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If that’s what gets you up in the morning, look forward to, and give you life, then it is the right answer for you. That is great! Unlike when you depended on that paycheck, retirement is not a requirement, but more like a choice. I was often told. I know it when it is the right time.
As I often said … in retirement, if one waits for death, Death will come.
My mother has been waiting for the Lord to take her since she was 45. She will turn 95 in September, and is still waiting with a clear mind, a mobile body and significant hearing loss. She tells everyone within hearing distance about her situation. It is both funny and pathetic.
Same here.. I started working when I was 14 and I have always had a job since then.. I was a teacher for 39 years and I retired last summer.. I feel like you.. I think I have earned my freedom and my pension.. I don’t even feel bad if I do absolutely nothing some days except read books and eat snacks..lol
LMAO at Lowe's Old Guys Club.
I think my husband might be destined for this, though, because he cannot walk around a hardware store without someone asking him for help. He's never worked at a hardware store in his life, I'm not sure what it is about him that screams *ask me for help!*
Our local HD has managed to snag a number of retired folks that are experts in their field/department. Saved me a ton of time, money, and aggravation. It really is a service to the community. They are greatly appreciated.
I've run into some guys who have retired from their FT careers working at my local bike shop and my favorite music store. They really know their stuff, and I'm glad that they're sticking around for people like me who appreciate their experience.
I'm thinking of part-time work at a dive shop or a brewery, maybe both, but watering plants at Lowe's sounds good too
but I will wait at least a year before seriously considering any work
Me too! I’m a lawyer who’s achieved all the career goals I’d set- after 30 yrs of this, I can’t wait to take my first year (or 3) off and then maybe- and it’s a maybe!- work PT at Trader Joe’s. It would be easier for me to be a board director, but no thanks! Just want to do something a little active a couple days a week and chat with all the customers. ☺️
OP didn't say anything was wrong with it, they said they weren't ready to work part-time at Lowe's yet. So 1, part-time, and 2, less of a mental challenge.
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There is an incredible difference between needing to work for economic necessity, and wanting to work as essentially, a hobby. It may even be the same job, but having-to and choosing-to are completely different. OP is in hobby-mode !
I have about 6 years left and it feels like forever when I'm working. It's nothing but repetitive nonsense and people acting like jerks. I have some fun coworkers but most of these people are so high off their own egos it's exhausting.
I've got 18 months to my target date. I still don't know if I'll take SS then, but that's my plan to end my FT IT career. I've got some great hobbies (I cycle, hike, and play music), but I've also written a couple books, and have done some professional speaking...and wonder if I can make that my next 'career'. I'll be done working for somebody else, but don't want to 'just' retire. It's what do I want to do next?
You just described my place of employment perfectly 🤣. I have about the same time left and every day I pray I don’t give notice and just say yes to the fools.
This! A 70+ year old I know just returned to work full time because he likes it and it fulfills him. More power to the folks who feel this way - whatever makes you happy 😊
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Whenever I feel the urge to look for a job, I take my dog on extra walks. Then I lay down for a while with a cold cloth on my forehead, and it goes away.
N or HO? My dad, brother & I used to be big into HO gauge model trains. My dad wasn’t into spending money, but he loved building models (remember the old Revell kits?) and loved HO trains. We splurged on occasion. We had a “Western” set and a more modern set running on parallel tracks! Good times. May need to get back into it. :)
It’s a 4 by 10 ft n scale. And I use scale loosely. It was all scale but my grandkids didn’t seem to have a lot of fun with it. So I’ve added Godzilla vs Mothra, King Kong, the Ghostbusters and some other fun stuff. My favorite is a scale Coast Guard helicopter water rescue. I added lights and put a small motor in the copter so the blades turn. Now I’m adding Elsa’s castle from frozen, a ski hill and a dragons den with baby dragons. These are my last 3 posts in r/nscalemodeltrains.
https://www.reddit.com/r/nscalemodeltrains/s/MXalAPgDg7
https://www.reddit.com/r/nscalemodeltrains/s/oJD7JzYi7T
https://www.reddit.com/r/nscalemodeltrains/s/E3dIUuZChY
You should get back into it!
Thanks, the whole family follows the railroad because a lot of the stuff I model on it is for them and things they like. Godzilla is my son’s favorite monster. The Louisiana Crawfish Company is for my daughter in law that grew up in Louisiana. My daughter has a camping scene and a ski hill. My granddaughter has a Sonic boxcar and Elsa’s castle. My wife has an Urgent Care clinic and a Steelcase boxcar. They all want to know what’s going on it for them next. My DIL saw me buy a toy alligator at the San Diego Zoo last week and she asked if it was for the Louisiana section, It was, LOL.
One of the caddyshack great quotes was:
Judge smails ( ted knight) talking about his golf game says “I’m no slouch myself”
Ty Webb (chevy Chase) says “ don’t sell yourself short judge, you’re a tremendous slouch”
It is critical that you stay challenged and learning new skills in retirement. The brain will atrophy otherwise. My parents retired at 55 and didn’t do much. Both ended up with dementia.
If you need to go back to work to stay challenged, needed and for the social aspects of work, by all means do it.
Go out in the world every day. Find enjoyable hobbies. Explore.
Probably going to laugh, but this particular hobby I linked can be super fun, r/dumpsterdiving (no food though).
