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4. Okay, here's a change. Retirees I come in contact with regularly span the ages of 55 - 85 (I'm currently 58) and after the first week or two, I stopped noticing the age difference but now I do notice something. Don’t get me wrong they are still wonderful intelligent people who have lived and still live amazing lives. I like talking to them. I like hearing about their lives. Many are still world travelers and active. I do notice technological differences and communication differences, though. I’d say the whole computer age passed most of the older retirees, by. It makes it tougher to communicate and share information across the generational divide. Still, I hope I am as mentally and physically capable as they are if I get to be the age of some of those 80+ year olds. You know, if you like to bike or hike, bowl or garden, for example, you are going to meet others, regardless of their age, who can physically do those things, too. If you like to take classes, there aren't going to be people in those classes who have lost their mental capabilities. In other words, your activities and not your age, will determine your common interest friends in retirement. Anyone here, who retired fairly young, have any generational retirement problems? How about the opposite? Any older retirees have problems with younger retirees?
Honestly, this is one of my biggest concerns. I am 43 and will take my pension this summer. My wife is 40. She works part-time from home (or it could be said she is semi-retired). I will likely work part-time and pursue some interests that may bring an income. Essentially, we will be working, but at what we want, when we want and we will experience a lot of the freedom retirment brings. We plan to be fully retired (whatever that means) when I am 50 and our youngest turns 18.
I worry we will have a hard time relating to people our age since the vast majority will be still working. I am not opposed to making friends with older people, but will they share my interests? It is a problem. I might find a 60 y.o. guy to go fishing with, but will he share my other interests and become a truly close friend? I can still hang out with my younger friends and don't think many will resent my retirement, but still, they won't be going to the movies with us on Tuesday morning, or hiking on Thursday afternoon.
I understand that older folks can act just as young as my wife and I do. We know a couple in Texas we go to Jamaica with that are in their late 50's and we get along great. I just worry that finding like minded people in our age range will be difficult and finding older retirees that share our interests will also be tough. In other words we have a much smaller pool of people to choose from since we are the exception, not the rule.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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My (long) experience...(retiring pre age 50 ~ 5 yrs ago)
says.... Time is flying and I'm getting older much faster than my friends who have been retired for over 20 yrs!! I will be in 'their' peer group in a flash
FF-N, I think you will find so much to do in those first few yrs that there are plenty of available contacts to fill your social needs. As you get older the age gets much less important, UNTIL you get close to NEEDING care. Then people tend to segregate again. This is very evident in 'Independent' living centers, where folks are required to park their walkers at the door of the dining hall and not bring them to the table. When you get too feeble to make it on your own, you get kicked out to assisted / or skilled care living. (If with spouse, you may get a double charge as you choose to accompany or stay independent, too bad)
Honestly, this is one of my biggest concerns. I am 43 and will take my pension this summer. My wife is 40. She works part-time from home (or it could be said she is semi-retired). I will likely work part-time and pursue some interests that may bring an income. Essentially, we will be working, but at what we want, when we want and we will experience a lot of the freedom retirment brings. We plan to be fully retired (whatever that means) when I am 50 and our youngest turns 18.
I worry we will have a hard time relating to people our age since the vast majority will be still working. I am not opposed to making friends with older people, but will they share my interests? It is a problem. I might find a 60 y.o. guy to go fishing with, but will he share my other interests and become a truly close friend? I can still hang out with my younger friends and don't think many will resent my retirement, but still, they won't be going to the movies with us on Tuesday morning, or hiking on Thursday afternoon.
I understand that older folks can act just as young as my wife and I do. We know a couple in Texas we go to Jamaica with that are in their late 50's and we get along great. I just worry that finding like minded people in our age range will be difficult and finding older retirees that share our interests will also be tough. In other words we have a much smaller pool of people to choose from since we are the exception, not the rule.
For a large segment of the older population, the opportunity for your companionship will be dictated more by health condition than age. For example, I would be pleased to go to the movies with you on Tuesday morning. However, "hiking" on Thursday afternoon would be vetoed by my back, knees, and ankles.
I am learning so much from reading this retirement forum...I just wish I'd been wiser earlier...I will not have a pension, but I do have a 401k that I'm trying to ramp up...I am hoping to retire within 7 years, but I may have to work 10 more to try to make up for lost time financially...but by reading your posts here, I am learning more and more everytime I visit. Thank you all - I'm trying not to regret not having the money many of you do, and instead learn from and plan for a healthy and happy full life in retirement!
