On vacation...just like retirement?

[Slothead56]

I have one more Summer to work before I pack it in. Obviously, it’s been on my mind.

For the first time ever we’re taking a full weeks vacation at our second home. All the kids are home and we’re having a good time just hanging....fishing, beach, games, meals, music, US Open tennis, walking the dogs, sleeping late, bike rides....all very normal, all very relaxed.

Wondering if this is what retirement feels like....

[Daniel Grenier]

Nope. Vacation is getting away - for a week or two - from your daily grind. Retirement will be your "new" grind. It is different for everyone, but just hope that:

1-You and your wife actually like each other as you'll be in each other's face 24/7.
2-Your are likely to have much less $$$ to freely dispose of. You ok with that?
3-Time goes much faster when you are retired (weird, I know...)
4-Got hobbies? Friends? Pass-times? You'll need that.
5-You're not gonna miss work, are you? If you do, some days will be very long.
6-Can you tolerate your kids/grands on a far more regular basis?

Anyway, just some random thoughts from one that's been retired 5+ years... Next!

[Ozzy the dog]

Retirement is not like a permanent vacation.

A permanent vacation would mean never having to work again whereas retirement just means never getting paid again.

On the plus side, the work you do in retirement is only what you want to do - and it's great.

[Silly Moustache]

Retired for 13 years now.

I still go into the office every morning, but now it is just to check finances, answer emails, and comments on Youtube and check my fora. Then I'll do my home workout (gym closed in March) then, breakast late morning,maybe go check on my allotment , sow,weed crop etc., take a cycle ride, maybe meet up with "the boys" for some playing, or (this is important) ... do NOTHING MUCH !

A point about finance/income - Yes, monthly income will probably be less, but you will be amazed at how much it costs to go to work, and when you retire you (should have) paid off all debts.

Income is less but out goings are far less.

Also, wear the same tshirt and shorts for a week if you like, go barefoot, scratch where it itches. Enjoy retirement - you'll never get out alive!

[raysachs]

The first months of retirement can feel like a vacation, but like all vacations, it ends. I lasted about six months before the feeling of relief turned to boredom. Then I started taking on some consulting work in the field I left, but I did it on my own schedule and worked from home (except for meetings I still had to present at). And then I did that for a few years, more some years, less others, and then I realized I was really done with it, and stopped.

Since then, retirement has been wonderful, but it's just a different routine, not really a vacation. I do a lot of stuff, I stay so busy I don't know how I ever had time to work. But it's stuff I enjoy, I do it as I feel like, I'm on nobody's clock. So, yeah, there's a lot of guitar playing. A lot of taking walks around town when nobody's really out (useful in these Covid times). And a million little projects around the house that are largely just for my own entertainment. Fortunately, my wife and I have been best friends pretty much from the start, so she's really easy and fun to hang out with. Particularly these days, we're both around the house a lot, we interact when we feel like it, we do our own things when we feel like it. It's a nice existence.

Good luck. Some people end up not enjoying retirement, but it seems like most who can afford to do it and maintain a decent standard of living really enjoy it a lot. I do.

-Ray

[RP]

Originally Posted by Slothead56

...Wondering if this is what retirement feels like....

It's not. I'm guessing that somewhere in your mind is the knowledge that vacation is temporary and you'll be returning to a full-time job. But retirement is permanent...

[Riverwolf]

Originally Posted by Daniel Grenier

...4-Got hobbies? Friends? Pass-times? You'll need that...

This.
I was quickly bored and tried the usual wood working, model cars, copper craft and a few more.
Found myself drinking too much.
Took up the guitar, best idea ever!

[Pnewsom]

You could say that I'm semi-retired, which is a label I like. I play as many gigs as I want, and still take the shoots I that interest me(videographer/photographer), and still have time for some self–developement. I like this sort of arrangement as it keeps me in touch with the 'real world', but on the basis that I feel comfortable with.

Being able to call myself something other than 'retired' is important to me as well. It's a self-identity issue I guess, but what the heck do you know about person says that they are retired. Sounds like cardigans and slippers somehow.

Staying physically active is very important, and for me that's playing hockey year round, sailing, and a little golf. Learning songs and performing keeps the mind engaged as well. I don't plan to slow down if I can avoid it.

Silly Moustache has it right about the expenses going down, and with age I find myself not wanting for much in terms of chattel. In fact I pretty much have everything I want, so I'm good.

Fortunately for me, I've enjoyed what I have done for a living most of my ilife, so I'll just keep on keepin' on!

Good luck with the rest of your life!

[Mr. Jelly]

For me retirement is like a permanent vacation. Part of it is trying to decide what I want to do and part of it is I have to much to do and part of it is feeling I should do more construction things and part of it is that I do to many constructive things. I'm thinking of taking a vacation but I can't find my blow up mattress and the parks in Colorado are probably closing and it'd be to cold. So, life and it's problems are different. It takes a real man to handle it.

[catdaddy]

Before I retired I did work for someone else. After retiring I now work for myself. I've taken vacations both pre and post retirement, and for me a vacation is like neither of those things because there's no work involved.

[The Bard Rocks]

Originally Posted by Daniel Grenier

Nope. Vacation is getting away - for a week or two - from your daily grind. Retirement will be your "new" grind. It is different for everyone, but just hope that:

1-You and your wife actually like each other as you'll be in each other's face 24/7.
2-Your are likely to have much less $$$ to freely dispose of. You ok with that?
3-Time goes much faster when you are retired (weird, I know...)
4-Got hobbies? Friends? Pass-times? You'll need that.
5-You're not gonna miss work, are you? If you do, some days will be very long.
6-Can you tolerate your kids/grands on a far more regular basis?

Anyway, just some random thoughts from one that's been retired 5+ years... Next!

VERY intelligent questions. It pays to think closely on them.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks

VERY intelligent questions. It pays to think closely on them.

No matter what you choose to do with it a vacation is a temporary reprise, retirement is a permanent one...for me.

I’ve never been “bored” since I retired three years ago.
Everyone is different. I cherish every non-job moment, even when I am doing absolutely nothing at all. I mostly enjoyed my job but the freedom from all the obligations that came with it is pure joy to me.
Retirement is the freedom to do choose to do anything or nothing every single day 24/7.
Wow!

[Neil K Walk]

I'll never retire. I'll just be unemployed.

[RP]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

No matter what you choose to do with it a vacation is a temporary reprise, retirement is a permanent one...for me.

I’ve never been “bored” since I retired three years ago.
Everyone is different. I cherish every non-job moment, even when I am doing absolutely nothing at all. I mostly enjoyed my job but the freedom from all the obligations that came with it is pure joy to me.
Retirement is the freedom to do choose to do anything or nothing every single day 24/7.
Wow!

I agree mostly. Retirement has been really wonderful for me because I grew to really dislike the stresses and responsibilities of being a Special Education teacher after 30 years. I think that the degree to which one dislikes his job is directly proportional to how much he enjoys and readily adapts to retirement...

[Neil K Walk]

Originally Posted by RP

I agree mostly. Retirement has been really wonderful for me because I grew to really dislike the stresses and responsibilities of being a Special Education teacher after 30 years. I think that the degree to which one dislikes his job is directly proportional to how much he enjoys and readily adapts to retirement...

I'm sorry to hear that. FWIW as the parent of a child in the special education system let me say thank you. You probably didn't hear it enough.