• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 31 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 31st anniversary: Happy 31st Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $23,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $23 Million dollars
  • Wish you could meet up with other TUG members? Well look no further as this annual event has been going on for years in Orlando! How to Attend the TUG January Get-Together!
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    Tens of thousands of subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

12 days till retirement

talkamotta

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2005
Messages
2,065
Reaction score
167
Location
Sandy, UT
Ive worked for the local phone company for over 31 years. Not that great of an accomplishment for this company but for me its a wonderful.

Ive been planing trips of course with timeshares and visitations to my children that live out of state. Im single and Ive raised 5 children while I was working at least one job and sometimes 2. So Im used to multi tasking and keeping busy. Ive waited for a long time to be able to retire and now Im just a little apprehensive. Not about leaving work but about filling my time.

The male friends in my life that have retired before me dont seem to have much problem but the women?????? it seems to be an adjustment.

What are your thoughts


I only have 12 days left and I am so ready not to come to work everyday. Its been a good career and has given me the opportunity to learn lots of stuff I hope to forget and raise and support my children and give me a pension and savings but I AM DONE.
 

ampaholic

TUG Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2010
Messages
2,310
Reaction score
3
Location
Spokane
1. Don't get fired in the next 12 days :eek:
2. Get crakin planning those vacations.
3. Enjoy - you've earned it :wave:
 

pedro47

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
23,343
Reaction score
9,482
Location
East Coast
Relax for a couple months and find something to do to keep the mind active.
 

Passepartout

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2007
Messages
29,169
Reaction score
18,461
Location
Twin Falls, Eye-Duh-Hoe
In no time at all you'll be so busy that you will wonder when you ever found time to work. Otoh, if you find yourself twiddling your thumbs and hanging out on TUG, check around SLC for volunteer opportunities. Believe me, someone needs you. If not, you can come up to my house and pull weeds. The chow isn't bad. :)

Jim
 

vacationhopeful

TUG Review Crew: Rookie
TUG Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2007
Messages
12,760
Reaction score
1,700
Location
Northeast USA
Don't let anyone tell you that retirement is the best. You do have some adjusting to do. And single men have problems, too. I bet most of the men you mentioned are married?

This is what I tell single persons: Men and women.

Get up around the same time EVERY DAY. You, as a human, function better if you follow a routine.
Get a shower and GET DRESSED. Including shoes and hair.
Eat breakfast (diners are usually more friendly than MickyD's) - best meal to socialize with friends as it is cheaper and more relaxing (like with the free coffee refills and no TV shows).
Join a gym or YMCA and get into a (new) exercise - yoga, swimming laps, etc
Take note of who is home in your neighborhood during the day - yes, there are the Moms, but look for the older people or those who might have had knee/hip replacements. These are your new "office" buddies - for that lift home to/from the garage, sanity check for you, neighborhood watch (help, I have fallen and I can't get up).
Got to the farmer's markets & fresh food stores and COOK BETTER.
Paint the heious room in your house.
Clean out the attic and garage and shed - you will have the most energy for this the 1st year.
"Do Not Watch Imus in the Morning" as I found my one 5 year retired male friend who actually TOLD ME to "shut up - Imus was speaking". I told him he needed to go back to work at the nuclear power plant - Imus is an idiot and you became one if that is your most important for you at 10AM and still in your PJs. He went back to work.
Drink less alcohol, not more --- you don't have a job to be unhappy with.
Figure out who annoys you and AVOID THEM - including relatives. Cheaper than alcohol and blood pressure meds.

This is the first class --- add/change the list, but I am single and have not had a job in 25+ years.
 

amycurl

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2011
Messages
3,237
Reaction score
3,365
Location
Greensboro, NC
if you find yourself twiddling your thumbs and hanging out on TUG, check around SLC for volunteer opportunities. Believe me, someone needs you. If not, you can come up to my house and pull weeds. The chow isn't bad. :)
Jim

Here are some places to start to research volunteer opportunities in Utah:
http://www.handsonnetwork.org/actioncenters/map/UT

Your local United Way would also have some good resources.

There are also RSVP programs in almost every US county. RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) is a Senior Corps program that provides some additional incentives for volunteering, usually including mileage reimbursement, additional insurance, and recognition and social opportunities.
 

geekette

Guest
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
10,809
Reaction score
5,620
well, big congratulations on having one big long job!!! That's admirable.
12 days! I am so excited for you!!!

