Thoughts on Retirement

[rgrugg]

I retired in 1990, wife in 1994. She had 19 years of retirement before she passed away. No regrets on the early get out even though working longer would have provided more income both before and after retiring. As it is, we (I) spend what we (I) want and will probably still have some left for the kids even though that is NOT a goal.

[honda03842]

When we began our retirement some 13 years ago we had no pension or medical benefits. We spent a lot simply on medical catastrophe insurance but it was definitely worth it. As to money I actually don't care if we are still alive and dirt poor, The earlier years are definitely, to me, more valuable than the later years. Barring a national failure we should be on the road for the next 10 years whe we'll be 80. If we can manage 23 years on the road for 7.5 months per year I can be poor with a smile on my mouth. I expect my Scamp will be doing better than me by than.

I don't know how to express the amount of fun we have had. In some sense it's like being 12 on summer vacation. Now Ginny always whispers in my ear that it's not for everyone. I know but we do love it.

Also there are no financial guarantees. When we started this adventure gas was about a $1 a gallon and now about $3.70.

Safe and joyful travel to all that chose the life

[Bill MacDermod]

back in the 80's Karen and I were at a Goldwing rally and were talking to a retired gent who told me that the biggest decision he had to make everyday was which way to turn when he got to the end of the driveway, We have never forgot that statement and it has become our mantra for everyday life. We left from there thinking what a way to tour the country, on a Goldwing, we bought one just before I retired and living near the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia you know where I was riding when I took it out. I soon found out that our dream would have to go in a different direction when my hands would go to sleep after an hour or so and on top of that my wife started to have panic attacks and would fight my leaning into the corners afraid she was going to tip over. I had about a year of frustration until one day while on ebay I saw this thing that looked like an egg, but was just a travel trailer called a Casita, put a bid on it, lost it and then it got relisted and I got it for $500.00 less than the first bid, the rest is history. Last year we hit 100,000 miles on it and in March of this year we sold our home in Florida and hit the road full time. I have no idea what the future holds for this 76 year old guy and his bride but we're having a ball. Wished we had quit work years ago and got on the trail. Retirement, what a life

[billhenry58]

I retired in May of 2012 after 32 years with the Oak Ridge (TN) Fire Department, and have never regretted it. The work atmosphere was getting too political, heavy-handed, and short sighted for me, so I realized it was time for me to go and let the younger guys handle it. The only things I miss are the social aspects of fire station life…meals and conversation around the table, meals, camaraderie with the guys, meals, pranks, and did I mention the meals?

I have always done woodworking and have been “working” at my new hobby/business in retirement. My 13’ Burro is perfect for taking to craft shows. I noticed early on I had to have a replacement for the social interaction from work, so I get out of the workshop and do things with others…church, concerts, plays, trivia night, mission trips. Nothing beats the freedom of working in the shop for a little while, reading a book in the hammock, and mowing the lawn, all when I feel like it.

Since my wife still works part-time (church organist) and is not really wanting to retire yet, and is also not sold on the camper yet, I anticipate some solo trips or trips with a few of my old firehall buddies. I just bought the camper last month and have been working to upgrade it and put my personal touch to it. I am already looking for another one to fix-up and sell. Retirement is just a part of the journey. It is not the end, but a new direction. I love it.

[Loren G. Hedahl]

"Don't complain about all the aches pains and inconviences that go along with growing old, because there are many who never have that privilege."

[Frederick L. Simson]

I am a year or 2 older now than my Dad was when he took an early retirement in the 1980s after they broke up the old AT&T phone monopoly where he spent 35 years. He had a small defined benefit pension, some company stock, and found a janitor job for 10 years until he could take Social Security at which time the budget was not so tight. His house was paid for, and he and Mom traveled in their own way (They were not RVers).

My current position does not have retirement nor healthcare benefits, but I retired from the Navy Reserves in 1994 with 21 years "part-time" service. I go to the VA for healthcare and will start collecting a small pension when I turn 60 in 2 years. I am still paying a mortgage, and I want to keep the house as a home base.

Dad could not wait to retire, but I have grown satisfied and fulfilled in the work I do, and I can't imagine not doing it. I guess part of my satisfaction is the independence and deference I am granted in the way I perform my work. I don't want to stop working, but maybe take longer vacations more often...

[Byron Kinnaman]

I've been retired for 4 years now. The traveling in the Scamp was probably the best thing we've done. Our first trip out was for only 30 day, not long enough, but we learned a lot in that 30 day. The following winter we headed south for almost 100 days. That trip we finally relaxed and started really enjoying the traveling. The relaxation seems to take some time to be able to do. We some friends that retirement came almost 2 years before mine. We went on a trip to the Red Woods last month with them. They didn't know how to relax, the stress they put themselves under appeared to be about what a working people have and they did it to themselves. From the time they got until bed time is run run run. Hurry over here take a couple pictures, hurry to someplace else, take some pictures. Hurry to the next and complain because the fog and rolled in they couldn't take the picture they imagined. Four days of this.
A big part of retirement, at least to me, is being free to watch the grass grow it want. We never try to see all there is to see when we're at someplace nice. We like to leave something to discover the next time. Makes for a stress free trip. Next time could be in week to years.

