For sure, you’re a good guy 6guns. That pays off in the end. We remember your efforts to collect contributions for a SIGforum member in distress, and to deliver them to him.

Everyone's situation and expectations are different. After the Navy, I worked for a fortune 100 company for 27 years, in various positions, then was "retired" from that company with a pretty good package. I then started my own company which I ran for 20 years, then sold it and officially retired at age 67. I had numerus friends tell me I'd be bored as I put in 60+ hours in my business, and put in similar hours plus a lot of travel previously on my corporate job. NOPE, not bored. I love it and just wish my health at my age allowed for more things since I have the time and recourses to do a lot more than fits in to my situation.

So the lesson is; retire as early as you can afford it.

Today is my 63rd bday.
Been out of a job since the lockdown started by my own choice.
I was self employed but in fact been the only IT guy in a cold factory for almost 30 years.
I got to the point i didn’t enjoy working there anymore. Still love you what i did but no longer working for them.
Looked forward and there was no possibilities of improving my situation there. Looked backwards and i mostly remembered all the shit i had to put up with working there, their lack of understanding being the main reason why my job got frustrating over the years.
Would have kept working there for free, just not for or with them.

I simply had enough.

Realizing you are not what you do might take a while but you’ll get there.

0-0

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:

If the job is going to end in April, don't resign and wait to get the severance package. Otherwise, you're leaving money on the table.

This.

And don’t let them know you’re leaving until you have to. I don’t know about your employer, but I’m on a retirement forum and there’s lots of stories of folks giving their employers advance notice of retirement as a courtesy only to get cut loose early and stiffed out of bonuses, etc.

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
I didn't think this would affect me psychologically as much it has, but losing the working identity and not being part of the "team" anymore is a bit of a challenge.

6, I can relate to that. I'm 61 and just retired a month ago from my career as an airline pilot. The plan was to go another year, but the Quality of Life index had been headed in the wrong direction for a while.

Being a pilot is part of one's identity. One doesn't accidentally stumble into being a professional pilot. It is also a way of life because of our work schedules (and everything related to our job) being tied to seniority. M-F 9-5 is not a thing when you're a pilot. It is a relatively small club and we take a lot of pride in what we do.

Then BAM! One day I was out of the club. Totally and completely an outsider.

If you've been unemployed before, you know what it is like when people ask what you do and you mumble something about being between jobs, but you sort of feel like a nobody. We tend to be identified by our job. Losing a job means losing identity.

Retirement is not like that, because you are RETIRED! You actually do have a positive identity, unlike being unemployed. Your new identity is Retired from your previous career.

Yes there is a definite adjustment period. I still have moments when I think do I need to do laundry or prep food for my next trip, and when is that trip. Then I remember I don't have a next trip.

Overall I have been busier than ever. The wife and I enjoy a lazy cup of coffee in bed every morning with zero pressures. I'm catching up on that long list of things on the list for "when I'm retired".

Check out the YouTube channel "This is Our Retirement". Lots of excellent observations about being happy in retirement.

Happened to me at 55. I just said fuck it and walked away and didn't look back. The next day there was no adjustment. I always hated work, got in the way of everything I wanted to do. I just took the money and ran. The bullshit was over. No more kissing ass, no more politically correct, no more pretending diversity. While employed, your free time is defined as time you get ready for work, drive to work drive home from work, and recover from work. Now your free time is actually yours.

So get out there and enjoy what little time you have left.



i

While I am looking to officially retire in a few years, I am, per my dept., in the retirement "class" now. I feel my body going through changes/new pains, with every passing day and know I can't keep this pace up forever. It is a weird feeling knowing this chapter in life will some day change/end but others will begin. I understand your feelings that you have now and pray you find peace with it. I often wonder what I will do next.

When you finally walk out the door don't look back, look forward. Working for somebody else is NOT your life.
Your life is things that interest you and things you enjoy doing.
I'm 70 now, I retired when I was able to collect SS and Medicare (65 as I remember). The Company I worked for was purchased by another Company and I knew I would not start working for a new employer. I missed the some of the people I worked with and had contact with, that soon faded. Now I enjoy hearing the weather forecast and knowing I don't have to deal with it or all the other BS involved in "going to work".

