Topic: Early Retirement....anyone done it?

[simon#42]

a good shed and a good dog can be hard to find !

[Scott S]

a good shed and a good dog can be hard to find !

 Got a good dog. Two actually; my Blue Heeler and the retired bomb dog, a German Shorthair Pointer.

 The new working K9..... he's an idiot, but he's good at his job. We haven't bonded yet.....meaning I'd like to strangle him on a daily basis (JK...I'm an animal lover).

 The shed? However big you think it needs to be, double that and add 10%.

[Trevor from Warragul]

I finished up at work today.  When I turn 55 in 3 weeks, my government employee pension will start.

One of the women at work casually asked which one of the bikes I rode to work was my favourite.  The reason for her "casual" query was revealed today:



She obviously took a photo of it in the work carpark.  Cool!

Trevor

P.S.  Further evidence that I actually do own a CBX

[ken65]

I finished up at work today.  When I turn 55 in 3 weeks, my government employee pension will start.

One of the women at work casually asked which one of the bikes I rode to work was my favourite.  The reason for her "casual" query was revealed today:



She obviously took a photo of it in the work carpark.  Cool!

Trevor

Congrats. I hope its everything you hope it to be.
That women must be a sweet heart.  Best wishes

P.S.  Further evidence that I actually do own a CBX

[Trevor from Warragul]

That women must be a sweet heart.

When I first met Josie 20 odd years ago, she was a bit of a #$%* (female dog).  Then she got out of her miserable marriage, and improved somewhat.  Then she married a genuinely nice guy at our work, and yep, she is now a definite sweetheart.

[Scott S]

 Congrats, Morini!

 I left my old job in June and burned my vacation time. I had nearly a month off before reporting to the new job.
 While leaving was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make, it was one of the best. I feel SOOO much better; mentally, physically, emotionally. The work environment at the new job is SO much better and SO different. There's a lot of room for advancement..... I already get the vibe I'm on track for the next supervisor role....and every ones attitude is so much better than the old job.

 Because I managed my money (and because I was saving so hard at the old job), the pay cut hasn't affected us at all. My (tiny) pension and the new salary are about the same as what I was living off of anyway. And I'm still contributing to the state retirement plan. If I stay 8 years (I'll be 60 y.o.), I'm eligible for a second pension. I'll see how well my 401K does between now and then. I may still go early. But this job is so stress free that working doesn't bother me like it did before. And...there's a chance I could go part time once I get to that age.

[dave500]

good for you morini!just out of interest we gotta guy at work just handed in his notice,hes had enough,still driving the dumpsters till the end of November,hes just shy of 70!

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Congratulations come your way from my little retirement condo in St Thomas, VI.

My retirement wasn't early but I'm overlooking the Caribbean now. Look ahead and do the things you have always wanted. Stay busy. Relax. I'm nearing the end of the first year and it has been an expensive year (by choice  ). I've checked off many things that weren't on my list and others that were. Time to add more. If I'm home enough I can work on my 2 CB750F projects that are close to completion (I hope) and maybe even ride my collector 79 CBX and CB1100F or my BMW K1200GT. I block out time for that. 

[Trevor from Warragul]

I lusted after the pearl white & metallic red CB1100F when I was younger - hold on, I still do!

[MRieck]

Congratulations come your way from my little retirement condo in St Thomas, VI.

My retirement wasn't early but I'm overlooking the Caribbean now. Look ahead and do the things you have always wanted. Stay busy. Relax. I'm nearing the end of the first year and it has been an expensive year (by choice  ). I've checked off many things that weren't on my list and others that were. Time to add more. If I'm home enough I can work on my 2 CB750F projects that are close to completion (I hope) and maybe even ride my collector 79 CBX and CB1100F or my BMW K1200GT. I block out time for that.

You better live to be 90 Jerry if you want those bikes finished. I retire 6/2021 with a good pension and very good healthcare (the upside of civil service). That plus I always worked another job and paid into SSI for over 40 years so I qualify for benefits at 66. Best thing is having a highly educated wife who worked (s) as a professional for years and has a great pension coming (from the time companies offered pensions) and will qualify for another pension from the current job. IRA's etc are icing on the cake.
  Maintaining good health is an important thing.....all the money in the world is worthless if you are dead or cannot get around.
  And most important.....get the hell out of places like Massachusetts. I'm moving to New Hampshire.

[bear]

all the money in the world is worthless if you are dead or cannot get around.

That's very true.

[demon78]

Roger that not being able is a #$%*ing bummer.
Bill the demon.

[bear]

Roger that not being able is a #$%*ing bummer.
Bill the demon.

It is Uncle Billy but I hope, like me your still getting joy from some of the little thing's in life.
You and me we've had a crack at the the big stuff, nothing wrong with giving the younger one's a bit of elbow room.

Cheers,
Brian

[Scott S]

 Well, here we are a year and a half later.

 The new job has been....different. I have a great boss and we've developed a great working relationship. It's basically been him and I starting a new department from scratch.
 However.... there are some pitfalls. We are woefully understaffed. I'm working a lot more weekends that I intended. I put my foot down on working the 2nd shift. Things move painfully slow in the public sector. And dealing with the public has been , um, interesting.

