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Anyone close to retirement? / when do you start counting the days?


Look2Sea
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We're already retired. Got an opportunity to retire early (husband was 57, I was 51), and haven't regretted it for an instant. I'm now 62, he's 68, we've had a lovely time playing (well, except for this last 18 months, watching our retirement $$ disappear!! :rolleyes: ). As for timing, we each gave a month's notice, walked away, and never looked back. Does the song, "Take this job and shove it!!" come to mind? :p

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We can't wait.....however, we own our own business, and so far, our son isn't quite ready to take on the whole kit and kaboodle.....however, we're hardly there, so what we're doing is working....

It will just be nice when I don't have to even THINK about it anymore!

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Although I am thankful to have a job, I am looking forward to leaving my job in June 2010.

I will have 10 years with the company at that time.

Hoping I can make it to 10 years. Counting the days.

Edited by Look2Sea
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Two retirements down, one more to go <Grin>. I didn't do any count downs. I just worked until they pissed me off and then retired. If all goes well, I have seven more years here before eligible then if I am still enjoying myself will stick around, but if not, well it will be Bu Bye for the last time <G>... Then it will be full time vacation time <G>...

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December will be 37 years for me at present company, and that is enough. I'm leaving on 12/31/09. Haven't put papers in yet, but everyone knows my intentions. Will submit papers on or around 12/01. WooHoo:D

 

 

I am so excited for you. :)

It is fun to get vicarious enjoyment for someone else.

 

In September, a coworker recalculated his finances and discovered that he could retire. He put in his two week notice, and had a big smile on his face for the entire two weeks.

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Two retirements down, one more to go <Grin>. I didn't do any count downs. I just worked until they pissed me off and then retired. If all goes well, I have seven more years here before eligible then if I am still enjoying myself will stick around, but if not, well it will be Bu Bye for the last time <G>... Then it will be full time vacation time <G>...

 

 

I am hoping to make it to 10 years at current company.

But will need to keep working for health benefits.

Looking forward to the option of doing something different and shorter commute (if I can find another job).

But first need to hang on till I reach 10 years. :)

Edited by Look2Sea
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I have the age (55) and years (30+) and can retire at any time - I love my job!, great boss, and at present the economy sucks - so why would I want to give up a good job that pays well and I get 6 wks of leave a year - don't get me wrong I want to retire but I'm looking at the whole picture - in other words, I'll know when the time's right to put in the paperwork - we have to do the paper work at least 120 days from the day we want to retire.

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He's being forced into retirement. If he doesn't go now, he'll actually lose retirement income. Besides, he HATES (not a strong enough word) his job, so it's all the reason he needed. He's got 40 work days left. He's not counting, but I am. Can't wait for him to get out of there! I'll continue to work for a few more years.

 

It's scary because he's still going to need to find another job, and in this economy . . . well . . .

 

But no matter what happens to us after January 15, it's gotta be better than what he goes into every day now.

 

And to celebrate, we're taking a barefoot cruise in early February! It's something he's always wanted to do, and darn it, he's earned it.

 

(This is the first time I've been on the 55+ forum. I think I may like this place. I'll have to do some more poking around.)

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GO FOR IT ASAP!! I put my papers in for retirement on Dec. 31, 2008 at age 62. All finances indicated now is the time, and my wife had retired a couple years prior -- so she had a fair head start (highly recommended both not retire at same time). In late Nov 2008 began to have second thoughts. Even though financial situation still looked very positive, didn't have any idea what I wanted to do with retirement freedom. Good Lord helped me decide on Dec. 7 when I had a mild stroke, so out the door I went!

 

Best thing that ever happened--retirement not the stroke. I have been having a great time spending more time with twin grandsons,travelling, planning travels, cooking, photography, reading, going to the gym, relaxing, and truly "smelling the roses" and any thing else I can find. I even have a part time 3 hours per day/3 day per week driving as a volunteer with local fire deparment transporting small equipment and mail between 6 fire houses. All this is to point out that you can make your retirement whatever you want. Don't force it, and just do it!!!

 

Good luck.. and there are many great books at the store and in the library on the subject of plannin and execution.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I had thought about retiring last year at the end of 2008.

