# Now what



## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

So, while I was planning on working 2 more years, my company downsized me out the door 2 months ago at age 64 -- no one is hiring a 64 year old IT guy currently so I figure as soon as unemployment runs out I'll just retire.
My wife turns 60 in Oct and was working until her company went out of business a month ago, she's been in the travel industry for the last 30 years and no one is hiring period there.
Money wise, we''re OK, not as good as I wanted to be but we'll survive
The problem is - what to do??
In the past we both worked, got home, did chores, had dinner (usually going out to eat 2-4 times a week cause after both of us working 8 hours or more, who wants to cook) watched TV and went to bed only to start over again the next day.
We had Church and were very active in that - not just on Sundays but weekday activities too.
We'd go out to a movie once a month or so.
Meet with friends every do often

Now restaurants are pretty much closed and we don't have the money we used to anyway.
Church is limited to no more than 50 people and all the extra activities are cancelled -- 50 person limit meaning the average person can attend 2 or 3 Sundays a month.
7 nights a week of TV are getting very boring - even with netflix, hulu and amazon prime.
Friends our age are worried about covid (and so am I with pre-existing lung issues) so visiting is at a standstill - our familes are mostly gone now as both of us were the 'babies of the family' and we were not able to have children.
Movie dates are out due to social distancing (and lack of good movies) 
Local gun range is expensive and practicing social distancing, meaning you need an appointment to shoot.

We find ourselves sitting on our computers wasting time 
What do people do during retirement during a pandemic? I don't want to drift apart and it seems like that is starting to happen.


----------



## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

Hobbies? Volunteer, mentor kids who need it. Teach IT or tutor people needing help.


----------



## SpentPenny (Jun 11, 2020)

I retired at 64 as well. I was a certified Oracle DBA and needed open heart surgery and my boss demanded that I be available by phone from the evening of the day of the surgery until I could return physically to work. Needless to say I "retired" on the spot.

A major question is your health insurance. My employer let me COBRA until I was 65 (you can do that for up to 18 months) and I was single so that took care of that. You did not address your health insurance or your wife's, but it matters.

You can take your SS early and the penalty is not much. I started collecting right away and it didn't penalize me much at all. You cannot take Medicare early unless you meet guidelines for Medicaid, which is doubtful, so back to the importance of the health insurance.

I have a small woodshop in the basement and love to spend my days there! I have coffee buddies I meet daily and we have restaurants open for that, and that is about the best 2 hours of my day. All in all between small wood projects and some building of wooden ship models I have a rich life. Oh - I also weld a bit for fun. 

I met a woman who now lives with me (also retired) and she is an artist so she paints during the day and takes a few classes in the evenings. We work on hobbies until 10 pm then eat supper, then binge watch Netflix or Prime until 1 or so. The days go too fast.

Hopefully you have hobbies and will be able to devote more time to them now. Congratulations on the retirement! You will most likely learn to love it.


----------



## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Online classes. 
Read a book. 
Study something you have always been interested in.
Play card games.
Garden. 
Hike.
Get goats.


----------



## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

Buy a used RV (even a tent trailer) and visit Minnesota.


----------



## doc- (Jun 26, 2015)

mnn2501 said:


> What do people do during retirement during a pandemic? I don't want to drift apart and it seems like that is starting to happen.


I know a couple who bought a water bed....That's when they started drifting apart.


----------



## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

If you want activities you can do together (speaking to your 'drifting apart' comment), can you find what we call 1/2 hobbies?
DH builds furniture, I sand & finish it. or I sew cushions for the seats.
We do repair/handyman jobs together, for example: DH has taught me to be of help on handyman jobs - I run the tile saw & help grout on backsplash jobs.
We have a big garden together - I plan, plant, harvest, put up, he's my labor/help and taste tester.
Early in our marriage, we built big doll houses together, house, furniture, furnishings, etc.
To Alice's point above - we have more goats than needed, lol


----------



## Wolf mom (Mar 8, 2005)

Boy, I really feel sorry for those who haven't cultivated interests other than work while working. My neighbors have no interests at all so sit glued to the TV all day - what a sad life. 

Not only does one need to have "together" interests, but separate interests. The separate interests can bring new conversations to the togetherness.


----------



## snowlady (Aug 1, 2011)

I’ve noticed a couple groups of older ladies and one of men meeting outside in the mornings. They look like they are enjoying coffee and a visit. They bring their own and a lawn chair. Maybe you could arrange that. The ladies meet in a park and the men outside a “quick stop” type gas station.