Phone company usually gets to be butt of jokes, so welcome to the other side!

I like the list from Hopeful and mostly agree with it. The big thing to consider is that this is Time For YOU. what is it you delayed, dropped, etc., years ago?? maybe this is the time to resurrect those hobbies you abandoned years ago because you had kids or no money or no time or no space.

Audition for local theater. Try a new hobby. Rejuvenate a collection or have a blast selling it. Go to those annual meetings of stockholders you've never had time for before. Give day trading a whirl. Take a class, get certified to teach a class. Make a list of 5 things in your own city that you've thought you should check out but just never did.

Write letters to friends/family you haven't talked to in a long time. Drag out the sewing machine and make new curtains (I have soooo much to do on my house that my list would start with a ton of that kind of thing).

I plan to try some of those jobs that just "sounded like fun" on a part-time basis.

Volunteering is definitely a way to keep active. museums, libraries, old folks homes, kid hospitals, a lot of options there. all would be thrilled to have your help.

Maybe you just need a little time to think about it more. If you cannot come up with at least a few "I have always wanted to"'s then you have a bit more introspection to go.

Congratulations. You have earned this giant vacation.
 

vacationhopeful

TUG Review Crew: Rookie
TUG Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2007
Messages
12,760
Reaction score
1,700
Location
Northeast USA
...I like the list from Hopeful and mostly agree with it. ....

Thanks for the endorsement ... but that was just my first list.

Mostly, you have to develop an action plan for yourself. At work for all those years, you KNEW which holidays you had off and how many weeks of vacation. In my old job, I left the house at 6:45AM and got home around 6PM. And I needed to be in bed by 11PM. You ran around doing chores and getting ready for work. You fit your life and family into your OFF hours. Now you need to starting planning and looking for NEW stuff you like to do. But it is very important to have mental stimulation in your life. Traveling and reading, puzzle solving (crosswords), etc. And start to FIGURE OUT what you like and don't like --- it is okay to say, "that was OKAY, but I don't need to do that again".

And work on your BUCKET LIST ... so, if someone says, WHY are you doing that??? You have an answer - it is on my bucket list.

Also, several of my retired friends drifted into "alone by themselves" too much. The world HAD to circle around them ... always remember to BE FLEXIBLE and do things on the spur of the moment. Afterall, you did retire, right?
 
Last edited:

geekette

Guest
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
10,809
Reaction score
5,620
Hopeful, I did hope you'd continue on!!! I'm enjoying this. I'm far from retirement but find myself excited at the prospect. Action Plan is a great term. Action!

I agree that mental stimulation is paramount. keep your mind sharp. learn new things, challenge yourself.

Alone - my mother. She fancies herself a lone wolf, I don't need people, etc., but whines when no one calls her. Yet, she doesn't understand that the phone works both ways - SHE can call people!

If you find your circle of friends being limited to the Walmart greeter and your pharmacist, you may be too isolated!

If you don't want to take a phone call because (insert name of talk show host) is on, you may be too isolated.
 

Conan

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
3,142
Reaction score
598
Location
Connecticut
Get up to speed on Medicare and Social Security.

You're required to apply for Medicare (Part A) before you reach age 65. If you're younger than 65, make sure your former employer gives you the healthcare coverage you need (and if necessary, make the Cobra election and pay the money to maintain coverage). If you're 65 or over, learn about the choices to be made for Medicare Part B and D and what premiums will cost.

For Social Security, if you're younger than your normal retirement age (age 66 for people now retiring), decide whether you can afford to defer taking benefits. Benefits not claimed grow at 8%/year to age 70 when you must start taking them. If you're going to have earned income between now and when you attain age 66, be aware of how much you can earn without partial loss of social security.

If you were previously married for ten years or more, you may be surprised to learn there are social security benefits you can collect on your former spouse's earnings record!
 

bogey21

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2005
Messages
9,455
Reaction score
4,666
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
I have been retired for almost 12 years now and got divorced the year before I retired. No adjustment was required. Retirement has been great. I do agree that one of the first things you should do is gain a complete understanding of Social Security, Medicare and Medicare supplemental insurance.

George
 

Talent312

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2007
Messages
17,875
Reaction score
7,740
Resorts Owned
HGVC & GTS
1. Don't get fired in the next 12 days.

