Retire Feb 1st any advice?.... I did it.....

[Speedo2]

Congratulations Larry; it took some getting used to, but I'm finding out that prior to retirement I really didn't have enough time to go to work.

Just a couple of things that I learned during the first two years of my retirement that may be of interest:

1. Banked vacation and year-end bonuses ARE NOT earned income, so anything like that that you may get this year shouldn't impact your SS benefits. Read all the SS publications and don't let them tell you any differently; a lot of them government-types don't know there own rules. Imagine that.
2. If you find that 2-day a week job, it can greatly complicate your SS benefits. SSA allows up to around $17,500 earned income after beginning their benefits; thereafter for every $2 that you earn, you have to re-pay $1 back to SSA. However, there are some important, additional first year rules that apply. Again, read all their publications.

Like that old Calvin and Hobbs cartoon: there's a whole big world out there waiting. Now go enjoy it! -S2

 

[e3mrk]

Join a Health Club or do anything to stay active because if the Rocking Chair gets You retirement wont be much fun.

 

[snuffy51]

I don't worry about staying active. When I was younger, I would wake in the morning and pee seemed about 20 minutes, and be OK for the rest of the day. Now, at 64, don't sleep near as much and seems more like have to go about every 20 minutes. I get plenty of exercise. There is no such thing as "just sitting around" all day. Ya'll be safe.

 

[hardcase60]

Congratulations! Retirement is not all it's made out to be. it's better. A ton of good advice has already been posted so my two cents would be redundant. Make a list of the ideas that appeal to you most and start there. The last 15 yrs have gone by like a flash, we have no idea how there was time to work and do all the fun things we still do. Regardless, stay health and remember "round is a shape". Best regards, hardcase60

 

[Whitwabit]

I haven't worked since 2001 and wife retires the same day as you officially but she is taking her 4 weeks of vacation .. they wouldn't let her just cash it in .. so January 31st will be her last work day ..

Has already told them they get one phone call after Feb 29th after that she will charge 75 dollars a call .. so doubt they will call her .. although they aren't nearly ready for her to leave .. some of the customers have said they will be going else where after her and another woman retiring the same day retires ..

The first month just relax .. don't commit to anything or anyone just yet .. take your time getting involved in anything .. you have the rest of your life take things slow .. do things you enjoy doing .. and who you enjoy doing it with .. can be anything ..

Do get outside and spend several hours outdoors doing something .. walking can be very beneficial to people of our age .. I walk 1 to 1 1/2 miles 4-5 times a week according to the weather beside working in my gardens .. if you have grand kids do all you can with them .. Children will help keep you young !! volunteer to help others in someway for a few hours once a week .

we will join a gym at the Jr College in March too .. cheapest place ..

have seen a lot of people get too involved when they first retire and ended up doing so much they really didn't enjoy what they were doing .. after they cut back on the number of things they promised to do for and with people they were much happier !!

But don't just set in your chair and stare out the window ..

 

[Jebus35745]

I'll be 65 on the 15th of Jan. I hope to work for cash if I do work but we'll see. Set up a 10 meter pellet gun range on the basement and found a Daisy 777 to use down there. We walk 1-2 miles a nite if the weather is good so I'll use the treadmill when the weather is not good. Never figured I would get to this point buy its here. Can't wait, Larry

 

[Sayoc01]

I've been retired 5 yrs.I'm 72 & love retirement! Haven't been back to "visit"the work place.I no longer recieve calls from the guys & don't miss them.I cut down going to the Co.retirement breakfest (once every month)don't care about remembering when & who is in the hospital etc.Love thre gym AND shooting every week!
Jim

 

[Muss Muggins]

I retired four months ago, so I'm no expert. All I can say is that things to do just sort of appear and begin to fill your day. I hit the gym four or five days a week, go by the LGS more regularly, and stay at my mother's home one night a week to fix stuff and make sure she's okay. I had always intended to start a part time business once retired, and getting that running is occupying a lot of my time. I'm also considering a part-time teaching position for the fall, but we'll have to see how that develops. Haven't seen the class schedule yet. The only real rules I have are nothing full time, nothing that keeps me so busy I can't do what I want, and at the first sign of trouble, I'm out.

Enjoy!

 

[Old TexMex]

Larry: congrats on making it. Thanks, too for putting up the post, because that scenario is on my horizon. As Dave says " Boys, I can see it from here."

