Retirement, pros, cons, opinions and advice

[danny]

I retired from law enforcement and found it really difficult. I think the things that were the hardest were losing the bond that first responders have and, the loss of my identity and a purpose in life.

My identity and purpose in life has been goofed up by my job.

Danny

 

[Dgd6mm]

Retirement is ok at best. After both my shoulders are done I'm going back to work at 67 years old.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

Too funny hope we are all as fortunate.i surely agree

It takes, a Lot of, thought and Planning and NOT taking, "Yourself",.. that, Seriously !
Dump, your Ego ! ( you'll end up keeping,.. "some" of It, anyway ! )
Man's, Natural Sin is, PRIDE and Hard to,...
Shake, totally Off !
Smile,.. Be thankful, patient, tolerant/ loving and Grateful for, what you, Have been,.. given !

 

[ev780]

Pretty good thread. I retired 9 years ago at 52 after 37 years in public safety with the last 23 as a paramedic. I walked away (luckily just before COVID)and never looked back. The compassion fatigue was real and glad to be done.

My only add is that there no good good info on how to SPEND retirement savings. Lots on how to SAVE. I suspect there is no incentive for financial services companies to teach you how to take money out of their coffers. Cuts straight to their bottom line. So, learn that stuff and get advice so that you do it right and don't go broke. The first year is the hardest.

I highly recommend the lifestyle. I golf, shoot, read (remember that?) and a ton of other things, and just enjoy a slow unstructured life. As others have said, I wonder how I had time to work! Not for everyone but sure has worked for me.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

Pretty good thread. I retired 9 years ago at 52 after 37 years in public safety with the last 23 as a paramedic. I walked away (luckily just before COVID)and never looked back. The compassion fatigue was real and glad to be done.

My only add is that there no good good info on how to SPEND retirement savings. Lots on how to SAVE. I suspect there is no incentive for financial services companies to teach you how to take money out of their coffers. Cuts straight to their bottom line. So, learn that stuff and get advice so that you do it right and don't go broke. The first year is the hardest.

I highly recommend the lifestyle. I golf, shoot, read (remember that?) and a ton of other things, and just enjoy a slow unstructured life. As others have said, I wonder how I had time to work! Not for everyone but sure has worked for me.

@ ev780,..
Just Do, a thorough Budget and Take, just enough out of, your Retirement Savings to cover, your "Skinny" Budget and PLOW the "Extra" Dough, back into Buying, more Shares of Stock's, Bonds or, ETF's with, the thought of, increasing your Dividends to, KEEP Up with... inflation !
Keeping up with, inflation, Allows Me to, Buy,.. New Guns, Bullets, Brass, Powder,.. etc. !

 

[Terrykuz]

I walk my lab on state forest trails every day, rain or shine. I try to shoot every day. I try to eat well every day. I try to say F it every day. So I am on a low stress path.
All of this will end, so I appreciate what the Lord has given me.

 

[gmr4]

For the first 6 months I was lost.. not having fun.. and frustrated. Kicked up my reloading and shooting to 3-4 times per week. THEN I dove into F-Open and enjoy it and the great folks I’ve met. Its the season now and I am reloading 6 days week and shooting 3-4 times per week. Spending $ while Im healthy enough to enjoy it… high master in 7 months… having gooals is huge for me and I had lost that when I retired.

 

[KMW 1954]

All of this will end, so I appreciate what the Lord has given me.

With all my medical history, 10 years ago I would espouse that in my view every day is a blessing and every day past 70 would be a bonus. I'm now 71 and still enjoying my PT job..

 

[ogre1911]

Retire HOW you want, IF you want with no payments or WHATEVER payments you want, you'll not get judged by this sinner. lol

Your life is your own just make sure you're LIVING and not merely waiting to die. That's just a suggestion

 

[Old Navy]

A lot of guys make retirement plans that are way too complicated. All you need for a happy retirement is a large screen TV and a wife and they both have to work.

