Retired - Now What?

[NIGHTHAWK]

I retired from a very stressful corporate career at 62 about a year and a half ago. I can tell you that having hobbies and something to get you out of bed and off the couch is very important.
It was difficult for me at first going from 100 mph to 0 mph overnight. I thought about going back and doing something again but do not want to get back on the hamster wheel and I want to take off when I want to do what I want. The further away I get from retiring the less I feel the need to go back into the work environment.
One thing I was not prepared for that is still taking some getting used to is that the longer you are away from the workplace, the less and less you will hear from your friends and associates you may have worked with for 20, 30 years. You are soon forgotten as they continue working and you are no longer there. You basically become irrelevant to that group of people and environment. Today, I spend time with new friends who are also retired and have like interests.
I can highly recommend retirement but it does look different for everybody and you need to make it be what's right for you and not what the Joneses are doing.
I will say that one downside to retiring prior to 65 and being eligible for Medicare is the cost of health insurance. Luckily we budgeted for that before I retired but I still hate paying it as the insurance companies are doing nothing but getting rich off of us.
Enjoy retirement, take your time settling into it and always remember how blessed you are to be able to do it and enjoy it as many people cannot afford to do it.

Congrats and thanks for advice!

I feel like my plan (now) will include 5 more years of work as long as I’m enjoying it. This should fund the remainder of my Big 5, buy the property I want, allow time for more hunting and fishing. My boat is in a slip in SF Bay, so I should have more time to use it fishing rather than the between commitment trips.

I’m fortunate to have full retirement health benefits to include dental and vision.

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

I retired after 24 years on active duty, but still work full time mostly for what I call boat and gun money. My retirement is taken care of, so current income will be used to fund gun buying, Hunting trips overseas, and a new fishing boat for both salt and freshwater.

Tina and have 30 acres of land in Florida comfortably out in the boondocks. In another year we plant to move from Ohio to Florida and work on the property to turn it into our own little slice of hunting paradise. We plan to live in one of the over 55 communities, possibly the Villages.

There will be high ceilings and a trophy room/living room, Tina just doesn't know it yet.

Shooting leagues, hunting, fishing and working on the property will keep me busy. Any forum members that need a winter break will be welcome to come down for a visit and thin the hog population and do some casting for Redfish.

I hope you are able to enjoy your retirement and do all the hunting you couldn't do in your working years.

Congratulations and that sounds like a great plan!

Appreciate the insight

 

[Longfeather1]

What a perfect time for this thread to pop up.

As of today, January 31st, I too am officially retired. I've worked for someone for the last 56 years of my life, mostly fixing things (cars, trucks, heavy equipment, robotics - automation equipment) for somebody. Wasn't quite ready to hang it up, but with some of the disturbing "events" going on with the company I was working for, the fairly generous offer they made me to retire probably will prove to have been in my best interest.

Now I have to figure out this whole retirement thing too.

 

[Muskox]

I am 50 and retired from the military 12 years ago. I will most likely retire at 65 or 67 full time. I have been in the civil service the entire time.

I don't see any reason to retire yet.

 

[meigsbucks]

When I got divorced in ‘93, ( I was 36 yo at the time) I set two goals: Go to Africa at 55 and retire before I was 60. Both came to fruition. retired in 2016 at 59. I remarried in ‘03 to a woman seven years older than me and she retired in 2009. We both love to travel, so even when we were working, we took nice vacations. We went on my first safari in 2013 and in 2018 I went on my second. We also went to Ireland, Canada and visited 27 states.
Sounds easy, but it was more complicated. In 2014 I contracted GBS, which sidelined me for almost two years. I was just getting back to my new normal, when my wife was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease the week I retired. That slowed us down, but we still traveled primarily domestically. Then of course COVID hit in 2020 and we didn’t want to mess with the obstacles in ‘21 and ‘22. Then in ‘23, when we were making plans, she had a stroke which put everything on hold. Add to that, I had a knee replacement in early ‘24.
I keep busy, taking care of my wife and the house. I go to the shooting range almost every week and go to the gym a few times a week.
The bottom line is do the things you want to do when you can, because you don’t know what the future brings. Getting old isn’t for wimps.

 

[meigsbucks]

What a perfect time for this thread to pop up.

As of today, January 31st, I too am officially retired. I've worked for someone for the last 56 years of my life, mostly fixing things (cars, trucks, heavy equipment, robotics - automation equipment) for somebody. Wasn't quite ready to hang it up, but with some of the disturbing "events" going on with the company I was working for, the fairly generous offer they made me to retire probably will prove to have been in my best interest.

Now I have to figure out this whole retirement thing too.

Congratulations.

