What do you do in retirement? (besides travel)

[easyrider]

I cut down trees
I eat my lunch
I go to the lavatry'
On Wednesdays I go shopping
And have buttered scones for tea

He's a lumber jack and that's ok.

Bill

 

[easyrider]

I absolutely understand that! With retiring early, medical insurance and expenses is by far our largest expense, and also the one of the most difficult to accurately estimate. If anything would have kept me from retiring when I did, it would be the uncertainty around medical expenses, and that is what we focused on more than anything with our financial advisor when going through the process of retiring.

Kurt

All things considered, medical insurance was a big concern for me when I retired at 57. Thanks to the ACA and Washington State it was not the problem I was thinking it would be.

Bill

 

[artringwald]

My husband would be your new best friend if we lived closer. I sent him a screen shot of your post and asked how many times around the world for him.(He says 3*) He's been retired for 2 1/2 years now. He's been an avid(obsessed, insane insert your own adjective) bicyclist since 2008. He bikes almost every day as soon as the roads are clean of salt, until it snows again.

*Since 2008

I would probably bike every day if time and weather permitted, but many of my rides are 10 miles or less. I do bike in the winter with my old bike, but only if the roads are dry and the temp is above freezing. That means the conditions aren't met about 6 months of the year in Minnesota (or Wisconsin). The route I posted (to Wisconsin) is my favorite.

 

[Brett]

All things considered, medical insurance was a big concern for me when I retired at 57. Thanks to the ACA and Washington State it was not the problem I was thinking it would be.

Bill

However for current under 65 retirees getting affordable health insurance could be a problem

 

[billymach4]

However for current under 65 retirees getting affordable health insurance could be a problem

I would retire sooner. My goal is to keep working to maintain my health insurance. Not Medicare eligible anyway.

 

[silentg]

Well, we moved to a new place and then my husband hurt his back. Spent most of the summer visiting doctors and getting settled. Then last week, I had a 5 day stay in the hospital. Had a cyst aspirated and am on Antibiotics until Sunday. I cannot complain because I got the best care in the hospital ,have follow up with doctor next week. Hoping to get back to traveling soon. Retirement is nice when your healthy.
safe travels,
silentg

 

[WinniWoman]

Well, we moved to a new place and then my husband hurt his back. Spent most of the summer visiting doctors and getting settled. Then last week, I had a 5 day stay in the hospital. Had a cyst aspirated and am on Antibiotics until Sunday. I cannot complain because I got the best care in the hospital ,have follow up with doctor next week. Hoping to get back to traveling soon. Retirement is nice when your healthy.
safe travels,
silentg

Hope you’ll be back to your old self soon!

Sounds like us. I’ve been in pain since 2021- year after we moved. I had an outpatient hospital test regarding pelvic pain that was inconclusive which I’m convinced was really my back.I’ve had spine surgery, Mohs surgery on my face, I have another issue docs can’t seem to cure with excess phlegm and mucus. I can’t do a lot of the things I thought I’d be doing in retirement.

Hubby has had a possible afib incident. Now needs robotic prostectomy and cataract surgery. I’m holding off on my cataract surgery until he’s all good.

The Golden years.

 

[Tia]

Sound liked you may the right decision to retire early . IMHO
Enjoy your retirement. Life is to short to deal with foolish people.

Exactly, that is how I ended up retired, I quit 6 weeks after they hired a foolish person. They then fired him 6 months after I left. Foolish person had a great write up on linkedIn, but had no clue nor care for those he was suppose to be managing, nor could he have done our jobs. HR tried to get him to be a working manager didn't work out, wasn't capable .

 

[artringwald]

Exactly, that is how I ended up retired, I quit 6 weeks after they hired a foolish person. They then fired him 6 months after I left. Foolish person had a great write up on linkedIn, but had no clue nor care for those he was suppose to be managing, nor could he have done our jobs. HR tried to get him to be a working manager didn't work out, wasn't capable .

I retired at 58 partly because the CEO was a foolish person that embraced the philosophy of GE's Jack Welch. Employees were expendable and you should get rid of the bottom 10% every year. That might work for a year or two, but soon management is forced to give bad appraisals to good people. Even though I wasn't in a management position, I had to do appraisals for four people. Against my wishes, they downgraded one of my appraisals to make sure they met the quota for that department. The CEO also over applied the Six Sigma methodology and used it almost everywhere. What a waste of company resources. I enjoyed my job the first 30 years, but not so much the last five.