You might consider cultivating your interests into more.
As I recall you enjoy creating art. Maybe you should pursue that.
You live on the doorstep of Chicago. Find a Art broker/Rep and see if you can book Art shows at Chicago galleries.
If you ever want to go shooting, give me call.
I wish you the best!

I'm right there too. 61, Been driving a truck for 42 years.
Tired of it. Been off for the last 5 weeks. Funeral leave for my Father
Two weeks off because I was exposed to covid, told HR taking two weeks vacation.
I'm not going back. Take a few months off. Find a simple job with a 15 dollar
an hour paycut, just need the insurance not the stress. They send me out 15-20
thousand pounds over weight. If I ever got into a wreck and someone died,
Even if it wasn't my fault, my company would throw me under the bus. I'm done.

I am about to turn 65, official retirement age is 66.5 years. My wife turns 65 next month. She retired in December after 43 years in the grocery business. I have 2.5 years left if I last that long. I have plenty of hobbies but have had surgery twice in 2 months. After that I am ready. See what happens. To all of you who have,congratulations and have fun.

Guys, thank you for all the well wishes, suggestions and related stories of your retirements. I really appreciate the positive thoughts!

I do have quite a few hobbies that will occupy my time. Some of you know I paint and play guitar. I'll continue to pursue those hobbies. As Lon suggested, I don't think I'm good enough to sell art, but I'm happy to exhibit some in shows. Since the virus, open mics have been mostly shut down, but hope to do a lot of that too. I'm also happy to say that just in the last week I've upped my exercise game as 12 hour work days pretty much stifled that. Since I enjoy travel, I hope to combine road trips with IDPA matches all around the country. I was once a pretty good competitor and maybe I can that touch back.

As for a severance package, I wish there was, though I can say I'm happy to have gotten a decent one from my previous employer. The regular paycheck is something I'll miss and have to get used to, but my savings are in pretty good shape.

A couple of members mentioned not being related to only my job. I've had a "title" for many years and I was mostly proud of my job. I can certainly change my title to retired and know that I do deserve it. It will take some getting used to.

Another member mentioned a lake effect snow storm which we happen to be having right now. Looks like 5-6" so far. Thankfully, I'm in no rush to shovel it. It's nice to say I don't have to go anywhere!

Thanks again for your thoughts fellas. I always appreciate the support of forum members. We see it all the time!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 6guns,

I'll be 65 in May, been a plumber/heating guy for 52 years and I can say it's definitely has become WORK! I can remember working 80 hour weeks many a time, now as my body wears out, I work 30 to 40, and pay dearly at the end of the day. I'm a small guy and it's worn me out, hips replaced, knees and shoulders should be.

My biggest problem is I love being somewhere different almost every day and I really love my customers, I hate turning them down for work that requires over the head work and crawlspace work but those are the jobs that really tear up my shoulders! I have to let that stuff go to the younger guys. Luckily, my customers understand and still call me for other stuff. Really don't think I'll completely retire until my body forces me to.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: wreckdiver,

^^^^^^^
Not retire until your body tells you to?
You retire when you still have enough mind and body to do those things you want to do.

I'm in the same situation.

I'll be 65 later this year.

I got laid off a couple of years ago, and the job market was brutal just trying to get interviews, let alone successfully get a decent job. Some jobs are just too hard anymore.

I always enjoyed working, felt fulfilled most of the time. I do miss that. I do NOT miss the office gossip and politics and backstabbing and petty shit, and incompetent bosses.

When the Covid hit and I saw what it did to a lot of people, I decided screw that, my health comes first, I don't HAVE to have a job.

I'm fortunate to have had the resources to get by comfortably, and have not drawn Social Security yet. I'm going to wait to my 65th birthday to enroll in Social Security and start getting back the money I paid all those years.

In the past month or two I've slowly began to realize that I need to stop acting like a retired old fart. I need to get a more structured life going. It's been great to sleep and get up when I wanted, but now I'm realizing it's time to stop that waste, and improve my life.

I think I need to find and dust off the old alarm clock, get up at a certain time every morning, get dressed and ready to go, and then GO. Go to bed at a structured time. Go for a walk, go to the gym, get off my ass, do something. Take day trips, go explore, etc. I need to find a safe place to volunteer again. Go shooting more, fishing, etc.