I'll be a retired fed in 2 1/2 years, and I think working part time at Lowes to water the flowers in the outdoor garden sounds AOK to me. Good luck with the new job. Nothing wrong with any job as long as it keeps you going.
I’m semi-retired from airlines.
I work seasonal with a local small commuter.
I’m not the oldest semi-retired person that works seasonal there - the oldest person is in their mid70’s.
I enjoy the social engagement and learning a new computer system.
Me too! I only lasted 4 months before I accepted a 100% remote job. I feel so much better and useful now! I'm hoping that in a couple of years retirement will stick, until then I'll continue doing what makes me happy!
I retired at 64. I had been teaching electronics at a local Junior College. One class a semester. I did that for several years, but got tired of the format one 4 hour night class a week. I quit teaching when I fell into a part time job a year ago 7- 13 hours a week that kept me busy. That recently ended with the company folding. Now I need to find something else to do. I am a retired engineer/it person. I need to find some volunteer work in that field.
So I was a Volunteer Coordinator in a long term care facility for some years. One of our hugely valuable volunteers was the retired tech guy that dealt with our younger folks' personal computer systems. We are a highly medically specialized LTC facility (not American) with a number of hugely physically disabled and medically compromised alert people. Their voice-activated and otherwise complex setups were beyond most of the staff's ability to deal with, and the facility IT people didn't deal with personal equipment. I think he enjoyed some of the problems he encountered that he had to go research to see what might work out. People with a unique skill set will eventually find their niche - hope you find yours!
The best part of being financially independent is all the good choices you have available.
We’ve been retired for 9 years and my wife works part time twice per week.
We don’t need the money. But it makes her happy and I’m happy she’s happy.
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I feel you. I made it as a retiree for 4 months before I felt like I was losing my marbles. Complete failure to plan on my part. I went back to a local government job. Lousy pay, easy work, great benefits and it keeps me out of jail.
I hope I can actually manage to make a plan for post-retirement life next time around.
I think it's helpful to start or try a few things before you retire. I have a couple of volunteer projects I'd like to be involved with, and one is something I took a 5 year break from and have recently restarted (before retirement).
I didn't have a plan for, well, anything to keep me from mentally rotting post-retirement.
I had the idea that I would read books, work on the lawn and putter around the shop and that would be enough. After a bit of traveling and starting on the mile-long "honey do" list, I hit a wall and ran out of things to do. I was bored out of my mind in just 4 months.
I think my biggest mistake was going from 50 hours a week of interesting work down to nothing with no good plan to fill the hours. I apparently do not have the ability to sit around the house and do nothing, as much as I might think I would like to.
Then this local government job popped up and I hopped right back into the workforce full-time. The benefits are exceptional, and I'll stay around at least 2-3 more years. Next time around, I'll make a plan for retirement and make sure I have my days filled before I hop off the work train.
If you have a job you like, and still have the flexibility to do other stuff you want, why quit? I'm glad you found a new gig, I think that's the exception rather than the rule, and more common for folks who are leaving positions where there's the need for both education and experience. Good luck!
I think when people go back to work after a short retirement, it is because they are missing the human interaction or the sense of accomplishment they get from working at a job. So for OP, maybe it's a good thing that he found employment. Not everyone is wired the same way, and it shouldn't be discounted that some people thrive more when their life is structured around a job rather than having endless amounts of time off.
I have absolutely no problems entertaining myself. Never going back. Not being lazy either. I'm active more hours every day. I'm just doing what I want to do.
Is that you, Frank?
HA. JK. Congrats on your retirement. I'm not retired yet but hope to get there some day. I participate in all these hobbies now because why wait for retirement?
Oops I’ll also add skiing! But that’s not for a few months. Honestly it’s scary but I’m not missing the stress yet . Golfing tomorrow :). Good luck to you!
My beer can chicken is almost off the grill and I hope my wife appreciates my new found skill.
I'm going to guess that you didn't even give part-time work a shot, to see if it would fill the hole while staying retired. Can I ask what held you back?
I retired last July and was absolutely enthralled until about a month ago when I got bored and depressed . I’m going to go back to my old workplace to cover for a maternity leave (part time) in September for a few months. That outta fix that! I’m sure I’ll be thrilled once again when it’s over.
Wife asks retired husband: What are you doing today? Husband: Nothing. Wife: You did that yesterday ! Husband: Well, I’m not done yet.
I don’t miss my job at all. After 19 years at the same place you would think I would miss it a little. NOPE . Good luck OP. If it makes you happy. Game on 🤟🏼
Too funny. You must be the kind that needs a boss my man. You choose a work relocation over moving to a place with more than bowling to offer on your own. Bon voyage.
Good for you !!! Whatever makes you happy I guess!!! I recently retired roughly 6 months ago, everyday is a weekend …lots of things to keep me busy…little home projects, walking and playing pickleballs!!! Trying some new recipes and making sourdough breads!!!
Anyone near retirement needs to take a beat and watch the 12min TED Talk by Dr. Riley Moynes (4 Phases of Retirement). Hint: Like OP, less than 20% make it to Phase 2 (let alone 3 & 4). Eye opening and certainly has changed my planning…
I took on a fairly good paying part time job in a completely unrelated field working with Broadway shows and Symphonies. It's been OK for a couple of years but now I'm finally getting that whole work thing out of my system. I just cut down my work availability this month. Maybe I'll explore something different, maybe not.
