# The crew at the cafe looked at me with a "huh" look...



## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

...when I told them as we were discussing how our lives have changed since we retired and I told them my life hadn't changed hardly at all.

When asked to explain I told them from the time I was 20 years old I lived frugally while doing my job and working my investments so one day preferably at age 45 I could retire and until they bought me out at age 41 ahead of schedule my days were spent on call 24/7 coming and going as required, eating brown bag lunches, occasional cafÃ© specials and country style crockpot soups and stews at home and in between doing little things I found relaxing.

Over a decade into retirement I still come and go at all hours, do my chores and projects as they come up , often toss my thermos and a sack lunch in the truck as I go to do whatever and as I take payouts from the earning of my investments I worked to build during my career I most always take a small part and invest in a used vehicle horse trade, small venture capital opportunity like investing in some young folks starting a lawn care biz or such or maybe putting some into an investment every few months to add to my nest egg funds a bit just as I have during the last 35 years.

All the other guys agreed that in looking at their retirements. they all pretty much said they were enjoying retirement pretty close to the sort of life they lived working and when one guy said that RV driving old fart couple on the consumer cellular phone commercial was either a joke, fantasy or dream in some script writers head, another guy interjected "not in my family it ain't. Its a nightmare." and then he went on to tell us of how his in their 60s/70s parents are eroding the retirements of him and his brother who were lucky enough to retire by their mid 50s and his kid sisters wont even venture to think of trying to retire until their parents and that RV are gone.

As he told us his families horror story of the RVing seniors, I looked at him and said I told him I was sure glad I didn't have to worry about that sort of thing and he said he was just glad that he was done with his parents for at least a year.


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

I understood your perspective, but I was confused for a moment about the clan with RV driving parents. It sounds like the parents come/go between children and this causes a financial strain on the child being visited. 

Biggest differences for me between the working days and retirement would be fewer externally dictated deadlines (pick my on "go-live" dates now) and no need to fight traffic to get to work. I also get every July 4th, Christmas, and New Years off now, which is something I could never count on while working. (Didn't have a July 4th off for over 20 years...fiscal year end at our place).


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

In our case, we are making plans to retire within 10 years, have a property with a nice custom log home built by DH (built a beautiful 3-story one over 30 years ago and has learned a lot more since then, so the next one will be much nicer and also smaller). We also plan to be debt free by that time. He is 57, but in great physical condition, but I want him to retire before I do (within 5 years am hoping). Since I am also in good shape and am healthy, hope to keep working for this next 10 years preparing. We both have longevity in our genes, so we hope to have plenty of time left to enjoy our view of retirement (sitting around isn't our plan...). We are both self-employed, so work our own hours/schedules for over 10 years now. Once retired, we will spend more time hiking, fishing, boating, etc... Also, get more time to spend on our next property gardening, just living the HT type of life. 

My biological parents are both gone and my SDM is financially secure and also happily married. DH's parents RV it during the Winter, but seldom visit family, preferring to be in CA or AZ traveling, and enjoying their adventures. They are now 80.

Last thought...those retiring who lead active lives are usually happier and live longer!


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

Wreck,

He and all of his siblings left home no older than their early 20s and all helped make sure their parents home and property was paid off by the time their father was 55. 

He said it lasted about 5 year until his parents sold the home place to start traveling , bought an RV and instead started setting down on one kid after the other to park their RV in their kids drive for two to four months at a time while the parents sponge off their kids for feed and occasional loans to fix their RV.

While his parents are claiming to spend quality time with them, the kids are figuring out how to pass them off to the next sibling.


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

I sure feel for that guy and consider ourselves very blessed. My in-laws are self-sufficient, financially secure, and have a paid off home. They never ask for money from any of us, but do ask DH to come help them with physical work they can't do anymore.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I'm going into retirement by opening a store. A friend of mine is waiting on a settlement and we'll use her money as the initial investment, then work out our hours (she wants to work weekends). I am really looking forward to this as I think each of us has a good fifteen years left that we can work. DH is officially retiring in a year and will work on developing the garden at our new digs, visiting his mother, and playing music.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

While my hubby and I had originally planned to retire and homestead, we now want to do a little traveling. We are planning to buy a condo in a warmer region for the winters and will eventually find another place to settle for the gardening and such. We'll add animals into the mix a little later. I've already given away my chicken flock and plan to do the same with the few quail that I carried over for the winter by next year.

We aren't the types to settle into a rocking chair, so we will likely be on-the-go an awful lot. We like hiking, biking, birding and going for long drives. We also like traveling to exotic places and want to do more of that.


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