It's Official: I'm Retiring!

[clifffaith]

Yay Dave, congrats!

 

[dsmrp]

Congrats Dave!
Some of my retired friends said it took about 6 months to settle into a comfortable routine. But none regret retiring or miss the work environment.

 

[easyrider]

Good for you Dave ! I retired a few years ago after a health problem that seems to be a problem of the past. I also wondered if our retirement plan would work out. It seems like it did. Officially retired, unofficially semi retired . Still enjoy working on remodeling projects from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the days I want. Sometimes more , sometimes less, sometimes not at all. I am amazed at how fast time goes by in retirement. Anyway, I bet you will enjoy it.

Bill

 

[turkel]

Congratulations! A retirement well deserved! I hope the transition goes well for you. My spouse and I are right behind you with a 11/2020 date.
Do you have any concerns about retiring without your spouse?

 

[DaveNV]

Dave we were on a plane at 7 am the first day of retirement. Best thing to do, he has been enjoying retirement very much and we have been traveling a lot since August. I was already retired but having DH retired has felt like real retirement for me.
Silentg

I think when my spouse retires that's exactly what we'll do. Right now, I'm the first one to retire, so things aren't quite as fluid as they will be in a couple of years. Bonus: The conversation about spouse taking early retirement has begun in earnest. So both of us being retired may happen sooner than later. We'll see.

Meanwhile, I have this lengthy chore list to start chipping away at, getting our house in order so that when full retirement for us both does happen, we can cash out and head for a warmer climate.

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

Do you have any concerns about retiring without your spouse?

Not really, since my days for the next several months will be spent working on our house. There are some "involved" projects I've been waiting to tackle - replacing some flooring, painting inside and out, upgrading the HVAC, replacing some failed window seals, adding a second-story deck off an office bedroom, new landscaping, other things. The bigger projects I'll be supervising the contracted workers on, the lesser ones I'll do myself. But they're all "daytime, Monday through Friday" kinds of things that I've been unable to do while working full time. The goal is to get the house in tip-top condiiton, so when we cash out in a few years we can maximize the return.

And then, when the chores are done, there's that fishing pole that's sitting in the garage, feeling lonely and ignored. I may spend some time getting reacquainted with it. I'm not a golfer, but I do enjoy having a well-developed "hook" shot.

Dave

 

[WinniWoman]

As you know I’ve not worked since Sept. 2018. I had no issues transitioning as my personality is such that I am always busy doing something, even if it is just reading. Then, of course, the whole selling, buying and renting house thing came along and have been in a flux ever since and not settled yet. I used to get up at 4 am each day before work to do stuff, including exercise, but I quickly adjusted to the seasons. Right now get up at 7am when the sun is up and go to bed around 10 or 10:30, though I do not sleep well at all. In the summer I know I will be up with the birds.

For my husband, who just retired before the holidays, it’s been hard because we are in limbo in the rental house and he does not have much to do- and that is an understatement. We both are just “ waiting” around to move. This said, for us it has been too many life changes at once. The downsizing of a majority of our earthly possessions, house selling and buying thing, living in this rental out of boxes and the huge expense of it, his retirement and all the logistics of that process with his company, no livable pension coming in and not taking SS yet, dealing with the heath care insurance system- Medicare for him and regular insurance ( and maybe ACA soon) for me. Major overload for me who handled the majority of all of it while hubby worked.

For a person with OCD like me where I am super organized and always have a plan and in control, and lived in a beautiful home before this rental house, this has really aged me.

For my husband so far he has not had any enjoyment out of being retired yet other than that he doesn’t have to wake up at 5 am and commute. Me- I’m still waiting for the fun to begin.

Hopefully will be moving in 2 weeks ( please pray for us that it doesn’t snow) and we can begin to work towards having some kind of normal life again. Will take a long time, though.

I am worried about finances big time. Not having a paycheck coming in each week is scary. I still am not sure how we are going to live. I have a good idea of what expenses will be for our budget, and in the Northeast they ain’t low. Plus the new house needs a lot more money put into it. That’s why we need the FA.

Anyhow- through everything I don’t see how I could have worked. It was more than a full time job doing it all.

