Milestone day- I'm retired.

[DavidU (Dave)]

With a recent improvement in income I will be able to retire at 123, down from 128. LOL

[glend (Glen)]

Originally Posted by DavidU

With a recent improvement in income I will be able to retire at 123, down from 128. LOL

Now while this may have been meant as humour, it is an interesting comment, and one i hear alot from people below retirement age. The facts are that many folks have no choice as to when, and under what conditions, they retire. Changes to the nature of jobs may mean your role disappears, or your once valuable skills no longer have value to any employer, or your health may dictate your retirement. It is not always a decision based on lifestyle choice.

[ZeroID (Brent)]

Next March for me @ 69. After 3 recessions, 1 divorce and a Redundancy it's taken a bit longer than I expected and I am not retiring with the nest egg I thought I might be. But job stress and pressure to go faster, do more and no added $$ to compensate and I will walk away.
All the best for your new lifestyle, I'll be back asking the same questions myself soon enough.
Take care.

[DavidU (Dave)]

I'm now 60, working 3 jobs and no idea how to retire or when. So ,yes I was serious.

Originally Posted by glend

Now while this may have been meant as humour, it is an interesting comment, and one i hear alot from people below retirement age. The facts are that many folks have no choice as to when, and under what conditions, they retire. Changes to the nature of jobs may mean your role disappears, or your once valuable skills no longer have value to any employer, or your health may dictate your retirement. It is not always a decision based on lifestyle choice.

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

It really comes down the expectation of lifestyle after retirement and before death...
The amount of savings/ super will be a decision maker.

After you've sold the home, downsized and gone to one car....there needs to be enough funds (I'm not taking into account the minimal Gov pension - which you don't get if you HAVE any serious funds) to live on.
The current capital market may, on a good day get you 2.5% interest but that is chicken feed compared to the average cost of living.

If you still have three younger kids at home and a heavy mortgage and accumulated debts, you need to reconsider your life. How/when will the situation change???????

[doppler (Rick)]

Just turned 60 , no big super payout to look forward to so for me it's 67 and the aged pension. But I am cruising along working 3 days a week doing a job that keeps me physically 40, in a couple of years the house will be paid for and the solar panels have already paid for themselves, plus living in a country town with a lower cost of living does help. Would love to be retired but semi retired will have to do for now.

[leon]

Just chuck the phone in the creek and play dumb.

Leon

[ZeroID (Brent)]

As some of you have noticed I've already started a small hobby business with the rapidly growing EBike business. It is growing fast enough that it could supplement my basics by next year but otherwise I will be looking for some part time work, as much as for the social connection as the money, I don't really want to stop doing meaningful and useful things but my current role is just not working anymore and hasn't done so for a number of years. For my own health and wellbeing I need to get out.

I guess I am lucky in that my health is still pretty good, I am still quite active and certainly still very curious and wanting to learn. I have become a little less tolerant of idiots wasting my time but as I have less of it to waste then I don't see that as a problem. ....well not for me anyway.

And I still have a bloody fast car to drive ... Yeeha !!

[Visionary (David)]

Bob, my circumstances are different to yours as degenerative Neurology drove me from work before 55, my advice, however, is consistent with your circumstances.
Bob, you are truly blessed in having Astronomy as a passion. I guarantee you that never a dull moment will conspire against with Astronomy as your companion. Further.... your Astro plans/designs are about to get more complex and more engaging than you ever thought possible.

Nb: If you don't have the following, then purchase them quickly.... A metal lathe, a mill, an excellent collection of vices & clamps, and if you haven't already purchased an Arduino starter kit + stepper motors and encoders!
Fair sailing & clear skies

[raymo]

I've been retired that long that I can't remember what it was like to retire,
[but then I can't remember what I had for breakfast yesterday, and my wife tells me that I have the same thing every day].
My working life seems to have been in some other past universe.
raymo

[sil (Steve)]

Congrats, hope you get to relax and follow your dreams and interests. I need to look into how to retire, At 45 with disability from stroke I'm hanging on as it is and dont think i can afford to retire or anything any time soon. happy to die if could quick and painless