Beware of Retirement

[Dbeasy 15,047]

You may fantasize about the day you can stop working. You may envision all of these hobbies you’ll do: fishing, golf, etc. You may shake your head at stories of old men who keep coming into the office for years because they can’t figure out anything else to do. You might think about a second career, one that is less stressful or demanding.

 

Then, when faced with the actual possibility, it might really screw with your head. You’ve been warned. Feel free to ask questions of the “olds” and “almost olds” on Surly to prepare you for that inevitable day.

 

[Gardner Barnes 1,562]

Good idea for a thread.

I can tell you that my recently retired FIL and my semi-retired mother don’t dig being retired all that much.

My in-laws have started drinking a lot because I don’t think they have much else to do during the day. A loss of purpose if you will.

My mother is driving us crazy with all the fees to “help”.

[Bigbend1812 12,915]

You retire then you die. 

 

 

Fuck that.  And chip Brown.

Edited May 27, 2018 by Bigbend1812

[Okie State 3,818]

You retire then you die. 
 
 
Fuck that.  And chip Brown.

This. I'll work my whole damn life saving up a nice chunk of change only to die of a heart attack the day after I retire. Just watch.

[Macanudo 12,976]

14 minutes ago, Gardner Barnes said:

My in-laws have started drinking a lot

Sounds like a plan to me.

[DaysOff 7,947]

13 years. 5 months. 23 days to go.

[Vito Andolini 9,125]

7 minutes ago, DaysOff said:

13 years. 5 months. 23 days to go.
 

User name is making more sense.

[Larry T. Spider 1,746]

My dad is retiring in 3 months. He takes a lot of pride in his job and has done it well for the last 42 years. He has plenty of money to retire but I worry about his day to day life. He doesn’t have a lot of hobbies and I worry about him sitting in a chair all day then dying 5 years after retirement the way his dad did. He is involved with church and I hope he can volunteer more there. I don’t know what he is going to do the rest of the time.

[Dbeasy 15,047]

Good idea for a thread.

I can tell you that my recently retired FIL and my semi-retired mother don’t dig being retired all that much.

My in-laws have started drinking a lot because I don’t think they have much else to do during the day. A loss of purpose if you will.

My mother is driving us crazy with all the fees to “help”.

The drinking problem is a BIG one. I have many retired/almost retired friends that clearly now have a drinking problem. They got bored, started having happy hours here and there, and now it’s a full-blown dependency. Everything they do revolves around drinking. Definitely one of the biggest retirement problems to beware of.

[F250 28,767]

1 hour ago, Okie State said:

1 hour ago, Bigbend1812 said:

You retire then you die. 
 
 
Fuck that.  And chip Brown.

This. I'll work my whole damn life saving up a nice chunk of change only to die of a heart attack the day after I retire. Just watch.

Two years ago, a guy I knew retired at 58 years old. He retired with a nice pension and talked about how he was going to smoke premium weed and fish everyday. The dude stroked out 4 days into his retirement. Life is an evil bitch.

Edited May 27, 2018 by F250

[Guest]

Of my employees who have retired during my tenure, BY FAR the happiest and most satisfied with their retirement are the ones who had a life away from work, whether it was motorcycle groups, Knights of Columbus, golfing, bowling, or even taking another, less stressful part time job.  The ones who have stayed busy, even if it was leisure stuff are the ones who have enjoyed the best health, as well.  i realize that is a chicken/ egg question, but the ones who sit around the house or don't do much are the ones who fall apart.

I figure when I retire, it will likely be to make a change to something simpler and less responsible( lolz.)  At 55 I will be eligible for 75% of my max pension and company retirement. That is in 7.5 years.  If my body feels like it does today, unlikely; I will keep going.  My goal is to work 40 years for the same company.  That will also afford me pretty much my best financial situation with the added years at my peak earnings.

Then again, if my health falters, I'll be taking that greeter job at Victoria's Secret sooner than later.

[Brothahorn 10,087]

I'm planning on a 'working retirement' in the cattle business. Maybe even a little farming. Something that will keep me busy, but not beat me down like an every day job.

My mom retired about 3 years ago. She didn't even make it a year before she was so bored, she went back to work full time. She's at least cut it back to part time now.

[Dbeasy 15,047]

I started looking seriously at the alternative, less stressful second job/career. It had been my “plan” forever. Now that I’m there, I’m finding the whole idea unsatisfactory. This has been a major shock to the system and has put me into re-planning mode. I never thought I would have these thoughts. It’s bizarre.