[honda03842]

Byron,

What you say is true. There is a pace that one develops during a working life that in retrospect is almost unholy.

Ginny and I find we love to return to a favorite place and discover something else new. We'll be making our sixth loop of the US but will still return to the coast of Oregon to see old haunts. We're amazed when we return to a town like Port Orford, it will be our 8th time, and discover something new.

Saying that we try to make each loop different, taking different roads seeing different things but always throw in some of the seen.

Safe Travels

[Radar1]

Reading all these posts about retirement is encouraging. I'll be 62 in November, eligible to start reduced Social Security if I need it, and am already eligible to retire from my job. Looks like Jan 2014 will be the month I take the plunge, and the Sebring Scamp Camp in Feb 2014 may be my first celebratory camping trip!
We went there in 2012, and the last day several people were continuing South to Key West, while we were headed Northbound into a strong "Norther" that forced me to winterize my Scamp again as I headed into the wind back to work.
Perhaps next year I'll be able to just go whichever direction our desires take us.

[gmw photos]

Originally Posted by Radar1

Reading all these posts about retirement is encouraging. I'll be 62 in November, eligible to start reduced Social Security if I need it, and am already eligible to retire from my job. Looks like Jan 2014 will be the month I take the plunge, and the Sebring Scamp Camp in Feb 2014 may be my first celebratory camping trip!
We went there in 2012, and the last day several people were continuing South to Key West, while we were headed Northbound into a strong "Norther" that forced me to winterize my Scamp again as I headed into the wind back to work.
Perhaps next year I'll be able to just go whichever direction our desires take us.

John,
Congratulations on your upcoming retirement. Yes indeed....if the mood strikes you, continue on south from Sebring this next time if the urge is there !

As to Norm's comment about how many of us took on a pace that was almost unholy in our working years, yes that can certainly be true. In fairness to that concept though, all the extra hours of overtime I put in during my 40 years at the big corporation helped me save and invest so that I "could" retire early. So there was, at least in my case something of an upside to the pace of work. I would like to think that I also "led by example" and showed my kids and some of the other youngsters that a solid work ethic has value.

The sad stories of course are some of the co-workers that many of us had that worked hard and sacrificed for years, and then fate falls them before they get the chance to enjoy what they saved. Life's a gamble.

I will say that since retiring, I have been on a tear to read many more books. I have probably triple the number of books I read per year since retiring. Gotta love that.

[Bobbie Mayer]

We had another option at my college for retirement- not the one I took- but you could choose to reduce hours gradually, so some people went to 3/4 of a load, then 1/2, then 1/4, before retiring. I didn't want to do that as I didn't want to have to be around all year, but it strikes me as a civilized way to cut down (and when teaching college, that could be a three-day a week schedule, teaching only Tuesday and Thursday or only MW.) I'm one semester on, one off (for another year or two) which is also a nice transition, though since I move for the semester off it does prevent me from becoming fully involved in activities in either community. Still, I think transitioning slowly into retirement is a good idea. The only trouble with the way my work allows it is that it isn't reversible if someone tries it and regrets it (not sure about the reduction in time, but what I did isn't reversible.) I wouldn't want to reverse it! but some people might.

My dad kind of did the same thing by using up a lot of vacation, but some people can't do that due to being needed at work.

[Bob Miller]

I didn't read back into the posts, but here's my take on retirement, recently reinforced by the loss of a long time friend just 2 weeks ago.

She was in perfect health and an Oncology RN to boot. At 3:30 she was shopping at Nordstroms, at 4:00 she was gone, at age 57, from a brain anurism.

Some thoughts:

"Every day you don't retire is one day closer to never retiring at all..."

"Help the economy, quit working and leave your job for someone else!!!!!"

Nobody's last words were ever "I shoulda worked longer"

And remember: "Tomorrow is a gift you hope to enjoy, No one owns tomorrow, it's not yours, it belongs only to the ages."

[gmw photos]

Originally Posted by Bobbie Mayer

We had another option at my college for retirement- not the one I took- but you could choose to reduce hours gradually, so some people went to 3/4 of a load, then 1/2, then 1/4, before retiring. I didn't want to do that as I didn't want to have to be around all year, but it strikes me as a civilized way to cut down (and when teaching college, that could be a three-day a week schedule, teaching only Tuesday and Thursday or only MW.) I'm one semester on, one off (for another year or two) which is also a nice transition, though since I move for the semester off it does prevent me from becoming fully involved in activities in either community. Still, I think transitioning slowly into retirement is a good idea. The only trouble with the way my work allows it is that it isn't reversible if someone tries it and regrets it (not sure about the reduction in time, but what I did isn't reversible.) I wouldn't want to reverse it! but some people might.

My dad kind of did the same thing by using up a lot of vacation, but some people can't do that due to being needed at work.

