Retirement Time

The fingers

The fingers

1 TW
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
8,938
Location
Desert Pacific Cali USA
We've been talking about it for years, nobody gifted me a clock or anything. But 40 years + is enough, so I'm pulling the handle tomorrow and giving my 60 day notice which will coincide with the 60 day escrow. The next gen crew at work are the biggest bunch of nincompoops I've ever seen. I probably will write an expose yay! The plan is to move inland to a nicer house for much less $, pay down the debt and do a little part time job for fun mostly. Oh and Mom can care for grandma 24/7 instead of driving over there 5x a week.
Not too hilly and with both legs slowly healing I should be back up on two wheels again soon. Well, that's the plan anyway.
Any suggestions or advice welcomed. :)
Had to try and keep the same healthcare plan, workout club, keep grandma's Medi-Cal going. And decide which family members to move close (but not too close) to. Moving will be a pain in the patootee with the whole tribe going.
Before that it was TX hill country, then NorCal or Sierra foothills, Palm Desert. Glad we picked somewhere relatively flat, but it will be hotter than this Shangrila la land of traffic casualties. Still close enough to the mountains, desert and Pacific if'n we get the hankerin' for a body-womp with the sharks. :shock:
Good excuse to spring for a few new things and shrug off some of the old junque. :pancake: If you see a minivan towing a sports car following a large U Haul pulling a trailer it's just us vagabondos, wave to us as you go by. :lol:
 
I'm starting to think similar thoughts. I'm 45 now and figure I have enough money and inheritance coming to last me for over 30 years, and me coming from a family where men typically live 70 years.
I'm a tinkerer at heart, someone who likes to do everything himself instead of paying others to do things. Add to this that I have no appreciation for expensive cars and things like that (rather buy a $1000 one and fix it up, or have the adventure of seeing whether I'll make it to the destination), no kids, no wife. My dear GF sometimes wants to buy me something expensive like a new scooter or TV or something, my standard reply is I don't want more toys, want more time to play with the toys I already have.

I'll probably work for another 2 or 3 years and call it quits (GF needs to work 2 more years to put the last of her kids through university). By then the Brexit is through, the effect of which I expect to be a drop in house prices in Spain. Buy me a house or appartement there, spend my money over the next 10 years, sell the house spend money for another 10 years. Inheritance will be a house in Holland, sell that and go another 10 years. The work I do is excellent for doing 3 to 6 month contracts, so maybe once a year I'll work a 3 month contract for some income but mainly for interest.

By then I'm expecting for a large increase of robotisation of the work place. Governments will have to respond to the large job loss and (I hope) will come with a base income.

The more I think about it, the more I start resenting having to drag my ass out of bed early every morning to run in the hamster wheel the whole day....
 
Congratulations! One of the insights I had years ago is that retirement, like expertise, is something you can claim for yourself.

At that time I decided I was already retired and happy to stay that way. Since then, I've only worked part time, and I have answered only to myself about what I'm supposed to be doing and how I get to spend my time. I play music, I travel a bit, I sleep in a lot. I work on bikes-- which is what I used to do in my spare time, at my own expense, when I had a career. Only now I get paid enough to live on by doing it.
 
Congratulations! Sounds like y'all should have a good time with it. :)


After writing it, the below just sounds like a bunch of whining, so I shrank the text down to not interfere with this thread, but I'll leave it there in case anyone does want to read it.

Retirement is something that for me will probably only ever happen if someone mistakes me for an escaped Replicant. :/

I'm a bit less than a year shy of 50, and saving up for retirement just doesn't work--the rug gets pulled out from under me every time I think I'm getting far enough along in a job to begin the process (and I can't afford to pay into any of the retirement plans; none of the jobs I've had pay enough for that, or insurance of any kind either).

When I started out just out of school, I had a pretty-well-paying job at Honeywell, but that didn't quite last 5 years before they laid me off (along with 3/5 or more of the workforce), and I've never been able to get a job as well-paying as that since.

Each place I've worked for I've risen up over the years (roughly a decade each time the last two times) and reached about the dollar amount I made then, but with inflation it doesn't amount to anywhere near as much, and these days is not even enough to scrape by (whereas while I was at HW it was enough to have some spending money and enough for insurance and paying into a retirement fund (that was lost with the layoffs).

Then the place shuts down, goes out of business, sells out to another company, etc., and I lose my job, and have to go start all over again from the bottom.

I've almost reached that dollar amount again at my present workplace, so I'm just waiting for the bad news again.... I'm old enough now that I dunno if I would even get hired again for much of anything, because I don't look impressive until they see me work...and most don't give me the chance.