Something you probably haven't done is explore what happens where you live now in the daytime. If you have state or county parks nearby, for example, find out goes on there when you are normally at work. Where I live the park rangers do things like wildflower walks or birding activities or have days devoted to learning about wildlife. In the Fall, in one of my state parks, the park rangers do pontoon boat rides on the lake to see the foliage. Living history events are also done in some state parks. Go to your state's travel and tourism website and look at the events page, rather than or in addition to, the places to visit page. Most of those websites have a calendar of events.
If you like to do crafts, for example, some craft stores offer classes. Some concert halls open their doors during rehearsals. If you hate to go to the movie theater now, you should see how nice it can be at 11:00A Mon -Thur. (not in the summer) and cheaper, too. If you like spectator sports, but never got off work early enough to see some local colleges or high schools compete, you can in retirement. My town hosts college rowing competitions and while everyone is at work, they are practicing on the lake.
Between now and May 1, this is an example of events in my state. It doesn't include the concerts, plays and sports competitions:
Pot Likker Film Festival
14th Annual Cornbread Festival
Gap Divided: An authentic War Between The States Living History and Re-enactment
17th Annual Appalachian Farm Show
Arts In Bloom (an art show)
Spring Nature Festival
Days of Washing, Churing and Learning
2nd Annual Game Show Mania (charity event)
Boxcar Pinion Memorial Bluegrass Festival
18th Annual Spring Festival and Old Timers Day
The Athenaeum Rectory - Ladies weekend (1861 era living history)
30th Trenton Teapot Festival
Beale Street Music Festival
Bledsoe's Fort Colonial Fair (late 1700's)
NSRA Street Rod Nationals South (More than 3,500 street rods, modernized vintage automobiles)
Old Country Store 45th Anniversary And Casey Jones Day
Tennessee Iris Festival
Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage And Greener Living Expo
Dollywood's Festival Of Nations
AWESOME APRIL (Nashville music event)
Barbershop Quartet Exhibit
Cruisin' 2010 (classic cars and choppers)
4th Friday Music Fest And Cruise-In
Moneyville - A Traveling Exhibition (economic literacy)
Sing Me Back Home - A Journey Through Country Music
Cuban Day
I bet if you checked, your state has the same kind of things going on and I'll bet you weren't aware of at least three-quarters of them.
Ive been retired for two years .Ive met many new friends and Ive kept in touch with the old.
I moved out of state from where I worked but I snow bird to Fl and my old and new friends all seem to have time to visit me during the winter months.
I have been busier since ret. because I dont have the "I cant start that I have to go to work" hanging over my head.
my new friends all look forward to the weekend they want to go boating,golfing,shoping........I like going during the week when it isn't so congested.
the first thing one needs to do is plan projects the night before for the following day or you will fall into a couch potato mode.
I really dont miss my old job 38 years was plenty for one life time its my time now...when someone ask me what are you going to do now that you are retired? my answer to them is......ANYTHING I WANT TO DO!
Sounds boring to me, but I'm a good 30 years from 58 so who knows-maybe boring will be the new fun for me by then. My hunch is that i'll still be happily working at 58, but hopefully with bigger paychecks and longer vacations!
Sounds boring to me, but I'm a good 30 years from 58 so who knows-maybe boring will be the new fun for me by then. My hunch is that i'll still be happily working at 58, but hopefully with bigger paychecks and longer vacations!
It's only boring if you have no life outside your job. I'm enjoying the hell out of retirement!! I'm 58 and stopped working at 55. My vacations are 365 days a year.
Sounds boring to me, but I'm a good 30 years from 58 so who knows-maybe boring will be the new fun for me by then. My hunch is that i'll still be happily working at 58, but hopefully with bigger paychecks and longer vacations!
I think you may find that your outlook changes slowly over the next 30 years.
yeah......... you will change,some of my younger friends wonder why i dont go with them to the bars etc,......the answer is.... been there, done that ,and I didn't lose anything out there.
my hearing is bad and with loud music I can only smile a say yes,without a clue what they are saying,
but since I dont drink anymore they want me as a designated driver.
what my mother used to tell me is "nothing good happens after midnight!"
like jaggy 01 said......your outlook changes as you get older........
and what is midnight......I forget....
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but who is counting 
I'm 58 and stopped working at 55. My vacations are 365 days a year.
