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I really don't see myself working full time for the next 5 years. I am EXHAUSTED!!! For those who are working part time, can you explain the length of time you have been working this way, how do you budget, did you have to downsize, what prompted the change, what you do for health insurance, etc.
Well we have been financially independent for quite some time now. I've only worked part time with some crazy hours in there from time to time. The health insurance was provided by my husbands job and continues into his retirement. He retired at age 56. I've worked part time for about 15 years but there have been times in the last ten that I have worked some overtime. It wasn't because I had to. It was because I wanted to help out. I quit my job last Friday and I'm debating whether to go find another job. Right now I feel like a kid out of school for summer break. Lets see how it goes in the winter when I get really bored. I'm pretty high octane with a workaholic mentality. My last job was feast or famine which forced me to work less hours at times. It was perfect. If I go back into the belly of the beast at a place with lots of hours I may be in trouble. This is the second time I've tried to retire. So far so good because I'm having a lot of fun, but there is that gnawing money making addiction whispering in my ear. Three may be the charm for me to finally retire. Four people have already tried to corrupt me with come over here and work, and for more money then my last job. Help me I need an intervention, or a lobotomy.
Well we have been financially independent for quite some time now. I've only worked part time with some crazy hours in there from time to time. The health insurance was provided by my husbands job and continues into his retirement. He retired at age 56. I've worked part time for about 15 years but there have been times in the last ten that I have worked some overtime. It wasn't because I had to. It was because I wanted to help out. I quit my job last Friday and I'm debating whether to go find another job. Right now I feel like a kid out of school for summer break. Lets see how it goes in the winter when I get really bored. I'm pretty high octane with a workaholic mentality. My last job was feast or famine which forced me to work less hours at times. It was perfect. If I go back into the belly of the beast at a place with lots of hours I may be in trouble. This is the second time I've tried to retire. So far so good because I'm having a lot of fun, but there is that gnawing money making addiction whispering in my ear. Three may be the charm for me to finally retire. Four people have already tried to corrupt me with come over here and work, and for more money then my last job. Help me I need an intervention, or a lobotomy.
Or, have your cake and eat it too and start you own job placement service, whether it be part time/full time, temporary or permanent.
Last edited by HomeIsWhere...; 08-06-2015 at 05:37 PM..
Reason: Words
I retired at 53. The world just sort of retired me. I had planned on getting another job but the recession fixed that wagon. I have worked for Williams Sonoma part time, off and on, for the last 6 years. I just agreed to come back for the holidays. Probably September through the end of January. I want the discount to buy some new furniture.
Health insurance? What's that? I do without and I pretty much have to do without till I turn 65 and can get Medicare. Even with the ACA, I can't afford the premiums. Other than health insurance, I do fine and I have enough to meet my needs and some of my wants. Budgeting is easy. I have no debt and live on what I get. The money from working is extra and I save it or use it for something special I wouldn't usually be able to afford, like the furniture. Or a trip.
I take good care of myself and try to stay healthy. But living without insurance is like playing Russian Roulette. Betting my health will hold out till I can get insurance is not a good plan. It wasn't my plan to be without insurance. It just happened!
I've been working for myself as a consultant in engineering the last ~2 years. I go in fits and spurts but on average it probably qualifies for about half time. I took spring and summer off and won't pick up again till mid/late September. Love it!
I'm able to con my clients into a decent hourly wage so I do okay. I've also always lived a very frugal life so by the time I started working for myself I was financially pretty well set - no debt, lots in savings, small monthly burn rate.
I had COBRA for a bit of time after leaving my last real job. I then got a private policy (both health and dental). Once I was in business for a year I was able to get onto a "group" (i.e., employer) policy as if I were actually an employer providing coverage for employees, even though it's just me. That got me a decent discount (or, I simply kept the premium the same and bumped up to a "gold" level policy).
My situation is so similar to Yellowsnow's. I have only had part-time or contract work since 2009. Also did some part-time pet sitting and dog grooming out of my home at one point.
My partner is retired and I plan to retire in 1.5 years at 62. I will still work somewhere or for myself, part-time.
We learned to live frugally during the recession after multiple lay-offs and it served us well as we learned how to budget.
At this point in my life, time is more important than money. No more full-time grind for me. I don't miss it at all.
I have worked part time in retail all my life, never really more than 32 hours a week. I knew from a young age that I wouldn't be cut out for a long daily commute and the exhaustive nature of a corporate career. I'm single, never had a family of my own, and therefore can live on an income that most couldn't live on. It seems that the only lucrative careers nowadays are in health care or something dealing with computer programming. I have no aptitude or interest in any of that.
Or, have your cake and eat it too and start you own job placement service, whether it be part time/full time, temporary or permanent.
Yikes no. I'm a landlord and that's as far as I want to delve into being an entrepreneur at this late stage of the game. I don't even want to to that anymore. I guess I'm getting lazy in my old age of 58. We'll see how I feel in the dead of winter with nothing to do. I may try to go back to work then just for grins. Time will tell but for now I'm enjoying the heck out of my freedom.
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We'll see how I feel in the dead of winter with nothing to do. I may try to go back to work then just for grins. Time will tell but for now I'm enjoying the heck out of my freedom.
