# Woo hoo, I'm retiring! Retirees...what should I be thinking about? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 16, 2019, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211 "2019-03-16T01:19:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2019, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211/41 "2019-08-21T03:29:14Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > 1. Transportation: If you have 2 cars now (maybe more, since you said you have teenagers), you may find you and your wife can get by with one between the two of you. We’re 5+ years from being able to retire, but with mass transit availability where we are, we’re doing OK with just one at the moment. HUGE cost savings. I wouldn’t do this. It is useful to have two cars especially if you both have things to do outside the house. It is also handy when you have to take one car in for service, I know you can Uber, but having two is still good, especially if they are paid off. We had three, the third being a truck. That we sold to a friend who drove it more than we did anyhow. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211/42 "2019-08-23T00:35:50Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Congrats!! > > Popping back to some things that were mentioned before: > > 1. Moving. Whether you stay in your same area, or move to a different part of the country, look at aging in place. When my husband and I both had surgery within 2 weeks last year, we found that our 2-story brick Colonial is NOT conducive to aging in place. There are things we’d want to do to the house (stair lift, bathroom remodel with grab bars, etc.). Or we might move to a 1-level condo. > > 2. Transportation: If you have 2 cars now (maybe more, since you said you have teenagers), you may find you and your wife can get by with one between the two of you. We’re 5+ years from being able to retire, but with mass transit availability where we are, we’re doing OK with just one at the moment. HUGE cost savings. > > I’m quite jealous. We’re a couple years older than you are, but NOT in a position to consider early retirement due to some family obligations… but my mind is more and more focussed on the topic. > [@Voyager](#): > > I wouldn’t do this. It is useful to have two cars especially if you both have things to do outside the house. It is also handy when you have to take one car in for service, I know you can Uber, but having two is still good, especially if they are paid off. > > We had three, the third being a truck. That we sold to a friend who drove it more than we did anyhow. Thanks for the comments and well-wishes! Right now we have four drivers in the house, with a fifth about to take the wheel, and we have four vehicles including a 2005 pickup truck and 2009 minivan. So we’re going to hold steady with that for a while, and then make a decision if one of the older vehicles craps out. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211/43 "2019-08-23T02:04:23Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > I wouldn’t do this. It is useful to have two cars especially if you both have things to do outside the house. It is also handy when you have to take one car in for service, I know you can Uber, but having two is still good, especially if they are paid off. > > We had three, the third being a truck. That we sold to a friend who drove it more than we did anyhow. Good point, and of course the OP has to consider his own lifestyle (and has - as he popped in to say). We had only one car the first 10 years we were married - artifact of where we were living (small college town, then large area with adequate public transit). We truly needed 2 for quite a while after that, between non-accessible workplaces, and young kids, it was necessary. Now that one kid is 500 miles away and not driving at all, the other one has inherited the Civic which isn’t all that much younger than he is, and my husband and I are sharing “my” car. If we had two of our own at the moment, we wouldn’t get _rid_ of one, but we probably wouldn’t replace it at the moment. We keep saying we need to get a new car, but then we keep not urgently _needing_ one. We’ve decided that until we are spending more than 400 or so a month on alternate transportation (cabs or whatever) we won’t get a new car. We rent cars for longer driving trips (as our two have 220k and 170K miles respectively, and we typically need a larger vehicle anyway), and we use transit to get to/from work (because it’s the DC area and no sane person wants to drive in THAT traffic); we don’t include those costs in our 400 a month figure. So all in all, right now, we’re spending less than a hundred a month on alternate transportation. Back to the OP’s situation: Whenever you _do_ make decisions about cars, consider accessibility. I don’t mean wheelchair compatibility (though of course that might be an issue) - but how easy the car is to get in and out of if you are beginning to get creaky. In your late 50s this is not likely an immediate issue, but if you keep cars for 10+ years it’s something to think of. I’m tall - and not slender - and it’s genuinely tough for me to get into and out of the Civic because the seat is soooo low to the ground. My CRV is easier, but there’s a lip you have to get your feet over to get into and out of it. My in-laws are in their 80s and quite short and had trouble getting into the CRV; when we had a rental Ford Expedition last year we brought a footstool and told them they were not to try to enter or exit unless one of us was standing at the door. Manual transmission - uncommon as it is nowadays, some cars still have it - would be tricky with arthritic knees. If you do wind up sharing a car, power seats with memory settings are really, really nice - I hate when someone else drives “my” car because none of the seat settings are right. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211/44 "2019-08-23T02:50:11Z")
I’ve been retired for a week, and was SO busy the two months before I left… not just with work, but with Soc.Sec./pension/sick leave/investment decisions. The toughest part is getting asked a thousand times “Pretty exciting, hnnnnh? So you _must_ have some _big_ plans, hnnnnh?” Nope. I finally had time today to sit on the porch for two hours with a book and a beer. