Sitting here reading the forums and dreaming about retirement!!!

[trashman1995]

Originally Posted by CWinLV

Sheesh it's hard to go to work everyday knowing retirement is just around the corner! The next year is going to be the longest of my life, but at least there's an end in sight!

How has retirement been?

[ransil]

Reading this thread ( I'm at work) has me on the calendar picking a date, it's gonna be 4-5 years out . I'll up date this thread sometime that year. 😂

[Old-Biscuit]

I'm glad I didn't have to go thru that 'retirement' anxiety ------waiting, waiting, marking the days off....counting

I went to work as normal one Friday morning........4 hours later I quit
Come Monday afternoon I changed my 'status' from unemployed to retired!!!

That was 13 yrs 6 mos and 23 days ago........and I just recently turned 63
WOO HOO.

[Klc]

Saw your heading and thought to myself that's what I'm doing. House goes on the market 1st of the year. Our last cold snowy winter. Then ft for us. Can't wait.

[trashman1995]

Who else is close to retirement? any advice for us working stiffs and what we should or shouldn't do? You know "if i had to do it over again i would...."

[mrt_1111]

Originally Posted by Tom3205

Just remember. RETIREMENT does not mean you QUIT WORKING. You always have to work, to have something to do, a reason to get up each morning. Retirement means you just stop "GOING IN TO THE WORKPLACE".

I always thought retirement meant you work just as hard but stop getting paid. Of course now I get to choose what I work on.

[vagaron]

Congrats in advance, Christy! I retire end of this year -- egads it isn't long! I'll turn 67 Dec 30 which is also the last work day of the year. We don't even own a MH yet, but I'm picking one up this weekend, provided it's as advertised, and driving it home. Looking forward to trips with no schedule, no airports, no checking in and out of hotels, no counting the vacation days!

Ron

[Betr2Trvl]

Originally Posted by trashman1995

Who else is close to retirement? any advice for us working stiffs and what we should or shouldn't do? You know "if i had to do it over again i would...."

Be debt free, other than possibly a "reasonable" morgage on a house. If you can, downsize sooner than later.

Figure out what you are really spending money on, and figure out a way to stop as much outflow as you can, now.

Quit buying "stuff" now; buying "stuff" is a drug as a reward for going to work. Stop it. Start getting rid of "stuff" now - it really feels good. You don't need anything they sell in a Cracker Barrell store .

Get out of the mad holiday spending spree. Cut off all gifts to adults, stop buying decorations, etc.

Minimize vacation spending with rule 1 being never go to any Disney property

Quit gambling, lottery tickets on a regular basis, fantasy football leagues, etc.

Quit eating out, quit going to movies, quit going to bars.

No pets - they can cost a fortune.

Get heathy, live heathy; it's cheaper. And obviously stop smoking.

Buy cheaper booze (within reason of course ).

Quit propping up you your adult kids spending habits, vacations, etc. Tell your younger kids to earn their own spending money, and better yet, don't have kids at all (thruthfuly, this was very significant on the money we were able to earn and save, and a big reason we we able to retire early.......).

While you need to maximize 401k / IRA contributions, you also need a significant savings outside deferred tax accounts, particualy if you want to retire before 59 1/2.

Yes, you do have to live for today, even when you are working because there is no guarantee for tomorrow, even early retirement tomorrow sooner than later. But, you can not borrow money for things you really can't afford - it is a death spiral.

Simply think about where you are spending your money, and do your best to just stop the consumer spending madness........

Figure out what you can really live on, once you figure out what you are willing to give up spending money on. Then, figure out how much money you'll need based on your savings and other income sources to do that for a reasonable life expectancy. And don't forget to budget appropriately for healthcare, as well as any contingency spending you may need to account for, such as supporting an aging parent at some point.

Once you have hit your savings objective and have your spending in line, then you retire whenever you want.

Good luck

[jpharley]

Being debt free in retirement is one of the most important thing you can do in my opinion.

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by jpharley

Being debt free in retirement is one of the most important thing you can do in my opinion.

Being debt free is sure enjoyable in retirement.

[mel s]

Originally Posted by trashman1995

"if i had to do it over again i would...."

trashman1995
If I had to do it over again I would....
...find a less expensive way to live my retirement.
...dream a different dream.
...get a hobby.
...not have a motor home..(unless I could afford another new one every year or 2).
Mel
'96 Safari

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by Betr2Trvl

Be debt free, other than possibly a "reasonable" morgage on a house. If you can, downsize sooner than later.

Figure out what you are really spending money on, and figure out a way to stop as much outflow as you can, now.

