Retirement - Where Are You?

For me, it's the time to do other stuff.

I love my job and the people I work with but the U.S. is terrible for benefits. I've been with my company for almost 12 years... The last 3 in the US. I'm paid well but I only get 20 vacation/sick days a year. Don't get me wrong, that's actually good for the US I think. That's the maximum you can get and being salary, I can't bank time etc. I had pretty much the same in Canada. What woke me up though was when I was relocated to Luxembourg in 2009. I got 28 paid vacation days there and then sick time was totally separate. I actually had pneumonia when I was on vacation for 2 weeks and was able to move that too sick time and take another 2 weeks.

The sheer number of meetings and bureaucracy/politics get to me as well but guessing that probably happens everywhere.

Alot of the perks I really enjoyed years ago are gone to, including travel. I've been to Panama, Philippines, India, China, all over Europe for work. Now I can't even get to San Jose to see the team. I've had direct reports in China that I've never gotten a chance to meet outside of video conferencing.

Anyways, love my job but I'd definitely go to part time or put in alot less effort if I could lol.

 

for me it's the required schedule and responsibility. Between the job, the house, providing for 6 over the last 35 years, the demands on me take it's toll, and I want to be selfish and live life for me and my wife now, without any requirements of me. See sights and do things I would never have time to do and do them before I need a cane. Once old age affects you there's no getting better.

 

After 35 years, my job sucked, the younger people I had to train and work with sucked and my two bosses were idiots. They were the perfect example of the Peter Principal, but their noses were nice and brown! I couldn't wait to leave.

 

Annoyance with the people-yes
Retire or go crazy-yes
Stress-yes
Just tired of working-yes
Wanting to do or not to do when I want-big yes

 

Retired over 2 years ago & loving every minute! Was in banking / credit card fraud industry for over 40 years....loved what I did but the last 6-7 years I noticed I was not enjoying it as in the past. Mostly was the caliber of employees I had to choose from when filling open positions. Most were college grads but did not have the necessary work ethic .....accountability issues, I would say. My department did not allow for the attitudes of these people. It could cost the company BIG money if they did not focus and do their job per policy and regulations.

Also, hubby is ill....about 20 surgeries and congestive heart failure....I wanted to be able to be with him for his appointments / hospital stays.

I was very fortunate that my company matched 8% on my 401K and I put in 15% of my salary for over 16 years......After meeting with my broker and found out I could retire without reducing our monthly income......said.... "why am I working?" Gave 6 months notice and said so long. Never regretted it at all.

 

I invested more then I took home from my check for 25 years. We planned it for our use in retirement. Now that we have it to spend my wife has decided to keep working which means we don't go anywhere like we talked about and she won't spend any money like she wants to leave it all for the kids while we don't touch it. That was never ever the plan but it seems to have changed and I'm just finding out about it. Seems everything we planned and talked about for the last 5 years just went away as if it never happened. Working on this is way harder then a real job.

 

That's great! I won't regret it either when it's my turn to give notice. Deciding to be with your husband and attending to his ailments is the right thing to do. I hope his condition improves.

Take care!!

 

Part of the reasons most people look forward to retirement is being able to enjoy and do things they had to put on the backburner in order to provide for our loved ones. Although it is perfectly understandable to leave something for the ones you love, it saddens me that your plans to spend your hard earned retirement money on things you both wanted to do has changed.

I sincerely hope that your wife will reconsider and use some of the money so you both can enjoy things you've wanted to do. You both worked hard all your lives and you both deserve this.

Good luck!!

 

Retired last February at 58 after 36 years in same company to take care of my wife. Was going to work to 40 but priorities change. She recently passed away and now I'm retired, everything is paid and I'm sitting around wondering what to do next. All my retirement plans always included her and now it is strange trying to figure out what I want to do. Moral is, don't work so long that you don't get to enjoy your retirement with the ones you love.

 

Your parents have a great son. They must be very proud of you. I have utmost respect for people who payed their way through schooling.

I payed my daughter's way through college. I'm proud of her too because the first thing she did when she got her teacher's job was set up an account to pay back the tuition and as she calls it "a little extras to use for your Vegas fund..."

