Why did you decide to retire when you did?

[fyree39]

I have the option to retire in April. However, were I to do so, I'd make about 20% less per month. Part of me says it's more important to enjoy my retirement for as long as I can rather than get more money. In either case, I'll be earning enough to live on.

 

What made you decide it was time?

[Laurab23]

A manager I did not like and an environment that reflected her poor work ethnics.

 

Laura

[ditmar2007]

I'm doing it step by step. I'm 59. I'm an independant contractor so I've asked my agents to find me contracts with 25 hours per week (and a higher per hour pay).

 

I'm doing it because I want time to weave, spin, knit, sew, cruise, be with SO, kids and friends, and do medieval re-enactment. Ain't got time for all that work.

 

I imagine I'll have longer and longer stretches between contracts the coming ten years.

[thinfool]

I worked past retirement mostly because I enjoyed my work, workmates and boss.

 

One day it occured to me that at my age, anytime, I could suffer a stroke and wind up sitting in a wheelchair in a corner for a very long time....not having done any of the traveling that we had talked about.

 

Last year we did South America, next fall we go to Tahiti...the bucket list is shrinking. (y)

[Keith1010]

I felt that it was time and that there was other things in life such as cruising.

 

Keith

[mc_reeve]

Company I worked for decided to make life as uncomfortable as possible for people hired before a certain date who had salaries that reflected a more successful period for the company. They had improving diversity goals in mind too - but went after plenty of women who were the same "vintage" as me with salaries to match. There is one who has held out for the past 10 years - she is leaving soon with a bunch of medical problems. I could have held out too, but decided life is too short to waste working for a company that would treat people like that - so as soon as I qualified for retirement benefits I left and worked as a part-time job for 10 years. I left at 56 years of age. Best decision I ever made.

[myfuzzy]

I too, was working a job that could have been done by an untrained chimp. Retail. This last place hired me to oversee a department, of which I was very competent and happy....Until the day I started. I found out that "full time" hours were 30, or sometimes less, as long as we averaged 30 per quarter, we would be considered full time, however the hours prevented you from taking a second job. BUT, I was making enough money at 30 hours, other companies would have paid me less for 40 hours...So everyday I go in and after a while it was a losing battle with management....months turned into years...I'm in my late 50's where am I gonna go, so I put up with the crap.. The last year or so I was there, it seemed they couldn't find a place for me to be. They were catering to the high schoolers who knew more than I did after 30 years in the business. Giving them supervisory jobs and special projects. I ended up taking care of the cash in a small locked office away from everyone. I loved it, but...again I was told I had to do multiple jobs, like covering lunches, filling in departments where needed all the while supposed to be getting the daily deposit ready, and I was told there is no excuses. Well....a month or so before I "left"(will get to that in a minute) They are starting to train one of the high schoolers on my job with the cash, and a "newbie" was bragging she was being "interviewed" for a supervisory job. Hmmm. Now everyday, I am being harassed by the managers, then the district manager. I never called in sick and always did my job. So, I have a cruise coming up in a couple of weeks...I ask the one manager for the heck of it IF I would have a job when I got back. Without even looking at me he said Yes.....Liar....The week before my cruise the two managers come into the small office and tell me my services are no longer needed, I deleted what I had done on the computer, said thank you and walked out. I lived on my 401K until my Social Security kicked in...Best thing that ever happened to me...You know the old saying....you reap what you sow...I hope they do the same thing to those managers.

 

You know....I never told anyone that....

[carlied]

Having a meeting with a co-worker that I was her boss. I thought we were all was on the same page with working in child care. But during the time when director hours change from salary to hourly the staff said what are the company going to pay me when I am not schedule to come in but are waiting to see if all staff report to work. That director of that child care center get off when she needed to for her appointment with no problems. Because she ask that question I look at her and though to myself it is time for me to retire and I did. Now that I have left she put in her 2 weeks notice which she told me if I retire she was going to quit and after 38 years I glad I retired in November.

[LondonTowner]

What relevance has this to do here?

 

 

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[fyree39]

What relevance has this to do here?

 

 

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I'm getting ideas from like-minded cruisers about when to retire. Once I retire, I can't go back to my job. That's it. Then end. I don't want to retire and wish I hadn't.

 

My initial plan was to retire after my Crystal cruise, the following spring. I'd rather retire next year, but I don't know if doing so would be shooting myself in the foot.

[fyree39]

What relevance has this to do here?

 

 

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And..don't be a meanie.

[myfuzzy]

I have a friend who is 82, she worked until last September. She was with the company over 20 years. She worked from 4 am to 10 am. Finally it got to a point where she said WHY, she called them and told them she was done, never went back, and now she tells me "I don't know why I didn't do this sooner" You know when you are ready....just do it...what are they gonna do....fire you?

[fyree39]

When I'm eligible to retire, that will be 5 years before my husband. I feel guilty that I can retire that much earlier than him. Also, my company gave me a promotion and a substantial raise 3 months ago. I'd also feel guilty leaving so soon after the promotion, as if I'm not grateful for it.

 

But, to retire...oh, the thought of it!

[cbelc]

Living in Florida, I’m looking forward to being able to go on last minute style cheap cruises. But for now I keep working so I can have a decent retirement. It isn’t enough to stop working if I can’t enjoy it.