Two years into retirement and I have not been bored.
No desire to go back to work, but as others have said.... if you want to do that.... more power to ya!
I am actually a bit surprised that I can go weeks/months without thinking about my former work.
I fill up my days with gardening, little projects around the house, and a good walk at the end of day.
After 40 years of regular golf.... I dropped it like a hot potato.
Now... disc golf. Yes, throwing plastic discs at baskets in the woods. A challenge? Absolutely. There is a certain way you must throw the disc to get distance and accuracy. Not just like throwing a Frisbee in the backyard. Exercise? You bet... it is a 3 mile walk/hike in the woods for 18 holes (er baskets) . Good for balance too because it is sometimes up and down hills, climbing around limbs and logs, etc. And I play each Saturday with guys in their 20s to guys in their 60s. So the social aspect.
And trying a new hobby... metal detecting.
But one of the best things... can take a nap...... anytime I want to. And it is so refreshing!!
After 9 months travel, then COVID then 6 months travel I got offered a good contract. I reluctantly took it. It was a fun job working with people I like doing what I like from wherever I wanted. After a year they wanted me to continue. I said, thanks but no thanks. I'm traveling again. 7 months on the road up to now, will be back home in a year. Then I may feel like getti go a contract. Or not..
If you re enjoying work, awesome. Also, use this Tim to figure out why you want to o in retirement.
Reminds me I was disgusting with my sister with her and her husband approaching 65 and the problem is is that they have no hobbies whatsoever so they're looking at staying working until they drop pretty much.
Me on the other hand I physically couldn't continue working so I did retire and I do have small little hobbies I do. It fills the time we have. Some have more time, some have more energy, some have both, enjoy yourself!
Well, since that's the way you're wired, then it's important that you are doing something useful with your time. For me, I am pursuing the artistic dreams I always had but never could fulfill since I had bills to pay. (And I was the sort who never had energy after a full day of working + overtime to mentally create stuff.)
I know some people who spend all their time volunteering, such as in thrift shop one day, a pet shelter another day, a hospital florist shop another day, etc.
And if someone else out there just wants to watch the NCIS channel 24 hours a day (the one that also broadcasts Criminal Minds and Chicago P.D. and Blue Bloods sometimes) then that's what they are doing.
I alternate between goofing off and doing whatever I want. Mentoring and tossing advice out to others. Some travel and restaurants visits. A little hunting and camping with a travel trailer or a jeep. A little excitement as volunteer, then accidentally became part time paid FF/EMT.
I did a few hobby jobs after retiring as I was still brainwashed into thinking I had to have a mission to justify my existence. Gradually, that wore off as I realized the job was cutting into my day too much and we didn’t need the money. First thing after clocking in, having a very young supervisor yelling at me for pulling out of the drive way at work too fast the day before was my cue. I smiled, cleared my personal effects, handed her my keys and said I was going to use my PTO. We had no PTO hours, smile.
It’s been about a year for me and have been pondering. Don’t miss the constant travel, but would like a short term gig in town, go into the office maybe 3 days/week and WFH otherwise. Fun! Plus it’d pay for solar, which I’d like to add to my house, would be nice not to tap retirement $$ for that…
OP, are you already pulling SS? There’s some limits on taxing earnings before FRA. I’m no expert, but you might check that out.
We organized our retirement around attending Progressive Rock (Yes, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Marillion, etc.) festivals around the world. We’ve met people all over, had some visit us at home, and visited others in their home. It’s a big global community that’s become our village. It’s good to have a village!
I met one of my now favoritest people in the world about 10 years ago. He had moved to my town when he married a local widow after retiring from a big engineering firm he co founded in the northeast (I'm in the southeast). He's probably much like you with too much talent to sit around. Before long, my new friend was integrally involved in engineering projects around this town that are truly transforming it. And he's working pro bono on all of them. It's kinda funny, too; these are big projects with expensive engineering firms already engaged but they all seem to listen when he talks.
Financially, I could pull the trigger on retirement at any time. Insurance coverage is the large monster in the room, that keeps me working. Currently I’m 60 yoa, contemplating working until age 62. Then taking social security early to pay for a catastrophic health insurance plan. That would carry me until Medicare at 65. Your thoughts please …
Post retirement Insurance expense was always one of the larger expenses to cover before I ever considered pulling the trigger. I retired before 65 but I wouldn’t have retire unless I had that expense fully handled.
You have a plan.
Your challenge is that you are young and probably have enough energy to strain your budget with all the things you want to do.
My advice: make sure your schedule fits your budget.
Bon voyage!
It is important to understand what drives you. If you find that goofing off is not for you, a backup plan to help find your purpose in retirement is always a good idea.
Some people are just wired differently and cannot stop working/doing things. My long-retired 85 year old neighbor continues to work part time, as well as work his usual 1+acre garden. I don't see him stopping either anytime soon.
There's no set law for what retirement actually looks like, so you get to define what it looks like for you. Mine involves being an assistant pastor, which entails teaching Sunday school, sometimes Bible study, and preaching on occasion.
Pardon my ramblings, but I hope this helps.
If I'd retired at 62 like OP, I'd probably have continued to consult in IT. But now that I'm 67, when I retire later this year, I'm probably all together done.