Cute. LOL.

 

Jack,

I was moved to tears when I read this. Take care, be strong, and God Bless.

 

I can't remember who said it but work to live. Don't live to work.

Sorry to hear about your wife Jack.

My dad died suddenly when I was 25 and I think that changed my perspective on things as well. I was away on a business trip at the time.

 

One of my older brothers had retirement plans to travel the world. His wife became ill and he has done nothing in the last 10 years except an occasional tag along trip with us to Vegas and he doesn't gamble or drink.

His wife passed away on Thanksgiving Day. He is in the process of selling their huge home and has rented an apartment, but other than that, he has no clue what he is going to do. Sometimes those best laid plans just don't work out.

 

I did not read all the replies to this thread so forgive me if this has been covered but I can't really imagine retiring, at least in the classic sense. I'm 48 years old so retirement is still as ways off anyway but I work in an air conditioned office, have a job that while mentally stressful at times (divorce lawyer) is not physically taxing. I am currently grooming an associate to be able to cover for me when I don't feel like working or want to taken extended vacation. Ideally I see myself eventually working an average of 2-3 days a week with 1 or 2 extended vacations (IE: 3 to 4 weeks) a year. I just don't know how I would deal with all that "free" time, I'd probably end up divorced after I drove my wife crazy and then could never retire due to the alimony payments.

One other thought, does it really make sense for people who are not in physically taxing jobs to retire at 62? That age was established in 1935 when the average man lived to be 59.9 years old and women lived to be 63.9 years old; in 2010 (latest year available) those numbers have risen to 76.2 for men and 81.3 for women--the numbers are slightly higher for whites. Just doesn't make sense to me to retire at 62, but each to his own, maybe I'll feel differently in another 10 years.

 

Most have different views on retirement. We saved and invested and never did any big money things or big long family vacations. Now I have friends since grade school that bought the big house, new cars and big oversea vacations. Most are now in debt and no plans on retiring. Now they are the ones that say I'm nuts to have retired because you'll get bored, nothing to do and all those things. I always tell them the same thing. Maybe but it's my choice to do or not to do. They say I like to work. I say hey, meet me in Vegas or Maui or San Diego. No, can't get off. THAT'S ONE GOOD REASON TO RETIRE> YOUR ALWAYS OFF!

 

It's this. We saved our entire working careers and can now do whatever we want. The only limiting factor is the dog and the kennel. We don't want to leave her there for more than 5 days at a time.

It's a kennel where they have play time twice a day and mingle/play with other dogs and she seems to enjoy it. When we drop her off, she drags us to the door, so I guess that's a good sign.

She is 11, once she passes, my goal is to go to Australia for 3 weeks, then visit Europe a couple of times per year.

We bought passports in 2008 and still haven't used them.

 

I got lucky (sold my consulting firm) and 'retired' at 26. After about 6 months I couldn't handle it and starting working again. Same thing at 37...lasted a whole 10 months.
Then again at 45...lasted 4 months.

I've now determined that I am one of those people that just has to work, or at least my version of it.
I might be spending equal time on the golf course. The way I've been playing golf lately work is more relaxing. (32-58 on Friday)

 

I just retired this year after 40 years with the same company, an oddity nowadays. Started with them at 18 right out of HS and worked my way up the ladder. The release from my 24/7 management responsibilities and related stress has been so liberating! 3rd trip to Vegas since I retired next week!

 

Okay, I'll put in my oar.

Like shokhead, I retired 15 years ago after 30 years teaching school. So did my wife. During those years, we saved like crazy and avoided wasting money. We also decided not to have children.

Many folks our age are still working. Sure, some of them resent us. Tough teabags. Some of them also made more than twice as much as I did but spent it all. Bulletin: if you spend it, you no longer have it.

Why did I retire young? You try reading English compositions in wretched handwriting for 30 years. But that's not really why. Our school system was gradually changing the course offerings and course content and increasing staff loads in order to save money. "Dumbing down" is the inevitable result, and I refused be a part of that process. I got out while it was still possible for me to do a good job and to enjoy doing it.