Anyway, despite everything, I never want to work again. My husband might consider a per diem type thing like at Lowe’s or something in a year or two, but since we have so much to do at the new house in the meantime, I venture to guess he won’t want to when the time comes.

Anyway, to me, it’s all better than going to work everyday, though a lot of it has been harder than my actual job was.

 

[bogey21]

For those of you who have already retired: How long did it take for you to make the transition (or did you?) from getting up early every day to get ready for work? After a lifetime of getting up at the crack of dark to go to work, I'm not sure how it will be not having to answer to the alarm clock.

I'm sure it is different for everybody. In my case for years I would leave the house before daylight and return home after dark. I was concerned how I would adjust. The not working part was easy. I found plenty to do and didn't mess work. To this day 20+ years later I have not been able to shake my body clock and I continue to wake up around 5 am. The way I handle it is to lie in bed with the TV on and get my news fix for the day. Then I get on the Internet and do a bunch of stuff. After that I am footloose and fancy free. I really thought I would have trouble not going to the office but in truth never did...

George

 

[Grammarhero]

Well, it's finally happening: I am officially retiring. Third time's the charm, since I tried to do this last Summer, then again at the end of 2019. In both cases things were delayed. Now the stars have aligned, and I've firmly decided to pull the plug at the end of March. Eek!! It's getting real - exciting and a bit scary, but I think I'm ready this time.

I work in IT at a busy hospital system, where I will mark my 12th anniversary a few days prior to my last workday. In a meeting with my Manager the other day, he asked if I was getting closer to a firm retirement date. We've had the discussion a few times, so he knew it was coming. I said that Yes, I finally had all my retirement papers processed, and I was going to submit my retirement notice at the end of February, for an end of March departure. He said the sooner they know I am definitely leaving, the sooner they can recruit and hire my replacement, since I have a rather specialized position. He also said if they could get my replacement onsite soon enough, I could do a face-to-face turnover. I couldn't disagree with that logic. So after the meeting I went to my desk and sent him my formal, official, "finally, it's time" retirement notice.

Now the countdown really starts - eight weeks from yesterday. It's a bit daunting, I must say. After 48 years of working in IT, on every kind of computer platform and network imaginable, from the smallest handheld to room-sized mainframe systems, in a wide variety of locations, environments, and employers, military and civilian, and in every conceivable kind of position - computer operator, programmer/analyst, repairs, training, database and server administrator, Help Desk, and who knows what all else - it's finally coming to a close. It's been a hell of a ride, and I have enjoyed every bit of it. In all these years, I know I have learned something new about computers every single day. I've had a great time, and I couldn't have chosen a better career for myself.

One advantage delaying retirement till March is giving me: The opportunity to "practice" being financially retired. My retirement income is in place, and arriving on schedule. I'm spending these three months living on only those funds. My paychecks from my employment are going directly to savings, and I'm pretending I don't have that coming in. I'm forcing myself to work only with my retirement income. It's working really well, surprisingly. I think when it all happens for real, I'm going to be fine. I like when a plan comes together.

Retirement is already shaping up to be a busy time for me. My "honeydo" list is a mile long, and seems to be growing by the day. Spouse has to work another few years, so I should be able to get things done around home without a lot of interruptions. We'll see how that goes. And it won't all be about working - I've got a half-dozen short trip getaways planned for us this year, and a three week trip to Hawaii this Summer. I may have to go back to work just to get some rest!

For those of you who have already retired: How long did it take for you to make the transition (or did you?) from getting up early every day to get ready for work? After a lifetime of getting up at the crack of dark to go to work, I'm not sure how it will be not having to answer to the alarm clock.

Dave

Congrats! Well-deserved! I have 22.7 more years!

 

[Panina]

Congratulations! No transition for me. Was all smiles the day I retired and am still happy I did retire early. I loved working, I just love not working more.

 

[DaveNV]

Congratulations! No transition for me. Was all smiles the day I retired and am still happy I did retire early. I loved working, I just love not working more.

That's kind of how I'm approaching things. I do like my work, but I have things I want to do away from there. The joke I've been telling everyone is that "work is getting in the way of my time off."

Dave

 

[SteelerGal]

Congratulations

 

[pedro47]

Retiring in March 2020 will give you four (4) paid federal holidays to enjoy without going to work.

