Put in my retirement notice today..

[AZGypsie]

Congrats!

[daveandcarol]

Good for you. Hope you enjoy it.

I did the retirement thing in May at the tender age of 67, then went back for a week about a month later to finish up a loose end for my former boss. Thought I was done with w*rk until I got a call from someone I did some part-time stuff for last year. Now I'm back at it for about 4 weeks (the w*rk's not hard and the money is nice...)

Off to Florida in early December to see the wife's retired family & friends, and to try this 'snowbird' stuff I keep hearing about.

[Slolane]

Good for you!!

The DW and I put in our notices a few months ago, we officially retire on January 4th. Got to work a day in order to get my 5 weeks vacation pay for next year.

We bought our Dutch Star a few months ago, took it to Nappanee last week to have a few things taken care of and we'll be ready to head out on the 5th of January. Off to the Tampa RV show and Newman Kountry Klub Rally, then out to Tucson to visit old friends.

Hope to see you on the road.

[Big Bear Local]

Congratz to you all. My situation is a little different. My wife will retire from a Law firm in March after 35 years. I have been running a campground for the last 18 years. We are planning on staying on with the Campground for another 5 years which will put me at a young 70, her a young and healthy 72. We can work it where we will have the off season off (6 months) to RV and explore. We have a cabin in Big Bear Ca. also that we get away to from time to time and plan to retire there. We want to just bank as much $$ as we can between now and then so we can enjoy the later years. We like taking our RV to the many great places here in the South & North West and the coast.

[birddog2you]

I am at the point of retiring myself but the DW has a little while to go. Can't wait for that day to come. Congrats to all of you. Be there soon full timing it.

[JJH3rd]

OK - Now you need to learn the "magic" word that will let you enjoy "YOUR" retrement: NO! as in what you must say when someone says to you: "You should volunteer to take on running ____ club/not-for-profit/church committee/ and so on, organization. They really need someone like you with your experience!"

Remember why you want to retire in the first place: to do the things that you want to do.

Its bad enough that there are no days off from retirement.

If you don't watch it, you can get sucked in so quickly that before you turn around you find that you are working harder than ever on things other people think that you would be so good at doing.

Remember this phrase "No thanks I've already got a full schedule (of things I want to do)."

=================

5 years from my first retirement, 6 months from my second.

[Hit_the_Rhod]

Originally Posted by Dupdyke

Have no interest in driving to Alaska or Hawaii but have been in all the other 48. We have a great country and no TSA bs to deal with.....

ENJOY

I'm with you there, my wife and I ALSO have absolutely NO interest in driving to Hawaii either!

[Hit_the_Rhod]

Originally Posted by JJH3rd

OK - Now you need to learn the "magic" word that will let you enjoy "YOUR" retrement: NO!
Remember this phrase "No thanks I've already got a full schedule (of things I want to do)."

You hit the nail on the head. Work for many years for OTHER PEOPLE, not we're working for US! No is a great word to use to respond to friends, fellow church goers, or pretty much ANYONE who feels that it is THEIR responsibility to manage YOUR time!
Practice it often, have your wife/husband practice it as well, after all, it does no good to practice it yourself, and have your other half tied down so you two can't do what you want to anyway.

[Randy nSteff]

Congratulations! we were 55 when we pulled the plug sold the house and went full time. Retirement is the best job i ever had.

[Benicia Tom]

Originally Posted by JJH3rd

OK - Now you need to learn the "magic" word that will let you enjoy "YOUR" retrement: NO! as in what you must say when someone says to you: "You should volunteer to take on running ____ club/not-for-profit/church committee/ and so on, organization. They really need someone like you with your experience!"

Remember why you want to retire in the first place: to do the things that you want to do.

Its bad enough that there are no days off from retirement.

If you don't watch it, you can get sucked in so quickly that before you turn around you find that you are working harder than ever on things other people think that you would be so good at doing.

Remember this phrase "No thanks I've already got a full schedule (of things I want to do)."

=================

5 years from my first retirement, 6 months from my second.

You don't get paid for coffee breaks either! I retired at 62 and was asked to come back to work on a part time time basis after being retired for 6 Months. Worked in dental for 38 years so neck and back are shot, part time lasted less than 2 weeks when back and neck started hurting. Told myself, you idiot there was a reason you retired in the first place.

[70ChevelleSS]

Good for you, enjoy.

At 59 after almost 38 years in the computer industry, lot's of motels and airports, I got a a layoff notice. Got lot's of calls from former coworkers telling me about openings but I declined. I road out my sub-pay/severance pay and unemployment. Got use to not working real quick, no regrets.

We bought a used a MH the next year and replaced it with another used one this year. Life is good.

Originally Posted by 777 Driver

Hi StephenW,

Retiring. Huge mistake, you know! Once you retire, you'll NEVER have a day off from retirement. NO vacations from retirement.

Ha! Every week is 6 Saturdays and a Sunday. What's not to like about that?

[ArmandV]

My only concern about retiring now is finding a reasonable healthcare policy, now that Obummercare screwed up everything.

[StephenW]

Thank you all for the kind comments and words of encouragement. This is no surprise to others that have faced a retirement decision, but it was tough decision to walk away from a great career. Hope I got all the decimal points in the right place!

The primary motivation was that my wife has osteoarthritis that has required shoulder, knee, and hip joint replacements and there is really no end in sight, since it is progressive. She is mobile now, but we don't know for how long. She struggles with the pain and requires the max painkiller prescriptions short of using prescribed narcotics. Tried that and she hated the way it affected her. Her mom died from Alzheimers last year after living with us for the last 5 years, so we are concerned about the heredity issue. DW has several other significant health issues as well.

So the plan is to enjoy the grandkids, use up my 500,000+ Delta FF miles, buy a motorhome and see the parts of the country I have been flying over for so long. We will keep our home and maybe travel 4-5 months a year.

Regarding healthcare, I researched this for at over a year and ended up enrolling thru Healthcare.gov. We do not qualify for subsidies and ended up with a Florida BlueOptions EPO/PPO plan that costs $1,900/month for both of us. We could have never retired with private health insurance that covered the DW's health issues without the Affordable Care Act requiring coverage of pre-existing conditions. I am no fan of the politics involved in creating the ACA, but have to reluctantly admit that it solved a big problem for us.

I did shop directly with United Healthcare, Florida Blue and few others. Dealing with their sales reps on the phone and online was challenging at best and it was evident that their commission was the priority, not helping me get the right plan. The healthcare.gov website seems to have worked out all it's early issues and works very well now. We are covered in the nationwide Blue Cross EPO/PPO network for full coverage with no referrals required, so no issues being covered while traveling. I will say that it does take some time to confirm your healthcare providers are participating, but all the links are on the site.

Didn't mean to turn this into a healthcare thread, but thought the info could be useful to others.

Steve

[38Chevy454]

Congratulations on your retirement. There is a saying "Retire when you have had enough and when you have enough" Sounds like you meet both of those, go have fun!