Just might do it?

[oldyaker]

Well, thinking of retiring sometime in the next year or so...... The big thing holding me back was health care until reaching Medicare, I'll be 62 on my next birthday which is in 2010. I have just been accepted into VA health care and after a couple of visits to the VA doctor, it's not too bad. So I won't shell out big bucks for insurance. My Co. has no retirement benefits other than 410k. I'm no millionaire but have a respectable 401 tucked away, So what benefit is there to stay until 65 for a couple hundred bucks more a month? Maybe tuck a little more away into 401 for another 3-4 years? Not to mention a miserable 45 mile drive to work every day. :x
Right now I have Blackberry attached to my arse so I can be available 24/7........working long days for no extra money, someone looking over your shoulder all the time. No time to paddle, fish or enjoy a sunset. What is working another 3-4 years for little gain when I can grab 3-4 years of life on this end of my time on the planet? After this Administration gets done taxing working people, it won't pay to work anymore anyway.
Any of y'all that have worked to 65 and wished you retired sooner? Any of you worked until 62 and wish they worked until 65?
So do I do it after my next birthday? Or put up with crap another 3-4 years? I don't live a lifestyle of the rich and famous....wife says she wants to work a few more years. I may get a part time fun job until she retires. By fun part time job....I mean selling canoes, camping and fishing gear at our local Outdoor Gander Mountain store....not to mention 20% for employees. :roll:
I'm looking at real real close.

 

[mike]

I'm 57 and have been eligible to retire for 3 years now. That's what working for the gooberment does for you. I decided to wait until I'm 60 because the extra 6 years (since I became eligible) means an extra $2,500 per month on my retirement check. No brainer for me. If it weren't for that, I'd have drug up 3 years ago.

Mike

 

[oldsparkey]

I retired at 55 and would of earlier if I could of gotten away with it. But the state retirement did not kick in till your are 55.
Then at 62 got the government check and am making more $$$$ then when I was working between those two checks. :lol: Plus the wife is still working. ( I did have everything paid for before I retired , that was my 1 rule )
Keep the state health up to the 65 level and then went over on the government and a supplemental policy that A.A.R.P offers with United Health Care .. The same folks I was with on the state health plan.This new one costs me 1/4th of what I was paying.

At 62 when I applied for the gov check every month ( Social Security) the gal told me I would make more a month if I waited till I was 65. RIGHT.... WRONG... rather have it those three years then to hold off and stand a shot of not getting anything. I told her that with my medical history there was a good possibility I would never see a check and I wanted it locked in.

What every you do ... Don't Retire, it is absolutely a miserable life. You don't have to get up in the morning if you don't want to. Forget driving anywhere , every day , unless you fell like going someplace. You will be bored out of your mind by building boats , going fishing , camping , or just goofing off when you feel like it and above all stay away from sporting good stores.
There are no anchors tied around your neck , except for the ones the wife puts there, like doing all the Honey Dew's if you feel like it. ( Which you better feel like doing) A lot of folks just can't stand the freedom after be chained to a job for all there lives. :lol:

Chuck.
Someone says ... I'm hiking this area , want to go. Or lets fish this lake tomorrow. Or , Going to Bass World want to go along , or there is a cooler full of iced beer next to the grill , are you coming over today. NOPE ..Can't do it have to go to W&^k... I sure hope you don't believe that answer... :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Kayak Jack]

Jimmy, from what you've laid out, I'd suggest you retire. I worked until I was 67, and got tired of the long, 2 hour commute each morning and night.

I too, thought about a part time job after retirement. I figured it would be needed to keep me busy, bring in some money, and in stay contact with people. Found out two things - didn't need it and didn't want it. The first morning of retirement, I had set the alarm for 06:30. turned it off, rolled over and went back to sleep with a big smile on my face. That smile is still there.

For three years, I had the privilege of being guardian for Katie, my granddaughter. What a delight and honor that was. I was injured and alone when she went back to live with her dad. After a few months, I began to use the extra time and money that were all of a sudden available. I've traveled a fair amount and paddled rivers and swamps I never would have otherwise. Now, I'm buying an airplane and plan to fly a lot.

Retiring from work was just like when I was 14 and quit fishing to start dating girls and riding motorbikes, later on graduated from college, and later yet got divorced - I never looked back.

