What's the number?

[mcphee]

[Mazderati]

I started looking forward to retirement on work day one.

[Obstruction]

Fuck, I’m SO glad I’m retired. The best thing ever.

I’d feel pretty bad if I couldn’t amuse myself.

Too fucking right! It’s not hard to find something useful or entertaining to do for 5 or 6 hours a day. The rest of the time is free for goofing off.

The the worst thing about work is that it sucked up so much time.

[mcphee]

Boring people get bored.

[XXX-er]

" Consider when you go to a party the first thing people you meet ask is "what do you do? " because your job the one you complain about either working for the man or being the man is what defines you .So suddenly you are no longer in the game but you got enough money, food, booze, smoke, skis, bikes and you are the only one by the way cuz all yer buddies, maybe your wife or GF are still working ... is that gona make you happy ?

IME the people who say they know what they would do with a bunch of $$$ have never done the time to actualy earn that money and the people who can actualy afford to retire don't wana go cuz they are habituated to keep turning up at work ... its nice to have somewhere to go every morning "

In quotes ^^ cuz i wrote it 10 yars ago and its on page 2 of this thread,

so its very possible you won't know how you will feel until you get there but some people find comfort baking bread

People say I'm crazy doing what I'm doing
Well they give me all kinds of warnings to save me from ruin
When I say that I'm okay well they look at me kind of strange
Surely you're not happy now you no longer play the game
People say I'm lazy dreaming my life away
Well they give me all kinds of advice designed to enlighten me
When I tell 'em that I'm doing fine watching shadows on the wall
Don't you miss the big time boy? You're no longer on the ball


I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round
I really love to watch them roll
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I just had to let it go


People asking questions lost in confusion
Well I tell them there's no problem
Only solutions
Well they shake their heads and they look at me
As if I've lost my mind
I tell them there's no hurry
I'm just sitting here doing time


I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round
I really love to watch them roll
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I just had to let it go
I just had to let it go
I just had to let it go

[JimmyCarter]

At a party given by a billionaire on Shelter Island, Kurt Vonnegut informs his pal, Joseph Heller, that their host, a hedge fund manager, had made more money in a single day than Heller had earned from his wildly popular novel Catch-22 over its whole history.

Heller responds,“Yes, but I have something he will never have — ENOUGH.”

[Marshall Tucker]

The whole point of this thread is about knowing when to say when. If you don't have that ability you're just a hamster on a wheel.

Quite negative. I always looked at this thread more like, don't think about it unless you are nearing "X" amount and here are things you haven't thought about from people who have expereince, but take with a grain of salt." I've always found it incredibly helpful.

BTW getting near that number now, maybe a little south of the age; as many of life's events have unfolded. Starting to travel and do shit. Like I surfed in Hawaii not long ago, and that was a real bucket list item since being on the skateboard team when I was 13. I've got several neighborhood buds that further down this road and at least seem to be handling it well.

[Name Redacted]

The number for me is 55. 12 years from now. Making some moves, saving more than I’m spending, and focusing on health. It is a ten year plan with a two year fudge factor. But whatever I have in the bank at that time will be enough. Wish me luck.

[Meadow Skipper]

" Consider when you go to a party the first thing people you meet ask is "what do you do? "

My answer to that is “Whatever I want.”

Oddly, I’ve noticed that question hardly ever comes up here in Santa Fe, mostly only from people new to the area. Carpé mañana vibe.

So suddenly you are no longer in the game but you got enough money, food, booze, smoke, skis, bikes and you are the only one by the way cuz all yer buddies, maybe your wife or GF are still working ... is that gona make you happy ?

It does.

[phatty]

The number for me is 55. 12 years from now. Making some moves, saving more than I’m spending, and focusing on health. It is a ten year plan with a two year fudge factor. But whatever I have in the bank at that time will be enough. Wish me luck.

55 is my number as well, though I'm a bit closer in time frame. By then all the kids will be done with college (I started young) and the wife and I can settle in to volunteer more, (hopefully) visit grandchildren and travel. Doing everything you list and busting my butt at work to bring in more to get ready since this inflation is hitting hard.

[Marshall Tucker]

My answer to that is “Whatever I want.”

"well, the company got bought out, and I did alright in that, so now i just sorta work at x..."

[berko]

Wasnt sure that i would be fully able to retire without coming to loose ends, so at the end of last year exited the partnership and am now working 2d/wk until my youngest finishes hs next spring.


2 months later, I now believe that Im working 2 days a week too many.

[Danno]

Good for you, berko. I'm nowhere close, maybe I'll be able to retire at 66 or so, 12 years away. Unless I win the lottery, in which case I'd retire the day after that.

[XXX-er]

My answer to that is “Whatever I want.”

Oddly, I’ve noticed that question hardly ever comes up here in Santa Fe, mostly only from people new to the area. Carpé mañana vibe.


It does.

