I have retired! I'd love to hear any advice or wisdom from those of you that have retired.

[BTL-A4]

After 25 years as a high school teacher (woodshop, photography, graphic design, engineering, drafting, yearbook) and 7 years in private industry (drafter, industrial designer, design engineer, project manager), I have retired from full-time work. I'm set up financially (been saving for 30 years+, and my wife is still working) and I have plans, but I would love to hear any wisdom or advice from those of you that have retired.

 

[MovingAlong]

Keep a schedule, be "work ready" every day, watch your extra trips to the kitchen, go easy on the spending...

When I was working, materials were cheap and labor (mine) expensive. Now retired, labor is cheap and materials are expensive. So I do work for others, letting them supply the materials. Keeps me feeling useful without impacting the pennies saved.

 

[DrinkMan]

Health is number 1. Keep moving. Walk every day. Go to the doctor regularly. Eat the right food.

 

[Viper98912]

Are you in your early 50's? If so, great job. Time to go annoy the wife

 

[mervyn]

Congratulations ! Best part is you can get up and go to bed whenever you want.
I'm coming up on five years.

 

[aquinob]

How you deal with retirement really depends on what type of person you are. Type A's probably wont be able to sit still very long and will be second guessing their decision to leave the workforce.

it also depends on your health and financial well being. If you have a decent SS check coming in and funds in an IRA and the house is paid off or mostly paid, then you can relax a bit without worrying about $$$ too much.

I tried finding some volunteer activities, but so far none have suited me. Something that lets me use my hands or do something where I have to think a bit, not something where I just stand around.

At a minimum I like to get one thing done each day, could be a large or small task, doesnt matter. If I feel ambitious and I have the energy, I go for it. If I want to sit in my chair with the dog in my lap and type on internet forums, then that is fine too.

Bottom line, its your retirement, you earned it, so do what makes you happy.

 

[larry_g]

I've been known to say "I wish I had a job so I could get weekends off.". Get your self some property, a few animals, garden and you will have your days filled up.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[ATC]

Cash out and go to Vegas!

 

[tncatadjuster]

Chill out take as long as you want to just do nothing but what you want that day... be a lazy as you can stand while forming a plan. You really deserve a break and most everyone understands. I say three months in you will have a firm idea of what you want to accomplish now that you understand you are retired. I have rent houses so I'm never retired completely.

Make it what you want is the quick answer.

If married I have no advice whatsoever.

 

[ADKAmateur]

I retired two years ago at age 56 and have been loving every minute of it. I finally have all the time to pursue all the things I couldn’t while working. Have become a somewhat ok TIG welder, learned CAD, got into 3D printing, renovating a house that I will rent out long term. Basically everything I do is sort of a high school science project. What skill do I want to learn this month? Agree with all the comments on staying fit and active but that matters even more for your brain. Lots of studies out there that show success in retirement is highly keyed to mental engagement

 

[finn]

I retired at 57 1/2, with a good pension, company paid health insurance, a paid for shop and cottage up north, and both of us were in good health. That was 17 1/2 years ago.

Had plenty of projects to keep me busy

Bought a skid steer, already had a little dump truck, traded the skid steer for a CUT, then bought a CTL and a mini ex. Also a class B motor home, and now we’re on our second class B, a Revel on a 4x4 Sprinter chassis.

Top bucket list item for retirement was a trip to Alaska. We finally made time to do it. We got home Sunday evening from a cruise departing from Vancouver.

I think we may drive the Sprinter up next May and spend a month or six weeks doing it in more depth.

On the other hand, Alaska scenery is very reminiscent of the UP where we lived, although they don’t get as much snow (except at altitude).

In the meantime we made a couple of trips to Europe, where we lived for a few years in the early 80s. One was for a month, retracing my grandfather’s WW1 battle routes as a machine gunner in France.

I will be 75 in a couple weeks, and am eternally grateful that I retired as young as I did. There are a lot of things I can’t do now that I could easily accomplish ten years ago.

 

[tarmy]

I had a plan to sell my company and retire at 60. Nailed it. Been retired 7.5 years and probably should have done it 10 years earlier. Lovin doing, going, NOT doing, going too. Done some month long road trips, fly all over to ski with family and various friends. We have several homes…so we rotate time and the upkeep keeps me busy and I like it anyhow.

This is my view today…retirement *****. Congrats OP.

I work out, walk, bike or do something that gets my blood moving EVERYDAY. As others noted above you need something to keep the body healthy and strong.

 

[mitusa]

I retired at 70...try to stay active. Get out of the house every day.
I took up pickleball and it's a great way to stay active and meet new people!

 

[jack stand]

If you're so inclined... piece together building a nice Wood shop. The "tool chase" and collecting can be part of the enjoyment vs just buying new.
Then start making sawdust! (Man glitter)

 

[captain14]

I have been retired for a little over 4 years. Get out of the house everyday for exercise. I try to walk 4-6 miles a day.
Have a set time to get up every morning and get dressed. Don’t lay around all day in your pajamas.
Try and do something everyday.

