I retired yesterday, any advice thoughts or questions?

[andersaki]

I get up at 7 with nothing to do and by 4:30 I'm only half done,

andersaki

[ranger1850]

I worked 5 or so years as a teen and another 35 years in education. I retired at age 58 and on my 18th retirement year. I have never looked back nor looked for another job. I keep busy with our 8 grandchildren and three adult children. I enjoy boating and fishing in Ohio, South Carolina and Florida. I dont keep a set schedule. During the colder months I workout at the YMCA 4 days a week, with about 2 hr workout. I try to do things for the wife, marriage has lasted 53 years.

Do the things you enjoy in your life and hope you have many quality years ahead of you. Each day is a blessing and enjoy each day. After my first year retired, my son was diagnosed with a brain tumor, he worked for 13 years with this illness. He had to go on disability due to driving accident and his wife divorced him. So the years will have their problems along with some good times as well. Best of luck to you and your loved ones.

[Fenwick]

I puled the plug at 55. I was grandfathered in 2016, insurance! Had I stayed I would have been S.O Off.luck. No regrets. You just have to live on less. Want's verses needs. Glad I left while the going was good.

[Thompmd]

Originally Posted by Fenwick

I puled the plug at 55. I was grandfathered in 2016, insurance! Had I stayed I would have been S.O Off.luck. No regrets. You just have to live on less. Want's verses needs. Glad I left while the going was good.

Good for you! That's kind of been my thought behind leaving when I did.
-relatively speaking I did the best I could for 30yrs
-I was guaranteed nothing from the company
-life is too short
-I knew there would/will be changes and knew we would have to make adjustments, what are those?? I have no idea but I also believe there was nothing I could do about them. Example, my wife/I healthcare went up $40/mo to about $350/mo. The guys at work also had their premiums increased.
-the only thing I knew for sure was if I continued to work, everyday I stayed I was giving up the best day I had left

This may sound silly to some but today if is 47deg and sunny so I have been outside burning sticks etc in the burn ring before it rains tomorrow and we are getting ready to fix hotdogs on the fire for lunch. We love what we call the simple things. Trade that for another dollar in the bank, no thanks.

[Fenwick]

[QUOTE=Thompmd;6270060]Good for you! That's kind of been my thought behind leaving when I did.
-relatively speaking I did the best I could for 30yrs

I worked since I was 13. Joined the Corps at 17 years young in 1967. Big deal, Nam 68 - 69. No I wasn't a hero. I planed my retirement starting in 1991. Saved every penny. I'm 68 and happy. I am blessed. Wife retired at 50 in 2016; same as me. She has M.S. What more can I say? Married 44 years and counting.

[orchard frank]

Have mentioned this before, but having some structure in your life is important, once the working days are over. Now myself, I get up at 6:30 or before, every morning, regardless of the days plans. That way, my wife has time to fix breakfast and make the bed before she goes to work. Going on 47 yrs married soon, Fenwick. And, the truth is, after "retiring" 4 times, the Lovely Wife stays at home now. Enjoy.

[eriksat1]

My dad told me at 63 he waited too long to retire and he was now to old and body to worn out to do the things he always though of doing in retirement. That was around 1987 he died in 1996. I told myself I would retire asap but Now I am only a few months from turning 62 almost in the same boat as he was. I wish there would have been a way I could have pulled the plug around age 52. Any youngsters reading this start a retirement plan at around 20 years old.

[Sportdog]

Originally Posted by eriksat1

My dad told me at 63 he waited too long to retire and he was now to old and body to worn out to do the things he always though of doing in retirement. That was around 1987 he died in 1996. I told myself I would retire asap but Now I am only a few months from turning 62 almost in the same boat as he was. I wish there would have been a way I could have pulled the plug around age 52. Any youngsters reading this start a retirement plan at around 20 years old.

Solid Advice ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


I retired at 57 and have never looked back. Far from rich but I do exactly what I want to do, when I want to do it. I targeted retirement from about the age of 22. At 68 I'm starting to slow down. I hate it but father time gets his way, no matter how much you fight it. I'm doing a 12 day Southern Caribbean Cruise in January and doing the Alaska Land and Sea in the fall. I want to do these while my health and fitness is still OK. I cycle four times a week and have started some strength training too. My cycling is still OK but with arthritis in my lower back and wrists strength training is painful to say the least. I've pretty much given up hunting after selling my hunting property to buy a home in the Gulf Coast so come fall I'm out of Michigan until mid-May. I miss hunting but still consider it a good trade off.

Best of luck to all those contemplating retirement and hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

[Anonymouse]

Originally Posted by 97roughneck

I'm not sure how I missed this thread the first time either but I have enjoyed reading all the responses.


I retired almost a year ago, Dec. 31, 2017. I had just turned 62 in Nov. of '17 and got my first SS check in January.

I have 10 rental properties so they keep me busy, time to catch up on some of the things that I had let slide over the years. I'm also doing a "flip house" this year, it's finished and on the market now. My plan is to live on the income from the rentals, profit from one flip house per year and my social security. So far, after almost one full year, things are going according to plan. The idea is to not have to touch our IRA and SEP accounts or have to sell any of the rentals. So far, so good. My wife is retiring this year on Dec. 31st (she won't be 62 until next May).

I enjoy working on my properties and keeping them in good repair. We also plan on going to AZ again this winter for a couple months. Went last year for a month total and really enjoyed it.

I will say that retirement is everything I'd hoped it would be so far. By far the hardest thing for me was knowing when to pull the trigger but I know too may people, including my brother in law that didn't live long enough to collect even one SS check.

So far, so good for me and I wish the best for the OP and all of you all that are thinking about it or have already done it. No regrets for me!

LOL

Having had been a rental real estate mogul for a while (just sold the last one last year) there is one thing sure to occur every time you think about going on vacation - the phone will ring and a renter will be on the other end with a major headache requiring immediate attention.

Took a trip to Vegas for scaffolding instructor training. The first night there;
<ring> <ring>
Hello?
Hi,. this is Xxxx. The heat went out and it's freezing cold in our duplex.
(Got local utility to replace the thermostat, luckily - only $100 + $60 for the thermostat.)

3rd night there;
<ring> <ring>
Hello?
Hi, this is Zzzzz. The water line under the kitchen sink is leaking all over the kitchen floor & dripping into the basement.
<sigh>
Called up the youngest kid and had him go over and shut off the water until he could solder in a new cold water line the next day.

The rental business ain't all the fun and easy loot it's cracked up to be.

[Thompmd]

What has been the biggest surprises, disappointment etc both financially and personally. So far, which is only 8-9mo no big surprises financially of any consequence.

Personally I didn't think I would work as hard as I have. I knew we would be working on things around the house but I thought when I retired I would be able to complete things better than I have. We did a terrible job of finding a balance so far thinking we have to be working on something.

I thought it would be a couple years but thought it would be a better pace.