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.
People can't even agree what is and isn't being retired. In the absence of a set definition it becomes a moving target for people to try to reach. One persons successful retirement may not be another's .
There's more than one way to be retired. I retired from my FT career with the onset of health challenges but I continue to use those skills in a related freelance capacity, working 10–15 hours a week. I make more per hour as a consultant/freelancer than I did in my jobs. I still consider myself retired, as this is elective work. It certainly helps with personal revenue, but it's not critical.
So many others are officially retired from their main career and go on to founding businesses and other enterprises. I've heard some say yeah I'm retired and now I'm running a publishing company or whatever. I also think retired is a state of mind.
Someone in retirement working at Walmart may enjoy it thoroughly, getting out of the house, being pleasant to the public, and earning some money. If I had to (and could stand long hours) it wouldn't faze me to do that if I had no other work alternative. To me attitude is everything. As a matter of fact now that I think about it I'd rather work at Walmart than have to go back to working with the pompous and ill-equipped often inappropriately controlling board members I've had to please.
you can call it what ever you want but going from a stressful job to a less stressful job at walmart is still working no matter how you try to paint it.
the only exception is when you are lucky enough to work at something you love and whether you make money or not it really does not matter, that is how we feel about our photography.
but if we had to shoot weddings and have the stess that goes with it as well as the hours of confinment ,it is WORKING.
There's more than one way to be retired. I retired from my FT career with the onset of health challenges but I continue to use those skills in a related freelance capacity, working 10–15 hours a week. I make more per hour as a consultant/freelancer than I did in my jobs. I still consider myself retired, as this is elective work.
Sounds to me like you quit one job and then took on another. I wouldn't call that retired, but to each his own, I guess. To me, it sounds like you're still working. But, if you want to call yourself a retiree, why should I care? If you're happy with how you spend your time that's what matters.
Curious what you meant about the new job being elective--aren't most jobs? The only job I can think of that isn't elective (as far as being able to quit when you're sick of the job) would be joining the armed services, and even then it's still elective in that you can elect whether or not you join.
I just read an article about after-retirement work in AARP's newspaper. They're calling it an "encore career." There are many reasons people may have for choosing encore careers, or whatever you want to call them, and still identify as retired.
Like NE Girl, I'm retiring from a stressful job that is exacerbating a chronic health condition for which I'm on medication. Yes, I saved pretty well, and I also started late, and I also spent some bucks learning how to fly an airplane, and I inherited some, and all in all I have enough now to retire. But, as far as I'm concerned, I'm just starting to spend my time doing the thing I've wanted to do all my life and have been doing for years at 5 a.m. before my day job -- writing. My hope is to do this as long as I'm physically and mentally able, as long as I want to. Who knows, maybe some of my other interests will take first place at times. I'm very excited about the possibilities.
In addition, I'm going to put my many years of career skills to use in a part-time freelance business. I see it as an adventure. The income is not critical, but it will be nice to have.
So, yes, I see myself working, and there may be some stress and hours of confinement, but that goes with the territory. Doesn't mean I won't be happy.
I have always felt so sorry for people of any age stuck in WalMart greeter type jobs. First, the pay is so low as to be nearly non-existent. It would be so frustrating to be there because you need the money but yet you are hardly bringing any money in. Second, the work itself would be so boring and stultifying. I can imagine myself (as a WalMart greeter) running out the front door screaming after the first week or so on the job.
I had an uncle (now deceased) who worked as a WalMart greeter until he was 78 and absolutely loved it. I never understood that, but we all have different tolerances for routine stuff and I guess he liked routine stuff, although that didn't say too much for the quality of his life at home with his wife (if he preferred WalMart to being at home)!
Don't feel sorry for Walmart greeters. The job is as interesting as a person makes it. I started out as a greeter at Walmart and stayed busy all the time. I enjoyed it but I needed to be 'busier' so went to a cashier position. No, the job doesn't pay all that well, to start, but the greeters I know at my store have been there a long time and don't do so bad. The money they make there is mostly 'supplemental'. Some people really DO like being greeters because they are naturally 'people persons' and enjoy the interaction with other people. I'm over 70 and I like my job. I really enjoy all the bennies too!
