In Five more years I can retire...

James81 · Apr 23, 2008

[Heh, no, not me. lol]

Ok, I'll just come out and say it. I was in the stall of the bathroom when I heard this.

Two men came into the bathroom at work and they were talking about how quickly time goes by and then one guy said "In five more years I can retire..."

I hear that kind of thing a lot around here. People everywhere counting down the days until retirement, couting down the days until it's Friday and the weekend is here, etc.

Is it just me, or is that a really said way to live? How many people sit and wish their life away because they are unhappy with their job or what they are doing?

You want to know what my definition of success and happiness is? Not having to work in a job I love for the rest of my life...whatever that may be. I don't know about you all, but I don't want to sit here and wish my life away because of a stupid job. I want to wake up and look forward to going to work everyday and be SAD when the weekend gets here because I love my job so much.

writerterri · Apr 23, 2008

Only if we all could have the perfect job could we cry because the weekend is here.

Retirement means traveling for me!

Namatu · Apr 23, 2008

Retirement is a marker in life, but I try to make sure I work to live and not live to work. Too bad I spend most of my time working, but it's the other stuff I try to appreciate!

I used to work in retirement planning and, scarily, most of the people who were so eager to retire did not have the funds to do so. It's a nice goal, but maintaining your lifestyle without living homeless on the beach requires advance planning.

maestrowork · Apr 23, 2008

I'm in self-imposed retirement and just doing what I like and want. I don't care if you call me a bum but I love it.

James81 · Apr 23, 2008

Namatu said:
Retirement is a marker in life, but I try to make sure I work to live and not live to work. Too bad I spend most of my time working, but it's the other stuff I try to appreciate!

I used to work in retirement planning and, scarily, most of the people who were so eager to retire did not have the funds to do so. It's a nice goal, but maintaining your lifestyle without living homeless on the beach requires advance planning.

I have a pretty decent retirement plan through my job (assuming I stay here another 29 years--which I doubt), but I intend to supplement it as much as I can with investments. With the right investments, anybody can retire by the time they are 55 or 60 with or without a retirement plan through their job if they really think it through. Heck, people could retire at 30, 35, or 40 with the right investment strategy.

James81 · Apr 23, 2008

maestrowork said:
I'm in self-imposed retirement and just doing what I like and want. I don't care if you call me a bum but I love it.

I wouldn't call you a bum. I would say that I envy you. lol

Namatu · Apr 23, 2008

James81 said:
I have a pretty decent retirement plan through my job (assuming I stay here another 29 years--which I doubt), but I intend to supplement it as much as I can with investments. With the right investments, anybody can retire by the time they are 55 or 60 with or without a retirement plan through their job if they really think it through. Heck, people could retire at 30, 35, or 40 with the right investment strategy.

I agree. There's more preparation for retirement now, especially since it's been illustrated that you can't count on your pension (if one was even offered to you).

CaroGirl · Apr 23, 2008

It's human nature to want to have something to look forward to. Just because someone says he "Can't wait for the weekend," doesn't mean he's unhappy right now. It just means he's looking forward to the weekend.

No one wants to wish her life away, but anticipation is a great feeling.

maestrowork · Apr 23, 2008

If you make $50,000 a year and you put away a mere 10%, in 30 years you'll have $700,000 considering the market only grows by 6% per year (traditionally the market does, on average over time, 10-12%/year), or $1.3 million with 10% growth.

So if you start saving at 25, you'll be able to retire at 55. Sooner if you make or save more.

I started saving when I was 23, and I saved on average over 25% of my income.

Apart from that, yeah, if you're counting the years when you "can" retire, you're not doing it right.

johnnysannie · Apr 23, 2008

James81 said:
[Heh, no, not me. lol]

Ok, I'll just come out and say it. I was in the stall of the bathroom when I heard this.

Two men came into the bathroom at work and they were talking about how quickly time goes by and then one guy said "In five more years I can retire..."

I hear that kind of thing a lot around here. People everywhere counting down the days until retirement, couting down the days until it's Friday and the weekend is here, etc.

Is it just me, or is that a really said way to live? How many people sit and wish their life away because they are unhappy with their job or what they are doing?

You want to know what my definition of success and happiness is? Not having to work in a job I love for the rest of my life...whatever that may be. I don't know about you all, but I don't want to sit here and wish my life away because of a stupid job. I want to wake up and look forward to going to work everyday and be SAD when the weekend gets here because I love my job so much.

If you love your job more than your life, your priorities are skewed.

And would you rather people look forward to retiring in five years or work till they drop dead on the job?

I noted on your profile that you're 26. With twenty more years of living under my belt, I would hazard a guess that you may have slightly different views in a few decades.

That said, I'm "retired" from working for someone else; writing has been my full-time job and source of income for about a decade now (I wrote and worked for others before that). I enjoy my life and really hope that I never have to punch a time clock or work for someone else again.