If I were to take a job now, it would be at Dairy Queen. I would make the biggest, most awesome ice cream treats you have ever seen until they fired me.
I would become a legend among Dairy Queen employees. Years from now, they would still be saying " Remember that crazy old lady worked here for 3 hrs and ran us out of ice cream."
i’m happy for you. It’s nice to hear that you found something that keeps your brain stimulated. I worked in a very “corporate” profit driven environment. Even though i worked on many innovative projects & products, the intensity was overwhelming, my team worked 24x5 (US> Asia > Europe). I checked emails at all hours of the evening/morning and weekends. Happy to have passed the baton on. Into my second full week of retirement and learning what it’s like to wind down.
I’m going to try to never work again. 4 months in retirement now and I’m as busy as I want to be.
I don’t know what the winter will bring since I am outdoors constantly now…PNW winters are sorta grey and wet. But that’s just another thing to look forward to!
Congratulations on being so valued! I often wish that someone would come and try to recruit me back into my field. I probably wouldn't go, but what a compliment I think it would be. So, I hope you are proud and happy. :-)
The really good days are fishing in the morning, golf in the afternoon and live music in the evening. And I still work occasionally for a local car dealer moving cars around.
Ok. I still do some consulting work for my former employer. Only things I like doing, nothing with pressure. I got into a trap last year taking on too much.
This forum helped me see that, and I have resolved to start saying “no.” I fell into the trap of saying “yes” whenever I got a call because I have all this “free time” now. I suppose I felt guilty. Typing a comment here a few months ago helped me realize that I have actually earned that “free time.” So, its not really free. I can give it away if I wish, but I’ll never get it back.
I have enough to do with home and family to not get bored. And I am financially comfortable. I’ll still do some “work” work here and there because my former co-workers are friends, but not out of a sense of obligation.
That sounds like it worked out perfectly for you. The next time you retire, try volunteering. I do it and I’m never bored. I always feel wanted, appreciated, sometimes totally exhausted, and I’ve made wonderful new friends.
I love this.
I'm working on my retirement career now, which is why I work 2nd shift. I do what I want and need to do in the morning, and head out the door at 2p to work. In 15 years, I'll be heading to meet a genealogy client at 2p!
At 65 yo I took a part-time job at a nursery working with plants and I feel like a kid again. I feel healthy and happy as I was when I was in high school.This is great! The best thing I ever did was take a job
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If that’s what gets you up in the morning, look forward to, and give you life, then it is the right answer for you. That is great! Unlike when you depended on that paycheck, retirement is not a requirement, but more like a choice. I was often told. I know it when it is the right time. As I often said … in retirement, if one waits for death, Death will come.
My mother has been waiting for the Lord to take her since she was 45. She will turn 95 in September, and is still waiting with a clear mind, a mobile body and significant hearing loss. She tells everyone within hearing distance about her situation. It is both funny and pathetic.
So what's wrong with working at Lowe's or a hardware store?
He’s a retired fed, so…after a career of cutting edge innovation, well…. The bowling championship is what impressed me.
What's a fed? Federal employee? If so, why is that innovating?
Yes a Federal Employee.. pretty sure “Danceswithhoofs” was being facetious in his comment ( totally agreeing )
Haa, silly me... But yes, agree as well :-)
I hope to do that when I retire. Water the plants and tinker with the all the fun toys in the hardware store.
Exactly! No work for me! The local Lowes old guys club tried to talk me into coming to work there part-time. Nope! I've earned my time off work...
Same here.. I started working when I was 14 and I have always had a job since then.. I was a teacher for 39 years and I retired last summer.. I feel like you.. I think I have earned my freedom and my pension.. I don’t even feel bad if I do absolutely nothing some days except read books and eat snacks..lol
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” — George RR Martin
LMAO at Lowe's Old Guys Club. I think my husband might be destined for this, though, because he cannot walk around a hardware store without someone asking him for help. He's never worked at a hardware store in his life, I'm not sure what it is about him that screams *ask me for help!*
Our local HD has managed to snag a number of retired folks that are experts in their field/department. Saved me a ton of time, money, and aggravation. It really is a service to the community. They are greatly appreciated.
I've run into some guys who have retired from their FT careers working at my local bike shop and my favorite music store. They really know their stuff, and I'm glad that they're sticking around for people like me who appreciate their experience.
my ex boss retired from 30 year as uni professor now works in a shop as a bike mechanic. he loves it
I'm thinking of part-time work at a dive shop or a brewery, maybe both, but watering plants at Lowe's sounds good too but I will wait at least a year before seriously considering any work
I want to work at a juice bar or coffee shop in my beach town (mostly to socialize). Only like 12 hours a week, of course.
🙂
Me too! I’m a lawyer who’s achieved all the career goals I’d set- after 30 yrs of this, I can’t wait to take my first year (or 3) off and then maybe- and it’s a maybe!- work PT at Trader Joe’s. It would be easier for me to be a board director, but no thanks! Just want to do something a little active a couple days a week and chat with all the customers. ☺️
OP didn't say anything was wrong with it, they said they weren't ready to work part-time at Lowe's yet. So 1, part-time, and 2, less of a mental challenge.
I so wish I enjoyed work. I still have at least a few more years until I can afford retirement and it seems like it cannot come soon enough.
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There is an incredible difference between needing to work for economic necessity, and wanting to work as essentially, a hobby. It may even be the same job, but having-to and choosing-to are completely different. OP is in hobby-mode !