 

[Ralph Sir Edward]

I retired at 58 partly because the CEO was a foolish person that embraced the philosophy of GE's Jack Welch. Employees were expendable and you should get rid of the bottom 10% every year. That might work for a year or two, but soon management is forced to give bad appraisals to good people. Even though I wasn't in a management position, I had to do appraisals for four people. Against my wishes, they downgraded one of my appraisals to make sure they met the quota for that department. The CEO also over applied the Six Sigma methodology and used it almost everywhere. What a waste of company resources. I enjoyed my job the first 30 years, but not so much the last five.

Could have been worse - they could have implemented Agile reporting.

 

[artringwald]

Could have been worse - they could have implemented Agile reporting.

Some projects were using it when I left, but it wasn't a company wide mandate. I'm glad I was never part of any of those groups.

 

[Elan]

Similar story for me. Company and employees were spending more time on documenting for "performance management" than engineering. Still enjoyed the work and most of my colleagues, but lazy management pushed me into retirement.

Sent from my Pixel 9a using Tapatalk

 

[JohnPaul]

I'm in my 11th year of retirement after my job disappeared at 60. My husband retired well before that. The main thing I do besides travel is plan travel. We own a TON of timeshares and are typically only in our home city of Sacramento for 3 to 4 (non consecutive) months a year.

My husband has physical limitations so much of our travel is enjoying traveling to and being in various places. I do a fair bit of walking but we "hang out" a lot - which for me includes reading a lot of books.

We love theater and have a Manhattan TS. We visit (from California) about three times a year for 2 to 3 weeks at a time. When there we see a ton of shows and enjoy the city. We also spend about a month in the spring and the fall at our timeshare in Sunriver, OR.

When home, I sing in my church choir and do various worship leadership roles. When home, we also squeeze in the various doctors and dentist appointments.

We do have some flights and hotel stays during the year and I am constantly checking to see if they have gone down in price so I can modify the reservation. I also typically have us booked about a year out.

We also do a few cruises. This last February we sailed to celebrate our 45th anniversary.

Unfortunately, our travel has become limited a bit by huge dental, root canal and periodontal expenses. None of that is covered by any insurance so all out of pocket. As an example, I had 2 molars extracted, bone grafting, 1 implant and 1 crown. Over $10,000 by the time I was done.

Longevity is common in my family (both parents lived to 90) so hopefully many more years to enjoy as I'm not yet 71.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

However for current under 65 retirees getting affordable health insurance could be a problem

Right now, it looks like COBRA from my current employer will be the best option. But will have to keep evaluating as it gets closer to my planned exit. I have read a number of articles that predict some of the largest increases in premiums in more than a decade for medical insurance this year. I already know our deductibles are jumping up, and shifting to a different prescription plan, which I assume will be less generous..

 

[tcrogers]

I started running shortly before age 50 (age 66 now) and we love to travel so I decided to become a 50 Stater for half marathons. I.e. to run a half marathon in every state. This gets us to go to places we would never think of going. We just got back from Albuquerque NM (may 24th state) and were there for the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta. That should be on your bucket list. They said there was over 500 balloons there.

Next up is Lincoln Nebraska in November. Not sure what is there, other than the race, but I'm sure we will find something of interest.

 

[TEK224]

I retired 2 years ago. Currently we travel 3-4 times per year. I bowl in 3 leagues during Fall/Winter and 1 league in the summer. It hit the gym a few times a week and swim the same. I read an article about a senior woman who set a goal to swim 100,000 yards in a year. I have decided to try that challenge.
For non-physical activities, I like to do jigsaw puzzles, diamond painting and scrapbooking. Any free time beyond all of that is just relaxing with a good book.

 

[Tia]

However for current under 65 retirees getting affordable health insurance could be a problem

I worked in health care, hospital, and our employee insurance costs were always going higher. I am also aware that the doctors and executives had a better plan with lower costs/no costs.... found that out accidentally at the annual health fair that was put on. I was told my disability insurance plan was being paid for by the hospital as a benefit. Wow GREAT!! I had been paying so this was new. I mentioned it at check out to HR. Well seems that was a MISTAKE and I still had to pay BUT the exec's and doctors do NOT. There was a whole separate duplicate insurance plan online I had noticed one time, they probably all got their health insurance paid for too.