Cranky · Apr 23, 2008

James81 said:
[Heh, no, not me. lol]

Ok, I'll just come out and say it. I was in the stall of the bathroom when I heard this.

Two men came into the bathroom at work and they were talking about how quickly time goes by and then one guy said "In five more years I can retire..."

I hear that kind of thing a lot around here. People everywhere counting down the days until retirement, couting down the days until it's Friday and the weekend is here, etc.

Is it just me, or is that a really said way to live? How many people sit and wish their life away because they are unhappy with their job or what they are doing?

You want to know what my definition of success and happiness is? Not having to work in a job I love for the rest of my life...whatever that may be. I don't know about you all, but I don't want to sit here and wish my life away because of a stupid job. I want to wake up and look forward to going to work everyday and be SAD when the weekend gets here because I love my job so much.

My husband likes his job, but he still looks forward to his time off.

As he says, "Work to live, not live to work." He'll do whatever job he has to that pays the bills, because his work isn't his life.

It works for him, though I still wish I could've convinced him to go finish his degree in architecture instead of going for one in Business Administration. In the end, though, he's the one that has to get up and go there every day, so if he's happy with it, so am I.

Different strokes, and all that jazz.

James81 · Apr 23, 2008

johnnysannie said:
And would you rather people look forward to retiring in five years or work till they drop dead on the job?

That's exactly my point!

If you truly love what you are doing, you won't care to "retire". For example I had heard somewhere about this 80 year old lawyer who died. He had practiced law for 50 years and was still doing it when he died.

Now, I don't know how "happy" he was, but if I were venturing a guess, I'd like to believe that if someone works a job until they die, then they truly love that job.

If I am working doing something I love, why would I WANT to quit? You hear all the time about people who retire and then go to work somewhere else after several months. Most of the time it doesn't have to do with the money, but rather they got stir-crazy not having a job to go to everyday.

To me, "retiring" will mean doing something I truly love to do. I'm working towards that goal right now and I hope someday to acheive it. When I get to that place, it won't MATTER to me when I can retire because I'll be doing something I love.

Sassee · Apr 23, 2008

I started saving pretty early, right around 21, but I still don't know that I'll "be able to retire" before I'm 60 or 70. You know what, though? It doesn't really bother me. I let work stay at work. When I'm at home it's all ME time, and I'm much less stressed for it.

Besides, I know a lot of older people that "retire" and then get incredibly bored. I'll count myself lucky if I get to that age and am still pretty busy, even if it is with a job I don't love to pieces. I would rather be disgruntled with a job that keeps me on a steady schedule and occupied rather than be at home bored out of my mind wondering what I could do to fill time. (I'm not terribly self motivated, in case you didn't pick that up already

)

James81 · Apr 23, 2008

Sassee said:
I started saving pretty early, right around 21, but I still don't know that I'll "be able to retire" before I'm 60 or 70.

The thing about saving for retirement is, you should crunch the numbers at least once so you KNOW what you have to save by a particular age. Saving is a good and all, but saving with a goal in mind is much better.

NeuroFizz · Apr 23, 2008

1) Copy this entire thread on paper - original post and all responses

2) Seal the pages in an envelope

3) Write on the outside of the envelope, "To be opened on my 60th birthday."

4) Put it in your lockbox or some other safe place where you'll find it in the future.

maestrowork · Apr 23, 2008

As long as he's happy with what he does. Having "time off" is meaningless if you're already doing what you like. My mom loved her job and when she finally got her "time off" she didn't know what to do with herself -- she ended up going back to work for a while until she was physically too tired to do it.

I think it's George Clooney who said, "I don't need to take a vacation. Every day when I go to work it's a vacation." Now that's a life.

That's what I want to see my life. Every day when I go to "work" (writing my book, make my music, design a website, etc.) it's not a chore but a joy. I'm not doing it for anyone but myself, and what I do may make a difference in someone else's life. I know some people have said to me that I am "lazy and lack discipline" and all that. I don't care. I'm enjoying my own life for the first time without wondering if I'm pleasing anyone. I could pick up and go spend three weeks in Europe if I want. I can drop everything and see my friends and family. I don't need to worry about making the bottom line for a company which doesn't really give a frack about me personally.

Obviously, not everyone feels that way. Some people loves to get up in the morning, go to work, etc. My mom did. She loved her job. And that's the important part. Love what you do and do what you love. And yes, live to work and not work to live.

And save money while you can.

WendyNYC · Apr 23, 2008

James81 said:
That's exactly my point!

If you truly love what you are doing, you won't care to "retire". For example I had heard somewhere about this 80 year old lawyer who died. He had practiced law for 50 years and was still doing it when he died.

Now, I don't know how "happy" he was, but if I were venturing a guess, I'd like to believe that if someone works a job until they die, then they truly love that job.

I'd guess that he didn't enjoy feeling irrelevant, which is what can happen sometimes if your life outside of your work isn't gratifying.