When I 1st moved here 16 yars ago I used to say "nothing" which was pretty accurate but then a few people said " oh I heard about you, you are the guy who does nothing " so I thot maybe i should redefine myself by doing something so i told people I was a skier

so they would say " do you ski patrol ? " no, " do you teach skiing ?" no, " do work at the hill? " no, " what do your do then ?" uh I ski

they didn't really get that either but then i was the skier instead of the guy who did nothing

Talking to newly retired guys I would put the amount of newly bored guys at 20% it was probably more with guys that were younger

in any case its entirley a feeling

[petey_]

At a party given by a billionaire on Shelter Island, Kurt Vonnegut informs his pal, Joseph Heller, that their host, a hedge fund manager, had made more money in a single day than Heller had earned from his wildly popular novel Catch-22 over its whole history.

Heller responds,“Yes, but I have something he will never have — ENOUGH.”

Love it!

Growing up it always seemed that 65 was the time to turn off the work machine and live the good life. Not that life was a drag before that but shucking off the obligations that came with a job meant there was time to do what I wanted. Now the government and job pensions keep the bank accounts topped up while the investments get ignored. Three years on and going strong. Still dream about work and it mostly revolves around the last month before retiring.

[John_B]

I'm starting a new job tomorrow which I'm excited about. However this thread is motivation to go buy a lottery ticket today.

[byates1]

When ppl ask me what I do, i say "I exist"

[The AD]

It does.

Me, too. I do a lot of things solo already and I enjoy going at my own pace. Not to say I necessarily prefer it to being with friends or spouse, but it is absolutely not a deal breaker for me.

[GiBo]

I may have said some of this up thread. Can't remember.

55 was my number. I turned 55 in June. I put in for retirement in July. I was 4 days away from retiring and taking a 3/4 time work from home job that I planned to do for 3-5 years. There were some upper management shake ups. Old boss came back and offered me a promotion to a job that could greatly increase my pension. I took it and cancelled my retirement. In 6 months I'll have a year in which will lock in a decent pension increase. After that, I will get a 7% bump the next 4 years and then it becomes just a 2% COLA. So 6 months minimum and 4.5 years max is my new number. It will be a greed vs freedom battle in my head for the next few years. I like the job at least.

I'm not worried about being bored in retirement one bit. I have decent fishing/biking nearby and skiing is 1.5 hours away. I have a 1970 VW van that needs to be restored. I have adult kids with SO's so there will probably be trolls to spoil.

I have a "retired'" bro-in-law that just can't stay still. Started a consulting company. Sold it. Started another. He was on his phone and laptop the entire Thanksgiving week. Fuck. That.

[GoldMember]

Since retiring in July (third try, got too antsy the first two attempts), I've been happy with it this time. Where I wasn't adjusting to life without work before, I seem to have it going pretty well this time. As I've told those who ask what I'm doing, I don't have anything to do and no time to do it in.

Between golfing a ton after retirement and mountain biking, little time needed to be filled. This winter, two season passes and working out on the off days. Other time filled by doing the things that need to be done around the house. I seem to be busy most of the time. At some point, I want to do some volunteer stuff but right now, just adjusting to having fun.

[toast2266]

55 is my number as well, though I'm a bit closer in time frame. By then all the kids will be done with college (I started young) and the wife and I can settle in to volunteer more, (hopefully) visit grandchildren and travel. Doing everything you list and busting my butt at work to bring in more to get ready since this inflation is hitting hard.

To retire at 55, what're you figuring you need in the bank? Or alternatively, how much are you figuring you'll need per year?

I struggle a bit with the math on that. Mostly because figuring out realistic expenses is tricky.

[XXX-er]

back in the day IBM'ers would die within < 3 yrs of retirement for whatever reason be it a life time of stress or lack of stress or wtf

so the mother corp gave everybody a free life insurance policy it was only like < 20K but just enough to bury the IBM'er

hence the term "cradle-to-grave"

[Benny Profane]

Just remember, there's a big difference between 55 and 65 or 70 as far as your body is concerned.

I told a buddy who is a skier and has lived in the mountains when I was 50 that I had the typical dream, retiring to high Colorado. Well, housing inflation killed that thing, but, at the time, he just laughed. You won't be able to ski that much when you're old, and there's nothing else to do. He was right.

[teleee]

Just remember, there's a big difference between 55 and 65 or 70 as far as your body is concerned.

I told a buddy who is a skier and has lived in the mountains when I was 50 that I had the typical dream, retiring to high Colorado. Well, housing inflation killed that thing, but, at the time, he just laughed. You won't be able to ski that much when you're old, and there's nothing else to do. He was right.

Hence the 50k plus posts on TGR. Pretty sure there are better things to do in life but you do you.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[phatty]

To retire at 55, what're you figuring you need in the bank? Or alternatively, how much are you figuring you'll need per year?

I struggle a bit with the math on that. Mostly because figuring out realistic expenses is tricky.

Honestly a tough answer. Goals are having house paid off (on track), have $3M+ in liquid assets (on track, but not there), have passive income source for $50k+/PY (still working on this). I figure that I'll need ~$125k/PY once things are paid off. I live within my means, max out 401k and have no debt other than the house. Need to spend more time on the finances and planning this year. Wife wants to stay here once kids are gone, so will need to plan for that.