Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,655 posts, read 57,721,648 times
Reputation: 46100
Quote:
Originally Posted by newenglandgirl
Going in an out of decent paying jobs easily is next to impossible at older ages. At any age.
It depends on how you filled your toolbox, and how the economy has treated your choices.
At age 18 I had to care for a disabled parent, work the farm, as well as support 'poor' siblings, and work nights to get through college, I learning some skilled trades (Apprenticeships) that I have kept current, I have 3 high demand / high skill career choices. + my professional careers + 3 current businesses I keep 'operational' if need be. I have managed to collect several 'free' college degrees throughout my career, so I can always do the professor / teaching gig in a pinch.
If one has managed their income & savings, 'Decent pay' should have a bit more latitude for a 'retiree'. OR your start your own business, or buy a franchise, or invest in a solid company. Wages will certainly be a poor choice of 'earning' going forward. The generations that follow best understand that and have a plan B for earning and NO PENSIONS.
Since this is a 'Retiring Alone' thread... we all share the pain of building and executing this plan with a single income throughout most of our career. I cannot even fathom how ez retirement would have been with a double income. I definitely would have been a failure if we couldn't have been 'out' by age 35 on a double income.
So... Be flexible and keep your eyes open, and be willing to learn new things. I only work for HC benefits, tho I could easily afford a REASONABLE plan. Within 5 yrs, The GOV had cancelled all the Healthcare options I had when I retired at age 49. And they are active at cancelling many more 'insurable' options. Property taxes went up 1000% since retirement. (a needy Gov is at hand.. they have a LOT of pension obligations).
While I'm healthy, I don't mind working, especially when I get paid well to travel to nice places, AND get unlimited 'time-off' within reason. Thus I vacation (daily) while working. There are some superb jobs for seniors with similar benefits. One gal I know hosts / guides 'Foundations - Board of Directors' on Worldwide tours to examine the work that is being done on behalf of their donations and organizations. My job is not that nice, I have to DELIVER something tangible.
It depends on how you filled your toolbox, and how the economy has treated your choices.
At age 18 I had to care for a disabled parent, work the farm, as well as support 'poor' siblings, and work nights to get through college, I learning some skilled trades (Apprenticeships) that I have kept current, I have 3 high demand / high skill career choices. + my professional careers + 3 current businesses I keep 'operational' if need be. I have managed to collect several 'free' college degrees throughout my career, so I can always do the professor / teaching gig in a pinch.
If one has managed their income & savings, 'Decent pay' should have a bit more latitude for a 'retiree'. OR your start your own business, or buy a franchise, or invest in a solid company. Wages will certainly be a poor choice of 'earning' going forward. The generations that follow best understand that and have a plan B for earning and NO PENSIONS.
Since this is a 'Retiring Alone' thread... we all share the pain of building and executing this plan with a single income throughout most of our career. I cannot even fathom how ez retirement would have been with a double income. I definitely would have been a failure if we couldn't have been 'out' by age 35 on a double income.
So... Be flexible and keep your eyes open, and be willing to learn new things. I only work for HC benefits, tho I could easily afford a REASONABLE plan. Within 5 yrs, The GOV had cancelled all the Healthcare options I had when I retired at age 49. And they are active at cancelling many more 'insurable' options. Property taxes went up 1000% since retirement. (a needy Gov is at hand.. they have a LOT of pension obligations).
While I'm healthy, I don't mind working, especially when I get paid well to travel to nice places, AND get unlimited 'time-off' within reason. Thus I vacation (daily) while working. There are some superb jobs for seniors with similar benefits. One gal I know hosts / guides 'Foundations - Board of Directors' on Worldwide tours to examine the work that is being done on behalf of their donations and organizations. My job is not that nice, I have to DELIVER something tangible.
You were very very lucky, and you made choices that optimized your income over other choices in life that tend to eat away income, but are just as valid. If any one of the many many things had blasted you from the side or the back, none of this would have happened for you.
I love to hear from people who were very very lucky to have everything come together for them saying how it was all due to their hard work.
I have a daughter who works her tail off in jobs that help people, but is never there at just the right time and place to maximize her income or education or whatever. I have another child, who has incredible luck. He calls his summer employer internship about possibly having a job there after college graduation, and just happens to reach the head boss who is just happening to be talking to someone in Europe and ends up with a fabulous internship in Germany, eventually leading to much much more. Granted he works his tail off, but he's always in the right place and right time to maximize his work.
You were lucky as hail to be in the right place and the right time to get all you got. Most people don't have your kind of good luck.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,655 posts, read 57,721,648 times
Reputation: 46100
Yes, I was 'lucky' to be healthy enough to have accumulated 99 yrs of equivalent 40 hr work weeks before age 50. (Raised on a dairy farm and worked 3 jobs at once from age 15 to age 30)
And lucky enough to turn from child to caregiver for a sick parent on my 18th birthday and for next 32 yrs.
