To those who retired early: Do you feel guilty? (gift, drug, date)

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by stormynh

I certainly don't and most people say I earned it since I put up with an abusive husband to get his survivor benefits at a "youngish" age. There are a few that do say I'm selfish to be retired with no children and now single in my 40's but I'm free and happy.......finallyI am sad that my husband had to die for me to get these benefits, but, he did this to himself

Do not feel the least bit guilty. Not. For. One. Damned. Second.

Sorry you had an abusive marriage. My father was a drinker and a rager, you've paid your dues.

[texdav]

This is a 2007 thread; wander if that is record?

[Perryinva]

Interesting thread, especially since much of it is pre -2008 crash. I wonder if all those early "I'm retiring at 38 or 45 posters had to re-evaluate. I especially liked the sub section where basically the accomplishments of work were discussed as opposed to the financial material rewards. IMHO, i have to agree that many people only work for a paycheck, as a means to an end: Stop working. I know that not everyone (I dont know, maybe most?) can love their job, and the act of being paid for it, but how much healthier is it to choose one you do enjoy, and still become FI, so that you can choose to pursue accomplishments that there just wasnt time for when employed. I know I absolutely will miss the challenges, recognition, camaraderie and feelings of success and accomplishments when I retire, but maybe I'm not typical or am just lucky! I feel sad for the couple of posters that said after 45 they intended to sit on their fat ass and do nothing for their whole retirement. Wow. No thanks. Not my take on life.

Such a huge percentage of retired work friends and associates have come back to work after retiring, both those that were FI and those not, and all, every single one, cited the same thing: to paraphrase "Life is a lot more interesting when its not just one big long vacation. The break was nice, but I found I missed the challenge, camaraderie, and accomplishments ". Many did say that they underestimated health costs and some extra savings would be nice, but I wonder if that wasn't said in part because they didnt want to be thought crazy for wanting coming back to work after retiring as much as 10 years earlier. No one likes to be thought that they made a mistake or is just being greedy or is back be ause they were bored. Those arent "good" reasons. The others are. And not a single one of them is taking a job away from anyone younger. We flat out can't find good qualified people to do the short term jobs they do so well. We have been forced to hire contract A&E firms to do some of them because of a shortage of quality, qualified people, and without fail, it ends up way more expensive with more mistakes and schedule drift.

Sometimes it came out as "I found myself doing a lot of sleeping at TV watching and thought "Whoa, brain turning to mush here, no thanks!l, or as "If I have to listen to the same petty complaining from my wife/neighbors/ etc, I'd go crazy!" or. "You can only play golf, fish, and travel so much before its not special anymore ".

Interestingly, a few of my co-workers opted to work part time for the company a few years, and everyone of them loves it. I mean really loves that they get paid a high per hour wage, collect excellent benefits and still have more then enough time off. I know a lot of jobs thats not possible, so I am grateful that i lucked out and chose a field where I can.

[proboy]

Retired at 55 with full benefits from civil service job as a 911 dispatcher and have been working a part time time job. Guilty ? Not one bit. I earned it .

[skydiver_jim]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Do not feel the least bit guilty. Not. For. One. Damned. Second.

Mike,

Thanks for the props. Colorado Springs is way high up on the list of places to retire to; inspired (in part) by looking at your posts on it back in 2008.

[Perryinva]

BTW, I agree, anyone that has retired, early or "on time"and is FI, has absolutely no reason to feel even a tiny bit guilty. I sure wont. I was only pointing out other reasons people to back to work. I would never go back to work,mor pretend I was still working because of anything anyone ever said. My parents retired around 54-55, because they got lucky in the NE real estate market. Mom ran the finances and always thought she was much smarter than she really was, by a long shot. She totally underestimated health care costs and insurance. She died at 68 from COPD complications. On the surface, it looks like she made the right move, retiring early. In reality, much of her retired life was spent "looking for things to do". That concept makes no sense to me at all. In her case she blew well over $150k on Jaialai, casinos, Marshalls and the like. We donated tons of clothes with the tags still on them. My sister (that spent the most time helping her) sold a ton on ebay. And my father divorced her because of that. He was tired of having earned it all, so she could blow it. HE started working again when he realized there was little satisfaction in an endless vacation in FL. Dads doing OK, lives with his well off GF, and rents out his paid off house. My mom would have been destitute in less than 10 years.

My dad was an immigrant with a 6th grade education and my mom was a HS grade, but who was/is the smart one?

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by skydiver_jim

Mike,

Thanks for the props. Colorado Springs is way high up on the list of places to retire to; inspired (in part) by looking at your posts on it back in 2008.

You're most welcome. It's still nice here and home prices are way lower than the Denver area. If you're retired military this is an especially good place to be.

[texdav]

No; I have to admit that when I am towing the boat going fishing early in the morning and pass all those poor workers I must feel guilty as I always shake my head and say poor things.

[silibran]

I felt thankful to be able to retire on my 60th birthday. I feel no guilt about anything.

[FireKitty]

Originally Posted by Perryinva

My dad was an immigrant with a 6th grade education and my mom was a HS grade, but who was/is the smart one?

Wow. What an accomplishment. May I ask where your father's from?