"Early retirement is no longer the goal of most workers. Even retirement at age 65 now seems unattainable to many people. The majority of Americans now expect to work until age 65 or later."What's so great about retirement? I've seen what it did to some of my relatives. Screw that, I want to be productive as long as I can. Work doesn't have to be miserable, and work sure beats sitting around waiting to die.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Early retirement is no longer the goal of most workers.
This has pretty much been my expectation all along.
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7 comments:
I see a different situation in my circle. Most of my uncles and great-uncles worked for chem industry or oil refineries, and they were glad to retire, some with early retirement packages, some at full age. Sure, "glad" doesn't mean it turns out that way in the end...
But for them, they are all doing great (well, those who haven't passed on yet) and are without exception still loving life, several of them for two decades now.
What is the difference between them and others? All I can say is that they all like to either fish or garden, or both. None like to spend money. Those qualifiers mean they keep busy in their retirement days and can maintain the modest lifestyles that they are content with. (i.e. no golfing, no dining out, no Eurotravels.)
So I think I need to task myself with finding one or more inexpensive and time-consuming hobbies before retirement arrives. Sadly, I have many years to ponder that decision!
Back to the salt mines...
Interesting post. I would like to "retire" someday, but not sure if I would still do something in the workforce like bag groceries or flip burgers just because I want to. I do have a lot of bike riding to do and want to travel with the wife a lot. But like NoVa said, back to the salt mines for now.
I personally can't imagine retiring. I'm to much like my dad and retiring killed him. Though I am getting off the tete of a government pension plan and am getting back into the corporate world. Teaching, as I discovered, isn't about educating the kids as much as it is about just keeping them quiet.
I joke that I am now enrolled in the "New American Retirement" plan.
How does it work?
"Work 'til you drop dead"
I suspect that many folks my age, (mid 40's) have been enrolled, whether they know it or not.
Since this plan has been the reality for about 99% percent of all humans ever to live, I am at least in good company.
I don't want to retire so much as reach a state of financial security. Then I can do what I want - work a job that is fulfilling even if it doesn't pay squat, take as much time off as I and when I want to, and set priorities w/o concern for whether or not I'll terminate my career by making that choice.
But for now I have a family to support and need to defer spending on what I want now so that I can make that future a reality. The problem we have had for the past ~20 years is that people seemed to think they could get there effortlessly. Spend all you want, even if you don't have it, the good times will never end, and if they do, Big Daddy Government will take care of us.
Ask the Greeks about how that worked out for them. Hope we take the hint and don't end up there.
Mike S., that's me to a T.
Who says you have to sit home and do nothing and wait to die? You don't have to work on a job to be proactive. As long and you are not sedentary, you don't have to worry about it. See life in a new perspective.
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