I just read an article about after-retirement work in AARP's newspaper. They're calling it an "encore career." There are many reasons people may have for choosing encore careers, or whatever you want to call them, and still identify as retired.
My BIL, a retiring CPA, plans to be an adjunct prof at the university, teaching one class per semester. That to me is ideal. I would go bonkers if I had no work responsibility and just leisure time. For me the leisure time is all the sweeter when it's "time off." I would bet that most retirees could, if they wanted, find something they love but also pays for a few hours a week. I sometimes wonder what I'd do if suddenly I didn't have this elective PT work? (Oh yes, finally face my artistic pursuits!)
S1alker's comment here is right on, except he or she left out one classification of employee that will do well and is often ignored on the retirement forum. That group is government employees. Many or maybe even most get nice secure pensions and government paid health care for life after retirement. I've already told my son, get a government job. That is one group that our elected officials make sure get taken care of, and unfortunately those who work in the private sector often have to work more years and end up with a smaller retirement package. My brother was a policeman in a small low crime town, worked 30 years and retired at 55. His pension was the same as his last years salary, plus he got lifetime healthcare. So in essence, if he lives to 85, he will be paid double for the years he worked.
Sounds great! But I doubt your example story. Getting 100% of your salary is pretty difficult. It would require a retirement formula in excess of 3% per year.
I am a teacher in California. Our retirement formula is 2% X number of years = percentage of final salary. (2% X 30 years= 60% of salary = retirement income.) A cop here would receive 90%. On top of that, I will have NO HEALTHCARE after age 65. Not even Medicare unless I get another job AFTER I retire from teaching.
Following the economic meltdown, cities are beginning to go bankrupt, and are legally cutting retirement benefits to numbers like 50% of what was promised for retirees. I am sure there will be more of these in the future. In addition, states are renegotiating retirement benefits for new hires. They will not be as generous for future retirees.
I just read an article about after-retirement work in AARP's newspaper. They're calling it an "encore career." There are many reasons people may have for choosing encore careers, or whatever you want to call them, and still identify as retired.
Personally, I think there's one reason--that reason being that they like the sound of calling themselves retirees rather than a more accurate term. Retirement is seen as an achievement these days, so people want to include themselves in the group. It's weird, IMO, but you see it happening more and more these days.
As for AARP--can't blame them for wanting to broaden their base, which is what articles like that are all about. The more people they can claim they represent, the stronger they appear. But I really roll my eyes at "let's pretend" terminology such as "encore career." Maybe I could buy it if the person had a single employer for decades, and went through a formal retirement process before starting this so called "encore career." But for most people, the truth is they had a number of jobs for a variety of employers, and this "encore career" is just the latest in a string of jobs they've had.
And while I'm on the subject, what's wrong with saying you have a part time job, anyway? Actually, I think that's something to be proud of. I'm more impressed by people who talk about having a part time job than by those who claim they have an "encore career." Gag me. And if a person works a regular job and is drawing a regular paycheck, I'm more impressed if that person calls himself an employee. So what if the job is just 10-15 hours per week. It's a regular paycheck and that's something to be proud of. Why claim you're a retiree before you reach that day when stop getting a regular paycheck?
My dad had been retired since 2002 and he loves it. Every day is Friday, that is what he tells me anyway. He still works but for fun and when he wants to. He makes sawdust in the garage most of the time. One of the things that he never gave up was his wood shop. Another thing he does is write. He has two books that he published since being retired. For my parents it is a great life. They are both in their mid 70's now and doing just fine. A big part of their retirement planning was selling their home and moving to a cheaper place. Worked out well for them. They had bought a brand new tract home in 2003 and still had a couple hundred thousand to work with, besides a couple retirement accounts and Social Security.
I don't knock the lifestyle and plan on being able to partake in it. I just don't want to have to retire. What I hope is that 40 years from now I am still going strong at work. That is my plan anyway.
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.
In addition, states are renegotiating retirement benefits for new hires. They will not be as generous for future retirees.