 

 

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[yorkshirephil]

I retired last year aged 59, both my parents died young while still working. I decided many years ago I would retire as soon as I could afford to. We have spent almost 3 months at sea since retirement and long may it continue.

 

No pockets in shrouds.

[bettty45]

I retired going on 6 years ago because my husband pressured me to. I wasn’t ready. We have cruised a lot, traveled, and moved to the southwest from the NW. I regret my decision and would go back. You can only do so many cruises :). Now I have been gone too long to feel comfortable getting back into a job that was very legally based. I miss feeling useful and involved. I know folks say you can volunteer and get involved but it isn’t the same as working from your knowledge base. I am a cancer survivor so I have had health issues but I say don’t go till you really are ready. Have something you run to not run from. Good luck. It truly is a personal decision.

 

 

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[Hellbee]

I’m past retirement age but still working, at the same job for 33 years. I take 3 to 4 cruises a year, obviously none longer than a week or 2, Australia will have to wait until I retire. I not only have a full time job but have been an active volunteer for 24 years (on board of directors ) and am also a cancer survivor. I don’t want to die at my desk but, until I can figure out what I want to do when I retire and where I want to live (taking into consideration weather & taxes), I’ll keep working. I guess we all decide when the time is right to retire unless we’re “retired” by our employer.

[ArtsyCraftsy]

I retired when my financial planner told me one day “You know, you don’t have to work if you don’t want to. Is there something else you’d like to do besides work?” I was 51 yrs old, working at a job I actually liked a lot, but I’d also been working constantly since I was 19. I had lucked out and landed a job doing database design for Amazon in Seattle in 1997 — one of those serendipitous “right place, right time” things. I hadn’t discovered the joys of cruise travel yet, and what I wanted to do most of all was get my undergrad degree in music. I gave it a lot of thought, had my planner run the numbers with many variables — my biggest fear was ending up as a bag lady when I’m 84. Numbers looked good, so I retired in June 2003, and started classes as a full time student in September 2003.

 

Finally got all the education stuff out of the way 2003-2010 (BA in composition, conducting, & vocal performance; M.Mus in music history & literature; ABD for a D.Mus in conducting). Took my first cruise in September 2017; have 5 more booked.[emoji1] kind of making up for lost time.

 

 

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[fyree39]

An example of why I want to retire sooner rather than later:

 

My team lead told me to take a 3-day class with her, which started Monday. On Thursday, tomorrow, I'm leaving for Florida to visit my 88 year old dad and will return to work next Wednesday.

 

The first day of the class she turns to me and asks when I expect to complete Project A if I'm going to be gone visiting my dad. In my head I'm think to myself I'd be finishing Project A if I weren't in this class with her, the one she told me to take. On day two of the class she doesn't show up. I text her and she tells me she had to go to the office. She never showed up to the class yesterday. Last night she texts and wants to know if I want to come into work either during the class lunch break or after the class to complete Project A. I tell her I'm coming in after the class.

 

She's the one that told me to sign up for the class. I've had my projected leave on the calendar for 6 months, so it's not like she didn't know I was going to Florida. Project A can actually wait to be completed on Wednesday, but she wants it done now. The class she made me take is way above and beyond my level of need and is actually unnecessary for me to complete my work. I doubt she shows up today for the class.

 

That's the kind of stuff that makes my head spin and makes me just want to duck out of the work world. Give me a cup of coffee in the morning, the online LA Times, and a spin on my elliptical each day and I'll be happy.

[bigwally]

I have the option to retire in April. However, were I to do so, I'd make about 20% less per month. Part of me says it's more important to enjoy my retirement for as long as I can rather than get more money. In either case, I'll be earning enough to live on.

 

I'll be facing the same choice in a few years. I think I'm already decided on slightly less income each month, but we'll see how I feel when the time actually comes.

[iancal]

We were financially independent. My former employer provided an extremely lucrative exit package.

 

We have no inclination to be the wealthiest people in the care home.

 

We like to travel and have a very long bucket list.

 

We focus on how many good, healthy years we have left vs. our age or working an extra year or two simply to add funds to the inheritance that we will pass along.

[bigwally]

We focus on how many good, healthy years we have left vs. our age or working an extra year or two simply to add funds to the inheritance that we will pass along.

 

I'm expecting to be a widower with no children of my own (I do have my DW's daughters and grandkids) so don't think I'm going to leave an inheritance. I mean, sure, theoretically I could leave my home and personal effects, but extremely likely I will have blown through my savings. Even the house I'm thinking I'll eventually reverse mortgage to keep the lifestyle going, so I don't think they should count on that either. :halo:

[Hellbee]

When one retires & looks forward to traveling, it's very different if you are traveling as a couple than as a single.

[DOT Dudet]

30 years retirement credit happened on April 17th 2017 coincidentally the Monday, Emancipation Day was remembered in 2017. A "sign" I could not ignore, separated from service, will "retire" in 18 months. Too many changes to stay.

I am a widow, plan to leave this world debt free and HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY.

[shipper50]

I retired after working 30 years and was just short of 50. Had enough with the people and found out what I could get monthly and went. One thing I will never forget is my GM telling me that a guy had put in for his retirement and died before the paperwork was done. That was over 18 years ago and I never regretted it one bit.