And if I am lucky... I will wake up again tomorrow .. If I don't wake up tomorrow... My family foundation and it's benefactors will become 'lucky'.
Yes... of course it is all luck... but being a person of the 'cloth'...(grad, but not 'employed in the industry' .. I ONLY do lay leadership / teaching - I'm not into POWER). I don't discount or considered ANYTHING as luck. I just proceed with obedience to follow the path entrusted to me. Should I fail or succeed... it is not my quest... just obedience (Much tougher than 'making it happen to the benefit of self'.
Your path will certainly be different (Thank goodness...I would dislike having to be like someone else, or desiring to be somewhere else than the path I am on.. there is good reason for that, and NOT my choice.)
Of course after 32 ys of caregiving, I had 8 yrs of 'relief' and now get to care for a chronically ill spouse for the rest of my life (and 2 of 4 remaining parents). They will all very likely outlive me (statistical / familial probability in their favor.)
It is all part of the journey / enjoy.
Last edited by StealthRabbit; 01-18-2014 at 10:10 PM..
Your path will certainly be different (Thank goodness...I would dislike having to be like someone else, or desiring to be somewhere else than the path I am on.. there is good reason for that, and NOT my choice.)
My path WAS different. I spent 40 years in a care giving occupation and retired with one of those amazing pensions that are very well protected, as well as SS.
But despite a lot of hard work, I would admit to lucking out in many many ways.
Hi all, I'm still reading the thread, but thought I'd introduce myself. I'm 55, and hoping to retire in 4-5 years, and move from CA, where I was born and raised and have never lived anywhere else. A large part of the reason is financial, and some is a desire for change and a love of rocks....and some lovely memories of rockhounding in AZ, that I'm looking in and around Tucson.
I'm not single at the moment, have been with my SO for 7 years, but you never know what life brings. I spent many, many years single and raising my kids, and I guess I still have that mindset. If it's working, lovely! If now, I'll survive just fine.
I live in almost a perfect situation now, small town, ride my bike to an amazing grocery store and a Trader Joe's across town, just 4 miles away. University town, mild weather, where I can still do my morning run in 2 thin layers of clothing. I'm afraid to think of moving away, but I also want to try to see what it's like to live somewhere else, and the SW has always been one of the places I thought I would live in.
So far on my list is I want to be able to go out my door for a ride or run and feel safe. I want to be able to have our small flock of chickens. Must have fast internet. Hopefully some space around us. No snow, not Phoenix hot. No Hoa. Allowed to water a vegetable garden.
Anyway, I don't want to ramble too long. What a history and wealth of experience this thread is. I feel like I 'know' some of you after having read hundreds and hundreds of posts!
Hi all, I'm still reading the thread, but thought I'd introduce myself. I'm 55, and hoping to retire in 4-5 years, and move from CA, where I was born and raised and have never lived anywhere else. A large part of the reason is financial, and some is a desire for change and a love of rocks....and some lovely memories of rockhounding in AZ, that I'm looking in and around Tucson.
Welcome. Where you are now sounds heavenly!
You might want to ask this question on the AZ forum if you haven't already. How about Sedona? NM?
Don't let fear stopping you from moving somewhere different/trying something different. I've made 3 big moves in my lifetime, very glad I did two of them, those were the moves I wanted to make. Sure I was scared but....just think of it as an adventure and jump in with both feet.
Great you are doing your research. Have you gone for a visit? Can you afford to go for an extended visit?
Hi VTGal, thank you for asking! I tend to be a thread killer, lol.
Sedona is too expensive, and my mate's family is from NM, and we were thinking AZ would be between his family and mine.
He used to live in Phoenix, and I remember how it felt like an oven, even at night!
This summer we're driving out to visit his family (in Carrizozo) and will spend a night in Kingman. He likes Kingman, but from what I've read on the AZ C-D thread, it's always windy there. Next summer, we'll planning a trip to Tucson, and staying for 3 days or so to look around, and see how it 'feels' to us. If it's positive, we'll go for a longer visit the next summer.
I figure I can always downsize more and move back to CA. Scary, but yes, I have to think of it as an adventure! I'm such a homebody, I sit in front of the computer and read/game/knit for way too many hours these days when I'm not working.
...Next summer, we'll planning a trip to Tucson, and staying for 3 days or so to look around, and see how it 'feels' to us. If it's positive, we'll go for a longer visit the next summer...
It is good that you are planning to visit in the summer. It can get a bit "warm" in the middle of the summer. The winters are absolutely wonderful! The area is also a cycling hotbed, especially if you like climbing. There has been some "conflict" between cyclists and motorists in the past. Hopefully, these are only isolated incidents, which happen everywhere. Good luck.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
.. If I don't wake up tomorrow... My family foundation and it's benefactors will become 'lucky'.
