife pass and built his Granddaughter her own bedroom and bathroom at the now family Cabin.

Enjoy!
 
Best of luck on your retirement. As for myself I've been beating my head against the wall with it. Old enough? YES Want to? NO Can afford to? YES The thought of "getting" a job? NO. But I'm not a guy that can sit around and watch Opra all day. Besides that the wife has a few years to go. I've been a small shop owner for 35 years. Made a ton of cash in the heyday. But now the hurdles are so much higher. Gets harder all the time. Yet I've got a great crew, I have guys with 32+ 20+ and 15+ years with me. The thought of kicking my guys to the curb is really tuff. My shop is in the middle of a ton of complicated issues right now. I never figured it being this hard. And I'm torn in a million directions.
 
Retirement for me means not being financial dependent on a weekly paycheck. I retired at 44 but knew I was too young to actually do nothing but had enough savings/investments ect to quit working for a living. Changed my attitude to start 'living to work', doing things I enjoy with less stress and headaches. Being retired only means you are now able to enjoy life without the financial burden of having to work.
 
No great stories about my exit. Advice: Make sure you have a decent planned after life post trip. I didn’t really do that and I find myself struggling to use my time in a productive manner. It’s
Going to get better when my wife goes on the day shift here shortly. She works the night shift as an RN and I find myself a little lost without her so much of the time. I’m just being honest and owning up to reality - as many of my retired friends have also - our work was a purposeful activity. Without it many of us struggle to find similar purposeful activities. It’s a must in retirement. Plan well and you’ll enjoy it - don’t plan and it can be a little scary. Meanwhile we’re off to Costa Rica next week. The travel opportunities are boundless. That I’ve planned for...
Been to Costa Rica twice since retirement,loved that place!
 
Congratulations I am hopefully within a couple years myself. I need to get a good truck and do a few things to my boat and then I can hide on the water when people want things done. Be careful most people get long to do lists from all their relatives.
 
Congratulation!
Does your road trip have Iowa on the route? If so let me know, your welcome to come by.
I have 10 months 4 days to go before I retire and can't wait. I'm planning a road trip also!
 
Congratulations on your retirement. I retired before I was 50 years old (self employed), I'm 58 now but I guess never completely retired, still doing small jobs for old customers and taking care of the commercial and industrial properties l own.
But most importantly just having fun, traveling, and enjoying life with my wife.
Best of luck to you!
 
Wow. First of all - so many nice notes and thoughts. THANK YOU!!! :thumbsup::luvplace:

my only advice - slow down, sure. Enjoy life, you bet. Stop to
smell some dang flowers if you like - but don't you ever stop. :thumbsup:

The saying about keeping busy or dying is likely true for most people. If a man didn’t have hobbies and interests (like you surely do), then we will be dying shortly.

Retirement for me means not being financial dependent on a weekly paycheck. .... Being retired only means you are now able to enjoy life without the financial burden of having to work.
I think slepr1 hit the nail on the head. I will probably be at least as busy as I have been before, but now I get to do it on my schedule and with stuff I really enjoy, without worrying about needing a paycheck from it.

Man I am 33 and will be working for a minimum of 30 more years or so for sure. You are all making me jealous but I don't wanna wish my life away because I know it will go fast. I am settling down as we speak and plan on kids in the next few years. I wish you a great retirement man and enjoy that bird when you have the chance. I don't mind working though and I do alot of camping and getting outside so life isn't that bad. I have a good job locally in aerospace/aircraft industries which is booming at the moment, so all in all I am pretty lucky.
You are right - it WILL go fast. Just never forget to pay yourself in the form of retirement savings. Doing so over many years makes a difference and you'll be glad you did!

The only advice I have is if you
don't already have one, open up a Roth IRA. If you have one, you're good.
I got one, a 401K and a retirement pension. All calculations point to that I should be good. Let's hope they are right!

