Community Forums

Arizona · 11-27-2015, 04:16 AM

Before 9-11 the Air Force was offering early retirement packages so I took one. The last day was no different but that evening I couldn't fall asleep because I was excited. I finally realized I could stay up all night and sleep late! I had sold my house and took off in the Moho the next day to camp Pendleton famcamp. While setting up, a crusty WW2 hat wearing guy in the spot next to mine was watching my every move. He finally asked me if my parent were in the military. I said no, are yours?
I was 34
Time, people, and health are way more important than anything money can buy!

UTTransplant · 11-27-2015, 11:17 AM

I retired in August, 2 years ahead of my original plan. I worked for a large aerospace company, and it has always been a cyclic industry. Life hadn't been as much fun recently, but I had been through the cycle before and I wasn't too worried about making it through this one. We made an appointment on 2 July with our financial advisor to talk about moving some of the 401K to some less volatile investments. She ran the numbers for retirement just for grins since I thought I still had 2 years. Turns out I could bring home the same amount of income from the investments as I could from work! As much as I enjoyed my job, I didn't like doing it for nothing :-) DH (already retired) and I talked it over during the weekend, and I gave notice on Monday. I couldn't stop smiling, and the smile pretty much stayed on for the next 5 weeks. My leaving probably protected the job of a more junior person too. The last day did feel a little odd since I had nothing to do. I visited some folks whose company I enjoyed, checked on the status of some previous projects, and left right after the exit interview. I was actually worried that I would feel regret, but I didn't. DH took me to a great place for lunch, and we enjoyed the day.

I am sure it helped that I was leaving on my own terms, on my own time. I had already gotten past the point of defining myself by my job, and I had lots of activities outside of work to keep me busy. Being financially secure with a pension, hefty 401K, and the incredible advantage of retiree medical insurance was huge also.

Betr2Trvl · 11-27-2015, 01:23 PM

When I got home after that last (short) day of work earlier this year, my wife had Alice Cooper's "School's Out" blaring on the stereo in the garage.

School's out forever
School's out for summer
School's out with fever
School's out completely

Walked in the door, and she handed me a cold beer.

beamisl · 11-28-2015, 03:17 PM

Nice D&S, sounds like a best last day!

I'm thinking about calling in my last day since I rarely call in. 8 times in 33 yrs. Four times for deaths in the family. I'll decide as I get closer. Who knows, maybe not.

baraff · 11-28-2015, 08:34 PM

I retired six months ago from a job in IT at a high school for gifted kids. I have a couple of old British cars that keep me busy and a honey-do list that will keep me busy until the next century but I haven't started in on that yet. I'm still trying to get used to the whole idea of not having to get up at 5:15am or going to work on Monday.
My wife is still working, and plans to work a few more years or until they throw her out, whichever comes first.
I miss my former coworkers a lot, but not the work and the politics. And if I never have to deal with another FUBARed Microsoft update or Windows problem it will be too soon. Only have a Mac now!

Mr_D · 11-28-2015, 08:42 PM

Well, I walked out of my job after 30 years and next week went to work for $10,000 a year more that eventually went to $30,000 a year more. So I guess I was OK with "retiring"!
I went from the IT dept for the WA state, to the IT dept of a private firm that provided most of the packaging material to NIKE. Then to setting up a SAN for Freightliner and being manager for an Oracle Financials. Along with several stops in between with the US Forest Service, US Bank and Blue Cross/Blue Shield.

jacwjames · 11-29-2015, 07:41 AM

Interesting thread and answers.

I guess I wanted to well prepared for retirement so I practiced with several "preretirement" episodes. Each time I left a job I didn't have plans on what I was doing next. We would always take advantage of the time to hit the road in the RV.

My last 2 years of my last job was not fun, very high stress, sleepless nights, and lots of BS. I had turned in my notice and the month I worked I was on site overseas. My last day was going to be a Sunday and I flew home on Friday, didn't get to home in the USA until early Saturday morning and finished the weekend finalizing some reports etc.

During my career I was basically on call 24/7, always expecting a phone call in the middle of the night telling me something bad has happened (during my career I received a number of them). I had trained myself to be able to wake up and answer the phone usually by the first ring and be 100% aware of what was being said in order to make decisions and provide direction.

