johnschnee Posted January 14, 2015 Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 Was very fortunate to be in the position to retire in SEPT 2014 at age 54 years, 10 months after 28 years of military service, followed by 5 years of federal civil service. "She who must be obeyed" & I just purchased our first coach (35' Fleetwood Bounder) in Spring 2014 and have just struck out open our first "extended" trip (3 months) just over a week ago! SO FAR, SO GOOD!!! Wish us luck!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjwicklund Posted January 14, 2015 Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 A couple months short of 5 years retired out at 61 presently on our 13 volunteer position. I like hard work better than wasting time in a gym and there's something accomplished when your done. Wife is a birder and there are different birds everywhere we go. Life is good. John 2017 F350 King Ranch DRW 6.7 4.10 B&W hitch 2017 DRV MS 36RSSB3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmcb Posted January 14, 2015 Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 I retired from GM after 30 years at age 48. That was 30 years ago. Still going strong. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solo18 Posted January 14, 2015 Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 You left off the older ages for retirement. I retired from my regular job at 69 and am still working part-time teaching online college classes at age 71! Â Seniors are continuing to work longer these days, so the statistics show. I can't imagine entirely retiring because I think it keeps me mentally and physically younger. It also gives me a good supplement to social security so I can continue full-timing without digging into my savings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 I find it interesting that 48% are in the 56 - 62 group with second most at 51 - 55 with 26%. That does seem to fit with most fulltimers that we have known over the years, although I never actually kept any records so that is mostly a guess. I'm pretty sure that most of the people we have known on the road were of the younger retirement group.  There was a group that put together a rally for the old "RV America" web forum back in 2000 and of the six couples who put it together only one couple were past 60 and they just past. The youngest was just turned 50 with the rest between. All were just beginning fulltime living and the first off of the road was also the oldest of the group. The last to get a home-base again was just this past year. You left off the older ages for retirement. I retired from my regular job at 69 and am still working part-time teaching online college classes at age 71! By the standard of many here, you are retired. It seems that you have ended your career, even though you still work for pay. We didn't stop working, we just stopped expecting pay for the work that we do and we have become very selective in who we will work for or with! And those of us who have 401k/IRA savings, we are required to draw from it once we pass 70 1/2 years of age. We at first were reluctant to spend that money, but realized that we probably have no more than 20 more years to do things and so we have begun to do that. To date our fund growth has matched or exceeded the annual withdrawals so we expect to do this for some time. Our next withdrawal will be spent taking a trip "down under" to visit Bruce T! Good travelin !...............KirkFull-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure         Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lartross Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 I retired in 2008 at 62 with plans to start full timing, but, Kathy [my wife] developed a coupla' limiting medical issues, so we moved closer to her familys' and bought another house. I recently bought an inexpensive 5th wheel and have been repairing and upgrading it to at least get some short trips in. I have zero regrets about my life path, well, I was unhappy with my career choice, but, it was a path that led to a fairly comfortable retirement, so, it worked out. Kat "retired" in '86 for medical reasons without benefits...I am as pleased with our lives as I can be. I love not having a "job" 2003 Coachman Chaparal 276 RLS 2000 F250, 7.3l auto ext. cab 4x4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
champ_49 Posted January 16, 2015 Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 Well I am retired because I say so......no explanation needed! Â Dave Dave & Linda 2011 Bighorn 3670 2000 Ford 7.3 PS diesel white and tan in color Now Fulltiming since May15, 2010 Â Semper Fi Marines!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freestoneangler Posted January 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 Wow, this thread has been so informative on many levels. I'm certain my wife and I are not the only ones having doubts about whether early retirement is the right thing to do -- from a financial perspective. We've met with a financial/retirement advisor more of less annually over the past 7 years when we finally came to the decision that was our plan. The numbers say we can and now I'm down to my last full year... still hard to believe and has a pinch of white knuckle. Â There seems little debate that those who have decided to leave full time, career work, as early as they could, has been the right decision (maybe I missed it, but no regrets that I saw). While I've enjoyed my 30 year career, I like the idea of no longer being tied to it better. My wife and I have traveled very little and there is so much of these great United States that we want to see (and fish) that vacation schedule simply limits. It takes me several days to forget about the office and it creeps back into my head days before the trip is nearing its end. Being free of that is indeed attractive. Â Another take-away for me is that money, as they say, isn't everything...unless you make it so. Having been thinking about an early retirement option quite early in our lives, we structured our savings and spending accordingly. Staying another 3-5 years would take us from a "should be no issue" to a "no doubt about it" decision. But you don't get the years back and we must all put a price on what those are worth. Â Interestingly, the poll distribution is fairly Gaussian and more or less what I would have expected -- except that there are more pre age 50 retired than I would have thought. I wonder if the Baby-boomers are influencing that? Â It's really interesting hearing how folks have made this big life decision and how it has worked out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wa_desert_rat Posted January 18, 2015 Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 Now you know what at least a good percentage of the people who "drop out of the work force and the unemployment rolls" are doing. Â WDR 1993 Foretravel U225 with Pacbrake and 5.9 Cummins with Banks 1999 Jeep Wrangler, 4" lift and 33" tires Raspberry Pi Coach Computer Ham Radio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne & Andy B Posted January 18, 2015 Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 At 66 years of age, completed 46 years teaching ( HS, science, math & physical education--college, physical education, first aid, health, PE major theory classes) and coached football (21 years high school--25 years college)--HS also coached track, wrestling, swimming. There has been a whole wide world of travel and new things to do following a life time of being so focused on a great job that allowed very little time for the things we enjoy now. Wish each of you who have figured a way to retire happy traveling for 2015--make it a good day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryj41 Posted January 18, 2015 Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 I just retired Jan. 1 at age 58. We are doing the final touches to our house to put on the market and a few upgrades to our coach. We will be living on our 401-k money completely until age 62 when we hopefully get SS. Larry and Debbie Jenkins 2002 Travel Supreme DSO2 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Ltd 4x4 McKinney, TX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rstrahan Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 I retired at 63 due to medical issues. Wife continued to run our small business until last spring. We decided to sell our home in Dallas, bought a smaller home in SW Florida and our 4th RV, a 31' Class C. We are involved in developing new businesses where we will travel. So yes, we are retired, but not stopped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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