 

[y'sguy]

Do you have dreams or plans for the future? That is now. Start moving in that direction, do not wait.

 

[Buckaroo5]

I retired at 56 and got a part time job teaching Business at a community college for 5 years. Also went to school there to get my Associates degree in Auto Technology which was very fun and now I maintain the family & friends fleet. If you have retired early, I think it is a good idea to ease into it. Don't want to decompress too fast.....could blow your head off. Always good to stay busy.

 

[Stuart in MN]

You can throw out your alarm clock.

 

[Just_Steve]

I retired in 2015 @55 yo. Do not let the couch become your friend. I did for awhile, gained a **** ton of weight, thought I deserved a rest. Been going to the gym first thing every weekday morning and lost a lot of weight. Bunch more to go.
Easy to put on hard to take off.

 

[lolaetype]

I retired in 2012, we moved up here from Houston and I immediately took a gig as an adjunct professor at the local university. Four semesters of that and I quit because it interfered with doing stuff like road trips between mid August to the end of May. Then they called after I sat out a year offering a visiting professorship. I had no big plans so I took that gig for a year. Then The Boss asked me "What part of the word 'retirement' do you not understand?" I took the hint and never looked back.

If there is a moral to that story it's that you spent your entire working life under constraints. Now that you've retired most of those no longer have a hold on you. Think carefully about tying yourself down.

Above all, now that you have the time do things you've never done before. And don't fall into the trap of thinking, "Gee I'm too old to do that". For example, I took a beginning scuba class in Cozumel at age 72. Great fun.

 

[Dig Doug]

I got my neighbor up the street a new clock !
It’s hung on the wall in the garage AKA - Command Center !

He kept asking what day it was ….

lol

 

[Lassen Forge]

After working high output work for decades, you may find you need to keep doing stuff like volunteering, working a cool job (or starting your own business), plant a garden, get involved in a local amateur race team, etc. Run for City Council/Alderman.

The one thing you DON'T want to do is go into "Veg" mode - catch up on soap operas, decide you'll go fishing every day, etc, You GOTTA keep the mind and body active... I've buried too many friends and coworkers who said "I worked hard for 40 years, it's time to do nothing" and it beats them in the end....

Hell - we ended up with an olive orchard (Fun but what a PITA!), planted a garden, restored a couple stone buildings, side work for frieds/neighbors... Strangest for me was taking up cooking again.

Byt anything to STAY ACTIVE... I always joke "It's not stopping working, just changing jobs"... So far, worked for me.

 

[Renegade1LI]

I have a friend who's been retired a few years, conversation came up & he didn't know what day it was, understood. The best was he really wasn't sure of the year, my new retirement hero. He's always busy & always there to help anyone who needs it, just not punching the clock.

 

[Captain Spaulding]

Learn about IRMAA and RMD. They both have to potential to eat up a lot of your retirement.

 

[Captain Spaulding]

I retired in 2012, we moved up here from Houston and I immediately took a gig as an adjunct professor at the local university. Four semesters of that and I quit because it interfered with doing stuff like road trips between mid August to the end of May. Then they called after I sat out a year offering a visiting professorship. I had no big plans so I took that gig for a year. Then The Boss asked me "What part of the word 'retirement' do you not understand?" I took the hint and never looked back.

If there is a moral to that story it's that you spent your entire working life under constraints. Now that you've retired most of those no longer have a hold on you. Think carefully about tying yourself down.

Above all, now that you have the time do things you've never done before. And don't fall into the trap of thinking, "Gee I'm too old to do that". For example, I took a beginning scuba class in Cozumel at age 72. Great fun.

I used to run my life by my Microsoft Outlook calendar. 7 years into retirement I hate having anything scheduled unless it’s a fishing trip or a visit with friends.

 

[Aaron_W]

I retired from my career job 8 years ago but I have acquired a couple of part time jobs. It is work I enjoy and they pay me well for my time. I also work on my terms regarding when or even if I'm available. I always have the option to say no, I'm busy.

Mostly I've just enjoyed having a very flexible schedule. My wife still works, so I'm not entirely free to travel at a moments notice, but it is a lot easier to schedule a trip when only one of us has to figure out getting some days off.


I've been able to take classes and learn things for pleasure which was always hard when I had to go to work everyday. I've taken welding classes, auto shop classes, gardening classes, and art classes at the local college. I've gone to some weekend metal working demos, in a couple of months I'm going to take a 2 day sign painting class.

Can't leave out the hundreds of hours of Youtube U.

I've read tons of books. I think the only time I've read as much as I have lately was when I was in high school and spent 2 hours a day riding the bus.