The last day there was no fan fair, no parties but in the end on Monday I was relieved and haven't looked back. BTW I retired at 55

Stickdog · 11-29-2015, 10:09 PM

I had 42 years in as a union carpenter. 2009 with the bust of the housing boom and general downtrend of the economy affecting financing for all construction my boss said he only had one job on the books for the upcoming year. I hadn't planned on retiring for another 3-4 years but looked at the numbers and decided it was my time and let the guys who had young families fight over the work.
My last day was 2-26-10. No party just packed up my tools and drove home. Official retirement was March 1 signed my papers. It was a bittersweet moment knowing I would miss the craft of more than 2/3 of my life but finally getting to do the traveling I always dreamed of. We started fulltiming 4-19-10 and don't see any end in sight.

Chiefly1 · 11-30-2015, 12:17 AM

I retired from the Air Force after 34 years but was to young to stay retired and the DW was still working. So I went back to work for another 9 years and retired again. After the military I found time for hobbies and bought an RV. So, while camping in Yellowstone I called my boss and gave notice that I was going to retire. Still worked for 2 months to help them find another manager. Nice retirement party though! Took a few months to find the right MH and sell the 5er which was the right decision for us. Much more comfortable! We travel a fair amount spending about 90-110 days a year in the RV on the road somewhere and love it.

Bill & Christine
40 ft Revolution LE Diesel Pusher & Honda Fit Sport
Sent from my iPad using iRV2 - RV Forum

StephenW · 12-01-2015, 08:59 AM

My first day of retirement is today and after 38 years on the road as an industrial machinery sales rep and national sales manager I was done at 60 years old. Cell is not ringing, no emails, just puttering around the house, so a soft retirement start. Ironically, I spent an hour this morning helping my neighbor hook up his tow dolly and toad to his DP and they headed out for 3 weeks. We wanted to get the holidays behind us then we are headed out on a 9 day Caribbean cruise on Celebrity Jan 2nd to celebrate our retirement. To the OP's question, yesterday didn't feel much different, just wrapping things up, though I did make a special effort to rub it in that I was retiring to a few know-it-all friends and relatives.

trashman1995 · 12-01-2015, 12:57 PM

what a great story!

NRR · 12-01-2015, 04:53 PM

I asked to be fired. The company I worked for fired folks every year at the beginning of the year. I knew I would have to work till I was 72 to get health benefits there. That was not going to happen. So I was fired at 63 and took what they gave and hoped I would get to 65 without problems health wise. The good part was I sold one of the two houses before the bust at a very good profit.

My wife had died at the beginning of 2002 and two real-estate taxes were just too much. I chose on a lake as the place to be.

The good folks I worked with put on a great retirement shindig on my last day at work. They all knew what had happened and I was retiring, not getting fired. The best part of my last day was getting a kiss from an Irish gal that was the best corporate manager I had ever come across. I had my own business for twelve years and know management. She was special.

GettinBy · 12-06-2015, 07:10 PM

I'm glad I started the thread and am getting to read all of your posts. It is very enlightening and enjoyable.

Last month, I went to our retirement coordinator and it looks like I will have to work until the end of November 2016 which is about 6 months later than I thought but still less than a year away. Retiring then will make me 52 1/2. Been maxing out the 401 and 457 so it shouldn't be a problem to retire.

DW is already retired and we are looking at moving out of Austin, TX and down to the New Braunfels area just north of San Antonio. Traffic is getting to be too much here and I need a new city to explore.

Nice thing is that I already have some companies contacting me about going to work for them after I retire. It would be work along the lines of what I'm doing now but I'm thinking I might want to "change careers." Still working on that decision.

Thanks for the replies....keep it going.

Gsport · 12-06-2015, 08:44 PM

I retired after 25 years as a teamster at 54. Couldn't be happier. I had already decided to move away from California and bought a house out in the country, in Oregon. I made my last workday a short one, Friday, and I was home in Oregon on Monday. My wife worked for six more years and retired February 2014. We are both totally enjoying retirement, and right now just settled down as snowbirds in Arizona till April... Life is good