Yes, we had some folks at my company that took a option like that as well. It worked well for both the company and the employee. From the company standpoint, they still had access to the individuals knowledge, if only for a few days a week, and from the employees standpoint, they got to stay on the regular company medical plan, and of course continue to build their retirement plan dollars for the last couple of years.
I too chose to bail out all at once though. When I left, I really wanted to be "gone". No regrets.

[honda03842]

GMW, I didn't mean to suggest that I disliked the 'unholy'. I worked hard because it was fun. I never had one job for more than 5 years or less than 5 years. Each one a little adventure, most often in a new field.

You're right in that hard work and long hours can provide a reward, finacially and mentally.

That said if I had known about RVs I would have started a company building an RV on the east coast. Afterall we used to live in a fiberglass geodesic dome. I must have been snoozing ...no-pun


It takes a while to recognize that life is short. As a parallel, our children have yet to realize were old. If you have the wanderlust, or as my sister in law says, itchy feet, life on the road is great.

People ask me to work, start another company, write a book, I just smile. I've done enough of that...now I'm on a new adventure, listening to people like Terranovafox and ScouterDave planning our next adventure looking for new on the road .

[kdhanso]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

I didn't read back into the posts, but here's my take on retirement, recently reinforced by the loss of a long time friend just 2 weeks ago.

She was in perfect health and an Oncology RN to boot. At 3:30 she was shopping at Nordstroms, at 4:00 she was gone, at age 57, from a brain anurism.

Some thoughts:

"Every day you don't retire is one day closer to never retiring at all..."

"Help the economy, quit working and leave your job for someone else!!!!!"

Nobody's last words were ever "I shoulda worked longer"

And remember: "Tomorrow is a gift you hope to enjoy, No one owns tomorrow, it's not yours, it belongs only to the ages."

Thanks for that Bob. Sorry about your friend. Your thoughts sure ring true for me. I retired from my real job at 50 and have been doing handy work part time for about 5 years now. It doesn't feel like a job but a way to keep busy and help people.

Last fall I had a heart attack and I'm lucky to still be here. My wife is retiring in a couple months and we're hitting the road.

[LeonardS]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

I didn't read back into the posts, but here's my take on retirement, recently reinforced by the loss of a long time friend just 2 weeks ago.

She was in perfect health and an Oncology RN to boot. At 3:30 she was shopping at Nordstroms, at 4:00 she was gone, at age 57, from a brain anurism.

Some thoughts:

"Every day you don't retire is one day closer to never retiring at all..."

"Help the economy, quit working and leave your job for someone else!!!!!"

Nobody's last words were ever "I shoulda worked longer"

And remember: "Tomorrow is a gift you hope to enjoy, No one owns tomorrow, it's not yours, it belongs only to the ages."

Bob, the remark about helping the economy is kind of true. There are lots of baby boomers hogging jobs and positions that even slightly younger folks could use. As one of those boomers I see a whole generation that has been a bit overshadowed in the work force by our shear numbers and resultant culture.

I very much enjoy my job and have thought that if I worked 'til I dropped, well it wouldn't be so bad. I get to travel a lot, most of the guys I work with and meet while traveling for work are really good guys. Some I keep in touch with and have become good friends But... Having reached 58..... Starting to re-think that "work 'til I drop mentality". This thread is thought provoking, especially the part about "every year worked past retirement age takes another year off one's life". I wonder if that is just stress...or all the bad food it is so easy to eat while at work.

[tractors1]

I retired at 56, 8 months after being widowed after 36 years of marriage. I had planned on 55, but her illness prevented that as we needed the medical to cover her. Spent a year getting my bearings and digging out the house. Sold my stickie and 1 ton truck, figured I didn't need them anymore. After almost becoming a hermit, I decided to check out eHarmony.

Cut to the end - after 18 months online I connected to my present wife, an RN, couple of years dating and we married. We decided to get a Casita for travels when she retires next year.

I decided to start my biz after making a few widgets for her, with her wholehearted support. As everything I do is custom, I only do what I want to do - when I want to do it.

If I had not retired, I'm sure I would not have had the time or inclination to really ponder what I wanted to do after being widowed. I learned the road of life has many forks, and once in a while I make the right choice.

Life is good, making it gooder while you have the time is even better!

Charlie Y

[Donna D.]

True story! And we wish Charlie & Cathryn many, many happy anniversaries!

[reetired]

Hmmm...thoughts on retirement!

Life is too short period.....so live your dash! The dash is between the date of your birth and death! No regrets...no should haves, could haves, would haves.

Retired three years ago and haven't looked back...some fear taking the plunge...I'm telling you the water is absolutely wonderful.

For those of you contemplating.....I'll be the first to welcome you to the "other side"!

[honda03842]

Aging and retirement, not anything I thought too much about before retirement but quite clear after 13 road years.

Beyond life being short, life after retirement is even shorter, beyond life after retirement being short, the healthy years after retirement are even shorter.

From my perspective retire as soon as you can and do what gives YOU the most pleasure plus the items that require the most physical activity. It's clear that age brings diminished capacity on many levels.

The good side of aging on the road is that we feel healthier than we might have, had we retired without going on the road.

Being out doors all the time and challenging our minds with new vista's, people and just the difference of living happily in a small trailer stretches one.