Quit buying "stuff" now; buying "stuff" is a drug as a reward for going to work. Stop it. Start getting rid of "stuff" now - it really feels good. You don't need anything they sell in a Cracker Barrell store .

Get out of the mad holiday spending spree. Cut off all gifts to adults, stop buying decorations, etc.

Minimize vacation spending with rule 1 being never go to any Disney property

Quit gambling, lottery tickets on a regular basis, fantasy football leagues, etc.

Quit eating out, quit going to movies, quit going to bars.

No pets - they can cost a fortune.

Get heathy, live heathy; it's cheaper. And obviously stop smoking.

Buy cheaper booze (within reason of course ).

Quit propping up you your adult kids spending habits, vacations, etc. Tell your younger kids to earn their own spending money, and better yet, don't have kids at all (thruthfuly, this was very significant on the money we were able to earn and save, and a big reason we we able to retire early.......).

While you need to maximize 401k / IRA contributions, you also need a significant savings outside deferred tax accounts, particualy if you want to retire before 59 1/2.

Yes, you do have to live for today, even when you are working because there is no guarantee for tomorrow, even early retirement tomorrow sooner than later. But, you can not borrow money for things you really can't afford - it is a death spiral.

Simply think about where you are spending your money, and do your best to just stop the consumer spending madness........

Figure out what you can really live on, once you figure out what you are willing to give up spending money on. Then, figure out how much money you'll need based on your savings and other income sources to do that for a reasonable life expectancy. And don't forget to budget appropriately for healthcare, as well as any contingency spending you may need to account for, such as supporting an aging parent at some point.

Once you have hit your savings objective and have your spending in line, then you retire whenever you want.

Good luck

I agree with most of this, and it is well written except for a few points:

No Cracker Barrel? That's un-American!
No Pets? What on earth am I going to do with Mocha, Shadow, and Hershey? For us, they provide enjoyment beyond their expense.
No Disney World? (see #1)
No Expensive Booze? OK, OK,How about a $10 bottle of wine once a week for the two of us?
No Gambling? .....OK I agree with you on this one. It's a complete waste.
No Kids at all? Then who will the grandkids say their parents are? Surely you don't advocate doing without grandkids, do you? That is just so wrong.
No eating out? Not even at Cracker Barrel? (see #1)
No bars?
No movies? (where else can I smooch with my honey of 43 years in public?)

But everything else I agree with!
BTW, 17 years ago I retired at age 50, and to borrow a phrase from McDonalds, "I'm Loving It".

[Betr2Trvl]

Originally Posted by Bigd9

I agree with most of this, and it is well written except for a few points:

No Cracker Barrel? That's un-American!
No Pets? What on earth am I going to do with Mocha, Shadow, and Hershey? For us, they provide enjoyment beyond their expense.
No Disney World? (see #1)
No Expensive Booze? OK, OK,How about a $10 bottle of wine once a week for the two of us?
No Gambling? .....OK I agree with you on this one. It's a complete waste.
No Kids at all? Then who will the grandkids say their parents are? Surely you don't advocate doing without grandkids, do you? That is just so wrong.
No eating out? Not even at Cracker Barrel? (see #1)
No bars?
No movies? (where else can I smooch with my honey of 43 years in public?)

But everything else I agree with!
BTW, 17 years ago I retired at age 50, and to borrow a phrase from McDonalds, "I'm Loving It".

We all have our guilty or not so guilty pleasures!

But I have to ask, does you wife know you've been smooching with your honey for 43 years? .

As for the $10 bottle of wine, check out Bota or Black Box box wines which we have found to be pretty good stuff vs. just about anything else under $30 a bottle. For about $20 you get 3 bottles worth, it stays fresh, and if you want to grab just a glass "just becuase", just hit the spout for a splash.

Regards

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by Betr2Trvl

We all have our guilty or not so guilty pleasures!

But I have to ask, does you wife know you've been smooching with your honey for 43 years? .

As for the $10 bottle of wine, check out Bota or Black Box box wines which we have found to be pretty good stuff vs. just about anything else under $30 a bottle. For about $20 you get 3 bottles worth, it stays fresh, and if you want to grab just a glass "just because", just hit the spout for a splash.

Regards

Shoot, once I was alone at a nice hotel and my "honey" was about 800 miles back home. A nice looking woman walked through the lobby heading toward her room. I swiveled around to look I felt a sharp smack on the side of my head and I said Ouch! The desk clerk said "sir, are you Ok?" I said "I don;t know how my wife does it, but somehow she reached out and smacked me from 800 miles away when I looked"! So to answer your question, YES, she seems to know everything I do even before I do it!