Comments on: My Thoughts on Early Retirement

By: CarolH

CarolH — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:22:03 +0000

In reply to Daisy. Incentive was for the state to get out the low % contributors to the retirement system (we contributed 5% to it) and get in new teachers who have to contribute 11% and up).

By: Simple Rich Living

Simple Rich Living — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:19:34 +0000

I like to have the financial security to retire early if I want to, but not necessarily just retired. I want to enjoy the now as well as saving a bit for retirement. I think I am okay to work longer (ie no early retirement) as long as my life is balance between fun and work.

By: Well Heeled Blog

Well Heeled Blog — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:13:27 +0000

I’ve been actually thinking about this a lot. Kind of in a “what is the point” crisis in my personal finance journey. 😯 I’d like to have enough money so that I don’t have to work, but knowing me I’d want to work or do something to earn money. Unless I win the mega-lotto. Then all bets are off!

By: Aloysa @ My Broken Coin

Aloysa @ My Broken Coin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:22:07 +0000

I picture my retirement exactly like you do! I was like to travel and volunteer and … work. But when it comes to work, I would like to work at home, doing what I love the most – writing. I think it is a dream at this point but you have to admit, it is a good one! 🙂

By: Deena Dollars

Deena Dollars — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:55:30 +0000

I will not yet give up on finding a career path that makes me happy enough that the option of retirement, when it comes, is financially viable but _I just won’t want to do it._

Maybe I will adjust my expectations in time, but forty years is too much for me to spend feeling like I am spending a third of my life doing things I don’t want to do.

By: Modest Money

Modest Money — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:31:45 +0000

In reply to Melissa.

I think I’m in the same boat Melissa. My RRSP contributions in my mind are more about saving for a downpayment. Retirement still seems so far away. I’d probably still want something to keep busy. I wouldn’t want to be one of those old people who is so bored that they go to the grocery store every single day just to chat.

I think the best option might to transition into retirement rather than suddenly stop working completely. I like Carol’s route of doing consulting for a while first.

By: Kris @ Simple Island Living

Kris @ Simple Island Living — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:46:30 +0000

We don’t specifically want to retire early, we want to have the ability to, once our kids are in college, to love to a new place that we’d always wanted to move to and work there. My husband’s profession may allow him to get positions in crazy places – there are job postings in the Maldives, in Dubai, in the Bahamas.
I used to read Early Retirement Extreme – still do sometimes – but their idea of early retirement isn’t what I want to do in my retirement. I want to travel, see the world, eat good food and drink great wine. If it takes us until 65 to be able to do that, that’s fine with us.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:10:05 +0000

Retirement honestly isn’t something I think about often. I contribute to my RRSPs diligently, though that’s probably more as a down payment fund than anything else. 🙂

I guess it just comes with working a less traditional job. I’m freelancing now. I don’t know if I’ll always freelance, but I’ll always have the ability to freelance, and I can’t really imagine wanting to stop working entirely. I’d get bored! I guess I imagine when it comes time to “retire,” I’ll just work a lot less.

By: My money, my life

My money, my life — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:04:37 +0000

I’m not sure I’d want to retire early. It’s hard to see that far into the future but one thing is for sure, I’d like to HAVE THE OPTION of retiring early. I.e. I want to save up enough money, and fill my life with substance so that I could retire early and be comfortable in all aspects. Whether I’d do it? I’m not sure.

btw, loving these smiley faces you have made available for the comments section 😀

By: CarolH

CarolH — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:55:22 +0000

I’m a high school math teacher who retired 4 years ago at age 56 as part of a state early retirement incentive plan. Much as I loved my job and my students, it was fiscally the right decision to make.
Now I am a consultant and travel around the country (one or two times a month is what works best for me) to work with teachers to offer them professional development in making math more accessible to our students. In addition, I volunteer to speak at education conferences when they are being held in cities I’ve always wanted to visit.

My point in sharing…look at all options concerning retirement. But don’t be afraid to venture out like I’ve been able to do.