💯
I have about 6 years left and it feels like forever when I'm working. It's nothing but repetitive nonsense and people acting like jerks. I have some fun coworkers but most of these people are so high off their own egos it's exhausting.
Amen, I’m counting down the years as well. They’re dragging slowly by!
I have five months left and the worst case of senioritis ever. I used to love my job, but now I just want to do what I want.
I've got 18 months to my target date. I still don't know if I'll take SS then, but that's my plan to end my FT IT career. I've got some great hobbies (I cycle, hike, and play music), but I've also written a couple books, and have done some professional speaking...and wonder if I can make that my next 'career'. I'll be done working for somebody else, but don't want to 'just' retire. It's what do I want to do next?
You just described my place of employment perfectly 🤣. I have about the same time left and every day I pray I don’t give notice and just say yes to the fools.
Go for it if that's what makes you happy. There's a big difference between wanting to work and having to work. The freedom to walk away is huge.
💯
This! A 70+ year old I know just returned to work full time because he likes it and it fulfills him. More power to the folks who feel this way - whatever makes you happy 😊
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Not me, I'm addicted to goofing off.
I goof off and then I take a nap.
Whenever I feel the urge to look for a job, I take my dog on extra walks. Then I lay down for a while with a cold cloth on my forehead, and it goes away.
I do this even without the urge;)
I spend my mornings doing nothing. That way I have my afternoons free.
Ha, nice.
Lol me, sometimes 2 or 3 naps.
For a really satisfying nap, one should have a practice nap to warm up first.
Nap, goof off, nap... rinse and repeat.
I good off, take a nap and then play with my model railroad.
You got a model railroad??????? Nice......
Color me impressed!
And it’s got cool stuff https://preview.redd.it/l9o2sxm9fdbd1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e6d805b999cd5ccdf65c7ab8cc2f7989b929530b
N or HO? My dad, brother & I used to be big into HO gauge model trains. My dad wasn’t into spending money, but he loved building models (remember the old Revell kits?) and loved HO trains. We splurged on occasion. We had a “Western” set and a more modern set running on parallel tracks! Good times. May need to get back into it. :)
It’s a 4 by 10 ft n scale. And I use scale loosely. It was all scale but my grandkids didn’t seem to have a lot of fun with it. So I’ve added Godzilla vs Mothra, King Kong, the Ghostbusters and some other fun stuff. My favorite is a scale Coast Guard helicopter water rescue. I added lights and put a small motor in the copter so the blades turn. Now I’m adding Elsa’s castle from frozen, a ski hill and a dragons den with baby dragons. These are my last 3 posts in r/nscalemodeltrains. https://www.reddit.com/r/nscalemodeltrains/s/MXalAPgDg7 https://www.reddit.com/r/nscalemodeltrains/s/oJD7JzYi7T https://www.reddit.com/r/nscalemodeltrains/s/E3dIUuZChY You should get back into it!
wow, you raised the bar!!! Hope i can come close. :))
You sound like a good Papa. If the grandkids now enjoy your hobby too...all the better. Thinking about maybe setting up an N scale when I retire.
Thanks, the whole family follows the railroad because a lot of the stuff I model on it is for them and things they like. Godzilla is my son’s favorite monster. The Louisiana Crawfish Company is for my daughter in law that grew up in Louisiana. My daughter has a camping scene and a ski hill. My granddaughter has a Sonic boxcar and Elsa’s castle. My wife has an Urgent Care clinic and a Steelcase boxcar. They all want to know what’s going on it for them next. My DIL saw me buy a toy alligator at the San Diego Zoo last week and she asked if it was for the Louisiana section, It was, LOL.
I goof off, mow the yard, take a nap, take the grandson fishing (I call that goofing off, too). I've worked since I was 14. No more work for me.
It's hard work, goofing off. Exhausting.
Hard to stop and rest I find..
I goof off. Then nap. Then goof off.
Only one?
I have three options. Go fishing, work on a home/yard/garden project, or goof off. It's surprisingly even.
One of the caddyshack great quotes was: Judge smails ( ted knight) talking about his golf game says “I’m no slouch myself” Ty Webb (chevy Chase) says “ don’t sell yourself short judge, you’re a tremendous slouch”
Thank Jebus! I was beginning to think I was the only one to remember, work sucks😆
Me too, working was way overrated
Golfing off
Sounds awesome.
It is critical that you stay challenged and learning new skills in retirement. The brain will atrophy otherwise. My parents retired at 55 and didn’t do much. Both ended up with dementia. If you need to go back to work to stay challenged, needed and for the social aspects of work, by all means do it.
Go out in the world every day. Find enjoyable hobbies. Explore. Probably going to laugh, but this particular hobby I linked can be super fun, r/dumpsterdiving (no food though).
While it’s good to stay active and mentally engaged, there’s no connection with dementia.
I beg to differ. Dementia is not completely genetic. One’s lifestyle has a significant impact.
Yes, there is. Mental, physical, and social activity are all associated with a lower risk of dementia.
I'll be a retired fed in 2 1/2 years, and I think working part time at Lowes to water the flowers in the outdoor garden sounds AOK to me. Good luck with the new job. Nothing wrong with any job as long as it keeps you going.