 I put a bug in his ear the other day about going part time. I recently found out from my money guy that I can actually fully retire and take home more than I'm earning now. If I can get them to put me on part time I will actually make MORE money.  I think this Summer will be it for me. I'll be 55 in July and, while there are things about the job that I really love, there are parts of it that I didn't sign up for.

 I recently lost an old friend/neighbor. He was 49. Just a reminder that life is short and you're not promised tomorrow.

[Alan F.]

That's a great update Scott, I just reread the OP and apart from all that Covid screwed up for everyone, you seem to be in a great place to accomplish this goal.
Good luck with going part time, baby steps maybe?

[Gordon]

I recently lost an old friend/neighbor. He was 49. Just a reminder that life is short and you're not promised tomorrow.

The older I get, the more this is on my mind. At 45 it's on my mind pretty much all the time.

If it weren't for my amazing wife I would have no plan for the future, but because of her and her efforts for the past 20 years we are looking at being able to actually retire when I'm 60. That's far from early retirement, but considering I was never even expecting a retirement, it's miraculous!

[Don R]

 I posted earlier I went at 57 thinking I was starting a new career and it didn't happen. Now social security has kicked in and my union pension plan is so overfunded I get an extra check every year.  I realize I'm one lucky dog.
 The union has a supplement plan to fund our health care, eventually that will be awesome if it kicks in while I'm still kicking.

[dave500]

#$%* im 62 and still hauling a garbage truck around 5 days a week,no end in sight for me at this point,we could down size our place and almost buy something smaller outright?im not keen to go casual or part time as im sure itll be the firing squad?im still agile and quite fit and move fast,ive never really thought about retiring,move it or lose it?

[Primus]

I packed it in last year on the eve of Covid so it wasn't really meant to be like this!  Intitially my pension fund plummeted overnight and I continually questioned the sanity of my decision.  My decision to quit was based mainly on a strong family history of Cancer on my Dads side and I had a near miss 4 years ago so that was a warning shot across the bow.  Now, I realise that you don't need as much (moneywise) as you think you do and I get to ride whenever the heck I like.  I don't have a huge fund but the house is paid off and we have already helped the 2 daughters with house deposits so I don't worry about blowing it all - SKIing as it's known (Spending the Kids' Inheritance).  I'm looking forward to this coming summer, what with the UK's fantastic vaccine rollout program.  In a nutshell, if you can and it's right for you, then do it as you never know what's around the corner.  I'm nearly 62 by the way.  All the best.

Paul

[BenelliSEI]

Well, here we are a year and a half later.

 The new job has been....different. I have a great boss and we've developed a great working relationship. It's basically been him and I starting a new department from scratch.
 However.... there are some pitfalls. We are woefully understaffed. I'm working a lot more weekends that I intended. I put my foot down on working the 2nd shift. Things move painfully slow in the public sector. And dealing with the public has been , um, interesting.

 I put a bug in his ear the other day about going part time. I recently found out from my money guy that I can actually fully retire and take home more than I'm earning now. If I can get them to put me on part time I will actually make MORE money.  I think this Summer will be it for me. I'll be 55 in July and, while there are things about the job that I really love, there are parts of it that I didn't sign up for.

 I recently lost an old friend/neighbor. He was 49. Just a reminder that life is short and you're not promised tomorrow.

Scott..... I had a chance to “get out” at 57. Working 60 hour weeks at the time (and making lots of money), I took the chance. Sold our house in Toronto, and moved to our Farm. 10 years later, I can tell you it was the best decision I ever made! Just do it!

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

I've been enjoying a non-early retirement in the US Virgin Islands since 12/22/2018. NO stress unless the beer runs low. No looking back. It was easy to walk away for me. No issues financially.

[Gene]

I've been enjoying a non-early retirement in the US Virgin Islands since 12/22/2018. NO stress unless the beer runs low. No looking back. It was easy to walk away for me. No issues financially.

Which Island? I was always a fan of St. John's myself.

[y2kc0wb0y]

Turned 50 this year. 4 years away from financial freedom (not retirement); however, retirement is pretty much all I think about these days even with a good paying job I enjoy. Health care expenses are the main concern as I'm government contractor and there will be no pension or golden parachute. They say plan for $6700 per year on healthcare even though I'm healthy.

I began saving and maxing out my 401K contributions when I was 33....even with that retirement seems so far off.

[WhyNot2]

Crap.....I'm 64, working in a dead end job for the past 24 years, and now the elites in charge have no clue how to manage, so I'm in there 10 hours 5 days and 8 on Saturday, with no end in site.

I'm blessed to have a job, but at this stage, I thought I could be cruising towards retirement. Feet and legs are getting worse by the day, got neuropthy now. Good thing my work lets me sit t a desk for a bit each day.

66.4 which will be 2 years from now I will hang it up.

My brother just told me he plans to hang it at 75, which is 5 years for him.

So blessed I am, and he too.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

I've been enjoying a non-early retirement in the US Virgin Islands since 12/22/2018. NO stress unless the beer runs low. No looking back. It was easy to walk away for me. No issues financially.

Which Island? I was always a fan of St. John's myself.

Looking out at St John now. I'm on the east end of St Thomas just west of Red Hook up the hill in Sapphire Village.