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: In a city within a state where politicians come to get their PHDs in Corruption
2,907 posts, read 2,068,439 times
Reputation: 4478
Advertisements
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallysmom
Yes -- but to what? You can't sit around the house vegetating for 55 years.
And I think that's the thing. You make a ton of dough to retire to something you enjoy that doesn't pay well, because you can afford it. Every person I know requires structure in their day. When that's lost, so are they.
Now -- that could be a simple every day I walk to the store and buy stuff for dinner. Or I have to go to the post office to buy a stamp... but there are things that need to be done, and a schedule to be maintained.
What does anything you just wrote have to do with working for as long as possible?
At a place where I used to work, there is a woman now in her 54th year of service there, at age 81. She could have retired at 55, but at 65 with social security the pension would have been 90% of her salary, yet she chose to stay. In her case with the kids grown, husband deceased, and enjoying her work, there is just no reason to retire. She is an admin, but with her longevity there and annual raises is at about $85,000. I have no idea what she does with her money living alone with a paid-off house.
Retirement is not a bad thing there is always something to do. Volunteering at a non profit, traveling, learning a language, learning to play an instrument, spending time with relatives, listening to music, reading etc.
What does anything you just wrote have to do with working for as long as possible?
I think that post had EVERYTHING to do with why people keep working. I've retired twice and gone back both times because I was A) Bored, B) Not getting the same exercise, and C) Losing some of my mental sharpness. It started out that I was supposed to work a couple of days a week ,but ended up that I work 40 hours every week............and I love it.
The money is nice and all day long I get to solve problems for our customers and interface with people. It also gets my butt out of bed early each morning, instead of rolling out at 11 am, and I get plenty of exercise every day.
I do have it on my bucket list to retire again in maybe two years and travel the lower 48 States, so we will see how that goes when the time comes.
And then there are those of us who have to take early retirement so we can care for elders who cannot live independently but never made plans for how they intended to survive when they are physically/mentally unable to care for themselves. My choice was: keep working and spend all my money on assisted living or home care for my mother, or take early retirement and care for her myself. No much different than mothers forced to spend their entire pay checks on child care. If people stick their heads in the sand and don't make plans for their own dotage, it's not surprising that as a society we're equally unable to address these problems that effect everyone.
I hope to be one of those older people that never quits working. My goal is to put in at least another 40 years here. That will get me to 89 years of age. I love what I do and have no desire to leave. I could see me doing this when I am 105.
For these seniors, the best retirement is not to retire. From a 102-year-old Wal-Mart worker to an activist park ranger, these workers have stayed on the job well into their golden years.
I'm 72 and I don't "refuse to retire". I simply can't retire. I had it all planned out and would be okay but my ex decided he didn't want to be married anymore and left me high and dry. So I will probably continue to work till I either drop dead or become debilitated where I simply can't anymore. Oh yeah, I'd be MORE than happy to let some youngster have my job. I'm lucky because I really LIKE my job and don't mind doing it every day. It supports me just fine, along with a smallish social security income, but I wouldn't survive without the job.
I have no problem with older people working - I love working with older people! However, I think maybe an older person should be working side by side with an entry level person to show that person the ropes. I'm running into a lot of places around here don't want to train, they rather hire the older person with the experience. It's frustrating... what's an entry level supposed to do? I don't think working together and showing the ropes would be a bad thing... but what do I know?
Yes -- but to what? You can't sit around the house vegetating for 55 years.
And I think that's the thing. You make a ton of dough to retire to something you enjoy that doesn't pay well, because you can afford it. Every person I know requires structure in their day. When that's lost, so are they.
This mentality drives me crazy, as if people will just drop dead of boredom if they dont have a job to goto everyday.
First of all, the person u quoted is not guaranteed another 55 years. And in that time, maybe they wanna go work out at the gym, stay home and watch soaps,goto the movies midday, goto starbucks and reading the paper, look over their laptop for stories, play video games, relax at the beach, eat at nice places, or how bout this.....getting a good night sleep without a damm alarm clock going off in the morning.
Everybody doesnt require this "structure" you speak of. After adding up what she has in her account and whats coming in, my mother recently decided to stop working in her late 50's. When I talk to her on the phone, she couldnt be happier.
Now if one is doing something out of the ordinary like acting or singing professionally, or is a newscaster, or some kind of fantasy job, I get it, work until you drop if you like. But getting up forever punching a clock to do the normal grind of the average American,working in retail, corporate America, food service, ect... no thanks.
A 55 with a 35 yr old wife...good for him. When I was 54 (widowed) and was dating a 20 yr as my girlfriend life was like a box of chocolates....a better taste every day.
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.