I’m semi-retired from airlines. I work seasonal with a local small commuter. I’m not the oldest semi-retired person that works seasonal there - the oldest person is in their mid70’s. I enjoy the social engagement and learning a new computer system.
Me too! I only lasted 4 months before I accepted a 100% remote job. I feel so much better and useful now! I'm hoping that in a couple of years retirement will stick, until then I'll continue doing what makes me happy!
I retired at 64. I had been teaching electronics at a local Junior College. One class a semester. I did that for several years, but got tired of the format one 4 hour night class a week. I quit teaching when I fell into a part time job a year ago 7- 13 hours a week that kept me busy. That recently ended with the company folding. Now I need to find something else to do. I am a retired engineer/it person. I need to find some volunteer work in that field.
So I was a Volunteer Coordinator in a long term care facility for some years. One of our hugely valuable volunteers was the retired tech guy that dealt with our younger folks' personal computer systems. We are a highly medically specialized LTC facility (not American) with a number of hugely physically disabled and medically compromised alert people. Their voice-activated and otherwise complex setups were beyond most of the staff's ability to deal with, and the facility IT people didn't deal with personal equipment. I think he enjoyed some of the problems he encountered that he had to go research to see what might work out. People with a unique skill set will eventually find their niche - hope you find yours!
The best part of being financially independent is all the good choices you have available. We’ve been retired for 9 years and my wife works part time twice per week. We don’t need the money. But it makes her happy and I’m happy she’s happy.
Being off the entire week of Independence Day just reinforced my belief that my future job free retirement will be awesome.
Wow, how was that week? I have worked almost every holiday the last 20 years. Can’t wait to see what that is like.
Feel bad for you man. Good luck.
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Love it! congratulations and keep working!
I feel you. I made it as a retiree for 4 months before I felt like I was losing my marbles. Complete failure to plan on my part. I went back to a local government job. Lousy pay, easy work, great benefits and it keeps me out of jail. I hope I can actually manage to make a plan for post-retirement life next time around.
I think it's helpful to start or try a few things before you retire. I have a couple of volunteer projects I'd like to be involved with, and one is something I took a 5 year break from and have recently restarted (before retirement).
Just curious what the planning would have been for that post-retirement life. I haven't retired yet but it's knocking on my door.
I didn't have a plan for, well, anything to keep me from mentally rotting post-retirement. I had the idea that I would read books, work on the lawn and putter around the shop and that would be enough. After a bit of traveling and starting on the mile-long "honey do" list, I hit a wall and ran out of things to do. I was bored out of my mind in just 4 months. I think my biggest mistake was going from 50 hours a week of interesting work down to nothing with no good plan to fill the hours. I apparently do not have the ability to sit around the house and do nothing, as much as I might think I would like to. Then this local government job popped up and I hopped right back into the workforce full-time. The benefits are exceptional, and I'll stay around at least 2-3 more years. Next time around, I'll make a plan for retirement and make sure I have my days filled before I hop off the work train.
the, just-completed, four-day weekend almost coerced me into not showing up for work this morning.
Happened to me too. Feels crazy at times to go back to work by choice. But it is what it is…
If you have a job you like, and still have the flexibility to do other stuff you want, why quit? I'm glad you found a new gig, I think that's the exception rather than the rule, and more common for folks who are leaving positions where there's the need for both education and experience. Good luck!
I think when people go back to work after a short retirement, it is because they are missing the human interaction or the sense of accomplishment they get from working at a job. So for OP, maybe it's a good thing that he found employment. Not everyone is wired the same way, and it shouldn't be discounted that some people thrive more when their life is structured around a job rather than having endless amounts of time off.
I have absolutely no problems entertaining myself. Never going back. Not being lazy either. I'm active more hours every day. I'm just doing what I want to do.
I retired at 39 and lasted one year as well. I fear retirement now. It was awful after I blew through my hobbies.
We hired one of the lawyers that retired from our former company, she lawyered like a boss for us! And painted and traveled on the side!
I’m still working part time but very focused on a hobby. I won’t be bored when I fully retire.
If you enjoy it, then who cares? Do what makes you, (and your spouse if there is one), happy.
If boating, golfing, fishing, cornhole, brewery tours, poker, and general travel don't take up all my time I will also consider returning to work.
Wow that’s very close to mine (3 weeks in) but I’m also learning to cook on a kamado grill! Haven’t played much cornhole lately.
Is that you, Frank? HA. JK. Congrats on your retirement. I'm not retired yet but hope to get there some day. I participate in all these hobbies now because why wait for retirement?
Oops I’ll also add skiing! But that’s not for a few months. Honestly it’s scary but I’m not missing the stress yet . Golfing tomorrow :). Good luck to you! My beer can chicken is almost off the grill and I hope my wife appreciates my new found skill.
Nice. Enjoy!
I'm going to guess that you didn't even give part-time work a shot, to see if it would fill the hole while staying retired. Can I ask what held you back?
I retired last July and was absolutely enthralled until about a month ago when I got bored and depressed . I’m going to go back to my old workplace to cover for a maternity leave (part time) in September for a few months. That outta fix that! I’m sure I’ll be thrilled once again when it’s over.
Don’t you have kids or grandkids to entertain you? How do you get bored?
