The Retirement Thread

[Darrell Green Fan]

I still might do the golf course gig if I get bored. Free golf when your not working.

I played with a single the other day at Brambleton. He worked there at Brambleton on Friday's only and golfed as a walk on every other day of the week for free.

Working at a golf course is by far the best working environment of my life. Everyone's in a good mood, the players may be pissed on the 14th green but by the time they get back everyone's laughing. Co-workers are great because they look for nice, friendly people.

Not only do I get free golf but I haven't purchased a golf ball in 2.5 years. For some reason people hit real balls onto the driving range, when we pick the range we pull out all the white balls and I keep the Pro V's I find. I have 2 buckets of them.

 

[Ashburn Dave]

Working at a golf course is by far the best working environment of my life. Everyone's in a good mood, the players may be pissed on the 14th green but by the time they get back everyone's laughing. Co-workers are great because they look for nice, friendly people.

Not only do I get free golf but I haven't purchased a golf ball in 2.5 years. For some reason people hit real balls onto the driving range, when we pick the range we pull out all the white balls and I keep the Pro V's I find. I have 2 buckets of them.

DGF - are you local? We need a 4th for Wednesday 6/3 10am at Locust Hill in WV.
We're bogey golfers if you're interested.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

DGF - are you local? We need a 4th for Wednesday 6/3 10am at Locust Hill in WV.
We're bogey golfers if you're interested.

Locust Hill! I was researching retirement destinations when we were thinking about relocating and Charles Town was one of the first places I looked. That would have been the local course, I found the cheap one half way to Harpers Ferry was a dog track, and I like it as it was not too tough. And it's less than an hour for me so it would work.

Only I work on Wednesday. Sorry, thanks for the offer.

 

[Skinsfan1311]

I'm stuck in a real quandary because I can retire in Dec at 62 or I can wait until I am 65. $1k month difference. I've always based my retirement on monthly Social Security income to be safe, but at this point that really doesn't matter. I maxed out my Social Security 25 years ago. I started saving money at a very young age as well as property investments over the years. I have become kinda frugal the last 5 years. I'm really in a good financial situation. I didn't hit the number that I wanted, but I think I have more than enough.

I'm thinking about just kicking the fucking can and calling it a day at 62. Although I'm kind of addicted to working/earning money, and all of the benefits that a full-time US job provides. I am retiring outside of the United States and have done a lot of Investigation regarding that as well.

I'm also thinking about opening a global consulting business where I can work remotely for clients all over the world. My primary business for the past 30 plus years has been internet service providers, network service providers (mostly Data Centers, Hyperscalers and Cloud providers) and the past 5 years has been high performance compute and artificial intelligence. This market is on fire right now

I think it really just comes down to me mentally accepting turning off the switch and letting go

If it doesn't matter and you're in a really good financial situation, then then ask yourself this. What is 3 years of my life worth? I love my job and what I do, but I hate the idea of being obligated to do it. I keep our financial situation close to the vest but between the pensions, 401K & SS we will have a comfortable retirement. I planned & saved for 40 years and there's no way I'd stick around, or delay SS payments, for $1K per month. There's too much that can go downhill, and fast, as we age and I value my health, far more than money. I'll be 63 in March and not working one second past my birthday. Every single person that I know that's retired has said the same thing. "I wish I had done it earlier" Mom volunteered at a hospice back in the early 80's and there was an older gentleman that she helped care for and he told her that his biggest regret was working too long. Just some food for thought...

 

[Boone]

Great post Skinsfan1311 - this is my mindset as well.

 

[Chris]

Pension? What’s a pension? 🤣

 

[Mickalino]

If it doesn't matter and you're in a really good financial situation, then then ask yourself this. What is 3 years of my life worth? I love my job and what I do, but I hate the idea of being obligated to do it. I keep our financial situation close to the vest but between the pensions, 401K & SS we will have a comfortable retirement. I planned & saved for 40 years and there's no way I'd stick around, or delay SS payments, for $1K per month. There's too much that can go downhill, and fast, as we age and I value my health, far more than money. I'll be 63 in March and not working one second past my birthday. Every single person that I know that's retired has said the same thing. "I wish I had done it earlier" Mom volunteered at a hospice back in the early 80's and there was an older gentleman that she helped care for and he told her that his biggest regret was working too long. Just some food for thought...

Very well spoken...
Either live to work...or work to live
It's called "make a living" right, so the end result should be a great life !

 

[Skinsfan1311]

Pension? What’s a pension? 🤣

It's what we Boomers contributed to back in the Dark Ages...

 

[Chris]

It's what we some Boomers contributed to back in the Dark Ages... 😉

 

[Chris]

I really only have one technical financial maneuver left to complete: converting what is remaining in my TIRA to my Roth prior to the required RMDs kicking in.