 

[oldyaker]

Reason for a pert time is not make the Mizzus feel bad she is the only one going to work. :wink: I would do it pnly until she retires........and.......pick up more gear until flly retired. Maybe 15-20 hours a week. Than I can have time to start another boat project and house projects.

 

[oldsparkey]

:lol: :lol: :lol:
That was me for a couple of years after leaving work. I keep the gal busy at the photo lab in the Winn Dixie here near the house and she finally asked me if I would like a part time job developing pictures. :roll: WHO ME , operate a multi thousand dollar computerized processor for the pictures..... For a couple of years all my pictures were processed , cropped and touched up or enlarged on any given Friday , Saturday and Sunday. Plus I got paid for it. :lol: :lol: :lol: Then the digital craze hit and they closed the lab. :cry:
"O" well gave me a reason to go digital on the pictures.

Chuck.

 

[hairymick]

Jimmy,

A couple of questions if you don't mind. you don't have to answer them. they are more to ask yourself before you make the decision.

1. Will your current retirement income be enough to retire on?

2. Can you lock it in so that that income is guaranteed for the rest of your life?

3. Is your health up to you continueing to work in the conditions you describe?

4. Do you want to anyway?

I would suggest that if you can retire comfortably now and your retirement income is guaranteed then you do it. Remember however, our governments have made an art form of stealing from us and changing the rules.

Good luck my friend.

 

[bearridge]

Wore out pal oldyaker,

Nobody knows how long they got left. There aint no eazy answer. Ya gotta guess. While it iz risky, I dont see the point in workin' til yer too old 'n wore out ta do much cept set on the bank 'n fish 'er play shuffleboard.....hustlin' geezers outta their pills. However, did ya give any thought ta walkin' in ta see the big boss at the pickle company 'n tell him "I aint happy.....'n if I aint happy, I aint workin' fer ya'll no more". Then if he sez "what will it take ta make ya happy?", lay it out. Either he sez "sorry pal, don't let the door hit ya in the arse on the way out" 'er "he sez "okay.....ya got it". Keep yer pay, cut yer hours, cut yer days, add more vacations....like Mick 'n Robin? [chuckle]

Most folks dont figger they kin git away with a deal like that. Most of 'em iz rite, but yer a funny guy. They jest mite go back 'n count the fava beans agin? Worst they kin do iz ask if yer outta yer mind. Tell 'em everthin' wuz swell until ya joined the Paddlin' Geezer Canoe Clud. Tell 'em it wuz either that 'er work related. lol

regards 'n good luck
bearridge

ps I dont miss work. I could use some more help gittin' up more paddlin' expedishuns. [grin]

Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.  Carl Zwanzig

 

[hairymick]

Darn fine words of wisdom there Bear.

If you don't ask you will never know. At the moment your boss is getting a whole heap of extra for nothing. I would bet he would be prepared to "negotiate" If not, he is a bum.

 

[oldsparkey]

Darn fine words of wisdom there Bear.

If you don't ask you will never know. At the moment your boss is getting a whole heap of extra for nothing. I would bet he would be prepared to "negotiate" If not, he is a bum.

Mick...

Over here "Negotiating " is a dangerous thing. They can take what an old timer is making and hire a couple of new folks. When I retired it opened the salary area for three more new guys and that was in the days of plenty , not like today. Today a person is lucky to have a job and they are looking for a reason to let the higher paid ( old timers and experienced ) folks hit the bricks.

Things are not like they use to be. They want a lot more from a person for the same or less pay and benefits. The responsibilities increase but nothing else does. Might say the system is going in reverse , more productivity/responsibility for less pay / benefits from the employer. :evil:

He might be better negotiating a retirement package and he would have to be dang careful about it when doing it. If they think he is serious about retirement that can be an out they are looking for and sort of help out on that thought and not to his benefit.
Personally I would not say a dam thing till I decided to do it , just to cover his arse.

It's not the way things should be done but I could see a rat in the wood pile at work and the warning they got was the same day I signed the papers for retirement and said , two weeks here and then 4 weeks I'm on vacation. I gave up 6 months of accrued vacation time and almost a year of accrued sick time. They paid me for 4 weeks of each when I left. :lol: :lol: :lol: The remaining time I did arrange for it to go into the bank for the new guys to use so it was not lost.