 

[Tesoro]

@ ev780,..
Just Do, a thorough Budget and Take, just enough out of, your Retirement Savings to cover, your "Skinny" Budget and PLOW the "Extra" Dough, back into Buying, more Shares of Stock's, Bonds or, ETF's with, the thought of, increasing your Dividends to, KEEP Up with... inflation !
Keeping up with, inflation, Allows Me to, Buy,.. New Guns, Bullets, Brass, Powder,.. etc. !

"Keeping up with inflation" is another brainwash started by the traders to get you to risk savings you don't realize you might not have the energy to re-earn if the shtf. Your retirement budget should go waaay down naturally to offset temporary inflation if that is one's issue. If you dont have enough savings to survive off without gambling then you retired, or quit working too early. Many people in this boat do some part time work to supplement, or sell their homes and move to a more affordable area. Or sell house, buy a big rv to fulltime and escape from their parasitic kids lol.

 

[Tesoro]

Retire HOW you want, IF you want with no payments or WHATEVER payments you want, you'll not get judged by this sinner. lol

Your life is your own just make sure you're LIVING and not merely waiting to die. That's just a suggestion

I am only 64 and realistically I only have 10-15 more summers and winters left to run around having fun. So I ain't wasting time staring at a big screen tv! The only people I know in their 70's who are still fit don't sit around and stay away from doctors unless they can't stop the bleeding themselves.

 

[ogre1911]

Sounds like you're LIVING!

 

[ogre1911]

Tesoro,

Come visit this winter and we'll put some hate down range and smoke (meat) and drink some stuff and do some LIVING!

 

[Tesoro]

Tesoro,

Come visit this winter and we'll put some hate down range and smoke (meat) and drink some stuff and do some LIVING!

U said it!

 

[KMW 1954]

I have been mostly retires since 2016 when I was forced onto disability. Since my heart bypass my overall health has improved. I still do not feel safe going alone out on the boat as rescue is a long time away. That was something I would do almost daily but now I am just not going to put myself in tat position.

Instead I took up my PT job at the range. This keeps me active both physically and mentally. I work for a great group of people who also know and understand that I'm there for the fun. I don't need the income but it does offset my shooting habit. I have an understanding with them that when this turns into a job I'm finished.

I really do enjoy the work, enjoy the people I meet and interact with and when I am not busy I get to shoot. I will continue with this as long as my health holds out. Refuse to sit in a chair and rot!

Oh yeah, have also been in contact with folks associated with the UBR organization and have been talking to our range about becoming involved and holding matches. Think that would be fun.

 

[ArtinNC]

Don't retire untill you are ready . when are you ready ? When are morning you walk into work look around and tell your boss I'm retiring . If you have to think about it you are not ready . Now that I retired 20 years ago I think I should have retired sooner . But you will really know when you are ready .

 

[wildcatter]

Hell where do I start, "START LIVING, OR START DYING" the choice is yours. I had to retire at 37, after a 42 foot fall doing what I loved, Ironwork, setting steel and rigging heavy machinery. But you have to start living, and quickly learn, you don't have enough time to do everything you love to do. Biking, hiking, fishing, camping, cooking, hunting, building rifles, competing in shooting sports, loading, putting together custom fishing outfits, custom handguns, grandkids, etc etc, then you have to find time to take care of your home and property, as I don't have the funds to pay someone else to do that for me, but part of life is learning to depend on no one and taking care of yourself. Just not enough time to do everything you want.




Now the con is like I said above, no time to do all you want, or enough money to always be able to do what you want, but when you learn to do it for yourself, the money is insignificant!! But the worse thing is, the longer you do this, and the more things you love to do, you soon forget about having money, the more you learn you don't need money, as the less money you have, the more you learn what is truly important in life, having God is where that all comes together.

I never got a dime, or accepted a hand out, nor did I scream sue them, I flocked up, I found a way and did it on my own! I accepted that and found God, and that was when things changed in my life, God has made sure I live more today with less income than ever, but I have more than ever, the main thing to remember is you need God to enjoy life, and with him you'll never look back.