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211/45 "2019-08-23T03:16:14Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > If we had two of our own at the moment, we wouldn’t get _rid_ of one, but we probably wouldn’t replace it at the moment. We keep saying we need to get a new car, but then we keep not urgently _needing_ one. We’ve decided that until we are spending more than 400 or so a month on alternate transportation (cabs or whatever) we won’t get a new car. > > We rent cars for longer driving trips (as our two have 220k and 170K miles respectively, and we typically need a larger vehicle anyway), and we use transit to get to/from work (because it’s the DC area and no sane person wants to drive in THAT traffic); we don’t include those costs in our 400 a month figure. So all in all, right now, we’re spending less than a hundred a month on alternate transportation. I just got back from DC, and I took the Metro from Reagan to Georgetown where I was staying. A lot faster than a Lyft. We don’t have decent public transportation around here. Going to San Francisco by BART is fine, but when I worked I could theoretically take public transportation to work, but it would have taken three or four changes of system and about 3 hours, not 45 minutes. Before we drove around the country we got a new car primarily for safety features. Especially as you get older, the chances of being distracted increase, and automatic braking could be a life saver. ---
**Author:** ![Turki-lurki](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turki-lurki/32/7168_2.png) [@Turki-lurki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turki-lurki)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211/46 "2019-08-23T05:12:31Z")
I retired 3 weeks ago. Did it on 2 days notice because of a merger issue. The paperwork was fierce but it’s done now and I suddenly realize its ok to go hiking on a weekday. We can go in vacation pretty much anytime we want. The free feeling is the best! !! Reality will sink in later, but for now I’m kind of giddy… ---
**Author:** ![Bonnie14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@Bonnie14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonnie14)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211/47 "2019-08-23T06:07:30Z")
I haven’t read the whole thread…that said; I made sure all my bills were as small as possible. Cable Tv was a big one and I have found that an antenna works quite well for my needs. I obviously have internet, which allows me to stream. I just love being home with my basenji. My mother, however thinks I am to young to retire and keeps asking when I am gonna get a job. Its funny because when I got the job I retired from she also asked when I was gonna get a real job. I worked for the county for 32 years. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211/48 "2019-08-23T10:53:26Z")
> [@digs](#): > > I’ve been retired for a week, and was SO busy the two months before I left… not just with work, but with Soc.Sec./pension/sick leave/investment decisions. > > The toughest part is getting asked a thousand times “Pretty exciting, hnnnnh? So you _must_ have some _big_ plans, hnnnnh?” > > Nope. > > I finally had time today to sit on the porch for two hours with a book and a beer. Been retired for ~2 months now. Yesterday I explained my apparent lack of travel (so far) to an old coworker. When you’re working, vacations and travel are a form of escapism. Once you’re retired, everyday life is so enjoyable and stress free that you don’t need to run away from it. Sitting on the deck beside the smoker all day, or lounging around with Netflix can be preferable to the hassles of travel. I don’t want to escape from my life any more. Mama Zappa’s advice is good. After a medical procedure limited my left leg use, I found myself trying to choose between our huge truck, which I couldn’t climb into, and our Toyota, whose clutch I couldn’t operate. Luckily it was only a week and Stranger Things was on Netflix – so I survived OK. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211/49 "2019-08-23T23:19:22Z")
> [@digs](#): > > I’ve been retired for a week, and was SO busy the two months before I left… not just with work, but with Soc.Sec./pension/sick leave/investment decisions. > > The toughest part is getting asked a thousand times “Pretty exciting, hnnnnh? So you _must_ have some _big_ plans, hnnnnh?” > > Nope. > > I finally had time today to sit on the porch for two hours with a book and a beer. > [@alnath](#): > > I retired 3 weeks ago. Did it on 2 days notice because of a merger issue. The paperwork was fierce but it’s done now and I suddenly realize its ok to go hiking on a weekday. We can go in vacation pretty much anytime we want. > > The free feeling is the best! !! > > Reality will sink in later, but for now I’m kind of giddy… > [@pullin](#): > > Been retired for ~2 months now. Yesterday I explained my apparent lack of travel (so far) to an old coworker. When you’re working, vacations and travel are a form of escapism. Once you’re retired, everyday life is so enjoyable and stress free that you don’t need to run away from it. Sitting on the deck beside the smoker all day, or lounging around with Netflix can be preferable to the hassles of travel. I don’t want to escape from my life any more. > > Mama Zappa’s advice is good. After a medical procedure limited my left leg use, I found myself trying to choose between our huge truck, which I couldn’t climb into, and our Toyota, whose clutch I couldn’t operate. Luckily it was only a week and Stranger Things was on Netflix – so I survived OK. Wow, congratulations to all of you! I can’t wait to join you in a few months, and thanks for the continued advice. Side note to **digs** : I can’t even guess how many times someone either asked if I had big plans, or was planning a big trip (plus the occasional “you MUST have big plans!”, which is annoyingly assured). I do get it…retirements aren’t that common, and it’s an easy default. Still, people did sometimes seem perplexed that I have absolutely no “big” plans whatsoever, other than not waking up early anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Bonnie14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@Bonnie14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonnie14)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211/50 "2019-08-24T00:33:34Z")
