Retirement myth

runaway parents · May 11

So somebody out there said when you retire things will slow down. You'll be able to relaxe have fun go camping what a croc. Haha. Since my wife and I have retirerd back at the end of November. We have built a Hydroponics shed and hydroponics system and installed the new air compressor on semi. ' not once but twice Thought it was O ring but turned out to be bad air compressor. Painted bathroom painted deck. Repaired trailer from Trailer. incident that you all know about. And just finished up putting new upper and Lower ball joints CV axles axle bearings and a new upper control arm on Explorer. I Think. We are finally getting caught up knock on wood. After having my knee replaced I didn't realize how far behind I was getting on my chores. Next project get ready to go to Caldwell can't wait sounds like it'll be a lot of fun.

Edited May 11 by runaway parents

NDBirdman · May 11

That was/is a severely wrong idea, at least for us!!! When we retired, we bought a country home/small hobby farm so we could slow down and take life easy.... I have in my entire life never worked so long and hard in my life!! While we do love it... it's wearing thin... and got very expensive.

Edited May 11 by NDBirdman

sandsys · May 11

It's only in the second year that you slow down. It takes that long to catch up on everything then rewire your brain.

Linda

Vegas Teacher · May 11

I have 5 years to go and I can't wait!!!! I am looking forward to dropping my keys on my desk, signing that last piece of paper and walking out the doors a free person!

My wife has retired and loves it. The only down side is as teachers we get 75% of the average of our last 3 years so it is a little bit of a pay cut.

Later,

Cory O

DJohns · May 11

75% and no work seems pretty sweet. My social security is no where 75% of my working days pay check. You not only are busier but it gets more intense. Most of the business is self inflicted though. The benefit is when you want to quit for the day you can.

Kirk W · May 11

I guess I'll take a different tack. At age 57 I hade enough years with 3M Co. to qualify for their early retirement plan. They even paid the price for us to attend a series of preretirement planning seminars and so we begin to flesh out a plan to go fulltime RVing for some years. Their plan included a "bridge to social security" and also health care coverage for both of us for less the $100/month each. As the day neared I waffled some over having enough money but with prodding from Pam I filed my papers and retired. I often tell people that the two best career decisions that I ever made were first to work for 3M with early retirement and second was that I took that early retirement on the very first day that I qualified. We put our house on the market 3 months before my retirement date and it sold in 2 months so we were fulltimers for my last month of working. We didn't actually quit working but did stop choosing where to work based on getting paid for it. We became RV volunteers and spent time in 6 national parks, 9 national wildlife refuges, 8 state parks, 3 county parks, 2 state wildlife refuges, 3 county parks, a grass airfield, a state tree farm, a state game check station, a state natural area, a fish hatchery, a COE park and 3 historic sites, with a second stay at 3 of them. We volunteered in 39 different states for 1 month or longer. We loved the lifestyle and would still be doing it if Pam's health problems had not become such a priority. We did do 2 more RV volunteer positions since we returned to fulltime. RVs do require maintenance on a regular basis but not nearly as time consuming as owning a house. And Pam liked the fact that we could do a complete house cleaning in one day or less. We were so enamored of the simple lifestyle that when we left the road we bought an barndominium and since have moved into a 1 bedroom senior apartment. We no longer allow our possessions to own us and control our lives.

Randyretired · May 11

I have never been this busy until I retired. I know it is self inflicted but I keep doing it. I am working on building another house. This is the 3rd since retirement. When this one is done I will have to slow down and actually try to relax. I was able to retire young but my age is catching up and I can no longer do this.

GlennWest · May 11

I can't say this. I have worked 12hr days 360 days straight. Have worked 100 hrs a week for 2 months straight.

Kirk W · May 11

1 hour ago, Randyretired said:

This is the 3rd since retirement.

17 minutes ago, GlennWest said:

I have worked 12hr days 360 days straight. Have worked 100 hrs a week for 2 months straight.

You guys make me tired! We have been doing volunteer work ever since we retired but the very least we have taken off is 3 days per week and most of the jobs we do as volunteers are things that we enjoy doing. Things like the 30 hours per week spent observing black bears in Maine. Helping to band songbirds in Montana. Leading nature walks in alligator habitat in the Everglades. Greeting and assisting pilots of antique aircraft in Indiana. The list goes on but it is a hint of the sort of work that we have done. Since moving into independent living Pam has worked in the little store a couple of days a week and I drive one of the senior citizen busses for out community. I even accepted a part-time job for our community driving people to medical appointments, hairdressers, and such in the company car so am actually paid again! Retired at 57 and now work part-time at 80! But only 10-15 hours per week with a 20 hour maximum. It is frequently evenings or weekends but those are things that I would attend anyway if I was paying rather than paid.

Edited May 11 by Kirk W

rickeieio · May 12

Going on year 5 since "retirement". We find others ask us to help out, since we have so much "free time" now. We're motorcyclists. We went for a ride today. It was the first time we've had a chance to ride since we left Texas on March 8. Still having the farm to look after, and the shop to call my play house, a house and yard and grandkids keeps us busy.

But I admit, to borrow a line from Paul Gillenwater (toy drag'n), "Most mornings we start off slow, and taper off from there."

But one pleasant surprise is how cheaply we can live now. We're actually saving money, and have yet to touch our retirement accounts.

ms60ocb · May 12

6 weeks before i retired I took a long 3 week traveling vacation. Then when I retired, I enjoyed my hobbies.Some of that would be classified as work but such a charge was enjoyed., After 5 months the fun ended as I had a house started. I worked aside that crew. Now 19 years later, you become busier just because its takes longer to get out of the house every morning.

Clay

Pipeman, VE3PJF · May 12

I retired when I was 56 years old. I put 35 years in as a Fire Fighter and loved everyday of it. I used to hear the younger people I worked with say "I can't wait to retire". It's been almost 21 years since I retired and I say to those young people, don't push it as it will come soon enough and you will not be in the shape you are in now. The aches and pains will increase as you age. I have a sign in the family room that says, "inside of every old person is a young person who says what the hell happened". My wife and I are now selling the 5er and truck and will downsize to a SUV. We enjoy retirement but the Golden Years are sometimes not so Golden. So don't push it, it'll come soon enough. Plan for it and when it does come hopefully you'll be ready financially and mentally. Stay safe all.

ddm502001 · May 13

Previous employer from only last year called me to see if would come back, so went back, driving semi hauling bulk materials and man do I ache and hurt. Suspect this will be very short term as I also tried a Steroids injection at C4/5 this spring for tingling/itching conditions in Left arm and both hands. That only lasted until last week. Have a Torn Sacrum Iliac joint, was there invisible for 40+ years until had lower back surgery, that gave it new sensation ability and is a nagging mess currently, only way to repair is Pin it in place. Both that and C4/5 will be months of recoveries, sucks but the options are far less appealing.

jenandjon · May 14

I'm a farmer. I will never really retire. I have to show up during planting and harvest just to make sure I am in the way for a while.

Larry Burkett · May 15

Just the word FARM is another way to say work, but it is good work.

rickeieio · May 15

It's only work if you don't like it. I planned to farm until I turned 70, or more. One day I realized the stress was worse than the work. I only had so many good years left, and had reached a point where we could live without "more".

I haven't regretted walking away at 64 for even a minute.

That said, we still own land for rental income, and we have our farm shop to hide in and tinker. Life is good.