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What does retirement mean to you

#41
It starts off innocently enough......the energy level is high because you're used to working...so you look for ways to keep it going.

After awhile that wears off and you go into "vacation' mode....getting up late and just generally doing nothing much at all...

At some point you get bored with that and that 's when you start wandering around the house in just your underwear, hair uncombed......

Right after that is when you can never remember what day it is......not that you care.....
 
#43
Retirement means I'll stop working (aka, probably take on a second, less demanding and stressful career) at the age of 55 and will be able to travel whenever and wherever I please without worrying about the cost. I don't plan on working my life away if I don't have to. I'm currently set to save around 20-25% of my income this year, with part of that going into my 401k w/company match and the rest going into my investment account(s). I live modestly and currently have no debts to speak of, and I feel very fortunate to be in this position as a 24 year old.
 
#44
ZenG said:
It starts off innocently enough......the energy level is high because you're used to working...so you look for ways to keep it going.

After awhile that wears off and you go into "vacation' mode....getting up late and just generally doing nothing much at all...

At some point you get bored with that and that 's when you start wandering around the house in just your underwear, hair uncombed......

Right after that is when you can never remember what day it is......not that you care.....
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Actually, I have had a few days like that since I retired but I consider it a luxury to be able to do that once in a while. No stress what so ever.
 
#46
jmattbassplaya said:
Retirement means I'll stop working (aka, probably take on a second, less demanding and stressful career) at the age of 55 and will be able to travel whenever and wherever I please without worrying about the cost. I don't plan on working my life away if I don't have to. I'm currently set to save around 20-25% of my income this year, with part of that going into my 401k w/company match and the rest going into my investment account(s). I live modestly and currently have no debts to speak of, and I feel very fortunate to be in this position as a 24 year old.
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Very impressive you have a great chance of meeting your goal. I hate guys like you.:D
 
#47
For me retirement means telling the boss to take his boring, meaningless job and shove it as far as it'll go, then kick back and relax and watch the sheep struggle through another snowstorm on their way to their boring, meaningless jobs. I've got less than 6 years to go. I've resigned myself to the fact that I'll be living with very little money, but I've been living with very little money for so long that I'm used to it. We have public housing for seniors here in town, and the rent is 30% of your income, with no gas or electric bills to worry about. All my wife and I will need is a good Internet connection, and we'll be good to go. I'll do what I want to do, and we'll make it OK.
 
#48
Right now I live of what I make as an engineer and have lots of fun playing around music and gigging here and there. I love doing both, retirement would be to have some income as a musician and to have fun with small engineering projects here and there... I don't plan to stop working ever.
 
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#53
Not that I believe I'll ever be able to retire, but if I could, it would mean, as another poster put it, being able to choose what I do with my time. I'd spend a great deal of time making music on my own, painting, gardening, and traveling with my wife.
 
#54
ZenG said:
and that 's when you start wandering around the house in just your underwear, hair uncombed......
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I just want to say...that's what i've been doing all my life so far. This doesn't have to be a retirement thing. Well except back when I had roommates. If i'm not in underwear i'm in pajamas or something of the sort. I see no reason to be dressed properly when home.
 
#55
Bloodhammer said:
Anyone know a good way to invest money so that it's a possibility?
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I started salting away money in IRAs and 401K accounts in my mid-20s. I never failed to put in the maximum allowed without incurring a penalty. I invested mostly in moderately-aggressive growth mutual funds with low expenses. Mostly Vanguard. Rarely dabbled in individual stocks or precious metals or anything exotic but when I did, it was almost always a loss. I never once withdrew any of that money, and never paid much attention to whether the market was down or up. Never panic-sold. Occasionally diversified more, such as foreign growth markets.

40 years later and I'm retired, with a comfortable nest egg. Unless there's a total financial meltdown, I should not have any money problems.

Put it away, like clockwork, never use it for something like a new car. Invest it and then put it out of your everyday thoughts.
 
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#58
Probably would be retired if we didn't have a parent in an ALF and a kid about to start college. No pension, but have been investing since 1980s and have done well. Looking forward to having freedom to do nothing or anything.
 
#59
Forgot to mention, I've always assumed there will be no social security benefits for me by the time I'm old enough to collect. It now looks like the SS system will remain solvent for my remaining years. Some of you younger people might not be so fortunate as the system continues a slow downward spiral trend toward insolvency.
 
#60
Alkali Ike said:
Forgot to mention, I've always assumed there will be no social security benefits for me by the time I'm old enough to collect. It now looks like the SS system will remain solvent for my remaining years. Some of you younger people might not be so fortunate as the system continues a slow downward spiral trend toward insolvency.
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There's absolutely no reason that social security can't be assured for everyone, assuming that people demand that it be there.
 

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