Possibly Retiring......any thoughts?

[1st time lasix]

Assume a guy was able to retire financially stable from a great job on a decent savings, healthcare plan and pension.....I am curious about truly filling my days with interesting activities. I am a low handicapper so I know I would like to play golf three days a week....work out {jogging or in the gym} about three/four sessions a week....go to the track about three times a week.... I know you can read the newpaper/books, watch sports on tv and browse the internet. Is that really enough without getting truly bored, fat and unhappy?

[Greyfox]

If you're 83, yes.

[ryesteve]

Depends on the person. For me, there are never enough hours in the day, so I could easily fill my time. Other people need the structure a job provides.

[The Judge]

I don't know your age so that makes it a little harder. Almost 100% of the people that I talked to some of whom retried early said how great retirement was. This only reinforced what I had in my head which was to retire at 55 years old. I retired at 56 years old I can tell you that was a mistake "for me". If anything I should just now be retireing.

If you are going to build a boat and sail aroung the world , or build a home or some such large project I say go ahead retire but if you are going to do the same things that you are able to do now only more of it, I say think long and hard and have a long tald with family.

[The Judge]

I don't know your age so that makes it a little harder. Almost 100% of the people that I talked to some of whom retried early said how great retirement was. This only reinforced what I had in my head which was to retire at 55 years old. I retired at 56 years old I can tell you that was a mistake "for me". If anything I should just now be retiring.

If you are going to build a boat and sail aroung the world , or build a home or some such large project I say go ahead retire but if you are going to do the same things that you are able to do now only more of it, I say think long and hard and have a long talk with family.

You would be surprise how quick your days fill up doing things for other people and family members, dropping off picking up etc. after all you aren't doing anything.

If at all possible unless you are 110% sure retirement is what you want I would seriously consider taking a leave of absence if at all possilble. I mean a real leave like 6 months or more. Don't forget they might learn in that time that someone else can do your job as well as you for less money or they might not need a replacement at all. A leave of absence might be the way to go. During this time live only off the amount of money you will receive in retirement no more. For a month live on the smallest amount you can bare.

[Indulto]

... If you are going to build a boat and sail aroung the world , or build a home or some such large project I say go ahead retire but if you are going to do the same things that you are able to do now only more of it, I say think long and hard and have a long tald with family.I agree, but the key word is "able." Also, unless one never has to worry that one's disposable income in retirement will be severely impacted by the cost of healthcare, housing, transportaion, energy, etc., one had better be a profitable player. ;)

The flip side is that if one waits too long, the mind may be willing, but the body may not. One doesn't want to exchange the commute to work with regular trips to one's healthcare provider. Maybe it's just their exposure to me, but the non-smokers and exercise enthusiasts among my acquaintances have faded faster following fifty five.

If I had it to do over I'd spend more time in the Diamond Lane.

[njcurveball]

Maybe it's just their exposure to me, but the non-smokers and exercise enthusiasts among my acquaintances have faded faster following fifty five.




LOL! Wishful thinking? I had 8 uncles, 5 were smokers, they are all dead. 3 were non smokers, they are still alive.

Same with the older people I see at the track, the smokers are there for a few years and then decline, barely can make the walk, and eventually stop coming. Of course, some still come with their oxygen tank. Including the occasional one, who smokes with the cute plastic tube coming out their noses.

Obviously, you smoke, so best to you. Hope you fit into your version of reality!

[Indulto]

LOL! Wishful thinking? I had 8 uncles, 5 were smokers, they are all dead. 3 were non smokers, they are still alive.

Same with the older people I see at the track, the smokers are there for a few years and then decline, barely can make the walk, and eventually stop coming. Of course, some still come with their oxygen tank. Including the occasional one, who smokes with the cute plastic tube coming out their noses.

Obviously, you smoke, so best to you. Hope you fit into your version of reality!Sorry if I gave the wrong impression. I don't smoke and the referenced toxin to which they may have been exposed is my personality. :blush:

The point I obviously didn't make was that for most people I know, life has not gone according to plan. That isn't always a bad thing, but it suggests that sometimes too much planning (and putting off plans for pleasant experiences) can be as ineffective as no planning at all.

I'm genuinely happy for you that your three non-smoking uncles survived. I wish some of my non-smoking relatives had been as fortunate.

[kenwoodallpromos]

Genealogy.