----------



## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

mnn2501,

Have a dance pole installed at the foot of your bed and take turns dancing for each other.


----------



## Farmerjack41 (Jun 6, 2017)

You have not mentioned if you live in town, or on one acre or 100 acres? If you have the room, do you garden, do you haveca yard to tend to?
For me it is to kep busy as much as I can to keep a good focus on life. One thing don't give up on your church, it appears it has been very important to you folks.

I retired 19 years ago, after 34 year in law enforcement. When you turned 60, they kindly showed you the door. I also have farmed all my life, so there was plenty to do. After a year off, I worked half time, as an investigator for the dept of ag. Did this for five years. 

Cabin fever had a great idea, if you like to travel. You don't have to go long distances or anything like that. Have always enjoyed RV life. You don't have to have a large expensive unit. How much you are going to use it will dictate what you need. Having one that is self contained is sure the best option. Might suggest renting one for a week to see if something you enjoy.

Enjoy life, enjoy each other. Lost my wife several years ago, and life ain't the same. We always enjoyed doing things together, but was very important to each do their thing to. Think you will eventually learn there is so much to do, you won't be able to figure out how you ever had time to work.

Good luck to you folks, from the Pacific NW.


----------



## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

mnn2501,
On the serious side, being trained in I.T. you could do some freelance small network maintenance , PC clean up and such.
Another possibility would be hitting the First Monday flea market in Canton if your good at that sort of thing.

A engineer I knew who got put out early in the 1990s kept freelancing and using the flea market circuits around Dallas as income streams even after he got through the 4 years he got shorted and considered his flea marketing as a income generating RV vacationing facet.


----------



## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Cabin Fever said:


> Buy a used RV (even a tent trailer) and visit Minnesota.


I'm familiar with the Emily/Fifty Lakes area so.......................
For those asking, the burbs grew up around us, as we aged we got rid of all the animals except for the indoor pets, after my back surgery we cut the garden back to 2 raised beds.
I have been doing some light computer repair - mainly for friends and neighbors but that can be problematic as I have found. 
Right now we're debating moving back to Florida or staying here in Texas.


----------



## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

mnn2501 said:


> I'm familiar with the Emily/Fifty Lakes area so.......................
> For those asking, the burbs grew up around us, as we aged we got rid of all the animals except for the indoor pets, after my back surgery we cut the garden back to 2 raised beds.
> I have been doing some light computer repair - mainly for friends and neighbors but that can be problematic as I have found.
> Right now we're debating moving back to Florida or staying here in Texas.


Well, that's our backyard. Next time if you're ever in the area, let me know! We'll see what kind of trouble we can get into.


----------



## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

Oh boy.

First I hope you are OK financially.

You can get good insurance if you make less than $35K per year.

Do you have kids? Grand kids? I hope they bring you some joy.

Maybe some apart time will help.

You need something physical.

Get out of Dodge (Dallas) - Think about selling and moving.

As suggested, traveling is good, but if you and the misses are struggling that might bring on some angst.

Keep thinking about it

Keep us posted - Let us know how we can help.


----------



## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

Wolf mom said:


> Boy, I really feel sorry for those who haven't cultivated interests other than work while working. My neighbors have no interests at all so sit glued to the TV all day - what a sad life.
> 
> Not only does one need to have "together" interests, but separate interests. The separate interests can bring new conversations to the togetherness.


I have a neighbor who is a super guy. He's 67, good health and retired.
Everytime he has to go to town he calls me and asks if I want to go. But a trip to town with him turns into lunch and dropping by so and so's and it's dark when he drops me back home.
I'll be out running new fence or cutting firewood or some daily job and he'll swing by in his atv to visit...for 3 hours.
I love the guy and he is funny and a great friend, but when I drop the hammer or shut off the tractor, I know that is the last thing I will get done for that day. He can talk for hours. He isn't lonely, he has a super nice and younger wife. He just is bored. He has a couple of horses and pasture, so, I gave him a few pigs. Then I gave him one of our Collie pups. I taught him how to cut down a tree so now he is busy in his back 40.
Think of things you have never done but wanted to learn more about. Now might be the time.


----------



## vickinell (Oct 10, 2003)

I love being retired. Last September I started going to the senior center dances. That was so much fun. Like being a teenager again. My sister in law had been wanting me to go for years. We would go to two other centers in other towns close by. Then I got sick with shingles and covid hit. I stay busy with, decluttering, gardening, visiting, making throw pillows and stuff as I redecorate. I am changing my backyard into a no mow, garden and food forest.(small scale) I am addicted to YouTube. I get all kinds of information there. I am also signed up to sub at my school I retired from.