I didn't get the chance to even try at my present job except when I first started (then the manager that hired me quit after a few months and I went thru several managers that thought I should just be a cashier because I was too wierd to do anything else), then last year I was finally given the chance to get off the register and accomplish something, and an actual raise that almost pays enough to live on (rather than just barely almost survive), although it's still not enough to afford much of anything except the basics, and I'm better off than many people these days, I still can't afford insurance or save for retirement.
 
I met several retired Men over the last few years at the South of spain and portugal. They were spending their time on windsurfing, kitesurfing and some other hobbies. That's exactly what I want. If health Allows me to do so I will.
retirement is the prize for a hard working life. I wish you the best mr fingers.
 
Good thinking fingers. I've seen too many that keep working because they still feel good. I bailed at 62 and never looked back. The last 15 years have gone by quickly, but I am thankful for every one of them and looking forward to the possibility of a bunch more.

My main hobby is now riding and maintaining electric assist trikes. In June I've got three successive out of town visitors for one or more nights and all involve some great trike rides, along with a little bocce ball on the lawn and soft tip darts in the house.

However you do it, enjoy every day.
 
Congratulations! And hope you enjoy every day. Feel much the same -- 40+ years is enough, the next gen crew at work are nincompoops (do we work for the same company?), a move to a less expensive place makes a ton of sense. Retirement is coming up for me later this year. Logic tells me it should be 5 months and 13 days from now, but could be sooner if needed to preserve my tattered sanity. If I make it to November, I'll try to exit with a graceful "It has been an honor to be part of yada yada". If I leave sooner it will be on impulse, and might be a chance to use that famous line: "Take this job and shove it, I ain't working here no more".
 
Nice! You've earned it.

I've been doing the retirement job kind of thing for years, but my wife has had her nose to the grindstone 37 years. Shes got 9 weeks to go as of now. Finally,,,, we'll be able to get out of town more than one week a year.

For those wanting to cash out of a California house and buy another cheap, Las Cruces NM is still a great option. Tons of snowbirds doing it, but lots from CA too. I like to say the only industry here is pecan farms, and building houses for snowbirds to die in.

Here, you can buy a very nice house, brand new, for less than 200k. My brother in CA is planning on coming back when he retires soon, just to cash out of his very modest property in Lake Elsinore.

Its a small city, but not tiny so there is health care, nor another megalopolis like Phoenix. Decent enough climate, though we do get winter. Forest and mountains sort of near if you tire of the desert. Hour and a half drive to forest.

But the big reason its so cheap here, 12 hour drive to any ocean beach. So that's a bummer. My cousin got it just right, he's retired in the pines above San Diego. Just over an hour to the beach, but he lives in the pines. But I can imagine what his place cost. :shock:
 
Coincidence ??..
Similar situation here. Planning a retirement move out of the city to a less hectic lifestyle away from the urban hassle.
Only problem is the essential property requirement stipulated by my wife as .." Barefoot walking distance to the beach". !!
Which is slightly at odds with my plan to hide out on a few acres of space to play on with my "man toys" :D
 
Lots of stress is taking a toll. Need 30 day escrow on a new place and now the selling agents partner in the new location goes away on holiday. Probably have to move around Independence Day (4th of July). Trucks and trailers might be hard to come by because of party rentals. Sellers declarations, loan qualifying, wifey sick, ........... :?
Good thing is, my day job put me in a do nothing position today to give them some wiggle room to hire someone new to replace me. I had them over a legal barrel so they decided to be nice to me, with an EEO filing I knew nothing about, a psychotic boss that constantly was stalking me, also putting me in legal jeopardy. I stood my ground and they capitulated. :shock:
 
Good for you. Time to get outta there. Enjoy while you can. I've been semi retired for years, but not because I could do it, because of health issues made me do it. Almost 30 years since a back injury ruined me for heavy construction. After that I went self employed for a time to heal, then went to a 20- 30 hour job. Then 7 years ago, the west nile really took me out of the workforce.

Anyway,, don't wait if you are able. Never know what thing will come along to ruin your golden years plans. My wife waited too long, because I was looking like I was dying 6 years ago. Her plan was to go at 60.

RETIRE IF YOU CAN, WHILE YOU HAVE YOUR HEALTH. Take 5 years, then go back to work later if you can manage it financially.
 