Congratulation!
Does your road trip have Iowa on the route? If so let me know, your welcome to come by.
I have 10 months 4 days to go before I retire and can't wait. I'm planning a road trip also!
Not sure of our route yet, but we will be going West on a more northerly track. Last time we went through St. Louis and Kansas - maybe we need to go further North this time? Around July I will start a trip thread and discuss the planning at that point.
I'd love to meet up if we can make it work - thanks for the offer!!!
 
Congrats on the retirement

I semi-retired early in life, I'm 60 now
It's a long story I don't need to get into here...
I'll do the reader digest version :poke:

I pretty much just didn't go into work or an office away from home...
I pretty much just did consulting instead of the physical aspects
I helped get a few of my better guys, their contractors licenses,
off my Construction/facility management for a large automotive
dealership group...
I'd organize the jobs & tell them where to go, collect checks
& pay the subs etc.

I did that for about almost 20 year, on my time line, didn't punch a clock...
I knew all the owners & they trusted me, that helped I'm sure...
I never really needed to search for work...

I've been a certified range master/instructor, for an indoor pistol/rifle range,
I helped to build for my B.I.L., who sold his interest in it shortly after...
I then did some property management, project management etc.
& a few select remodels or construction jobs...

I was still pretty young, I still wanted to add to my nest egg...
Nowhere near time to tap into the pension....

I Built another small business,
a Golf Pro Shop & equipment repairs...
While still doing the facility management stuff, consulting, part time-ish...
Racing, raising kids, golfing etc.
That lasted about 10 years, semi successfully
(retail business sucks)

I Dabbled in professional golf, while doing the other stuff,
it netted about $18,000 after 10 years
after paying for flights, travel, gas, entry fees, food & hotels, winnings,
it paid for itself... not much else
Got in the way of my racing at times... so I stopped

I had worked from home since 1997, 38 y/o, raising kids,
messing with cars, trailers, boats, bikes, quads, drag racing
going to kids games/sporting events etc.
(Lisa RIP, was gone a few years later) then all alone, raising kids...
When the house was completely empty, no kids, either all off to school
or married etc., its just the dog & me...
That was completely different...

Some years later & 2 moves later, Concord to Rancho Murieta CC
& then 10 years later, then to East of Sonora (Calif.)
then now I have my elderly father moved in & living with me,
since 2007, he keeps me busy...

My 1st few weeks/years "retired"
I think I worked far more hrs than my original company/job,
doing, just stuff...
It tapered off as I needed, only took on stuff, I really wanted to do...
Took a while to get control of it...

If the financials work for you, it will be great,
If you don't have ENOUGH, it can be tough at times...
IMO owning everything outright helps too...
Not having huge payments going out constantly helps a lot too...
Especially if you have some sort of income/pension still coming in...

I don't race like I use to & I can't really spend $$$
"like a drunken sailor on shore leave anymore", but I'm happy...

I get bored easily, golf, racing, fishing, hunting & travel helped that aspect...
Now I just assume stay home...
I like it that way too...
I've sewed my oats, had a great time, don't regret much if any...

I think if the finances are there & you can deal with the time thing...
It's a great deal...

Good luck I hope you enjoy your own time
& do what you always wanted to do, not what you have to do...
 
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Congrats on the retirement

I pretty much just didn't go into work or an office away from home...
I pretty much just did consulting instead of the physical aspects

Good luck I hope you enjoy your own time
& do what you always wanted to do, not what you have to do...
I envy those who haven't needed to "punch a clock", but I have no doubt that can be tough too. Sounds like you did really well for yourself in business - congrats! I think that speaks to your work ethic, integrity and common sense.

I work for a big company and have done well there. Per se, I don't punch a clock, but that really just means I am "on" almost 24/7 as issues come up. What I am really looking forward to is no longer having my work phone and email as a ball and chain constantly demanding time from me. I truly could work 16 hours per day and still not get everything done that I feel I need to - that's frustrating.