To be honest, Covid put a lot of fear in me, and rightfully so, but I am going to live a more open life now, and live again. Cautiously, of course, because Covid is still out there and no telling what other shit may hit our population again. I had Covid last March, it kicked my ass. I spent 11 days in the hospital, got home, doing well, and a week later developed what was eventually diagnosed as A Flutter, which put me back in the hospital for 3 days to get that under control. I'm on meds for that now, got a great cardiologist. I do NOT ever want to be in the hospital again!

Good luck, best wishes to all y'all.
.

quote:

Originally posted by sunburn:
^^^^^^^
Not retire until your body tells you to?
You retire when you still have enough mind and body to do those things you want to do.

We live in a small town, used to have a shooting range where I did IPDA but that is gone, lost our long distance shooting range due to a sale of the property.

One thing I have done is to save up lots of copper and brass parts, so that is one thing I have to do when I retire. Hunting is something I look forward to, because that was my busiest season, I never got to do it. Got lots of tools to sell off too.

I worked until I was 67, which improved my SS check. I had already been getting a USAR pension. The last year I could tell I wasn't working my butt off as much as I had in the past - but that was ok. What I didn't keep up with were a lot of management tasks the new one didn't think were important - like, monthly inventory. I passed that off to a willing co worker and helped as I could, but it wasn't a major focus anymore. Since our annual inventory had already happened, and I had done all the prep, they didn't like the results (accurate) which told them where problems were (the whole point of management.)

I schedule my retired date and counted down the days. Three weeks ahead, I reminded the manager that I wouldn't be there to open on Sunday morning like I had been the previous 12 years, he might want to give it some attention.

I kinda wish I hadn't but it was the right thing to get a replacement up to speed. That had been problematic with a previous asst mgr.

Once I left - I was free to discover what all the other retired guys were telling me - you aren't retired until you are doing MORE than your cushy job you left. Really! Now came all the projects, house renovation, yard work, cooking for her, making the beds, washing dishes - at least there were no babies because when Dad's home, they are all Dad Diapers.

You start pulling your fair share of chores which were previously left to get done when she could after she got home. Hmmm. Think about that. If you start helping before you retire, it's not such an adjustment.

Did I get to go do all the things I promised myself I could? During Covid? NOPE. Car shows, gun shows, cancellations left and right. Yet now we have a local gun show twice a year where we rarely had one consistently. Hunting? All I want - which is now a lot less than I used to. Travel? Been there done that, plus covid cancelled a fall vacation.

It's hit or miss, but it's not really different from what I have been told. With two cataract surgeries, eyesight is dramatically improved, and I've now found time and opportunity to improve on the truck - ratchet locker went in last week. Amazing how much better when both wheels are working, not one. It's a turf ripping machine now, not a slot cutter. Things I didn't have time or inclination to do, now are my focus and for the better. While I can still do them. Rolling around under a truck for two days, meh. Not as bad as I considered. Working off the ladder 25 feet up, still no problem with balance.

Sucking up 12 gallons of water which leaked when the outside faucet line froze and thawed two days ago, oh well. We caught it well within time and we were there - instead of coming home to a pool of water downstairs. That would have been a much bigger problem.

If you are financially prepared - we are debt free, pay cash for vehicles etc - retirement can be ok. On the other hand my wife reports her friends at church still working at age 70 - and I see the guys who retired where I worked back doing part time. I hope they are getting better pay, I do know the only way that company was making raises was the mandatory state ladder to $15 in 2024. No, Im not going back - we are doing our taxes and the expenses we aren't paying now are more than the slight difference in pay retired vs working. Gasoline alone is 1/3 of the cost, uniforms, hats, lunch out now and again, double the laundry, insurance (mileage), etc. A lot of working moms have recently learned the same, add in child care $$ and some save money staying home.

All that is why finding workers is hard now - no livable paying wages and difficult working conditions. In the day auto parts clerks were family men raising kids, now, only a part timer in college would apply - and that's all they pay to get, too. We've been taking out those who were 35% of the labor at retail and there is how bad things got. Corporations really were cheating the working adult far too long.