Chuck.

 

[bearridge]

Things are not like they use to be.
Personally I would not say a dam thing till I decided to do it , just to cover his arse.

I dont figger he'd walk in 'n tell 'em how it wuz gwine ta be if he did not have hiz bags packed. However, one thing iz the same az it used ta be. Ever bizness, even guviment, gotta have somebody who kin git the job done. Ya jest caint go out 'n hire folks ta walk in 'n know what ta do. Frum what I seen, most folks caint tote their weight in a job. Some of 'em dont even seem ta try these days. I worked fer a heap a bizness folks who wuz down in the dumps cuz when a new fella come in ta talk bout a job, the first thing they asked wuz when do I git my vacation.

I been round oldyaker enuff ta know he iz a fella who kin git the job done. Somebody kin put some in-laws on the payroll cuz he iz on the job. Remember that time with the Yakima rack?

Now that wuz a mechanical event kinda like when they built the atom bomb out in west Texas.

regards
bearridge

Woodrow Call: That was a dang stupid thing to do--bringing that old sign along--you'll have us the laughing stock of the whole country--with that--we don't rent pigs part.
Gus McCrae: Well, we don't rent pigs. I figured it's better to say it right up front--'cause a man that does like to rent pigs is--is hard to stop.
Woodrow Call: If that ain't bad enough you got all those Greek words on there too--
Gus McCrae: I told you Woodrow a long time ago it ain't Greek -- it's Latin.
Woodrow Call: What does it say in Latin?
Gus McCrae: Well, it's a motto--it just says itself -uva uvam vivendo varia fit....
Woodrow Call: You don't have any idea what it says--you found that in some old book or something-- for all you know it invites people to rob us.
Gus McCrae: Well, the first man that comes along that reads Latin is welcome to rob us as far as I'm concerned. I'd like the chance to shoot at an educated man once in my life.

 

[a Bald Cypress]

One thing to consider is. If you accept the mail box money from the Govt. at 62. You are limited to earning $1000.00 per month [if you want to get a part time job]. That will last until you are 65+.

I me own self opted to take the money and run at 62. I cyphered it out as close as I could and figuered that I would hit the break even point at 73.4 years of age. After that, it would have made me more money to wait until 65 to accept the mail box money.

I have kept a part time job since I like the "extra" cash. It allows me to buy what I want, take the wife out to eat whenever we wish and in no way upset the " household money".

Although, no job and sleeping in every day sounds real good.

 

[oldsparkey]

Dam , I'm smart , stood in the right place for the leaves to block the picture of me during that circle (something) while setting up those canoe racks for Bear. That's just me , I always loved a good comedy show , specially a free one when camping in the mountains. :lol: Guess that comes from being retired. :roll:

Going to bed tonight laughing , Thank's Bear for the memories , I forgot about that floor show and no I am not setting the alarm , threw it away 11 years ago with my watch.

By the way with me being retired the wife and I take out every Sunday morning to the local I-Hop. She gets the Rooting -tooty -fruity breakfast which is eggs ( how ever you like them ) some bacon , toast or biscuits , pancakes with the candied fruit of your choice on the pancakes , topped with some whipped cream and naturally a big pitcher of coffee.
I like the breakfast bar which has fruit of all descriptions , jello , eggs , bacon , grits , hash browns , sausage , french toast and biscuits with a big pot of sausage gravy to dump over them , all and as much as you want with a large pitcher of coffee. Dam I'm full just thinking about tomorrow morning.
If she wants more bacon or sausage with hers then I just share it off my plate and go back for more. No one has complained since we do leave a good tip for the waiter. :wink:

Chuck.
PS. Oldyaker and Paddlin'Gator did finally get it set up right for the Bear. :wink:

 

[bearridge]

Thanks fer pointin' that out. There iz three folks who worked fer a livin' tryin' ta put that rack together 'n one guviment guy jest watchin'. lol









[still chucklin' here boss]



damn I wish we had decent smilies on this forum...... [sigh]

 

[oldyaker]