 

[hoosierone]

When I retired it took about six months to stop thinking about the office. They managed to survive without me. I keep a sharp eye on my investments as I can't see paying someone to do that for me. Over the years it has worked out fine. A big adjustment is being with your spouse 24/7. We rarely do shopping on the weekends so we avoid crowds. After 40 years of dealing with people it's nice to just relax and do what you want.
Don't miss work for one second.

 

[pawngal]

If you have a desire to travel, DO IT!
Make a bucket list of things you would like to do.

Try new things or renew old interests. Retirement brought me back
to enjoying shooting after a long hiatus.

Stay active, both physically & mentally.
Don't become a loner, keep in face-to-face contact with people.

Make sure your medical insurance/Medicare is in order.
Be sure your medical power of attorney and will are in order.

If you have kids/grandkids spend more time with them

Shoot more, teach a kid to shoot.

I've been self-employed for the past 24 years so have the best of both worlds, I consider myself semi-retired. Most days I go to the shop for several hours for the person to person contact with people which I need because basically I am a loner. My business partner is very able to run the business by herself so I can take off for a few days or several weeks as I desire.

Don't put off doing things you want to do. Sometimes life gets too short.

 

[Mickey D]

Welcome to the club. I retired Dec 1 '13 at 56. Moved from CA to Idaho and loving life. So much more relaxing and no stress from traffic, rude selfish people, and gov't intrusion.

Sit back a month or two and get used to not having to get up for work. It didn't take me long to decompress and relax.
Having no time line to adhere to makes a big difference in stress levels. I'm not looking to work anyone else's schedule anymore, so not looking for any WORK to keep me busy.
I fish, hunt, shoot from my property, explore the country side on my ATV. Live is great!

 

[fdw]

buy more guns?

 

[RSanch111]

Don't drink. Walk a lot. Eat salad.

 

[Big Cholla]

Speaking from personal experience, don't let the wife make you her personal slave and 'go-fer'. My wife got the erroneous idea that because I was now "retired" nothing that I was doing was of much importance. I would just get going on a fun pistol project in my workshop and my wife would come after me to do 'such and such'. I went along with it for a few weeks and then had to gently put a stop to that practice. I set aside a block of time in the morn, the afternoon and the evening that I was "doing my thing" and was not available for anything but emergencies. She finally got the idea and all has been good now. We usually have tea or a drink together about 5/6 pm in the evening and she will let me know if there is anything that just absolutely needs my attention the next day. And, I tell her if my workshop time has to be longer than usual or if nothing much is going on there. We are both avid readers so we visit one used book shop or another together once a week.

Oh yes, one more bon mot: She had to be educated to how important my 'reloading time was' and that I was not to be interrupted for minor reasons...........

And one last important change to think about; You should be quick to help with the heavy lifting in the house cleaning department. It is only the right thing to do and it really builds that 'good points' up with her. ....

 

[snake803]

I'll be 65 on the 15th of Jan. I hope to work for cash if I do work but we'll see. Set up a 10 meter pellet gun range on the basement and found a Daisy 777 to use down there. We walk 1-2 miles a nite if the weather is good so I'll use the treadmill when the weather is not good. Never figured I would get to this point buy its here. Can't wait, Larry

Larry,
I'll also have a birthday on Jan. 15th... Ain't it great the Fed's made our Birthday a Federal holiday???
Oh , I'll be 72.. Might try the Bunch in the spring..
JIM...............

 

[BAM-BAM]

We are family, right? Bam Bam, mark the 23 of April as in Cleveland at the NE Ohio bunch. We'll share the table again with our display. Bring Dave from PA with you. Thanks. Larry

Calendar is marked and looking forward to it!

What to bring....... what to bring........

Reading some other posts...... I work from home..... so I've got an extra 3 hours a day ( commuting and lunch ) allows me to get a lot of stuff done..... clients don't know if I'm at lunch or cutting grass...LOL........

If you can extend your walks to an hour (3-4 miles)..... take the wife......great time to talk about all sorts of stuff and strengthen the bond.

 

[lonejacklarry]

Funny...........I will have been officially retired 20 years on 2/1. Since then I have "worked" at car dealerships delivering cars, worked for a truck outfit delivering 10 wheel crane trucks, served a lot of paper as a process server, finished two old cars and am shopping for a third one.

I am now really retired and have found only two draw backs. As a retiree one never gets a week end nor a holiday off.

 

[srsmyth]

Congratulations Larry and thank you for this timely post. My last day at work is tomorrow after almost 44 yrs at the same company, I will be watching this and other retirement threads closely for advice from the experts.
Steve

 

[vytoland]

i retired in 2000....the first year was a period of adjustment..........now i come n go as i please, find things i like to do and enjoy life.....