I am with you Dogman. I have to hang on to gainful employment a while longer :wink: 4 back surgeries a stroke and now surgery on my lung. Lost 15 % of one lung from infection. Lets just say I pace myself now :lol:
 
Love my job so much and it's kind of hard to move a vineyard and winery somewhere else? But, I wish you the happiest of trails in retirement Fingers. My GF is going to be buying a nice RV soon and I will be able to travel a lot in the winter time (Rocky Point Here I come). Once my youngest son is out of the house I will sell my house and downsize considerably. Probably, just live in a nice RV at the winery and ride motorcycles whenever I can. 8)
 
A job you love is worth more than money. That's what hooked me about construction, I just had so much fun making houses out of a pile of sticks. I can drive around here for a 200 mile radius, and go, I built that, and that, and that. Really loved building the roof structures where it got dangerous. But it was a young mans game for sure.

But if I was a young man now,, I'd be bolting up wind turbines. The higher I get the better, which is why I spent a fortune flying balloons. Imagine getting paid for what you'd pay to do.

A bit like making wine for a living, what could be better?
 
dogman dan said:
A job you love is worth more than money. That's what hooked me about construction, I just had so much fun making houses out of a pile of sticks. I can drive around here for a 200 mile radius, and go, I built that, and that, and that. Really loved building the roof structures where it got dangerous. But it was a young mans game for sure.

But if I was a young man now,, I'd be bolting up wind turbines. The higher I get the better, which is why I spent a fortune flying balloons. Imagine getting paid for what you'd pay to do.

A bit like making wine for a living, what could be better?
Click to expand...
Hey when you coming my way again? Need to hang out or ride ebikes?
 
RE Agents are somewhat problematic, and the paperwork! Now I'm sick and taking Nyquil and can't figure how this can work out. We've never sold and relocated before. Amazing how much junque we now have to move or get rid of. I want it gone, my wife wants to keep it. :lol:
 
retire means retreat
never wave the white flag (or any flag)
keep fighting
but remember to never work
 
dogman dan said:
A job you love is worth more than money. That's what hooked me about construction, I just had so much fun making houses out of a pile of sticks. I can drive around here for a 200 mile radius, and go, I built that, and that, and that. Really loved building the roof structures where it got dangerous. But it was a young mans game for sure.

But if I was a young man now,, I'd be bolting up wind turbines. The higher I get the better, which is why I spent a fortune flying balloons. Imagine getting paid for what you'd pay to do.

A bit like making wine for a living, what could be better?
Click to expand...

I am also lucky to have a job I love. Sign service and installation. I drive what we call the 72. It is a Wilkie crane/basket truck. It will take me or two guys straight up 72 ft. And it will lift 5000 lbs. And I work with my son. We lifted AC units this morn. Had to stretch it about 60 ft. for that. I love the views. Something so peaceful being above everything. I need to work another 10 but this job can be pretty physical and the last few yrs. been a little rough so taking it a little slower.. we'll see
 
Second bid fell through. Now I'll have to keep my part time job until the one we buy closes in order to get financed. Which means I'll be commuting 60 miles each way to a job losing money or have to shower at grandma's old place or at the beach and sleep there or in my car for a few weeks. :x
Lender offered to pay our bills for us from the proceeds of the sale so we'll be debt free for once, except for the new mortgage payment. That's the plan anyways. :?
To top it off, now I'm sick and going to the Dr. tomorrow, but can't be off on leave or I'll be losing more money. :|
 
Have a hobby, its amazing how much you'll miss the action. I finally ended my years of medical disability and moved into retirement phase. Just a different income. Now Social Security and retirement savings instead of disability insurance. So ive had a few years practise. If you're able a part time job that is fun will keep you connected. A hobby lnked job is really cool, but keep it light. 10-15 hours.
Take a 30-45 minute nap every day. Don't ask, just do it.
Get used to obituaries. The pace picks up.
Go for a walk every day, best after breakfast.
Keep a schedule, relaxed but nonetheless a routine.
Make friends with those goofs 40 years younger. Theyre smarter than you think. Learn something from them, eventually theyll learn frim you.
One ebike is not enough, build one from nothing, a complete scratch build. From bare frame. The frustrations will put it all in perspective. Youll learn something and have incredible gratification.
Sit down after your walk and have a conversation with the significant other. Theyre going through big changes too. Do it as a routine from day one. Itll save the relationship. Day one!

Lots more but above all take good care, eat right, not to much drink.
 
I dunno. Kirin argues with me sometimes. Yogi just sulks and pouts if he doesn't agree. They walk each other, so I don't have to worry about that exercise stuff and can be lazy. ;)
 
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