[Reagan1k 3,024]

My FIL retired and rented a small office with another friend.... 2 Desk/chairs coffee pot and two phones.  Had WSJ and a couple of other papers delivered daily.  He’d get up in the am and go there for coffee, pay bills, read the paper.  Meet buddies for lunch and then head home around 12:30 or 1 every day to my MIL and her list of chores. 

Did that for years as a bridge into retirement to keep from being bored at home all Day. 

[Walden Ponderer 12,639]

28 minutes ago, Brothahorn said:

I'm planning on a 'working retirement' in the cattle business. Maybe even a little farming. Something that will keep me busy, but not beat me down like an every day job.

My mom retired about 3 years ago. She didn't even make it a year before she was so bored, she went back to work full time. She's at least cut it back to part time now.

I'm right there with you. I plan on making goat cheese, keeping bees (niche market because I do top-bar beekeeping, so I'll sell "in the comb" honey), market farming, and the occasional garden consulting gig. My grandfather did small scale farming into his 80s; I see no reason why I won't be able to break that record. He ate like crap, drank too much, smoked, and didn't do yoga, after all.

[skittlebrau 474]

1 hour ago, Dbeasy said:

The drinking problem is a BIG one. I have many retired/almost retired friends that clearly now have a drinking problem. They got bored, started having happy hours here and there, and now it’s a full-blown dependency. Everything they do revolves around drinking. Definitely one of the biggest retirement problems to beware of.

Having kids did this to us.

[Red Five 40,852]

I appreciate the “become an alcoholic” suggestions, and I will now work towards that as my eventual goal.

[Parliament 14,255]

I'm gonna become a male escort. Maybe dabble in film.

[El Diablo 4,232]

Biggest issue I saw with my parents was my dad being home all day and it driving my mom up the wall. It was a hard adjustment for her. They eventually found a compromise that worked for them but it took some time. Dad retired in I think December of '80 and he died in '07 at the age of 88. Once those first couple of years were under their belts, and they weren't easy, they seemed to really enjoy the freedom to come and go and being able to be spontaneous. If I don't die in the meantime I plan on retiring at age 72. If I live as long as the old man did that'll be 15 years of goofing off. I think I got my drinking out of my system already so hopefully that doesn't become an issue.  

[Dbeasy 15,047]

Another path is to become a high school science teacher and then transition to cooking meth for the cartels.

[mchookem 16,327]

14 months to go, i'll still be in my 40s (started as a teenager)

I'm just tired of being a boss, being responsible for so many other people doing their jobs well. i mean, i love my job and the people i work with, and im really good at it...but IT in the public sector is a fucking pain in the ass and it gets harder pretty much every month. I'm pretty tired of the risks and the rules and the legislature every two years coming up with some other general bullshit. 31 years, i've done my time. 

I'll be looking for a job with the least amount of responsibility possible. 

Edited May 27, 2018 by mchookem

[F250 28,767]

1 hour ago, Brothahorn said:

I'm planning on a 'working retirement' in the cattle business. Maybe even a little farming. Something that will keep me busy, but not beat me down like an every day job.

My mom retired about 3 years ago. She didn't even make it a year before she was so bored, she went back to work full time. She's at least cut it back to part time now.

This has been my dad's retirement for the past decade.

 

46 minutes ago, Walden Ponderer said:

I'm right there with you. I plan on making goat cheese, keeping bees (niche market because I do top-bar beekeeping, so I'll sell "in the comb" honey), market farming, and the occasional garden consulting gig. My grandfather did small scale farming into his 80s; I see no reason why I won't be able to break that record. He ate like crap, drank too much, smoked, and didn't do yoga, after all.

Both of my grandfather's did this into their mid 80's. The physical labor really kept them healthy.

[F250 28,767]

5 minutes ago, mchookem said:

14 months to go, i'll still be in my 40s (started as a teenager)

I'm just tired of being a boss, being responsible for so many other people doing their jobs well. i mean, i love my job and the people i work with, and im really good at it...but IT in the public sector is a fucking pain in the ass and it gets harder pretty much every month. I'm pretty tired of the risks and the rules and the legislature every two years coming up with some other general bullshit. 31 years, i've done my time. 

I'll be looking for a job with the least amount of responsibility possible. 

So another job in the public sector?

 

I kid, I kid.