Wife asks retired husband: What are you doing today? Husband: Nothing. Wife: You did that yesterday ! Husband: Well, I’m not done yet. I don’t miss my job at all. After 19 years at the same place you would think I would miss it a little. NOPE . Good luck OP. If it makes you happy. Game on 🤟🏼
I’m hoping I don’t miss mine either m, after 21 years. If I do, I’ll have to get over it because it’s time and I only have a few weeks left!
Too funny. You must be the kind that needs a boss my man. You choose a work relocation over moving to a place with more than bowling to offer on your own. Bon voyage.
Good for you !!! Whatever makes you happy I guess!!! I recently retired roughly 6 months ago, everyday is a weekend …lots of things to keep me busy…little home projects, walking and playing pickleballs!!! Trying some new recipes and making sourdough breads!!!
You missed out on your opportunity to be a WalMart Greeter
Anyone near retirement needs to take a beat and watch the 12min TED Talk by Dr. Riley Moynes (4 Phases of Retirement). Hint: Like OP, less than 20% make it to Phase 2 (let alone 3 & 4). Eye opening and certainly has changed my planning…
I just watched this! I really enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing 🙏🏻
Retired six and a half years ago and never looked back. My worst day in retirement is better than my best day at work.
Congrats to you!
I took on a fairly good paying part time job in a completely unrelated field working with Broadway shows and Symphonies. It's been OK for a couple of years but now I'm finally getting that whole work thing out of my system. I just cut down my work availability this month. Maybe I'll explore something different, maybe not.
You do you. Everyone has different mentalities and needs and desires and feelings. Work isn’t for me, but if it’s what makes you happy, then go do it.
Two years into retirement and I have not been bored. No desire to go back to work, but as others have said.... if you want to do that.... more power to ya! I am actually a bit surprised that I can go weeks/months without thinking about my former work. I fill up my days with gardening, little projects around the house, and a good walk at the end of day. After 40 years of regular golf.... I dropped it like a hot potato. Now... disc golf. Yes, throwing plastic discs at baskets in the woods. A challenge? Absolutely. There is a certain way you must throw the disc to get distance and accuracy. Not just like throwing a Frisbee in the backyard. Exercise? You bet... it is a 3 mile walk/hike in the woods for 18 holes (er baskets) . Good for balance too because it is sometimes up and down hills, climbing around limbs and logs, etc. And I play each Saturday with guys in their 20s to guys in their 60s. So the social aspect. And trying a new hobby... metal detecting. But one of the best things... can take a nap...... anytime I want to. And it is so refreshing!!
After 9 months travel, then COVID then 6 months travel I got offered a good contract. I reluctantly took it. It was a fun job working with people I like doing what I like from wherever I wanted. After a year they wanted me to continue. I said, thanks but no thanks. I'm traveling again. 7 months on the road up to now, will be back home in a year. Then I may feel like getti go a contract. Or not.. If you re enjoying work, awesome. Also, use this Tim to figure out why you want to o in retirement.
It’s called freedom!!!!!!!! That is what wealth/retirement is. I like to call them adventures. Enjoy your adventure!
Reminds me I was disgusting with my sister with her and her husband approaching 65 and the problem is is that they have no hobbies whatsoever so they're looking at staying working until they drop pretty much. Me on the other hand I physically couldn't continue working so I did retire and I do have small little hobbies I do. It fills the time we have. Some have more time, some have more energy, some have both, enjoy yourself!
One thing for sure, there is no right way to do retirement. Your way, which includes unretiring, is perfectly acceptable. You do you! Enjoy!
Well, since that's the way you're wired, then it's important that you are doing something useful with your time. For me, I am pursuing the artistic dreams I always had but never could fulfill since I had bills to pay. (And I was the sort who never had energy after a full day of working + overtime to mentally create stuff.) I know some people who spend all their time volunteering, such as in thrift shop one day, a pet shelter another day, a hospital florist shop another day, etc. And if someone else out there just wants to watch the NCIS channel 24 hours a day (the one that also broadcasts Criminal Minds and Chicago P.D. and Blue Bloods sometimes) then that's what they are doing.
I alternate between goofing off and doing whatever I want. Mentoring and tossing advice out to others. Some travel and restaurants visits. A little hunting and camping with a travel trailer or a jeep. A little excitement as volunteer, then accidentally became part time paid FF/EMT.
I did a few hobby jobs after retiring as I was still brainwashed into thinking I had to have a mission to justify my existence. Gradually, that wore off as I realized the job was cutting into my day too much and we didn’t need the money. First thing after clocking in, having a very young supervisor yelling at me for pulling out of the drive way at work too fast the day before was my cue. I smiled, cleared my personal effects, handed her my keys and said I was going to use my PTO. We had no PTO hours, smile.
Good! I love you are heading out on a new adventure! Enjoy!
It’s been about a year for me and have been pondering. Don’t miss the constant travel, but would like a short term gig in town, go into the office maybe 3 days/week and WFH otherwise. Fun! Plus it’d pay for solar, which I’d like to add to my house, would be nice not to tap retirement $$ for that… OP, are you already pulling SS? There’s some limits on taxing earnings before FRA. I’m no expert, but you might check that out.
We organized our retirement around attending Progressive Rock (Yes, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Marillion, etc.) festivals around the world. We’ve met people all over, had some visit us at home, and visited others in their home. It’s a big global community that’s become our village. It’s good to have a village!
I had a forced retirement from the military 32 became disabled after the first year it sucks.