 

[BJH65]

After a 25 year career as an LEO in CA, and a stint in the USMC before, I retired at age 52 in 2017, a few years earlier than I had originally planned but it was time for a variety of reasons. One, you cannot buy time, the most valuable commodity, so go enjoy your time pursuing your hunting interests, spending time with family, friends and other adventures while you are able, none of us is promised tomorrow. I could have worked longer, padded my retirement a bit more but since we could live comfortably when I retired at 52, I saw no need to chase the dollar sign.

I agree with the others, we’ve always had properties that required me working to maintain them. This became my new “job”, clearing brush, mowing, fixing fences, cutting trees and firewood, all of which I did on our properties in the Northern California foothills, rural North Western Montana and now on our 20 acres in Oklahoma.

In our urgency to leave CA, I chose a very remote property in Northwestern Montana that we obsoletely loved, being along the river and our 30 acres surrounded by national forest. The six months of snow and ice was worth it during our four years there.

I could handle living there being fit and in my 50’s back then but truth compels me to admit it was probably not the best place to grow old, being too far away from medical and civilization. I could not envision living there full time into my 80’s but I could here. Of course it would’ve been a great place to keep and visit seasonally as a vacation home..

Wherever you choose to live, is it a property you can maintain as you get older? Are you close enough to good medical? Amenities that make life easier for you and your loved ones? Of course you’re other “job” will be maintaining your health and fitness so you can actually enjoy retirement too.

Good luck with your well deserved retirement!

 

[Bonk]

Congrats on retirement. Enjoy it. If you’re a spiritual person let your beliefs guide you to what’s next. If you’re truly living in divine order you might be shocked what the universe will come up with. I retired for the second time in ’23. First gig I was career Marine. Second gig I was an airline pilot. I figured/assumed/thought I was done and could coast to the finish line. However, I try to live a spiritual life and I rely on the universe to guide me. Long story short I’m now part owner of an animal rescue and we raise alpacas and sheep and operate a fiber mill. I had absolutely no idea that any of that was on my radar. None, but god said “You’re doing this now, enjoy” ;-)

 

[TOBY458]

Since I just turned 55 a few weeks ago, I too am contemplating retirement in the next few years. I could do it now, but I figure as long as the market is doing well, I may as well keep pouring into it. That said, if all goes well, I can’t see myself working past four more years. Life is just too short not to enjoy true freedom in your life before you’re too old to do the things you like to do.

 

[gram2117]

Congrats on your retirement. I am 4.5 years out from mine and have been doing a lot of thinking on what I want it to look like. Its kind of sad we spend so much time doing what we have to that we forgot what really matters.

 

[Tanks]

Wherever you choose to live, is it a property you can maintain as you get older?

Well, if one is budgeting retirement one of the factors is being able to hire people to manage your property either from the onset or later on in life. Time is the most precious commodity one has, so off-loading mundane tasks to someone else allows one to truly enjoy their life.

I know it can be hard to let go. Heck, my girlfriend really did not like having my maid in the house. I used to kid that the maid was the longest relationship I ever had. She retired a year ago after working for me for 31 years. Now, I have a service that comes a few times a week. When I fully retire, I will most likely hire full-time help filling various roles depending on need.

 

[Rare Breed]

Congrats and thanks for advice!

I feel like my plan (now) will include 5 more years of work as long as I’m enjoying it. This should fund the remainder of my Big 5, buy the property I want, allow time for more hunting and fishing. My boat is in a slip in SF Bay, so I should have more time to use it fishing rather than the between commitment trips.

I’m fortunate to have full retirement health benefits to include dental and vision.

Im close to your camp. I am 66 and am in great shape and health. Everything paid off and renovated along with a 40 acre farm just 85 miles from our main home. I hope I can have 3-4 more years with my goal to have enough money in my Africa fund to hunt off the safe investment return until I can no longer go to Africa. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring and things can certainly change but that is my plan

 

[ThreeJacks]

I retired two weeks ago after almost 40 years working in large law firms in DC. Many long and stressful hours with some great people over the years, but those people are long gone and the new crop for the most part were not people I wanted to go through the process with again. For now I am taking it easy, but I see I will soon need to find something to do. In the meantime I am planning on going to SCI with my AH buddy @SkullKeeper and visiting the Great American Outdoor Show in PA.

 

[CamoManJ]

Great Topic & Congrats to you @NIGHTHAWK. I hope you enjoy it to the fullest.

I spend a lot of time researching, preparing and thinking about retirement @ 53 1/2 years old. The topic easily rivals or exceeds my time I spend thinking about Safari & recreational ambitions. I am eager to learn as much as I can, it’s really nice to hear likeminded hunter’s various experiences and advice from all ages and stages of retirement.