 

[Ghost of Sarge]

If it doesn't matter and you're in a really good financial situation, then then ask yourself this. What is 3 years of my life worth? I love my job and what I do, but I hate the idea of being obligated to do it. I keep our financial situation close to the vest but between the pensions, 401K & SS we will have a comfortable retirement. I planned & saved for 40 years and there's no way I'd stick around, or delay SS payments, for $1K per month. There's too much that can go downhill, and fast, as we age and I value my health, far more than money. I'll be 63 in March and not working one second past my birthday. Every single person that I know that's retired has said the same thing. "I wish I had done it earlier" Mom volunteered at a hospice back in the early 80's and there was an older gentleman that she helped care for and he told her that his biggest regret was working too long. Just some food for thought...

Yep, that's me. Average life expectancy for an American male is 72. There was no way I was working until 65. Yeah, the money is better, but what if you kick the bucket at 66 or 67? For me, it was time to enjoy life and do what I wanted to do. And I have the powerpoint somewhere my financial guy gave me about taking SS at 62 or waiting. If you live to 72 and take it at 62, you actually come out better than if you wait. Besides, I've been giving Uncle Sugar my money for SS for forty years. I want my money back before they come along and say "Oh, well, we borrowed against it and don't have the money to put it all back". And for you government workers, don't know if you know this or not, but the government has borrowed against the TSP fund not once, but twice. Last time they were very middle of the night about it. They put it all back, but being 39 trillion in debt, I didn't want them coming back and saying they couldn't put it all back if they borrow against it again. That's why I close out my TSP and rolled it into a managed Roth.

 

[Ashburn Dave]

I'm still waiting until 70 before taking SS. Yes, it is a gamble waiting but I don't need it today so I'll wait another 3 years and take that gamble. I'm another one collecting pension.

Today we drove out to Harper's Ferry with our new ebikes and rode bikes with the grandkids. Pure bliss.

 

[DWinzit]

I'm 63 and a few months. I just applied for SS a couple weeks ago. I received a letter from them yesterday stating my first check will arrive on the 17th. I figured I'd start collecting now for two reasons:

1. I lost a lot of friends who passed before they could enjoy retirement or SS. I am taking advantage while I can (although I did wait a year)
2. I figured I'd start collecting before the politicians spend it all

 

[RedWolf]

Great input from everybody thank you I am thinking

 

[Mickalino]

Anything still in the Bucket Lists for anyone ?

 

[burgold]

Anything still in the Bucket Lists for anyone ?

There's always something. I'm amazed at the things I've gotten to do, but there's so much more out there. Things I can make. Things I can do. Places I can see. Experiences I can have. The bucket will never be empty.

 

[Ashburn Dave]

Anything still in the Bucket Lists for anyone ?

Fiji or Bora Bora in one of those overwater bungalows is still pending for us.

Although after discussing Jaws in the movie thread, I would be the guy who jumps off his bungalow first thing in the morning into the mouth of some big tiger or bull shark.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

Yep, that's me. Average life expectancy for an American male is 72. There was no way I was working until 65.

This life expectancy takes into account all the deaths early in life. By the time you get to 62 your life expectancy is a little over 81 so we should plan for that. With that said nobody was lying on their deathbed wishing they had worked more and had less fun. I retired at 60 and drove an Uber, one of the best decisions of my life.

If RedWolf is able financially I would pull the trigger for sure. I understand the hesitancy, we all know once you shut off the tap you can't turn it back on . But he can stay in the game by doing his own consulting in a field that is blowing up, he can now work on his schedule. As he is moving overseas I assume he has healthcare figured out so by all means go for it!

 

[DWinzit]

This life expectancy takes into account all the deaths early in life. By the time you get to 62 your life expectancy is a little over 81 so we should plan for that. With that said nobody was lying on their deathbed wishing they had worked more and had less fun. I retired at 60 and drove an Uber, one of the best decisions of my life.

If RedWolf is able financially I would pull the trigger for sure. I understand the hesitancy, we all know once you shut off the tap you can't turn it back on . But he can stay in the game by doing his own consulting in a field that is blowing up, he can now work on his schedule. As he is moving overseas I assume he has healthcare figured out so by all means go for it!

I agree, pull the trigger. I mean, why wait if you are already financially in good shape. Get it and invest it on your own or enjoy it. It seems like RedWolf is already enjoying life comfortably. Get the money so it is already in your name, not the governments

 

[Boone]

I'm not sure I would consider someone who ends their primary career, only to go find some other job, as 'retired'. Of course whatever folks want or need to do is cool - but that's not 'retirement' which by definition involves the cessation of 'employment' or 'work'.

Put me in the 'I wish I'd done it sooner' category.