[tbone_ 14,115]

Another path is to become a high school science teacher and then transition to cooking meth for the cartels.

Do this. Has the makings of some great stories.

[GreenspointTexas 9,600]

Shit, i wish i was retired

 

goddamn, people complaining about being retired, lmao

 

 

what a time to be alive

[rickyspub 801]

2 hours ago, F250 said:

Two years ago, a guy I knew retired at 58 years old. He retired with a nice pension and talked about how he was going to smoke premium weed and fish everyday. The dude stroked out 4 days into his retirement. Life is an evil bitch.

Speaking of stroking out after retirement. I plan on getting a Cialis prescription and doing just that...

[Hefeweizen 5,311]

I think I will not really ever retire. I will switch to hourly consulting and do 15 to 20 hours a week. I enjoy the technical problems but can't wait to be done with management. It just is a drag. My friend that opened the office with me is retiring in three years and is going to increase the number of cattle he runs.

I do think outside interests besides food and drink are key. My dad plays tennis every day and said it's not enough, so he reads, attends music events, and does lots of traveling. Obviously you have to save enough to do that but retirement as just sitting around doesn't sound good to me.

[Lucid 3]

Mortimer Adler nailed it-

"Atrophy of the mental muscles is the penalty that we pay for not taking mental exercise. And this is a terrible penalty, for there is evidence that atrophy of the mind is a mortal disease. There seems to be no other explanation for the fact that so many busy people die so soon after retirement. They were kept alive by the demands of their work upon their minds; they were propped up artificially, as it were, by external forces. But as soon as those demands cease, having no resources within themselves in the way of mental activity, they cease thinking altogether, and expire.

Television, radio, and all the sources of amusement and information that surround us in our daily lives are also artificial props. They can give us the impression that our minds are active, because we are required to react to stimuli from outside.

But the power of those external stimuli to keep us going is limited. They are like drugs. We grow used to them, and we continuously need more and more of them. Eventually, they have little or no effect. Then, if we lack resources within ourselves, we cease to grow intellectually, morally, and spiritually.

And when we cease to grow, we begin to die."

[GhostOfTomJoad 9,324]

Mrs. Ghost and I are planning for 10-12 more years before pushing the button. We'd both be near 60 which would be a good time for us to get out & do the things we like to do (travel, hike, volunteer, etc). Don't have any desire to work after retirement & unless things go tits up there shouldn't be a need, but we'll both continue our volunteer efforts with animal rescue being a priority. Just in our blood. Shoot, my grandparents were delivering meals on wheels when they were both almost 90. Many of the people on their routes were decades younger than them!

[Dbeasy 15,047]

Another thing that I’ve seen crop up in talking with others at or near retirement is a perceived lack of funds to retire (note the word perceived).

Even though they’ve socked away substantial sums of money, the lack of a pensions means they have to rely on the earning power of the funds. With low interest rates, the next major stock market drop somewhere in our future, and a US debt level that’s out of control, people are worried about having to eat into principal too fast. It’s the uncertainty that is the problem.

[jettrink 40]

6 hours ago, Dbeasy said:

Another path is to become a high school science teacher and then transition to cooking meth for the cartels.

God damn, look at the big brain on Db.  I'll follow your foot steps, but LSD is my gig.

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2,732]

My dad was a Col then went to work as the COO of a Rehab hospital. He retired from that and lasted about a year.

He then got a job at the TX workforce commission finding people jobs. He said that was the best job he ever had because he had little responsibility and told
them he did not want any promotions.

[workswithseed 2,101]

8 hours ago, Brothahorn said:

I'm planning on a 'working retirement' in the cattle business. Maybe even a little farming. Something that will keep me busy, but not beat me down like an every day job.

My mom retired about 3 years ago. She didn't even make it a year before she was so bored, she went back to work full time. She's at least cut it back to part time now.

I just want a texas native sanctuary, buy lots of land and take out the existing plants and put native grasses in, try to find a harvested ant queen and settle her on the land then add horny toads to reestablish their population. Then some where add bison.

[Sbbruin 21,841]

I’d fucking retire tomorrow if I could.  I would just move onto my boat and sail away. 

[Armybrat 40,832]

[MNLonghornFUKM 8,817]

I think theres some in the generation thats about to retire where working is just a part of who they are. We have 3-4 school bus drivers who are retired insurance agents, band director, AG banker but drive bus for side income or something to do. most will find another job but a few more free hours during the work week and no weekends.