If anyone can here is what some do. Get a JOB in the government like the Veterans Administration and work your last 5 years there, then you can keep your health insurance through them at the low employee costs. Many doctors I knew did that for that exact reason, one anesthesiologist in my neighborhood retired at 56 and mentioned it a couple years back.

 

[lakside]

We retired in 2016 and traveled as we could, to Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Switzerland, Amsterdam, Germany, Alaska, a Rhine river cruise, a road trip to Mt. Rushmore, while spending 10-12 weeks in Florida in the winter. Please take my advice and travel while you can...life can change in a second. While we were getting ready for a Canadian trip in August, my husband fell from a ladder and did significant damage with surgery and rehab since then and into the foreseeable future. We have enjoyed our 22 years of timesharing and hope we can continue in the future. Enjoy every trip you take.. you never know when it may end..we hope ours doesn't!

 

[JudyH]

Wow. Such variety.
We retired in 2013 and in 2014 sold the farm to one of my sons and moved to Florida. Kids wanted us to do child care full time like DHs mother had done. Well, that wasn’t happening.
We ended up buying a condo near the kids and help with 5 Grandkids over the summer and as needed during the year if I’m not traveling.
I started from scratch and have become a published photographer. I have placed in some small competitions. I am in two local
Camera clubs.
We have gone to all five continents.
I do volunteer photography for non profits. DH is a treasurer for another nonprofit.
I run a bookclub that meets once a month. We go to three or four Bluegrass music festivals a year.
This list is wearing me out. I need a vacation.

 

[DancingWaters]

We certainly do a lot of helping others. Some by choice and sometimes at people requests.
We have a condo on Lake Erie and love spending time there chasing fish. When we are there, and in the boat is when we are the happiest. Also, when we are at the condo we sleep like babies

 

[jorcus]

It's been 4.5 years of retirement for me. Of course being on this site travel is a big thing right now in our lives. I never liked to plan travel too far in advance. 2 months is a long time for us, so I am always looking for the deal that gets our suitcases packed as we are free to go at will. Thankfully my parents are alive and well but live 6 hours away. It's 4 to 5 visits a year now to see them.

When we are home I fish on Lake Ontario in the summer and in the late winter I tap Walnut trees and boil it down to make syrup. My wife is a volunteer at a shelter for elder dogs. I do have to find some Volunteer work myself. Just looking for the right thing. Other than that we like to watch and go to hockey games or horse races.

 

[Krteczech]

It has been exactly eight years since we retired at FRA in 2017, sold large house in MN anticipation to moved out of state. We are happily retired and enjoy travel and activities we didn’t have time for while working. Annual ski pass to Colorado ski resort gets used 25-30 days, one or two long cruises to explore new places, obligatory trip to Europe and some US travels as well. We don’t own any TS any more, but use RCI Last call or additional vacation and we stay in hotels as well. I volunteer for Tax Aide during tax season and it really takes balancing act to schedule Tax Aide duties, ski weeks, multiple dentist appointments and haircuts. Luckily we try to see doctors as little as possible, ideally once a year. I also travel once a year with my daughter to celebrate our Scorpio birthdays. We live in touristy destination and enjoy sunshine almost every day. Not attracted by snow birds lifestyle at this point.

 

[aandmrun]

Since we moved to the Old Folks Home (continuing care retirement community) four years ago we have more friends and acquaintances and are more social than at any other times in our lives. I (70 at the end of the year) play pony canasta, Italian canasta, Spite & Malice, Rummikube and/or Mexican train five days a week. Cliff (88 on his next birthday) plays all of the above and adds bridge, chess and poker — he plays something six days a week. I cherish my Tuesday afternoons at home alone at my desk after walking him to bridge (otherwise he sits down to read the paper, forgetting he’s on his way to cards). In spite of not knowing what day of the week it is or which drawer his underwear is in these days, he still plays and often wins his games even though he usually has a slow start with lots of questions about what he needs to meld.

I am involved with organizing the other cat ladies for lunch, cat sitting and helping to find new homes for kitties when my neighbors die or move to memory care or assisted living. Cliff gave up his garden plot this year (meaning I stopped organizing planting and harvesting) and is content to read or sleep when he’s not “gaming”. I always figured we’d continue to travel, but didn’t plan anything for our 40th wedding anniversary on Sunday because Cliff doesn’t have much stamina for walking, although he’d tell you that’s not true!

