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Has anyone else delayed retirement after becoming eligible simply because of indecision about what to do next? I feel foolish doing that, but I figure I might as well keep working and earning money until I figure out where I want to live and what I want to do with my time. If so, how did you finally reach a conclusion and formulate a plan for the rest of your life? I seem to be the only person I know without a blueprint or at least unwilling to jump off the cliff without one drawn up.
Not me personally (successfully and happily retired) , but many co workers. Common "issue" was no plan combined with no outside hobbies or interests. Usually money was not the issue. Cutting grass, and taking care of things is not a sustainable lifestyle in retirement. Yes... home projects can keep you busy, but no, it's not a retirement plan.
They all eventually came to some realization that it takes a "plan" and developing interests to keep their life worth living.
Has anyone else delayed retirement after becoming eligible simply because of indecision about what to do next? I feel foolish doing that, but I figure I might as well keep working and earning money until I figure out where I want to live and what I want to do with my time. If so, how did you finally reach a conclusion and formulate a plan for the rest of your life? I seem to be the only person I know without a blueprint or at least unwilling to jump off the cliff without one drawn up.
I was offered an early retirement at age 55 and I turned it down because of uncertainty. At age 57, I was offered it again and accepted.If you are not ready, don’t retire.
I felt like I couldn't think or plan clearly without retiring, that there would have to be a period of time of resting and "circling the airport." Now, I was coming off of years of third shift and felt a lot of physical complaint from that. But when people would ask me what I plan to do in retirement, I said, "I plan not to come to M___ Hospital."
A year and a half into retirement, and almost as long in my new town, I am only now starting to feel physically better and do some stuff. I must admit, I don't need much schedule or plan to feel okay day to day, and am still having limits from too tired, but never regretted retiring a few months short of 65.
I was seriously considering retiring at 66 but just didn't want to deal with it at the time. I wanted a move to FL after retirement and the thought of all that coordination was too daunting. PLUS my adult daughter was still living with me and SHE would have to figure out what she was going to do.
It all worked out in the end. I waited until July 31, 2018 to retire, and as a result received an additional lump sum payment in July's paycheck due to a recent labor union contract with my place of employment. By that time my daughter found a place to live and I turned 67--my full retirement age so I could start collecting SS without penalty.
If you like what you do don't stop doing it. Life will let you know when it's time to move on.
Quote:
Originally Posted by otterhere
If so, how did you finally reach a conclusion and formulate a plan for the rest of your life? I seem to be the only person I know without a blueprint or at least unwilling to jump off the cliff without one drawn up.
I moved to FL on a whim. About 5 years ago I got the idea in my little pea brain that I wanted to move to FL. I had lived in the Northeast my entire life and was sick of the snow, the uber long winters and sundown at 4 PM during the winter. The mid-Atlantic coast didn't appeal to me--I'm not fond of wet sloppy winters--and then there are the sharks.....
My only brush with FL prior was an excursion in 2011 to Universal Studios in Orlando as a part a cruise to the Bahamas. Once I got the Fl bug I literally looked at a map and picked out an area--St. Pete Beach. I took my first trip down there around 2015 or 2016 and liked what I saw. I took a few more trips to the Gulf and drove around most of Pinellas County (and even checked out Bradenton!) looking for a place to settle down. I pretty much decided I wanted to live as close to the Gulf as possible without living on the Gulf (too expensive and I didn't want to be in the direct line of a hurricane) To make a long story short, I retired in July and by December I was settled in Seminole and living just 10 minutes from the Gulf beaches. It was a long strange trip for sure--lots of weird crap and detours happened along the way--but I made it and I'm pretty happy so far.
There are people who are planners--I'm not one of them. I don't know what I'll be doing in the next 5 minutes, let alone the next 5 years! I'm more of a "trust your gut" type of person.
Case in point:
In 2010 I took my first trip abroad in much the same way. I was sitting on "the can" looking at a newspaper and saw an ad for a bus tour through Ireland, and decided right then and there that's what I was going to do. I told my "then" husband of my plan and he basically said, "Sure whatever" not thinking I would follow through. I asked myself what would I do on such a trip and realized I wanted to see religious sights during the day and go pubbing at night. I googled something like "spiritual trips to Ireland" and up pops a company that had a group tour going to Ireland in September (this was the end of July) They had one space left on the tour, and had to scurry to get a passport. That trip changed my life. I had a fabulous time and I met some wonderful people, and we still keep in touch by Facebook. One woman lives in Santa Barbara an hour away from where kid #2 is stationed at Vandenburg AFB. She helped my daughter get settled when she first got to CA, and they've taken a few trips to Yosemite together. I've been out to Santa Barbara twice--trips I probably would have never taken if I hadn't said "Yes" to Ireland all those years ago.
Don't retire just yet--just put retirement in the back of your mind and let it percolate. Be mindful of the subtle hints the Universe throws out at you and trust your gut.
