How the Retirement Forum has changed over the last 11 years.

[reneeh63]

Originally Posted by mooksmom

I highly doubt that it has much of a role to other retirees as you think it does. I think of C-D as a big lonely hearts club of people who are lonely and like to write, but in real life have nobody to write to. Hence, they ask crazy questions about millions of topics with little true worth, just like this on started.
I use C-D to find out going rates of childcare or rentals etc and that's about as useful as I ever find it. With 10,000 boomers per day retiring you might have a whole new audience to write to soon.

Hmmmph....I'm not lonely in the slightest...but perhaps because I'm not yet retired I don't hang with many people with the kind of knowledge I find on here in terms of retirement topics! I like to read articles on "theories" of investing but the application of those theories by people on here is what is really helpful. Most posters have a wealth of experience and knowledge that I really look forward reading.

[NewbieHere]

Originally Posted by Minervah

Many people here write just because they like to write. Some are lonely but most don't seem to be. As far as spending large amounts of time in the Internet, why is that any different from indulging in any other hobby. People spend hours hunting, painting, knitting, playing sports. They spend time on the things they like to do most. If it's writing on a message board, what's wrong with that?

Maybe the ".....crazy questions about millions topics with little true worth" are of little worth to you because you have not yet arrived at the age at which they have value. Maybe they will resonate with you too some day. Wait until you get there before you criticize them.

Crazy questions, I thought it was referring to the relationships forum.

[silibran]

I agree with the points made about Boomers learning the computer at work, as that was my case. We bought a PC some time in the 1980s, and then, like everyone else, kept buying newer ones. I messed around in Bulletin Boards for a time. I've participated in two previous forums, but never using my real name.

I started here in 2012, when I was looking for moving info. My first post was in the Moving forum; I was asking about selecting a mover. I posted there for a bit, trying to pass on any info I had based on my recent experience. I discovered the decorating forum, and then I think I discovered the Retirement forum.

I like hanging out on CD. I can't participate too much in this forum when so much of it involves investments, as I don't handle that. But I like hearing about others' experiences, and hearing about things that make my life easier. I asked here about whether retirees used Amazon Prime. Because of so many recs, we subscribed, even though DH swore he'd never use it, and now we both like it a lot. I appreciate the info I received about it then.

I think we are a body of experienced people who have a lot of common sense, and practical knowledge. I like reading opinions and experiences, and I like sharing mine. I am not particularly lonely.

[Minervah]

I joined CD when I was looking to relocate in 2007. At that time I had a friend who was a Mod on this board so she suggested I come here with my questions. I was still working and not thinking about retirement.

So I scoured the various city forums where I thought I could find helpful information. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. But I did learn a lot.

I logged onto the retirement forum after retiring because I wanted to know if there were other retirees who were in my boat. I had no idea so many wanted to relocate for so many different reasons. It was a good source to learn the good and the bad that can come with cross country moving. Even though I had done it once before, like forty years earlier it was a different story now. Circumstances for me were different.

I also got advice from others, before, during and after. I also was able to give a few words of advice as I was going through the ordeal based on my experiences.

There's a lot here that doesn't pertain to my life situation now but from time to time I find a kindred spirit and that's very rewarding.

[in_newengland]

To answer a question, if a person dies and someone on the forum knows it and reports it to a senior mod, that person's id gets the words, "Eternal Member" added below it. There are a few that I have seen, mostly in the state forums where people might really know another person in real life.

[Escort Rider]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

To answer a question, if a person dies and someone on the forum knows it and reports it to a senior mod, that person's id gets the words, "Eternal Member" added below it. There are a few that I have seen, mostly in the state forums where people might really know another person in real life.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that documentation needs to be provided before the senior mods will put the "Eternal Member" label up. If I am correct, then one step beyond mere "notification" needs to be taken.