House projects, yard work, and playing in the shop keep me plenty busy.

 

[four.cycle]

I "retired" about 30 years ago.

Try not to take yourself so seriously. You will find that as time goes on, fewer and fewer of those around you will.

Teach yourself to gracefully accept and embrace your newly-found strengths, as well as your gradually becoming less and less of what you once were.

Try to remember that others around you who lack your same life experiences aren't simply idiots - they just have a lot of things they've yet to learn on their own.

Dance more.

Try not to be a ****.

 

[SouthernIllinois]

Retired at 54 in 2024.
25+ years on submarines
About 10 years of Govt employment which overlapped with commercial fishing.

Spent the better part of the past few decades living outside Washington, DC, south of Annapolis in Maryland.

Moved to my childhood hometown in central/southern Illinois - Farm country - Nearest town is about 2 miles away, population 400, no stoplights. Huge change (for the better) from the crowded east coast.

Spent the first 2 years remodeling the house, improving the property (10 acres) and putting together and equipping a couple pole barns.

After that was wrapping up I found myself keeping some really bizarre hours and no real schedule. Drinking with the neighbors became more of a routine than the exception.

Decided I needed something to give me a routine so I started stocking shelves at Menards a couple days a week. The hours are early morning which I like. It gives me a schedule, and keeps me out of the bar and my neighbors shed's - I know better and I am too old to go to work with a hangover. It is an absolute zero stress job - much different than my work in the past. It also gives me some exercise (I walk 2-3 miles a shift), some social interaction with different folks and it is in the nearest town of any size so it works out that I can run any errands when I get off instead of having to make a special trip (with gas at $4.40).

I need to work on eating better and watch the drinking which seems to be the local past time around here.

I recently picked up a 1985 F150 that will become my project truck once I replenish my tool/toy slush fund.

Congrats on your retirement, enjoy each day, don't put off things you want to do and keep in mind what Lynyrd Skynyrd said in "That Smell" ...... "Tomorrow Might Not Be Here For You"

 

[tarmy]

You can throw out your alarm clock.

That is the very first thing I did when I got home…damn thing woke me up 5 days a week at 5:10 for 32 years. Made me smile….

 

[nadogail]

Don’t get too bored, Hungry or Tired. Find something that interests you and you enjoy doing

Consider volunteering for a Worthy Cause that you can support.

Start writing.

 

[Shiftless]

I retired from teaching High School Physics and Chemistry in 2009. Seventeen years ago this week.
I hear more than a few fellow retirees say “I’m so busy now, I don’t know how I ever had time for a full time job”

Most of my time is filled with home maintenance & improvement projects and volunteer work. I have been neglecting my responsibilities as curator of my bench vise museum.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Do whatever you want until your wife retires.

 

[DGersic]

I have retired from full-time work.

Congratulations.

Stay off the couch. Stay busy doing all of the things you wanted to do when you were working.

 

[DGersic]

The one thing you DON'T want to do is go into "Veg" mode

I can’t. I had a retirement goal, I’d spend exactly one day doing absolutely nothing. I did, the first Monday. Got up at the usual time, made myself a tequila sunrise, and sat on the couch in the front room, watching the world go buy through the big picture window. Did that all day, didn’t talk to anyone, didn’t pick up or use any electronic devices, just let my mind wander.

It was nice, once.

Second day I got my sawzall and started cutting out the plumbing for replacement.

 

[zimman]

After 25 years as a high school teacher (woodshop, photography, graphic design, engineering, drafting, yearbook) and 7 years in private industry (drafter, industrial designer, design engineer, project manager), I have retired from full-time work. I'm set up financially (been saving for 30 years+, and my wife is still working) and I have plans, but I would love to hear any wisdom or advice from those of you that have retired.

Congrats. You sound like a brother from another mother. I'm also a draftsman, photographer, graphic artist. Do what you love not what you dislike to make a little extra cash.
Zim

 

[GrayFlattop]

Use the opportunity to eat better and to sleep more. Get out of the house and go for a walk every day. Make lists for things you want to get done - I find that helps me focus and prioritize.

Keeping after your health is huge as you get older. Now you have the time to do those tests you have been putting off!

 

[finn]

You can throw out your alarm clock.

Still need it for those 8:00 am doctor appointments, or to catch the early flight.

 

[four.cycle]

^ You want to keep the alarm clock so you can get up at 5:00 for those CT scans, ultrasounds, prostate exams, and other fun procedures.
Because you want to be the first guy in the door, when the hired help is still freshly shaved, showered, and smiling - before the other idiots have been abusing them all day long.

 

[mngundog]

Get yourself a penny purse and always pay with exact change.

 

[micromind]

Tape a stick of dynamite to the alarm clock..........

Seriously, get up when you're ready, not because a clock says so. Once I got out from under the clock, I had quite a bit more energy than before, slept better and woke up more refreshed.