Get fired in the next 12 days (without cause) and maybe you can collect both unemployemt comp, and social security. :ponder:
 

vacationhopeful

TUG Review Crew: Rookie
TUG Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2007
Messages
12,760
Reaction score
1,700
Location
Northeast USA
Get fired in the next 12 days (without cause) and maybe you can collect both unemployemt comp, and social security. :ponder:

Might lose her pension, too ....

A major big international corporation here has private investigators full time to terminate longterm employees for various infractions so as to NOT have to pay retirement benefits. Particularily, investigate sick pay individuals ... need your shoulder operated on for work related age wear and tear or a knee replaced? You better be sitting at home, be driven to rehab, have your steak cut into little pieces by someone else, NOT LEAVE TOWN for a vacation trip, nor help with your grandkids, post anything on your Facebook or anyone's else FB, etc ... And yes, they have cameras everywhere at work ... so don't try the old, get hurt on the weekend and limp into work for a slip and fall.
 

carl2591

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2005
Messages
1,639
Reaction score
109
Location
Raleigh NC
Resorts Owned
Joined TUG '96, Wyndham Grand Palms AKA, Presidential Villas at Plantation Resort, 3 bed lockout.
i know of guy/gal that retired from phone company to find a big demand for phone tech for private installation and service companies.

you know the ends and outs of telco stuff and there is still a lot of it around.

bet you get several job offers soon.. most of the time they are contract work at 3 times what you were making before.

congrats and enjoy.. :cheer:

I and a friend got interviewed for phone company job in 1979.. we took the test and got offered the job. he took the job and stayed with bell south for 30 yrs. I did not and regret it to this day. goodjob...
 

Twinkstarr

TUG Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2007
Messages
7,269
Reaction score
0
Location
Ohio
Might lose her pension, too ....

A major big international corporation here has private investigators full time to terminate longterm employees for various infractions so as to NOT have to pay retirement benefits. Particularily, investigate sick pay individuals ... need your shoulder operated on for work related age wear and tear or a knee replaced? You better be sitting at home, be driven to rehab, have your steak cut into little pieces by someone else, NOT LEAVE TOWN for a vacation trip, nor help with your grandkids, post anything on your Facebook or anyone's else FB, etc ... And yes, they have cameras everywhere at work ... so don't try the old, get hurt on the weekend and limp into work for a slip and fall.

I had an employee, who's husband was trying to collect long term disability due to a workers comp injury, of course a back. He would show up when we would put out dunnage from freight cars(nice 2x4's and some 4x4's) and toss them into the pick up. We used to laugh and say I hope they don't have an investigator following him.

Guess what? His employer, a major tire company did have an investigator following him and had documentation of him loading lumber, digging in his garden etc. Needless to say he was charged with workers comp fraud.
 

1950bing

newbie
Joined
Apr 9, 2007
Messages
512
Reaction score
1
Most of us have said, if I had to do it all over I would.....................
You will shock yourself on being able to do so many things on your list NOW !
Jump out of that airplane...... hike the AT all the way....... and so much more!
 

Fern Modena

TUG Lifetime Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2004
Messages
4,660
Reaction score
4
Location
Southern Nevada
You could also join the Red Hat Society. I checked, and there are at least four official chapters in Sandy, to say nothing about SLC (is that close?).Most chapters get together once or twice a month, but there is no requirement that you go to each event/meeting. In fact, there is no requirement that you do anything. No fundraising, etc.

I belong to two chapters, and although you may wonder why, they are both different. One is what I'd call a "ladies who lunch" chapter. Generally that is what we do, although sometimes we have a game with lunch and we go to Bellagio once a year. The other chapter does Red Hat Crafts, and has more what you'd call "field trips." They go to the Harvest Festival, Derby Day, Tours of various places, ride the Boulder City Train (one of our ladies is an Engineer), etc. Both have wonderful ladies in the groups, and I enjoy doing things with them. I don't always go, but probably 75% or more of the time.

Fern
 

stmartinfan

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2005
Messages
1,922
Reaction score
1,259
Location
Minneapolis, MN
Resorts Owned
Divi Little Bay, St. Maarten
I left a full time, 50+ hour a week job for an early retirement, when I was offered the chance for a hefty severance package. I recommend taking a little time to relax and adjust to the new schedule before you commit to anything. I spent the first couple of years stripping wallpaper and repainting most of my house, while my kids finished high school. I also took on big jobs like stripping and staining a two story deck. The best news: I lost about 20 pounds from all the physical activity1

I did dabble in volunteering, but was careful not to overcommit myself until I'd decided what I really liked.