So the financials work out and now I can work on stuff I enjoy without worrying if it will pay the bills. I'm truly looking forward to it.

Hawk
 
Congrats to all of you that have retired. I will have to work until the day I die. These damn Mopars are too expensive but as of now I enjoy them too much to ever give them up.
 
Lots of "perspective" on what retirement is like and what to do with it. I sold my business two years ago. I thought I knew what I wanted to do, but it wasn't very long before I changed my mind. I rather enjoy the ability to move at whatever pace I want to move at. I even find myself getting aggravated when I HAVE to be somewhere at a certain time even when I made the appointment!!! I am still searching for the "cake and eat it too" situation where I can come and go as I please and no one is depending on me. I don't think that is too much to ask do you????? I did join a gym as a means to get in better shape and not simply waste away on a couch. That has paid HUGE in that I feel as good as I have ever felt and I have lost about 20 lbs from just fitness type workouts and watching my diet ( mainly sugar intake). Also bought an RV and have been seeing the country, currently minimized by wife's treatment for b cancer. At least that is all good, early catch and no issues but the treatment is every 3 weeks for a year so it minimizes trip length. That also put the final nail in my trip with Dennis to Crusin the Coast last fall, major bummer.
 
Lots of "perspective" on what retirement is like and what to do with it. I sold my business two years ago. I thought I knew what I wanted to do, but it wasn't very long before I changed my mind. I rather enjoy the ability to move at whatever pace I want to move at. I even find myself getting aggravated when I HAVE to be somewhere at a certain time even when I made the appointment!!! I am still searching for the "cake and eat it too" situation where I can come and go as I please and no one is depending on me. I don't think that is too much to ask do you????? I did join a gym as a means to get in better shape and not simply waste away on a couch. That has paid HUGE in that I feel as good as I have ever felt and I have lost about 20 lbs from just fitness type workouts and watching my diet ( mainly sugar intake). Also bought an RV and have been seeing the country, currently minimized by wife's treatment for b cancer. At least that is all good, early catch and no issues but the treatment is every 3 weeks for a year so it minimizes trip length. That also put the final nail in my trip with Dennis to Crusin the Coast last fall, major bummer.
Darius,

Most importantly, I hope the treatments for your wife go well and she kicks cancer's ***.

I'd love to see you again when I get out to your neck of the woods around end of September this year. Hopefully we can do a little cruise or get together for a bite!

Hawk
 
I was forced to retire at 56 thanks to toxic leadership from the USAF against my will, really pissed me off! Tried to start a small business, gotta double whammy from the state of Ca. 49th on the list for either a Veteran or a Civilian to try and start one. I prefer not to work for corporate America, just don't want to deal with the BS for a paycheck! 60 now and life's been slowly getting better since moving out but still working for where I want to be! Hope to get a big move this year for my sake.:praying::praying:
 
Darius,

Most importantly, I hope the treatments for your wife go well and she kicks cancer's ***.

I'd love to see you again when I get out to your neck of the woods around end of September this year. Hopefully we can do a little cruise or get together for a bite!

Hawk
I will watch for your itinerary. The absolute coolest scenario would be for you to be in this area in time to drive to So Cal for Spring Fling( typically mid April), or Fall(mid-late Oct) but Spring is way more fun.....like a day on the track at Willow Springs.......... We have just as much fun driving to fall Fling as we do Spring. If you are here for it it is a bucket list thing to do the Cruise through Malibu Canyon to the PCH and back for sure.
 
Congrats. Here's what I did. I insisted on no party, luncheon or fanfare. I made my way throughout the state of NY to shake the hands of the people who I enjoyed working with. NYS car, NYS gas, and all work related. This took about 2 months. I then invited 10 of the people that made the most significant impact on my career as far as working for me, (1st line supervisor in law enforcement), and supervisors I worked under, who let me develop the investigations and provided me with what my people needed to get the job done, to a nice steak dinner at Morton's on me. It put a nice period on a great career.
 
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