Congratulations, you earn it. Enjoy every year, month, day, hour, minute, second and moment. After March 2020 everyday will become Saturday and Sunday.
Retirement is difference and will be difference for you. Now you will need to do something difference: every year or month or day liked taking long timeshare vacations or cruising.

Plus after March 2020 you will not have to think about any IT issues or employees on your Job. Congratulations. Please enjoy your Retirement.

Retirement is great and fun; especially when you are on a timeshare vacation chilling with someone Special.

 

[WinniWoman]

That's kind of how I'm approaching things. I do like my work, but I have things I want to do away from there. The joke I've been telling everyone is that "work is getting in the way of my time off."

Dave

Yup- there’s no time to work!

 

[pedro47]

Not really, since my days for the next several months will be spent working on our house. There are some "involved" projects I've been waiting to tackle - replacing some flooring, painting inside and out, upgrading the HVAC, replacing some failed window seals, adding a second-story deck off an office bedroom, new landscaping, other things. The bigger projects I'll be supervising the contracted workers on, the lesser ones I'll do myself. But they're all "daytime, Monday through Friday" kinds of things that I've been unable to do while working full time. The goal is to get the house in tip-top condiiton, so when we cash out in a few years we can maximize the return.

And then, when the chores are done, there's that fishing pole that's sitting in the garage, feeling lonely and ignored. I may spend some time getting reacquainted with it. I'm not a golfer, but I do enjoy having a well-developed "hook" shot.

Dave

I like it; you are busy and that is good for the mind, body and soul. LOL
The computer is not problem.

 

[Talent312]

For the first few months, I'd check up on stuff at work and talk to office staff. I'd check my office email (still active at the time) to see if anything "important" was going on, as if I'd have anything to say about it. After about 6 months of that, I let go and moved on. I haven't given it a second thought since.

I have two photos of the gang from work at home, but I I only look at them maybe 2x a year -- those were the days.

I still get up about the same time, but now, I make coffee and just noodle about in my robe. I watch a little TV, and if I feel like it, tackle a project. My pharmacist asked me if I wasn't bored, and I said, "There's no finer feeling than to be free at last."
.

 

[DaveNV]

For the first few months, I'd check up on stuff at work and talk to office staff. I'd check my office email (still active at the time) to see if anything "important" was going on, as if I'd have anything to say about it. After about 6 months of that, I let go and moved on. I haven't given it a second thought since.

I think since I work for a hospital, they'll shut off my email on the day they take away my security badge to get in the door. It's a HIPAA thing. Coworkers who need to reach me know my cell number, but the rest of it can go to my replacement.

Dave

 

[WinniWoman]

I think since I work for a hospital, they'll shut off my email on the day they take away my security badge to get in the door. It's a HIPAA thing. Coworker who need to reach me know my cell number, but the rest of it can go to my replacement.

Dave

For sure. I was in healthcare also. Even my husband being in insurance- they cut you off immediately.

I guess for me- since I was forced out of my job- it was a different kind of feeling when I left my job from my husband's, who was so happy to get the go ahead from our FA and to do it a few months sooner than he planned. Don't get me wrong, I was relieved to be out of the situation I was in and of the rat race in general. It just wasn't really on my own terms.

Another thing- and this might be more of a woman issue than a man's-I am not sure- the one thing I miss is social interaction- another reason I knew we had to move. My husband can take it or leave it, but not me. We are both borderline introverts, but I need to connect with other people here and there. If we stayed in our home in the woods we would not have all the stress we are having now, but down the line it would not have made for a good retirement, or at the least it would have been harder to carve out something we would both be happy with over the years.

If you have that in the bag also, along with your honey do lists and traveling you are in for a wonderful future. I will bet you will run out of time every day! LOL!

We were just up at the new house this past week to do a few little things and met the HOA treasurer and also spoke with some workers that came to our house to do some repairs, plus scanning the lay of the land going to the stores(very convenient), taking a walk, and so forth, and it reinforced that we made the right decision to move there. Our son even stopped by on his lunch hour for a few minutes- that was worth a million bucks to me! It will offer some social contact- even if it is just waving to someone or saying hello at the mailbox, lots of nearby activities and restaurants and cultural things and so forth. Right now I don't even care about traveling or our timeshares- just the new house and the fact it is in a tourist area satisfies that need for now.