We just moved to a CCRC the first week of September. We love it, it's like being on vacation every day. We moved from a tri-level home with 4 bedrooms and 3 baths to a 2 bedroom corner unit and we love it. We got rid of our old fashioned French provincial living room set and bought relaxed modern light colored living room. So, I compare it to a nice timeshare since we have been timesharing for over 25 years. We have met real nice neighbors and are participating in many activities. We are eating three course meals, but yet started losing weight because the meals are small and healthy. We do still plan to travel, mostly to timeshares that we can drive to. We are tired of airports and foreign travel. After living here 2 weeks we went on a one week vacation to Solano Beach, CA and next month we plan to go to Scottsdale, AZ after Thanksgiving. The days are flying by because we are so busy. We are currently in Independent Living, but there is also assisted living, nursing care and memory care here. So I have to laugh when I say that "we are here for the rest of our lives". I take daily walks and join in the activities often.

 

[moonstone]

in the late winter I tap Walnut trees and boil it down to make syrup.

I have tried may types of syrup, but not walnut.

~Diane

 

[moonstone]

We havent done much other than travelling in our retirement. We keep saying we dont know how we found the time to work full time. My Mom had to go into long term care from an emergency hospital stay a few months after I retired in the spring of 2013. DH had retired 5 months prior to me stopping work, then retiring, due to an on the job injury. Our first summer of retirement started out by driving on an emergency trip to check out a flood in our FL condo and getting repairs organized. Just when we thought we could have a few days of rest before heading home our oldest DS called from a flooded out Calgary AB to ask his dad if he could drive his work truck and equipment trailer out there from his home just outside of Toronto asap. He wanted me to ride shotgun for safety and the company was paying DH's time and our expenses. We packed up and headed for home the next morning. We had to stop at DS's office in Toronto so they could sign DH up as a temporary employee so he could drive the truck and get paid. When we arrived in Calgary our DS's boss handed us keys to a rental car and said since we had never been there before we might as well stay a few days (on the company's dime) and look around. Before the company flew us back home, they asked if DH would like a job as a 'go for' for a few weeks. They were renting a large straight truck and needed somebody with a truck license to deliver equipment and supplies to the various job sites. DH had a prior commitment with the Fire Dept. but said if they could wait 3 days he would be glad to help out. He had been out there for just over a week when our DS called me to ask if I could fly out with his son/our grandson since his mom had no babysitter for the summer for him, and stay for the rest of the summer or until DH was finished working. I jumped at the chance. Again the company rented a car for me so our DGS and I could explore the city and visit old friends & distant relatives. We stayed with DH & DiL, who had also been recruited to work for the summer, and some of the other company executives in the Marriott Residence Inn. It was just like staying in a timeshare. We had a great summer.

We helped dad with various aspects around his house and cottage and I cooked extra for many of our meals to take them down to dad until he sold everything and went into a seniors assisted living facility in 2021. After dad's doctor pulled his drivers license, we also became his chauffeurs taking him to his many doctors and other appointments and doing his shopping before he moved. DH's parents were getting on in age and still living in their own home but his dad was unable to do much around the house due to deteriorating health so DH helped his BiL (who lived 3 doors down) with cutting the grass and other odd jobs around their house. Dad passed away in 2015 and Mum stayed on in the house since she had a DD living so close by and the rest of the family helping often. My mom passed away in 2022, my dad in 2023, and DH's mom in 2024 so we spent some time emptying homes and getting them ready to sell in addition to helping our oldest DS empty and sell a lot of his furnishings when his company transferred him to FL in 2023 and he went from a 4400 sq ft home to a 2200 sq ft one.

DH retired from the (volunteer) Fire Fept a couple of winters ago after nearly 30 years with them and now in his spare time he walks. He and one of the other firefighters walk for about 2 hours each day, mainly on dead end concession roads where traffic isnt a problem. We both like to bicycle but mainly do that in FL or Belize since the area where we live is very hilly and bikes seem to be a target for many drivers. I do spend a lot of time on the computer reading news and travel articles, chatting with friends and relatives on Facebook. I am also a moderator on the TUG and a Snowbirds Facebook group, both of which which I enjoy. I do some sewing, although it mostly consists of hemming pants or mending rips lately. When I worked I sewed all of my scrub tops. I have an almost finished crocheted blanket for a friend's soon to be born grandson that I need to get going on so it is done before we head south.

We do enjoy being able to spend winters in the sunny warm south in our retirement but we do not look upon that at a vacation, we are just living somewhere else for a few months. As long as our health holds up we hope to continue that for many more years.



~Diane