After about 3 years, I decided I really missed the camaraderie of having regular co-workers and the sense of accomplishment a regular job provides, so went back to work part time (about 15 hours a week), at a great nonprofit. I still continue to volunteer, but I like the "ownership" that being an employee provides. It's a great fit for me - little pay, but enough to cover the gas and lunch and a really nice group of people. I'm not sure how long I'll continue to work but I'm still enjoying it.

I didn't have a huge circle of friends outside of work when I retired. I've worked on that through church activities, but I need to continue to expand my connections. My interactions at my job provide some of that for now.
 

Passepartout

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2007
Messages
29,169
Reaction score
18,461
Location
Twin Falls, Eye-Duh-Hoe
I lost about 20 pounds from all the physical activity

I forgot about that. I had about 35 lbs disappear in the 6-or so months after I quit drawing a regular paycheck. Maybe it was the walking, maybe eating my own cooking instead of eating in fast-food joints. Maybe it was going on a few more vacations than when I was working. Maybe a little of all of it.

I still haven't felt bored. I'm taking a few cooking classes. I do some gardening- in season. I did try volunteering, but - not to be too hard hearted about this, I feel that my services are valued more if I get some pay.

As I said, you'll be so busy that you won't know when you had time to work.

Jim
 

talkamotta

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2005
Messages
2,065
Reaction score
167
Location
Sandy, UT
Keep the ideas coming.

Thanks for all the advice. You all have given me many things to think about. I never thought of the Red Hat Society and Sandy is like Henderson is to Vegas. Its winter in S.L.C. and was gloomy today. Im so looking forward to spring and gardening. Im glad to hear that others have had to make the adjustments too.

I am 58 so the medicare and social security is a ways off.

My job is inside a central office building, so I dont have to deal with the weather. I turn up and maintain large networks. It is a technical job and as the internet, switches and cell phones get more complicated so has my job. It involves climbing stairs and ladders and bending and laying on the floor all day long. So if I dont keep active I will gain weight. I hurt my back 10 years back so one of the reasons for retiring is the getting up and down off the floor several times a day hurts. I belong to a spa with a pool and know that will be one of my activities for sure. Aqua therapy seems to work pretty good. Walking for sure will have to be in the plan.
 
Last edited:

funtime

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
2,410
Reaction score
153
Location
Dallas
Congratulations! At 58 just make sure your health insurance is taken care of. Nothing is more critical.

Also, relax the first year and check out Joan's tug stories about living in timeshares all year! It is not weird to go on a timeshare vacation by yourself. Grab a few good books and go. And in March, April and May it is still low season in places like the California coast so there should be good availability. Or you could plan three weeks in timeshares and start inviting old friends to one of the weeks etc.

You deserve a pat on the back as this sounds like a real job - one that took discipline to go to every day. I would not be surprised if you find a more fun part time job - maybe that does not make as much money but is fun. Or you could buy more timeshares and start a little timeshare rental business. And, just think - if you volunteer and do not like it you can quit - what a concept! Lots of options so count the days!! Funtime
 

geekette

Guest
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
10,809
Reaction score
5,620
you would make an awesome consultant to a little non profit without their own network expertise! if you'd like the $ without the aches and pains, if you felt like keeping your hands in it, circulate a "hey I'm available" and state your rates and maybe free 1 hr consultation.

most likely you could create the plan and architecture and implement if you want or make it clear that you are the brains ONLY.

You could also barter. Help in exchange for an annual pass or tickets to an upcomign symphony series or whatever it is.

If you do volunteer work, do keep track of things like mileage, unreimbursed expenses, etc.
 

bigrick

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
1,015
Reaction score
0
Location
Sac, CA
Spend more time doing the things you already like doing. Now you have time to look for even more things you like to do.

Remember back when you were a teenager? You had lots of time and no money and, for a long time, no car. Now as you begin teenager 2.0 you'll have lots of time WITH money and transportation. I think you'll like this version much better! Good for you for getting more time into your life! :cheer: :whoopie: :cheer:
 

pjrose

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2005
Messages
8,739
Reaction score
15
Location
Central PA USA
. . . I did try volunteering, but - not to be too hard hearted about this, I feel that my services are valued more if I get some pay.

Jim

But you DO volunteer without pay, and your help IS valued - I'm referring to all the posting on TUG! Many TUGgers, you included, post very helpful replies and suggestions, which are appreciated. :)
 
Top