Dave- I think you have thought this whole thing out very carefully so I have no doubt you will be lovin' life! Again, congrats!

 

[HitchHiker71]

Leaving coworkers and work friends behind won't be terribly hard, either. I'm Facebook friends with a couple of people at work that I'm friends with away from work, and I expect those friendships will continue. Of my immediate co-working team (seven others), I'm only friends away from work with one, who also happens to be a near neighbor. The other six are fine and dandy at work, but I'm not likely to care a whole lot what they're up to after I retire, and I'm not FB friends with any of them. It sounds a bit cold, but it's really not. We have a great working relationship, but it kind of stops there. My 20-year Navy career taught me that coworkers come and go quickly, some without notice, as they transferred out or were medically removed from the workplace. I made fast friends with many other sailors, but as they left for other locations, it was a wish for "Fair winds and following seas" to them, and a warm greeting and "Getting to know you" to the new person who replaced them. Now, more than 25 years after Navy retirement, I only stay in touch with a handful of people I knew back then - and we went through some heavy stuff together. I expect it'll be the same with my current group of coworkers.

Dave

I’m not retired yet and am not anywhere close but I can identify with your assessment above on staying in touch with prior co-workers from past jobs. I too work in IT and the last job I was at prior to my current job had a 15 year stint. I regularly keep in touch with four out of roughly 100 coworkers in our central IT office location where I worked. I have many on LinkedIn and periodically reach out whenever I see anyone who switches jobs or gets a promotion, but apart from that I rarely speak with anyone outside of the four guys I still keep in touch with regularly.

Last but most certainly not least, congrats on your retirement! If you don’t mind my asking, are you retiring at full retirement age 67, or were you fortunate enough to retire early?

We are both 48 and are socking away as much as we can in hopes of being able to retire early around age 62, but only time will tell if we are successful in our endeavors.




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[SandyPGravel]

Wow, amazed to "know" someone that not only knows what a "computer operator " is, but also was one. That was my title for 29 years, now I'm an IT support specialist. Same job, same company, new title, lost benefits.

Congrats on the retirement plan coming to fruition. I've got 15 1/2 years to go if I work until 67. DH is jumping ship in 3 years at 65. He's in the trades so much more physically demanding job. He says he can't wait for 6 Saturday's & a Sunday. His honey-do list is pretty long already too.

Enjoy!

Gina

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[AnnaS]

Congratulations and well deserved!!! Enjoy!!! You will have and find plenty of things to keep you busy!! You have a choice to pick and choose what and when

Hubby has been home for health reasons for almost 13 years now. I just recently retired from my 28 year part-time job in June. I miss one or two people and miss that bit of work socializing. Other than that, I enjoy not having my alarm set for 2:50 am the last 4 years (before that I had decent work hours). My internal clock started to wake me earlier and earlier. I was sleep deprived all day during these last few years.

Sleep is still a bit of a problem (always has been) for me but I am much more relaxed. I still set an alarm clock a few days a week since we babysit our grandchildren. I do have more freedom/days off I can plan something. I can visit my daughter in DE, stay overnight without having to worry if if I am working the next morning, etc. etc. I don't have to worry how much vacation time I can take with or without pay.

I have worked since I am 13 - part time jobs, full time jobs in the city, two part-time jobs at once. It was time to slow down a bit. It has some great benefits.

I hope that everyone reaches retirement age (whatever age is right for them) and has plenty of healthy years to enjoy life a bit more.

 

[DaveNV]

For sure. I was in healthcare also. Even my husband being in insurance- they cut you off immediately.

I guess for me- since I was forced out of my job- it was a different kind of feeling when I left my job from my husband's, who was so happy to get the go ahead from our FA and to do it a few months sooner than he planned. Don't get me wrong, I was relieved to be out of the situation I was in and of the rat race in general. It just wasn't really on my own terms.

Another thing- and this might be more of a woman issue than a man's-I am not sure- the one thing I miss is social interaction- another reason I knew we had to move. My husband can take it or leave it, but not me. We are both borderline introverts, but I need to connect with other people here and there. If we stayed in our home in the woods we would not have all the stress we are having now, but down the line it would not have made for a good retirement, or at the least it would have been harder to carve out something we would both be happy with over the years.