[oldsoldier1976]

Originally Posted by TuborgP

Escort Rider asked a question a few weeks back in the Chat Thread. He named a few of us old timers around here if we had noticed any differences since our early days. I responded with a perspective but now realize there is a lot more change around here then I noted then.

January 1, marked the official end of nine retirement years and we are now working on ten. I was reflecting on those nine years and realized all the change that has occurred regarding the thinking and feeling about retirement since then.

When we retired none of the baby boomers had yet collected Social Security and now we are increasing yearly the numbers of Boomers receiving benefits and the number retired. Since I joined the forum 11 years ago the changes are more significant. Few Boomers were retired and now many of us are and our opinions on have evolved considerably.

The Great Recession had not occurred and the rising housing equity market was spurring many to take their equity and retire elsewhere. It has become much more of a norm and has helped to transform many areas of the country.

Portfolios had not yet crashed for those nearing or in retirement and the outlook moving forward was much better.

However the biggest change in this forum is that more Seniors are comfortable with and using social media to engage and discuss. Not sure how many at, near or over 70 were active in City-Data a decade ago but I know when I ever I started in the retirement forum the average age and retirement status seemed different than today and that makes sense.

In hindsight it seemed inevitable that politics would cross from the political forum into this one as many of us were first involved in other forums as retirement was perhaps not as high on our social media agenda. As the political forum heated up it heated CD enrollment up and it was inevitable that as those folks aged they would begin to come to this forum.

Yes this forum can seem cruel at times to those who are not as fortunate as others in here. Perhaps in hindsight that was inevitable. Why? Because at one point in recent years those of us now in our 60's were looking at retirement as a theoretical future and now it is our practical reality. There is competition in this reality to acquire and retain resources. One person's tax payment becomes another persons benefit receipt and this can create much of the turmoil we are feeling.

Those who have been preaching and advocating one positon on aspects of retirement may now feel in retirement that they tried to warn others and if you didn't listen that's not my problem. I remember those conversations over the years not just in City-Data but elsewhere. Those future projections have become or not become reality.

With all the possible changes ahead and anxiety on the part of many, how will we as a collective group of seniors respond? Or will our responses not be aligned with other seniors or perhaps just individual or small group thoughts.

Thinking about this made me somber in a number of ways for as the world changes and communication, which now is often a tweet limited to 144 characters, how will we stay competitive and be able to be heard.

Perhaps this forum has a much larger role to play than we realize.

First awesome thread. I like it. I have not been on here long but like many I started at one point and now after several years have settled in as an old timer putting in my two cents.

What have I seen as far as changes. Lots and none. We still get the same questions asked over and over. They just phrase them differently. Especially here and on SS. Nothing wrong with that. It is just my observation.

Tuborg what is a "tweet'?

Originally Posted by Sand&Salt

Very well-put, Tuborg. Especially the parts about "one person's tax is another's benefit"....


I have been so impressed with the detailed retirement planning and investing most here have accomplished throughout their lives. There is more wealth here than I would expect to find in a cross-section of retirees. I can easily get intimidated by the numbers here. The investment strategies are way over my head. I give you all credit for your foresight and intelligence to put it all together!


Being in a new place with little social life, reading everyone's experiences and questions has been such an insight and an interesting journey; a way to interact with others. There's a lot of collective wisdom here.

Honestly I agree totally with you. I am impressed and glad to see that many here have found a path to wealth and can share their experience with others. I think and do hope that C-D membership has grown since I came on board. I am pretty sure it has since inception.

Originally Posted by jasperhobbs

Although this is a retirement forum and I am not yet retired, I am thankful for the forum to plan for my retirement in a few years. I have gleaned a lot of good information from posters.


Thanks to all.

Like you I came here prior to retirement. First as was noted in some posts here I was looking for relocation ideas. I also looked into personal finances to see if my path to financial readiness to retire was working. Then to this particular forum where so many people I love to hear from gather. The collective wisdom here could keep the Library of Congress going for years.