 

[NorCalMikie]

I know everyone has a different set of circumstances, finances, health, everyone’s path is their own but I’m curious what pointers or advice would you offer?

Started drawing SS when I reached the full age of retirement (then, 65 & 10 months) so I could keep working and the feds couldn't doc any of my SS. Stashed those $$$ and kept working. I LOVED working!! Maybe a year or so later, started having medical issues. Was off for a month or so. The boss called and asked if I was coming back to work? I said no because I didn't know from day to day how I would feel. Still got BIG $$$$ in tools at the shop. Just never brought them home.

Not everybody has/had paid medical Ins from their work place. I found out if you didn't have prescription med (pills) coverage and you DON'T get it when you sign up for SS, they doc you and there isn't SQUAT you can do about it. EVERY month you pay a "late fee" for NOT getting it when you first get your SS!! Try fighting City Hall!!
My health got better and I love NOT having to be somewhere at a certain time. If I see someone and want to B.S. for a while, I CAN!!
Me and the wife of 60+ years do LOTS of lunches!! I enjoy spending time with her!! Very seldom do I go anywhere without her.
The boss would call and ask me to come in and hold down the fort while he went on vacation. Got to see folks I hadn't seen in a long time. Got paid CASH for my time!!
Not too long after NOT having to go to work, I got involved with my big sister (8 years older than I) and her finances as she was starting to slip a bit. Bills were getting behind, license fees on her car were late, taxes wern't filed on time and THIS was not her. City was going after her house for taxes. She had NO PROBLEM spending the $$$ she worked hard for. Lived in the same house for over 40 years and didn't have any problems filling it with STUFF she wanted, no junk either!!
Got a DPOA to take care of her finances. Got everything up to snuff.
Not too long after, ended up putting her in a care home cause she wasn't taking care of herself. If it had come to a "discussing" between she and I, it never would have happened. (I'am just her little brother)!!
Ended up calling 911 when she was found on the floor for hours. (I live 2.5 hours away) Last time she didn't answer the door for Meals on Wheeles, told the wife, I'll be back, I'll call you!! Severely dehydrated, kidneys shutting down and only 80 pounds, "but I'am fine", I made the choice!! Care home!! She was treated like a queen. Up to 105 lbs. within a few months. They fed her!!
She died a few years later. House paid for and not being lived in. At least once a week+ drive to get the mail and house check. Had a gardener keep the yard up.
Somebody wanted the house REAL BAD so I finally filed her will as the Executor so I could sell the house. Sold it AS IS with LOTS of stuff inside. The young Gal that bought it got a DEAL and I got rid of the house!!
Me and Mine don't need much to get by. Enjoying life every day.
Wife going in tomorrow for cataract surgery. Only problem with her seeing better? She will see that I'am NOT that handsome devil she married 60+ years ago. Her reply? Love in blind!!
When you retire, don't spend more $$$ than you've got. One day at a time. You're only going around one time (unless you're Shirley MacLane) so YOU BETTER make the best of it.
If you open your eyes in the morning, say THANK YOU LORD!!
If you DON'T wake up, someone else will have fun with your STUFF!!
Now get up and go do your day the best you can, Naps included!!

 

[Dgd6mm]

My wife will be 65 in a couple of months. She was 62 at the time with over 40 years in a nursing career. She walks in the house one day early from work. I asked her why she was home early and she simply said, I'm done. I took that as done for the day. Her schedule had her off for the next 2 days. On the 3rd day I noticed she was still home when I got up out of bed that morning. I asked her why she was still home and she simply said I told you I'm done. She actually meant she had decided to retire. I was very happy for her. All those 12 hour shifts where officially over. She has taken to retirement well. She's been on trips with our Church ladies and trips with friends that had she still been working would not have happened. I am very happy for her and glad she made that decision. She's constantly busy enjoying herself.