If you have that in the bag also, along with your honey do lists and traveling you are in for a wonderful future. I will bet you will run out of time every day! LOL!

We were just up at the new house this past week to do a few little things and met the HOA treasurer and also spoke with some workers that came to our house to do some repairs, plus scanning the lay of the land going to the stores(very convenient), taking a walk, and so forth, and it reinforced that we made the right decision to move there. Our son even stopped by on his lunch hour for a few minutes- that was worth a million bucks to me! It will offer some social contact- even if it is just waving to someone or saying hello at the mailbox, lots of nearby activities and restaurants and cultural things and so forth. Right now I don't even care about traveling or our timeshares- just the new house and the fact it is in a tourist area satisfies that need for now.

Dave- I think you have thought this whole thing out very carefully so I have no doubt you will be lovin' life! Again, congrats!

Thanks, Mary Ann. I've looked forward to retirement for a long time. That it's finally here, (well, in two months), is a good thing. I'm walking into this with my eyes wide open, and I think I'm ready for it. The financial changes were the last thing I had to sort through, since I am cutting my income substantially. But after getting things in place, I'm good to go with it. Having this three-month trial period is also a great help, to make sure I can afford to be retired. All signs are good. I'm ready to do this.

Your situation is much different, since you had a lot of things fall on you all at once, and your stress level has been huge. But once all this moving and packing and new house and so forth is behind you, you'll be able to dial things back to your new daily life, and things should calm down considerably for you. I'm looking forward to your post that day, when you say, "I'm bored."

Dave

 

[pedro47]

I think since I work for a hospital, they'll shut off my email on the day they take away my security badge to get in the door. It's a HIPAA thing. Coworkers who need to reach me know my cell number, but the rest of it can go to my replacement. .

Dave

When I retired, I retired. I do not call the office and I do not visit the office. I do not want to read or heard anything about the office. I am retired. No more 6AM to 6PM. I am retired. Did I like my job? Yes! But, I am retired.

No more politics.

Once per month the military veteran on the job; we will keep together for lunch and no others are invited.

 

[DaveNV]

Wow, amazed to "know" someone that not only knows what a "computer operator " is, but also was one. That was my title for 29 years, now I'm an IT support specialist. Same job, same company, new title, lost benefits.

Congrats on the retirement plan coming to fruition. I've got 15 1/2 years to go if I work until 67. DH is jumping ship in 3 years at 65. He's in the trades so much more physically demanding job. He says he can't wait for 6 Saturday's & a Sunday. His honey-do list is pretty long already too.

Enjoy!

Gina

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

That's a hoot. Yes, I started life in the Navy in 1972 as a Data Processing Technician (my job specialty), and that all started by learning how to be a Keypunch Operator. (Anybody else around here still understand Hollerith Code? The holes in that IBM punch card are a language unto themselves. ) I then graduated to operating the computer system that processed all those cards I keypunched, and that led to learning to program in COBOL, the first of one of about a dozen computer languages I've learned over the years. Too many computers, programs, languages, networks, and systems to remember since then, but here we are. I'll be going out the door from my last IT position, as a SQL programmer and custom Crystal Reports writer. For as much as things have changed, they've sort of stayed the same.

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

Last but most certainly not least, congrats on your retirement! If you don’t mind my asking, are you retiring at full retirement age 67, or were you fortunate enough to retire early?

Thanks very much. Those who work in IT can understand and appreciate all the afterhours work that happens, with system upgrades and server failures and so forth, where "9 to 5" is a dream for a perfect working world, which rarely happens. I will not miss those 2:00AM phone calls, and all the times I carried a pager so they could reach me anywhere I happened to be.

For the record, I am 66. Full retirement age for me was my last birthday. So yes, I'm "of a certain age" that equals full retirement age, without penalty. Social Security started last Fall, along with some other things. That is part of why I've been able to dial in my retirement income to a known number, while still working full time. The "practicing to be retired" financially was a really important thing for me. I didn't want to quit working and find I couldn't afford to live on my retirement income. My Mother did that, and she had to go back to work. Then she was suddenly diagnosed with terminal cancer, and died 35 days later. That will NOT happen to me. When I retire, it'll be for good, for however many years I have left, hopefully several decades from now. Cross your fingers!

Dave