I,also, got all those questions about ‘What are you gonna do?’, ‘Are you gonna travel?’. Answers: nothing and no. Ya know what? doing nothing is surprisingly nice. I have the time to do anything for my friends. That is really cool. One of my friends recently lost her house to a tornado and I was able to be there for her every day. If I had been working I would not have been able to do that. I have also been able to help out my parents more. Oh, and appointments of any kind…Its nice to be able to make them whenever you want and those hours long windows, pfft, who cares, I’ll be around. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211/51 "2019-08-26T18:36:53Z")
Those people who croon “_Sooooo_… you must have some biiiiig plans!” are _sooooo_ annoying. What bothers me is that they’re not really asking, they’re telling me. And projecting. Like those ads I yell back at: _"You’re a modern professional…_(No, I’m not modern or professional!)… _who cares about your children’s health!"_ (Have you MET my brats?) This comment crystallized it for me: > [@pullin](#): > > When you’re working, vacations and travel are a form of escapism. Once you’re retired, everyday life is so enjoyable and stress free that you don’t need to run away from it. We had our toughest winter yet, psychologically. Now that it’s nice, I really don’t want to go anywhere. Turned down a trip to London, and the friends that went were super busy every day, and complained how crowded everything was. Naaah, I’m fine here on my porch. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211/52 "2019-08-26T19:00:52Z")
Congrats!! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211/53 "2019-08-26T19:41:21Z")
I am also retiring at the end of this year…so I am stealing the entire contents of this thread and claiming it for my own. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211/54 "2019-08-26T23:33:39Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Side note to **digs** : I can’t even guess how many times someone either asked if I had big plans, or was planning a big trip (plus the occasional “you MUST have big plans!”, which is annoyingly assured). I do get it…retirements aren’t that common, and it’s an easy default. Still, people did sometimes seem perplexed that I have absolutely no “big” plans whatsoever, other than not waking up early anymore. When people asked me what I was going to do, I told them about my 70 item retirement project spreadsheet, and that shut them right up. You don’t even have to have one. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211/55 "2019-08-28T03:47:53Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > …I have absolutely no “big” plans whatsoever, other than not waking up early anymore. Had to read this sentence twice, You see, I did not spot the word “early” :eek: :smack:😛 ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2020, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211/56 "2020-01-02T05:00:59Z")
Today is day one. WHAT HAVE I DONE? Just kidding. Today was fantastic. Stayed up late, woke up late, played games with the kids, took my daughter to practice driving, finished a fantastic book. Looking forward to day two. > [@Jasmine](#): > > Congrats!! 🙂 Thanks! > [@Czarcasm](#): > > I am also retiring at the end of this year…so I am stealing the entire contents of this thread and claiming it for my own. 😃 Welcome to the club! I hope your first day was as good as mine. 🙂 > [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Had to read this sentence twice, > > You see, I did not spot the word “early” :eek: :smack:😛 😃 I’m still here. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2020, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211/57 "2020-01-02T07:19:07Z")
Hello, retired person, and congratulations! Excuse me: retired people _waves to Czarcasm_ ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2020, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211/58 "2020-01-02T17:32:51Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > When people asked me what I was going to do, I told them about my 70 item retirement project spreadsheet, and that shut them right up. You don’t even have to have one. 🙂 That’s a great idea! I’m retiring at the end of next week. The invitation just went out for my party next Thursday so I’m getting more folks stopping by my desk to ask what I’m going to do next. Interesting that when I told my retired friends, that question never came up. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2020, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211/59 "2020-01-02T22:08:05Z")
Several years back we went to see a financial adviser at TIAA (it’s a teachers thing). I brought with me a summary of all of our accounts, a table of what we were planning to do with what and when, etc. He looked at it and basically knew that the advising session was over. While it was in one way a long drive for nothing in another way it was nice to get confirmation we knew what we were doing. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2020, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211/60 "2020-01-02T23:56:13Z")
I’ve been retired for five years. It was interesting, because if I hadn’t retired, I’d have probably been out of a job (our entire department was out-sourced coincidentally with my retirement). I was just hating my job for the last few years, but felt I probably need to wait until 66 for my maximum SS payment. I started going to retirement seminars in the last few years before I retired and had a consultation with a financial analyst through the credit union. He said I could retire right then – about two years before I finally did it. That really helped. I felt a lot freer. Due to a few personal issues I still wanted to wait a bit, but it was nice to have someone say “Hey, you can afford this.” Then, I found a money guy through a friend and that put a cap on it. I haven’t really found anything to “replace” working, but I still keep busy. I don’t have to get up at 4:30 anymore. I don’t have a 45 minute to 1.5 hour (one way) commute anymore. I don’t have to feel like I have to squeeze everything into the weekend. I do spend more time on the Dope. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-hoo-im-retiring-retirees-what-should-i-be-thinking-about/831211.md?page=4)