Haters are gonna hate--but I'm here to tell you that serendipity does work!
Last edited by Daisy Grey; 09-03-2019 at 09:40 AM..
I always thought I'd retire on the first day of the first month after I turned 60 but then, a funny thing happened on the way to the forum. We support my MIL 100% financially and my wife doesn't want to risk our financial well-being if the MIL has to go into a nursing home. While the MIL lives in Brazil, a nursing home there would be around $2000 USD and that would be tough to pay during retirement. Therefore, my wife made the decision to work until her mom passes. I don't see her mom living more than another year or two so the risk of my wife working past 60 is fairly low. She's about 5 years from that now.
With that in mind, I'd feel guilty if I didn't work, at least up to a certain point. I've worked since I was 13 and am blessed to have a great job with minimum stress.
My wife loves her job also but we're both looking forward to retirement once her mom passes. I think MrsK7 may actually work another year or two after her mom passes. If that's her choice, that's fine - she's supported her parents since she was 15 and if she wants to work just for herself, and me lol, that's fine. However, at least once a week, she expresses a desire to retire now during moments of slight weakness. That decision has to be hers.
I'll retire when I've had enough. I figure maybe I'll pull the plug at 63 but probably not much longer than that. That's about 18 months away. I suppose that under the right circumstances, I could quit the day after tomorrow. I work because I want to work and if things were to drastically change, I can easily call it a career and pack it in. My boss wants six months' notice - he thinks it'll be hard to replace me but I don't. Someone can pick this stuff up and learn the same way I do. You just have to have a noise for fraud, a curiosity to dig and the balls to call it like it is without fear of failure. The data will point the way.
My fear is that if I don't one day just retire, I'll sit here and vacillate between plans and stagnate indefinitely. I sometimes think that stopping work would compel me to choose an alternative plan and act on it, no matter the consequence. The worst case scenario is that it wouldn't, and I would continue to vacillate and stagnate, only without the mental and financial advantages of my current job.
It was my assumption that, given enough time and research, a plan would reveal itself (I do intend to relocate, and I do have hobbies, interests, and even ambitions, but I will be pursuing them in a new location). But it seems instead that the longer I wait, the less clear and simple and the more overwhelming and daunting the many possible options seem.
That is the situation in which my wife and I find ourselves. Our current retirement plan is for both of us to retire in June of 2020, I will be 64 and she will be 61. Finances are not the issue.
I thought I had a great post-retirement plan laid out with The Henry Ford, then discovered the activities in my plan were far different than what I had expected. So different that I probably will not pursue them further at this time. I have already invested 2-1/2 days for Orientation, need to invest an additional 2 days before I get placed on the Volunteer List, at which time I am then eligible to perform the lowest skill functions (i.e. distributing free maps and similar) in exchange for zero pay. I can't even do anything I find to be fun!
My wife identified a post-retirement pursuit and had started working toward that goal when she had the rug pulled from under her by a local business. Her plan was to open a "One Stop Venue' for small weddings. A single price would include the Facility, Flowers, Music, Officiate, Catering, and Cake for weddings of less than 20 people total. These services are not currently offered in our area. Then a local business famous for their over-priced food, er... their food's national reputation, starting advertising 90-minute wedding packages for 40% to 50% of what she was using as her target price, which is the target price for similar facilities/packages outside our area. Not certain what can be compressed into 90 minutes of time when you need set-up, guest arrival, participant preparations, ceremony, post ceremony reception/congratulations, catered event, clean-up, etc.
That is the situation in which my wife and I find ourselves. Our current retirement plan is for both of us to retire in June of 2020, I will be 64 and she will be 61. Finances are not the issue.
I thought I had a great post-retirement plan laid out with the Henry Ford, then discovered the activities in my plan were far different than what I had expected. So different that I probably will not pursue them further at this time. I have already invested 2-1/2 days for Orientation, need to invest an additional 2 days before I get placed on the Volunteer List, at which time I am then eligible to perform the lowest skill functions (i.e. distributing free maps and similar) in exchange for zero pay. I can't even do anything I find to be fun!
My wife identified a post-retirement pursuit and had started working toward that goal when she had the rug pulled from under her by a local business. Her plan was to open a "One Stop Venue' for small weddings. A single price would include the Facility, Flowers, Music, Officiate, Catering, and Cake for weddings of less than 20 people total. These services are not currently offered in our area. Then a local business famous for their over-priced food, er... their food's national reputation, starting advertising 90-minute wedding packages for 40% to 50% of what she was using as her target price, which is the target price for similar facilities/packages outside our area. Not certain what can be compressed into 90 minutes of time when you need set-up, ceremony, post ceremony reception/congratulations, catered event, clean-up, etc.
Oh well, back to planning again..........
So will you retire on schedule regardless, even if a plan is not in place?
Retirement isn't the problem that's been previously suggested; having a life and an identity that is not about work-work-work is the problem. The question is: what actions are you taking to get a life that has nothing to do with a job?
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