Cranky · Apr 23, 2008

maestrowork said:
As long as he's happy with what he does. Having "time off" is meaningless if you're already doing what you like. My mom loved her job and when she finally got her "time off" she didn't know what to do with herself -- she ended up going back to work for a while until she was physically too tired to do it.

I think it's George Clooney who said, "I don't need to take a vacation. Every day when I go to work it's a vacation." Now that's a life.

That's what I want to see my life. Every day when I go to "work" (writing my book, make my music, design a website, etc.) it's not a chore but a joy. I'm not doing it for anyone but myself, and what I do may make a difference in someone else's life. I know some people have said to me that I am "lazy and lack discipline" and all that. I don't care. I'm enjoying my own life for the first time without wondering if I'm pleasing anyone. I could pick up and go spend three weeks in Europe if I want. I can drop everything and see my friends and family. I don't need to worry about making the bottom line for a company which doesn't really give a frack about me personally.

Obviously, not everyone feels that way. Some people loves to get up in the morning, go to work, etc. My mom did. She loved her job. And that's the important part. Love what you do and do what you love. And yes, live to work and not work to live.

And save money while you can.

Oh, I agree with you, Ray. Wish the hubby did, but he's very practical. He's gonna put the degree to good use, though. With it (and the increased salary/experience), he'll eventually be able to fulfill a different dream: setting up his own restaurant.

I hope. I plan to nag him about it. LOL!

maestrowork · Apr 23, 2008

Cranky said:
Oh, I agree with you, Ray. Wish the hubby did, but he's very practical. He's gonna put the degree to good use, though. With it (and the increased salary/experience), he'll eventually be able to fulfill a different dream: setting up his own restaurant.

I hope. I plan to nag him about it. LOL!

Sometimes that's a means to an end. If he keeps his sight on his dream and goal (opening a restaurant) and have you nagging him along the way, that's great. I was on the road at a job for 10 years -- I didn't really hate it, but it was a means to an end. I made and SAVED a lot of money over those ten years, making it possible to give myself this self-imposed "retirement" for the time being. So yes, I was practical, but never lost sight of what I really wanted to. I had a goal and I achieved it.

Bubastes · Apr 23, 2008

James81 said:
Now, I don't know how "happy" he was, but if I were venturing a guess, I'd like to believe that if someone works a job until they die, then they truly love that job.

For some people, that is true, and they are fortunate.

For others, it's because they don't know what else to do with themselves.

I've seen both.

For me, my job is definitely a means to an end. I'm following a path similar to maestrowork's, in fact. I hope I get similar results too.

Soccer Mom · Apr 23, 2008

Well, I hate to break it to you, James, but some of us work to pay the bills. I like my job a lot. Do I expect to be doing it when I'm 80? Hell no. I have a very rich life outside of my day job. When I can retire for the day job, i will. And I won't feel irrelevant. I won't rush back into another job to fill some void.

Work is work. Even doing something you love, like writing, doesn't mean you will love all of it or every day of it. It's only a job. Not who I am.

James81 · Apr 23, 2008

It's interesting that most of the men in this thread get my point and hardly any of the women have.

It's a fundamental difference between men and women I've noticed. A man's career is very important to him, whereas a woman doesn't really care (to a certain extent anyways) what she does to pay the bills.

*Disclaimer: I realize wholeheartedly that this is a GENERALIZATION. I also realize that there are exceptions to that rule and I look forward to reading about said exceptions. Don't take it anymore than a generalization please.

maestrowork · Apr 23, 2008

Soccer Mom said:
Work is work. Even doing something you love, like writing, doesn't mean you will love all of it or every day of it. It's only a job. Not who I am.

But (being a Devil's advocate here) if you ARE doing what you love (even if you don't love it every second), then it is who you are. Quoting Clooney again: his job is part of who he is. It doesn't take away the other parts of his life, but being an actor/filmmaker is who he is, not just what he does.

I feel the same way about my creative work. It's not just work because it is truly who I am. My last job was just a job, to pay the bills and to build my nest eggs. But it wasn't who I really was. And if I can do what I love and still pay the bills with it -- now that's perfect.

MichaelDeVere · Apr 23, 2008

I don't define myself by what I actually do to earn income. I sort of think that to be shallow.

I'd rather define myself with things like the fact that I will work my ass off to take care of the financial needs of my family; or, I would rather roll up my sleeves and do a really hard days work on the farm because as a white collar sort of person, my body and soul require the balance.

davids · Apr 23, 2008

maestrowork said:
I'm in self-imposed retirement and just doing what I like and want. I don't care if you call me a bum but I love it.

not even self-imposed here! i have never worked a day in my life-that is not to say i did not make money-tons of it but it was not work-just a lot of fun and to a great degree it still is-and as D says life is short and every day is getting shorter! Am i lucky? some say yes some say not---me? Frankly i could care less what anybody on the planet thinks-especially about my life-well not quite true I have at least two people and i care what they think-udder dan dat-pattooeee!!!

In Five more years I can retire...

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