[jma]

My father is kind of guy who always has to be doing something, bored easily, always on the go. He liked what he did for a living, but then a bunch of people were shifted around and he ended up in a situation where he didn't like the tasks or the people he had to work with. When a chance for early retirement came (age 56), he took it. I wondered if he would get bored, but it's been eight years now and he says retiring early was the best decision he ever made. I would say that if you like your job, don't hesitate to stay with it because it's a positive part of your life. However, if you are tired of it and are financially secure (obviously a big key), go for retirement. I would doubt you'll look back at age 80 and say, "Gee, I wish I worked another five years instead of spending time with my family and friends." :)

[Greyfox]

Whether you stay working or retire at whatever age, the question of
"What gives me true meaning in life?" has to be answered.
For some their vocation provides deep meaning. For others every minute is an hour. If you are pondering retirement, you have to look at what you are giving up and what you are gaining - more in terms of meaning than economics.

[JustRalph]

you are going to get bored.

Any physical infirmities? If not........find something to do, beyond what you listed. If you can play golf you must be in pretty decent shape............

I am in the same boat as you.............. and I am bored stiff.

Of course I am only 46.................and still trying to decide what to do when I grow up..........

[Overlay]

One of the big attractions of Civil Service for me when I first hired on (at age 24) was the option for full retirement at age 55 with thirty years of service. Then I had kids when I was 33 and 37, so when I turn 55 in two years, my daughter will just be graduating from high school. So I decided to push retirement back to 59-1/2, after she would graduate from college and my IRA would kick in. Now my wife wants me to keep working until I'm just under 63, so we can have a house paid for before I quit. I know that's still earlier than 65, but somehow, I think I could find ways to keep productively occupied if I got out sooner. Maybe it'll be good enough after I turn 55 just to know that I could theoretically turn in my papers anytime I wanted to, even if I wouldn't actually go through with it.

[fmhealth]

I'm 61 & retired when I was 48. Still "work" an hour a week on my radio show, but that's it. All I can say is don't know how I ever had enough time to work!

You need hobbies. Mine is the stock mkt. More accuractely it's SELLING puts in the mkt. A somewhat arcane & not well understood corner of the options mkt. Go to AP or HAW 3x week. I love to read & learn as much as I possibly can. Also, having Dylan, my 9 month old grandson has added a remarkable dimension to my life.

Travel, I believe is also one of the keyes to a successful retirement. My wife & I love to cruise, go to Vegas & spend some quality time in Italy. Del Mar in August is also a respite that invigorates any 'capper.

Overall retirement is the best thing that ever happened for me. It's obviously an individual matter, but ALL my friends are much more content with their lives at this point.

Best of luck.

[betchatoo]

Assume a guy was able to retire financially stable from a great job on a decent savings, healthcare plan and pension.....I am curious about truly filling my days with interesting activities. I am a low handicapper so I know I would like to play golf three days a week....work out {jogging or in the gym} about three/four sessions a week....go to the track about three times a week.... I know you can read the newpaper/books, watch sports on tv and browse the internet. Is that really enough without getting truly bored, fat and unhappy?
If you truly have a great job, then it's not work. Stay with it until it's not a great job. If you really want to retire then there are so many ways you can fill your time other than what you have already mentioned

Volunteer somewhere. There is great satisfaction in helping others. Write a book. Even if it never gets read by anyone but you it will give you hours of stimulation in researching things and seeing your own words written down. If you write it on a favorite hobby you can not only teach others, but you will gain a vast new amount of knowledge on the subject.

If you're the organized type who needs to have structured time, make lists of things you have always wanted to try or learn. Then set a time and do it.

[Light]

Good advice here. Basically if you have non-working interests that you allways wanted to devote more time to then it would be a good decision to retire.If you have no real interests,then you should keep working as long as you can cause you're gonna drive yourself crazy. I guarantee you that last part.

[linrom1]

The idea of retirement is relatively a new concept. Most human beings went directly from the cradle to their graves toiling their lifes' away for the privileged ruling classes. Their sweat and toil is what made for their opulent leisure lifestyles. As top sucks from the bottom, " work does not make you free"-- work kills you.

Don't throw away that privilege away so easily and become a "working stiff" when you don't have to. Many died so that you could have that privilege and those that will follow you, will most likely not have that luxury, as working age is being extended to bail out the plutocrats.

[JustRalph]

you are going to get bored.

Any physical infirmities? If not........find something to do, beyond what you listed. If you can play golf you must be in pretty decent shape............

I am in the same boat as you.............. and I am bored stiff.

Of course I am only 46.................and still trying to decide what to do when I grow up..........

come on Bill.......... I wrote this post just waiting for you to chime in..... :lol:
:lol: I set you up man!

[chickenhead]

I don't think I'll ever retire..in the sense of not working. I think its good to not have to work, and to not have to work for wages especially. But I'll always be working on something.

I say retire from your job...and start a new business.

[BillW]

come on Bill.......... I wrote this post just waiting for you to chime in..... :lol:
:lol: I set you up man!

I'm too busy! :lol: