So, I'm retired...sort of

[G-Mac]

My last day of full-time employment was February 24th. I was a welding instructor since 2007. I am collecting my New York State Teacher's pension. Just turned 64. Have not applied for Social Security yet. Haven't needed it. I have been getting a fair amount of side work by referrals. Mostly small repair jobs on equipment. Have a guy bringing a landscape trailer to get all the cross members replaced. The local welding supply refers work to me. A friend of mine, who owns a welding business, also refers work to me. I guess I'm lucky in that regard. I need to learn to set limits. I can't do it all. I love staying busy but I need to make some time for me. I have ridden my new dirt bike a couple of times (2022 Beta Xtrainer 300cc) but my Harley Sportster is still in a storage unit with a dead battery. I think I'll try to get that going this weekend and go for a ride.

 

[Narragansett]

Good luck in your retirement Gordy. I have been enjoying mine since Feb 5, 2010.

Watch out for deer on that Harley. That is why I sold my Wide Glide.

My son totaled a Ducati Monster on a highway hitting one. Helmet and bike suit saved him

 

[StrawHat]

Congratulations on cutting back! It is good to have hobbies to take up some of your time. Stay active. Welding, riding and the shooting sports can keep you as busy as you need to be.

Kevin

 

[Retired W4]

I retired 16 years ago at 59. I stay plenty busy but sometimes I miss flying helicopters. Not so much with Fixed wing.

 

[Just another 22 shooter]

In reference to people wanting you to do work : learn to say no. And don't feel guilty about it. I have 2 friends that offer me work on a regular basis. Some days (like today) I don't want to work. Other times I'll work 3 or 4 days a week.

 

[ladder13]

Good luck Gordy, enjoy what's ahead.

 

[Dave.357]

Quit wielding while you still
Have good vision .
Put stinger down and ride
Your bikes while you can.
Old age comes quickly.

 

[NYlakesider]

Congratulations Gordy and good luck. Your the person in charge make your own rules and hang with them.-

You have a good mind and will get your new life in shipshape order soon.

Dave

 

[robvious]

congratulations... try starting to ween yourself by no Mondays... then add no Fridays... the rest happens naturally

 

[Bald1]

Congrats. Now take a day off and go file for social security. The increase you get by waiting will probably never make up for what you didn't collect by taking it early. The fact that you don't need it means you can just sock it away in high yield savings account.

 

[jscheck]

Congratulations! I had to keep working after I retired (I was bouncing off the walls), but it's three days or less a week. I ride my Harley to have fun. Fix your bike and enjoy it!

 

[pawngal]

Get that Harley out and ride! You can work later.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I like the great big desk calendars. When we decide on an activity, a trip or camping, we put on the calendar. Somebody call with work, "I'm sorry those date are already scheduled" or "Can we start a day earlier, so as to avoid a conflict of schedules?" Sounds very professional! Instead of "I'm taken the Hog on a ride for a few days!"

I am slowly getting the wife and I to use our phone calendars since they are always with us.

We slaved our youth away! Don't let them poach you retirement years too!

Ivan

 

[Hair Trigger]

My last day of full-time employment was February 24th. I was a welding instructor since 2007. I am collecting my New York State Teacher's pension. Just turned 64. Have not applied for Social Security yet. Haven't needed it. I have been getting a fair amount of side work by referrals.

Congratulations on retirement. You'll find you'll probably stay busy doing the things you never had time for before you retired.

Congrats. Now take a day off and go file for social security. The increase you get by waiting will probably never make up for what you didn't collect by taking it early. The fact that you don't need it means you can just sock it away in high yield savings account.

If he just turned 64, he'll not reach his full benefit until about 67-1/2 or so. Since he's got his pension and is doing side jobs, he'd be limited in how much he can make until he reaches his full benefit year, without losing a little on his SS. If I were him, I'd let the SS go until his full benefit year, then his SS payments will be about 6% greater than if he started now, and if he continued to work side jobs, there would be no restriction on how much he could make. I retired at 65, my full benefit year was 66, so I only lost 3% of my full benefit amount, which was easily filled and then some by my pension. I started working with a friend who does landscaping and maxed out how much I could earn in 9 months, and had to give up a few bucks of my SS for the last three months before I turned 66. I'm almost 69 now, still doing landscaping 3 days a week (6 hrs./day), and making more money now with my SS and pension than I did working full time in health care. And I'm being paid a third as much landscaping as I did as an RN. I do the work because I love working outside and not for the money.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Sold my last motorcycle (2002 Dyna SuperGlide) in 2008 because I couldn't ride for a half-hour without pain for several days in my knees, hips, lower back, and shoulders.

Continued working for another 7 years. By that time the pains were constant no matter what I did or didn't do. Orthopedic surgeons have been "practicing medicine" on me ever since.

Get the Harley running and enjoy it while you can.

Also, be very thankful for the blessings of making your own choices in life.

 

[Kanewpadle]

Good for you G.

My father did the same thing. He retired and needed a hobby. He ordered parts to make an ATV trailer for hunting. When people saw his he started selling them. He was busy for a few years. But then got a pacemaker and had to stop welding.

So he took up fly tying and was soon selling those too.

 

[Narragansett]

Quit wielding while you still
Have good vision .
Put stinger down and ride
Your bikes while you can.
Old age comes quickly.

Quicker for some than others. This is the voice of experience talking here

 

[crazyphil]

G-Mac you need to be very careful. I have been retired for 23 years now,
and have found that I can be far busier than I ever was when I was working, if I'm not careful.

 

[Old cop]

I retired from LE in '97 but went right to work @ USDOJ and secured a second pension in '03, but my wife was still working part time. The first few weeks not going to work was strange, I didn't know what to do with myself. I eventually became active in our retired police association, started to go to lunch weekly w/my retired cop buddies, and it all fell neatly into place. Headed out to LEOSA qualification this morning, then breakfast w/my old friends @ the American Legion. Now I wouldn't trade this for anything.

 

[TIMETRIPPER]

From the sound of it, Gordy, life is good.

John