IF..You've retired, in the past 3-4 years, do you NOW wish you'd stayed (what w/inflation growing by leaps and bounds) in the

[nybumpkin]

On 4/13/2022 at 11:34 AM, iancal said:

In the past few years I have lost three former colleagues.  All were in a position to retire.  Two were in their very early sixties. The third waited until 65 to retire, then dropped dead.  He was in the process of planning a family cruse with children and grandchildren.  He never got around to it.

 

I did not want to be one of those people.   Retired early and changed our lifestyles-weight, exercise, and what we ate.

You have the story that prompted my retirement. DH's mom was Executive Director of a nonprofit; I used to hear her "when I retire" stories. Well, she finally did retire - and 5 months later was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She was gone less than a year later. None of those "when I retire" stories happened.

 

I retired at the end of 2022 when I turned 62 after a 35-year career (and I loved my job), but am doing part-time work for them and probably will for another two years. DH isn't retired; his employer does not have a post-retirement medical plan, so he's staying to 65. Fortunately, it's a college teaching position, so he has a month off in December/January as well as three months in the summer. In the meantime, we leave for a river cruise in Europe next week....

[PoppyVelvet]

My mother had a massive stroke at 63 the week before she was retiring and lived the rest of her life in a nursing home unable to even take herself to the toilet. I’d been urging her to retire for years - she wanted to save more money to leave my brother and I.  We didn’t need it. I’m 56 now my husband is 58 and I have decided to retire by 60. It’s scary thinking of having no salary coming in so heartening to read all your stories. Thanks!

[vamartha]

I retired at 62 at the beginning of 2021. Covid was still playing hell with our lives. I have epilepsy and had just lost my driver's license for period of time with a 1 hour commute each way to work. My mom was in the process of dying 3 hours away in another direction and although our knew I was killing my social security I just couldn't see any other way out.

 

A year and a half ago I went back to work. Mainly because I was bored to death. We traveled. We still travel. I went back to work at the same job but mostly remote. I can work from anywhere in the world. What I do doesn't take a whole lot of my time. I was in desperate need of mental stimulation. I love working from a cruise ship. The office view is lovely.

[nancy1031]

I thought of retiring a few years ago, well covid cam and i was home for 7 months, didn't work but got paid, God works in funny ways as I was able to be with my mom during her last 6 months- i was able to return to work and am still working fulltime, I enjoy my job ,the benefits, my coworkers and it does help keep me sane!!! Last wk I was home sick for 2 days, during that time we had lost power and I was getting bored as I couldn't do anything like bake or trim the hedges, i realized that i'll keep on working as long as i can- my dad enjoyed being retired as he golfed 3-4 times a week, not my idea of fun chasing a little white ball!!! Mom said it helped keep her sane too as he sometimes got on her nerves!!!! I'll keep cruising too- once a yr is enough for me-

[SmoothFlying]

On 8/13/2024 at 11:55 AM, nancy1031 said:

I thought of retiring a few years ago, well covid cam and i was home for 7 months, didn't work but got paid, God works in funny ways as I was able to be with my mom during her last 6 months- i was able to return to work and am still working fulltime, I enjoy my job ,the benefits, my coworkers and it does help keep me sane!!! Last wk I was home sick for 2 days, during that time we had lost power and I was getting bored as I couldn't do anything like bake or trim the hedges, i realized that i'll keep on working as long as i can- my dad enjoyed being retired as he golfed 3-4 times a week, not my idea of fun chasing a little white ball!!! Mom said it helped keep her sane too as he sometimes got on her nerves!!!! I'll keep cruising too- once a yr is enough for me-

Well, everybody has their own idea about what it takes to make them happy in life. I miss my job however I've been retired now for twelve years and am in my mid seventies and doubt I could go back. When I retired at sixty two my wife and I were just taking 2-3 cruises a year but in the last 2 years we're trying to take 5 a year hopefully, we can keep that up as long as possible. I LOVE it and there's no way I could go back to less than four.  One of our cruises last year was an15 day out of Long Beach to Hawaii and it was over before I knew it and I was ready for another. I know some are satisfied with 1 and if so I'm happy for them. Different stokes.. as the saying goes :)).

 

Mac  

[nancy1031]

it's the airfare that gets me and also the single rate for the cruise is also high- also i like my job and my coworkers- (plus they raffle off tickets for Cavs, Guardians  games and also concerts (the Suites are very nice!!!!) - I'm still hoping for Indy 500 tickets!!!!

[SmoothFlying]

22 hours ago, nancy1031 said:

it's the airfare that gets me and also the single rate for the cruise is also high- also i like my job and my coworkers- (plus they raffle off tickets for Cavs, Guardians  games and also concerts (the Suites are very nice!!!!) - I'm still hoping for Indy 500 tickets!!!!

I could be mistaken but I thought that there were several major cruise lines that catered to singles with lower charges ? I also agree with you about the airfare on two of our cruises last year,a 15 day Long Beach to Hawaii and a 10 day SFO to Alaska airfare was $700+ for myself, my wife. for each trip from Atlanta. Of course for you living in the midwest iit'd be less, but still it can be expensive. :((

 

Mac

[nancy1031]

I was lucky last yr as I got my air for $59 on Southwest going down but coming home it was almost $450 on Spirit (times weren't good coming home, most flights w/ decent prices left before 10am and later flights  were alot more $$, even single cabins were $1200 for the least expensive-- got lucky this yr as my friend is going w/ me and she got us a great on both the air & hotel- sad to say but Cleveland isn't easy to fly in & out of anymore- 

[SFRiA]

Retire and enjoy life while you can!

 

I was heading to the airport last Sunday to fly to Vancouver and then take an Alaskan cruise on Crystal, when I had a heart attack. My wife instructed the driver to take us to the nearest hospital emergency room. When we got there 5 min later, I was quickly rushed into triage and then into the Cath Lab for an Angiogram. Once they located the blockage, the installed a Stent to open up my 99% blocked artery. I was awake during the process and was in amazement seeing what they were able to do so quickly.

I'm out of the hospital now, but take it as a lesson that your day may come sooner than you expect. I'm fit and healthy in every other measure. I work out 5 days/week. Don't smoke or drink anything with caffeine, don't eat red meat, and eat lots of fish and vegetables.

 

Take advantage of the days you have.

Edited August 18 by SFRiA