But my investments took a nose dive so I decided to wait. It is also

hard to leave a good paying job. (I like to spend money!)

I will also lose my insurance when I retire. So that is one reason

I am still working.

I do like my job, but I think of all the things I could be doing and

want to do and don't have the time. I don't want to be too old

and not active enough to enjoy going and doing.

I do think you need to have a plan as to what you want to do

and enjoy doing.

My next goal is summer of 2010.

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GO FOR IT ASAP!! I put my papers in for retirement on Dec. 31, 2008 at age 62. All finances indicated now is the time, and my wife had retired a couple years prior -- so she had a fair head start (highly recommended both not retire at same time). In late Nov 2008 began to have second thoughts. Even though financial situation still looked very positive, didn't have any idea what I wanted to do with retirement freedom. Good Lord helped me decide on Dec. 7 when I had a mild stroke, so out the door I went!

 

Best thing that ever happened--retirement not the stroke. I have been having a great time spending more time with twin grandsons,travelling, planning travels, cooking, photography, reading, going to the gym, relaxing, and truly "smelling the roses" and any thing else I can find. I even have a part time 3 hours per day/3 day per week driving as a volunteer with local fire deparment transporting small equipment and mail between 6 fire houses. All this is to point out that you can make your retirement whatever you want. Don't force it, and just do it!!!

 

Good luck.. and there are many great books at the store and in the library on the subject of plannin and execution.

 

 

Sounds like you have the ideal life!!!!! Congrats and stay healthy!!

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I've also been forced into retirement. I was laid off last year from a senior IT executive job, when our little division was closed down and the technology moved to India.

 

Then the economic downturn hit. At 61 not easy to find anything, so I'm gradually coming to the realization that I'm retired. My husband is an academic and is still going strong at 66, and intends to keep teaching for at least another 2 or 3 years.

 

So, not something that everybody waits breathlessly for. Years ago I thought I'd be retired long before this time, and now I (mostly) wish I wasn't. After all, 60 is the new 40!

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I love retirement so much. I did not think I could exsist without my job -- it was my identity, it was how I defined myself and it took all my time and energy. It also made me sick and cranky and almost a nut case trying to do everything even though I did not control anything. Short story -- when I realized that the best thing that happened that year was a broken leg which meant 6 weeks off I retired at 59. I didn't count down because I just walked in and gave notice then went on sick leave. Not graceful but it worked. I was able to do this because husband has a great pension with health benefits and we have always saved.

 

Retirement as someone said is different definition for each person. I have become an old fashioned house wife and I love it. My sister says she would hate it and can't believe I'm not bored. So each her own. Hope your retirement is everything you want it to be.

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When I mention retiring, I have friends that ask "but what would

you do all day?"

I have plenty of things to do. I love working in my yard, keeping up

with grandkids activities, traveling, reading, lunch and shopping with

friends, or maybe just doing nothing.

I have worked for over 30 years so I think I deserve some "me" time.

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I retired a couple of years ago and we went at it a bit differently than most. We began to plan for retirement much earlier and I made a vow that I'd retire when I began to dread going to work. Around May of 2007 it quit being fun and advised my employer he had two weeks to find and train a replacement.

 

So, I never really counted the days. When you are ready to retie, you'll know it. When that realization hits you, my advice is to act upon it. About the only thing I find worse than doing work you dislike doing is ending up having a bucket list of places you wanted to travel, and enjoyable things you wanted to do, but were too busy working to do any of them.

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This past August, while sitting home recovering from surgery, I had a flash of my own mortality. At 57 I have 31 years with my employer. Took a HARD look at my medical insurance options and decided I could do it. I want to go and do while I can, not look back saying "I wish I had....". My current date to bail is 1 February!

 

Coundown calendar? Yep, sure did! To make it REALLY painless I'm only counting the actual days my butt has to be in my seat!

 

Cacky

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I will be retiring on jan 15, 2010 and I am already counting the days. I was actually thinking of putting a count down clock on here so I can count the months, days hours, minutes and seconds til I walk out the door for the last time. This will be the last time the County is offering lifetime health benefits. It was funny when they posted my position (within hours of my putting in my paper work) I had emails asking me if I knew my job was posted. I am so ready to retire, even though I love what I do, it will be fun.

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