I have 12 grandchildren and 6 greats so they keep me happy doing things with them. Five or six widow ladies from church and I fellowship and travel together and I have a group of friends I went to school with and we did have lunch once a month but have not started back since covid but we do stay up with each other on Facebook. I have lived in my home for 41 years and have neighbors that we have grown old together and check up on each other.

I got 6 new chicks several months ago so they keep me busy and close to home until their able to mingle with my two older hens.

I love to read and learn. I am very thankful.


----------



## 50ShadesOfDirt (Nov 11, 2018)

I'm in IT as well, and in my early 60's ... between the market being as it is for older folks, Covid, and so on, I doubt I'll get back into full employment in this lifetime; will have to wait for the next 20- or 30- something lifetime (at least I'll know more, on the next pass  )

My wife is younger by 6 years, so still working, and she is just not one to ever be bored; she's into everything, on every committee, etc. I don't think she would even notice if _I_ were bored, but she would if I wasn't there to be the pack horse. I'm a volunteer FFT, so a volunteer something is good stuff.

Build a tiny home ... pick your reasons why, but if you are handy at all, this is good stuff.

In between all the homesteading stuff, I'm into numerous hobbies and side ventures, and if any of that will make some small amount of money, it will fund things. I would retire on my SS, but I'm not sure if my wife's income will interfere with that. I actually like this retirement stuff way more than working FT, so I doubt I'll go back into IT at some office. As a side benefit of Covid (and the only benefit I can find amongst the tragedy that is Covid), there is the possibility that "remote" work will open up ...

If nothing but work was tying you to the current area, I'd consider aiming for retiring to the area of your choice (Florida?), getting a bit of land, and 1.) homesteading, 2.) finding side work that is fun and at least pays for the hobbies, and 3.) being closer to a community of folks with the same interests as the two of you.


----------



## hiddensprings (Aug 6, 2009)

I have a friend that retired last year and she was about to go nuts. She's just bored really. I can't imagine. I have sooooo much stuff that I love to do, that I can't wait to fully retire just so I can spend more time on my hobbies. I've suggested to her to volunteer, take a class (you're never to old to learn something new), travel, do the things she's always talked about doing. She makes a lot of excuses for reasons not to do it. After months of listening to her "whoa is me" stories, I finally said "get a job". So, she's working 20 hours a week at a local garden store; watering plants, talking to customers,etc. It gets her out of the house and gives her purpose I suppose.


----------



## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Thanks for all the replies, Health insurance is covered and money is ok.
We decided to move back to Florida and closed on a home there 2 weeks ago. We are busier than ever going through stuff and downsizing, also getting this place ready for sale.


----------



## Scott SW Ohio (Sep 20, 2003)

mnn2501 said:


> Thanks for all the replies, Health insurance is covered and money is ok.
> We decided to move back to Florida and closed on a home there 2 weeks ago. We are busier than ever going through stuff and downsizing, also getting this place ready for sale.


We are in a similar position. I retired in February, just before Ohio's lockdown went into effect. We had travel and volunteer activities lined out but all that got cancelled. So I spent the spring and summer doing renovation work on the house we lived in and on our fixer-upper farm house that I had been neglecting. Then in September we bought a new house about 65 miles from the other two. We did floors, painting and various repairs on the new house and moved ourselves in a series of pickup loads. Once in the new house, we pivoted and began doing the remaining projects to ready our vacated former residence for sale. I never thought in the last nine months that I needed to think of some way to stay busy.


----------



## HonestAbe (Nov 20, 2020)

What have you always wanted to do ? Or to study ? Or to research?


----------



## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

HonestAbe said:


> What have you always wanted to do ? Or to study ? Or to research?


We always planned to sell the house, bank the money, live in an RV and travel while young and healthy enough and eventually settle wherever we liked best . Travel would also include to Europe. Our money situation with pensions etc would allow us these freedoms. We want to really do as little work as possible and just enjoy life. Been there and done all the work and self sufficiency stuff. Unfortunately my cancer has forced us to make some changes to our retirement plans

I always wanted to improve my French to a scholars level. Such a beautiful language.


----------



## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

emdeengee, I am sorry to hear about your battle with cancer. Prayers said for recovery.


----------