I met one of my now favoritest people in the world about 10 years ago. He had moved to my town when he married a local widow after retiring from a big engineering firm he co founded in the northeast (I'm in the southeast). He's probably much like you with too much talent to sit around. Before long, my new friend was integrally involved in engineering projects around this town that are truly transforming it. And he's working pro bono on all of them. It's kinda funny, too; these are big projects with expensive engineering firms already engaged but they all seem to listen when he talks.
Financially, I could pull the trigger on retirement at any time. Insurance coverage is the large monster in the room, that keeps me working. Currently I’m 60 yoa, contemplating working until age 62. Then taking social security early to pay for a catastrophic health insurance plan. That would carry me until Medicare at 65. Your thoughts please …
Post retirement Insurance expense was always one of the larger expenses to cover before I ever considered pulling the trigger. I retired before 65 but I wouldn’t have retire unless I had that expense fully handled.
Wisely stated ty
You have a plan. Your challenge is that you are young and probably have enough energy to strain your budget with all the things you want to do. My advice: make sure your schedule fits your budget. Bon voyage!
That’s my plan too. But I want to do it at 591/2. Which plans are you looking at?
It is important to understand what drives you. If you find that goofing off is not for you, a backup plan to help find your purpose in retirement is always a good idea. Some people are just wired differently and cannot stop working/doing things. My long-retired 85 year old neighbor continues to work part time, as well as work his usual 1+acre garden. I don't see him stopping either anytime soon. There's no set law for what retirement actually looks like, so you get to define what it looks like for you. Mine involves being an assistant pastor, which entails teaching Sunday school, sometimes Bible study, and preaching on occasion. Pardon my ramblings, but I hope this helps.
If I'd retired at 62 like OP, I'd probably have continued to consult in IT. But now that I'm 67, when I retire later this year, I'm probably all together done.
Got back on the bicycle myself. Trying to ride 50- 60 miles per week....at 10mph
Thoughts and prayers, OP. /S
I like sleeping in, hanging with my dog and riding my bike 1000x more than working. I would go work in a bike shop but I want my freedom. YMMV
My foxhound takes care of all my free time -- and provides a reason to walk in the park ;-)
You and my dh…loving life back at work. Bored is bored. Enjoy!
Congrats. Many people love their work and would rather do that than retire. Nothing wrong with that. Enjoy yourself
Life is too short to work a full time if you don't have to do it.
If I were to take a job now, it would be at Dairy Queen. I would make the biggest, most awesome ice cream treats you have ever seen until they fired me. I would become a legend among Dairy Queen employees. Years from now, they would still be saying " Remember that crazy old lady worked here for 3 hrs and ran us out of ice cream."
There is so much delight and freedom in being that crazy old lady. 😆. I’m just warming up sweethearts lol.
That’s great!!
i’m happy for you. It’s nice to hear that you found something that keeps your brain stimulated. I worked in a very “corporate” profit driven environment. Even though i worked on many innovative projects & products, the intensity was overwhelming, my team worked 24x5 (US> Asia > Europe). I checked emails at all hours of the evening/morning and weekends. Happy to have passed the baton on. Into my second full week of retirement and learning what it’s like to wind down.
No way I’d ever go back to work! Retirement is heaven.
I’m going to try to never work again. 4 months in retirement now and I’m as busy as I want to be. I don’t know what the winter will bring since I am outdoors constantly now…PNW winters are sorta grey and wet. But that’s just another thing to look forward to!
Congratulations on being so valued! I often wish that someone would come and try to recruit me back into my field. I probably wouldn't go, but what a compliment I think it would be. So, I hope you are proud and happy. :-)
The really good days are fishing in the morning, golf in the afternoon and live music in the evening. And I still work occasionally for a local car dealer moving cars around.
Ok. I still do some consulting work for my former employer. Only things I like doing, nothing with pressure. I got into a trap last year taking on too much. This forum helped me see that, and I have resolved to start saying “no.” I fell into the trap of saying “yes” whenever I got a call because I have all this “free time” now. I suppose I felt guilty. Typing a comment here a few months ago helped me realize that I have actually earned that “free time.” So, its not really free. I can give it away if I wish, but I’ll never get it back. I have enough to do with home and family to not get bored. And I am financially comfortable. I’ll still do some “work” work here and there because my former co-workers are friends, but not out of a sense of obligation.
That sounds like it worked out perfectly for you. The next time you retire, try volunteering. I do it and I’m never bored. I always feel wanted, appreciated, sometimes totally exhausted, and I’ve made wonderful new friends.
I love the comments! I cant force myself to go back to work if I wanted. BTDT. Retirement is where it’s at!
I love the comments! I cant force myself to go back to work if I wanted. BTDT. Retirement is where it’s at!
I love the comments! I can’t force myself to go back to work if I wanted. BTDT. Retirement is where it’s at!
I love this. I'm working on my retirement career now, which is why I work 2nd shift. I do what I want and need to do in the morning, and head out the door at 2p to work. In 15 years, I'll be heading to meet a genealogy client at 2p!
At 65 yo I took a part-time job at a nursery working with plants and I feel like a kid again. I feel healthy and happy as I was when I was in high school.This is great! The best thing I ever did was take a job
ok thanks everyone for all of the great thoughts and advice. I really appreciate it. Hope everyone has a great summer.