 

I think id get so bored if i full on retired in 30 years

[Armybrat 40,832]

I have been retired for 21 years. Didn't expect to live this long though.

Have one of these on my bookshelf:

[Kilgorehorn 308]

I worked in a stressful job for over 45 years. When I retired, I took a part -time job driving for Enterprise. It is totally without stress and look forward to going to work because I enjoy driving.

It doesn't pay shit but that doesn't matter.

 

[kmac30 416]

My dad retired around 2 years ago. Earlier than he should have. He’s working part time, but they are blowing through their money.

My old neighbor retired when he was 55. His father had died of a heart attack at 65 so this guy wanted to enjoy life with his wife. He ended up dying a couple years ago at 102. He enjoyed every day of retirement and his life.

[Aqua Buddha 14,588]

My parents retired as soon as they could and didn't do a damn thing after that.  Their brains and bodies quickly went to shit.  Ever since, they were obsessed with the Weather Channel and believe whatever fucking nonsense they saw on the Internet.

You can "retire" from you job but for the love of God, stay physically and mentally active.  Do SOMETHING.  The body and mind decline fast once they hit a certain age.

Edited May 28, 2018 by Aqua Buddha

[Sandman 3,403]

My mom toyed with the idea of retiring but decided to work a few more years. Then she died at 58, never got to spend the extra time with her grandkids that she had been planning on. I intend to retire the day I'm eligible at 62, if not a little earlier (if I can afford the hit to my pension). My dad retired from the military after 26 years, then worked for the VA for 17 more. He's in shitty health but some of that is his own fault. He has no hobbies or friends, he just watches the western channel all day.

[MNLonghornFUKM 8,817]

14 minutes ago, Kilgorehorn said:

I worked in a stressful job for over 45 years. When I retired, I took a part -time job driving for Enterprise. It is totally without stress and look forward to going to work because I enjoy driving.

It doesn't pay shit but that doesn't matter.

 

We had a motorcoach driver who left us and does this for Hertz now. Actually is kinda nice since a few times if we've needed a one way car from Fargo to Minneapolis or vice versa, we would "drive" for Hertz and save them a trip by driving their car back for them for basically free instead of a $100+ day rental 

[Dbeasy 15,047]

My mom toyed with the idea of retiring but decided to work a few more years. Then she died at 58, never got to spend the extra time with her grandkids that she had been planning on. I intend to retire the day I'm eligible at 62, if not a little earlier (if I can afford the hit to my pension). My dad retired from the military after 26 years, then worked for the VA for 17 more. He's in shitty health but some of that is his own fault. He has no hobbies or friends, he just watches the western channel all day.

This is my fear, not retiring but then dying before I get to spend time doing some stuff I want to do.

[Clintonaldo 2,574]

LOL at my wife not liking when I retire in 17 years. She can get the fuck out with the quickness. 

[MNLonghornFUKM 8,817]

8 hours ago, Dbeasy said:

I started looking seriously at the alternative, less stressful second job/career. It had been my “plan” forever. Now that I’m there, I’m finding the whole idea unsatisfactory. This has been a major shock to the system and has put me into re-planning mode. I never thought I would have these thoughts. It’s bizarre.

Consider driving school bus. Mon-Fri, 7-9 in the morn, probably 2-4 in the afternoon, have all morning/early afternoon to do whatever. im sure most districts are starving for drivers.

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2,732]

When I retire I’ll be a Marshall on the course.

[GotThatFire 166]

8 hours ago, Parliament said:

I'm gonna become a male escort. Maybe dabble in film.

It's not as glamorous as it seems. 

[pch 1,259]

8 hours ago, Parliament said:

I'm gonna become a male escort. Maybe dabble in film.

[Longhorn Al 440]

Don't sell your soul to work. My dad retired years ago and loves it. I'll be the same.

[Larry T. Spider 1,746]

1 hour ago, Aqua Buddha said:

My parents retired as soon as they could and didn't do a damn thing after that.  Their brains and bodies quickly went to shit.  Wishing five years they were obsessed with the Weather Channel and believe whatever fucking nonsense they saw on the Internet.

You can "retire" from you job but for the love of God, stay physically and mentally active.  Do SOMETHING.  The body and mind decline fast once they hit a certain age.

This is what I worry about most with my dad. Mom has been retired for a few years and stays busy with hobbies and minor travel.