Jeez Fellas's...I really appreciate all the great advice and it's all good advice. I don't live a lifestyle of the rich and famous by a long shot. I keep what I can live on in some comfort and pack a some into the 401. I'm just plain tired...tired of phone calls at two AM from flying machines over the North Atlantic telling me they lost electrical power over the North Atlantic and what should they do next......or they are in South America and the engine won't start.....or they have a computer failure out of Tenerife Islands at 2300 at night. I don't look like Charles Atlas but I carry the world on his back like he did when he was young. I drink wine from a box or dollar drafts at the American Legion, a good dinner is a burger on the grill or wing night at a red neck eatery, I'm pretty much middle to low maintenance. A good time is a canoe trip down a local river with a fishing rod with a can of sardines and crackers which I have no time to do now. I think I can do this....... You have to measure a quality of life vs a bank account. Right now quality of life is minimal since I have no time to do the simple things I enjoy. Putting a canoe rack on a buddy's truck and sipp'n a cold one is quality of life. Working to 24/7 helping fat cats get more is no quality of life. Especially when they tell you no raises because times is rough while they sip Dom Perignon at a 135 bucks a bottle. I think I want to be done being an indentured servant! I want to be done being a corporate hack. As you get older, time grows shorter as most of us know. I don't need extra....just what is enough.
That picture of us fitting that rack onto that truck seems an eternity ago. but I still remember that day very well. I made a low country boil one evening and Chuckles made Cajun Beef with about 4 liters of wine....the beef got about a liter of the juice. :roll:

 

[seedtick]

I bailed out at 57 - don't regret it one bit

You got to have a plan
you got to have been thinking about leaving far enough ahead of time so's you don't end up retiring while you're butt deep in debt
you got to have enough money coming in so you can continue to live a reasonable lifestyle
you got to have something to keep you busy - no sense in sitting around watching okra winfrey or the young and the reckless every day - you got to enjoy whatever it is that's going to keep you busy
you got to retire while you can still get around - don't wait until you find out that you're dying of something

other folks have also given some good advice - take it all in and sort out what doesn't apply to you

BTW, once the plan starts coming together and you can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, you'd be surprised at how easy it is to get frustrated with all the little pain in the rear things at work that never really bothered you before. That's when you really know you're ready to retire

 

[jdupre']

I'm 55 and I have started getting my ducks in a row. If I can swing it, I'll retire at 12:01 AM on the sooninest day I can. Like you guys, I want to be able to still DO things while I'm in decent shape. I work with a guy who is 66. I've heard him say on more than one occasion "I don't know if I want to retire. I don't know what I would do with all that time." . :roll: Can't comprehend that thinking. It would be "I don't know what I want to do FIRST." .

Oey

 

[oldsparkey]

Life is to short to not enjoy it when/while you can.

Chuck.

 

[bearridge]

You have to measure a quality of life vs a bank account.

Listen....hear that sound....the nail hit square in the head. I listened ta all the "give it up" talk on here, but still worried bout the struggle fer the legal tender. I called it quits 'n figgered that if I ever run dry, I'll jest move in with the High Sheriff. He iz the one who gives the big thumbs up ta walkin' away. lol If he kin feed hiz boss lady 'n Pups, a few more mouths caint make no difference. He iz kinda like a bald Rasputin.....kin put the evil eye on ya......heal the sick, raize the dead, make little girls talk outta their heads......no, wait.....that iz Trinny Lopez.

I kin see it now.....a flat bed pickup with Miz Bear settin' in her grandma's rocker....drivin' down ta the land of swimmin' holes, movie stars.....no wait, that iz Beverly Hills. At least ya caint go hongry when that ruby red grapefruit tree iz full. Hiz lemon tree turns out some honkers too. By then I mite be down ta cheap tequila, which means lemons 'n salt. [chuckle]

See how things work out!

regards 'n good luck
bearridge

ps Sounds ta me like ya need bout two weeks off jest ta git yer kilter back. Then make yer call. That wuz one of the main reasons I give it up. I had never had a two week break.....'n never would have. Ya gotta work fer the guviment ta git a two week break. [sigh]

The young have aspirations that never come to pass, the old have reminiscences of what never happened.  H. H. Munro

 

[Kayak Jack]

One of the most difficult types of people to get to change, are those that are satisfied. If you're satisfied where you are, Jimmy, remain. If you're not, go somewhere else and get satisfied there. IE: Change until it feels better. Settle in a bit, and test again. Repeat as often as necessary.

NOTE: There is a difference between satisfaction and complacency.