There is a book, that I listened to via Audible as I drive an oilfield truck, that really opened my eyes and produced excellent perspectives. “Die with Zero” by Bill Perkins.

57 is when I think it will be my turn, we shall see…or maybe I’ll drive a school’s baseball team’s bus to games.

Best of luck to All of you in retirement.

 

[Newboomer]

Great Topic & Congrats to you @NIGHTHAWK. I hope you enjoy it to the fullest.

I spend a lot of time researching, preparing and thinking about retirement @ 53 1/2 years old. The topic easily rivals or exceeds my time I spend thinking about Safari & recreational ambitions. I am eager to learn as much as I can, it’s really nice to hear likeminded hunter’s various experiences and advice from all ages and stages of retirement.

There is a book, that I listened to via Audible as I drive an oilfield truck, that really opened my eyes and produced excellent perspectives. “Die with Zero” by Bill Perkins.

57 is when I think it will be my turn, we shall see…or maybe I’ll drive a school’s baseball team’s bus to games.

Best of luck to All of you in retirement.

Great to see everyone with plans to stay busy. I've heard guys say that when they retire they are just going to sit in the rocking chair and let the world go by. A lot of them lasted just a few years and died from lack of doing anything.
I heard an old Web Pierce song the other day that really hit home. The title was "Before You Know It Life Has Gone And Drifted Away." So true. If you can find it give a listen and think about what he's saying. I had to really think about that. As we age life does seem to move a lot faster or we're just moving a lot slower.

 

[kpoynter]

Great topic… I’m getting close myself. Turning 55 and am past the point of needing to work financially. One more still in High School. You have to have purpose and fulfillment. I will want to be with my Children and travel basically…
Hunt…fish…eat great food and drink great wine
It seems like a balance between enjoying your healthy years and staying fulfilled

 

[Trophyhunter01]

Just pulled the card after 38 years grinding out turnarounds in refineries/chemical plants. We have trips planned, Safari this summer, off roading in Moab, sporting clay shoots and other events. I feel I don’t need to conquer major tasks daily but keep things on the calendar almost daily to get done. I like the slower pace. Got invited to my buddies ranch the other week and instead of Friday to Sunday it became a Wednesday to Sunday trip and a great time. No more rushing to get out and back home. Need to check a few sporting clay places around to see if there is an old dudes club that shoot during the week.
The days go slow but the years go fast. Plan things out, set up some events as the planning is where a lot of the enjoyment comes from.

 

[BryceM]

Well, it’s probably a good sign that you’re asking the question. I’m still a few years off, but I’ve started to look at this this way:

- People who retire “from” something get in trouble pretty quickly.
- People who retire “to” something (or several somethings) do great.
- We are meant to be productive, creative creatures. That doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be paid for it. Playboys actually get bored pretty quickly.
- Helping other people (for work, or just for the fun of it) is the most rewarding thing you can do. Helping kids is especially fun.
- When you work, you need a little life balance. When you retire, you need a little life balance too. Too much hunting (or any other hobby) soon starts to feel like a job.
- Plan, plan, and plan. Try to make your retirement plan at least as good as the life plan that got you there.

I’m starting to become aware that walking away from a job I worked my whole life to do will be harder than I initially anticipated. I can’t decide if it’s better to flip a switch when it’s time or try to wind down gradually. Guess we’ll see……

 

[Gemsbok45]

This is my last year and I can’t wait. I had a great job selling Sporting goods for almost 40 years. IE hunting and fishing equipment. I drew my Wyoming Elk tag for this fall horsebackhunt in the Shoshone.Then Zambia in 2027.Ntengu safaris where Scott CWO went. I think about it everyday.
I may not always be busy but I will always be doing what I want. Masailand and Buffalo hunting in the mountains are in my future,Maybe one more Moose hunt in the Yukon. Best of luck to you!!!

 

[Brahm]

I’m 36.

But have seen 1 Grandfather retire at 60 and to him that meant a rocking chair and tv and at 65 he was an “old man” he lived to be 90 miserably as an old man.

My other Grandfather is 92 and not retired, he still goes to work when he wants to, hunts everyday of deer season and turkey season. And fishes on the lake everyday it’s not windy or frozen, that’s not deer or turkey season. He also still travels domestically hunting and fishing. He works on rifles, reloads, and gardens. He looks like he’s 65. I’ve never seen him quit or heard him say something hurts.

His friend recently passed away at 89 a natural death on a job site, literally went out with his boots on. His friend was the same kind of personality, never stopped.

My goals at this age is to do the things that would be physically difficult for me to do at 65 due to natural decline or accidental injuries. I try to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves in my favour (last minute trips, discounted rates, etc).

Don't stop! Be a yes man! Don’t have any regrets. And you will have more than enough stuff to do