Moncton Forum

How? When? Where? What?  Got any stories or advice?

The other day I said to a friend.  "Geeze I'll be glad when I retire so I won't have to go out in this cold in the early morning anymore."

A couple of hours later I saw another friend and assed, "how's she goin?"

The friend said, "horrible, I've been stuck in the house all winter."

Now, I'm scratching my head........maybe thinking retirement ain't so cool.....

The key is NOT having to go out early - and going out later (or not) and what time depends on what you want to do, not HAVING to do it.

Not having to go out in the morning is absolute bliss.

 

 i totally agree ....... and what you want when you want is great too   but money is sacred

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stupidity governs the world

The secret is to get just enough (okay, a bit spare is good) so what you want, when you want is achievable.

Having been zapped into an unprepared early retirement I'd say a couple of things are very important. Save lots of money and find inexpensive hobbies.

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Remember yesterday, respect tomorrow, live for today.

Hug a tree, it's bark is worse than it's bite.

Not having to go out in the morning is absolute bliss.

Heh Bristol, you sound experienced to say that line.  I like the sound of Bliss!

but money is sacred

yup yup, notme, you're right.  I always say, that when you're near retirement, spend a nickle foolishly and never see it again.  When you're working, you can recover that nickle but near retirement it's pretty hard to get that back.  In other words everything counts.....ya haffta set yourself up.

Save lots of money and find inexpensive hobbies.

Willie those are two things that are pretty hard to achieve for the average working person, but I've seen lots of discipline in some people.  I know a few retireeeeees who are happy as pigs in you know why making a lot less than they were working.  Maybe they didn't like their jobs, although while working, they seemed to love it.  Two recently retired friends told me they would have done it sooner than they did.  They kept putting it off and off.

Sorry about your unprepared early retirment, Willi.  I know it's tough.

So what can we tell the young people who are not so close to retirment?  My father always talked retirement to me when he was living.  He questioned my plans all the time.  Looking at his lifestyle made me want to plan.  He retired and had a good life.  He wasn't a big wage earner.  He just loyally worked and saved for his retirment whenever he could.  He loved camping so while he was able health wise he was on the road having fun in the summer time.  He could do what he wanted.  That's what I would like too and what I want isn't expensive.  Taking the plunge is the hardest step. I've put off one year already........

I'd also say to don't retire cold turkey. Try to work part time for about a year if possible. That way you have one foot on each side of the fence. That way you can compare the ground on both sides.

The best I can say for the younger generation is prepare yourself. If you can't afford to live from week to week when you're working don't expect waiting for a cheque at the end of the month with forty extra hours of spare time a week to be easy. Start saving money now.

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Remember yesterday, respect tomorrow, live for today.

Hug a tree, it's bark is worse than it's bite.

You're a wise ole dude, Willi.

I met a lady (clerk) at Mark's Work Wearhouse........ I enjoy talking to strangers and, somehow we got caught up in a great conversation.  She gave me an idea. She retired and is working a couple of daze a week at Mark's.  She said it pays for the light bill, gives her some fun money and she get's 40% off her clothes.  She said she's never worked retail before and thought it was crazy to try but she loves it.  That interested me for down the road.  I could work at Marks until I got a nice wardrobe, insert great big smile......

  I want to volunteer somewhere, either at the hospital or a senior's home.......along with helping out with some others less fortunate.  Two reasons for wanting to do these things....l.  I was in need of help when I was in the hospital awhile ago.  A volunteer stayed by my side and encouraged me.  I thought she was a real-life angel. I want to give back what I received.  2.  A young girl told me about her rewarding experiences volunteering in a senior's home.  She was quite young but had so much maturity.  I learned from here a few more important things in life.

yup yup

aprilwine wrote:

Not having to go out in the morning is absolute bliss.

Heh Bristol, you sound experienced to say that line.  I like the sound of Bliss!

but money is sacred

yup yup, notme, you're right. 

Save lots of money and find inexpensive hobbies.

Willie those are two things that are pretty hard to achieve for the average working person, but I've seen lots of discipline in some people. 

I'd amend the money comment to "enough money."

I get up early to ensure the kids are up and breakfasted etc for school, so I maintain that discipline should I need or want to get back into work. If I've had a late or restless night, I can go back to bed for a couple of hours. Bliss.

Or I can take breakfast, coffee etc and just enjoy that I don't have to get out to work. Bliss again.

I deserve it after over 30 years being treated like dirt by employer and (most) customers while working in England.

Enough money is the question.....bigga time.  Most people gain when they retire because they don't have to travel every day, so there's a plus......and they don't need the clothes....another plus.......don't pay union dues, but ooooo the medical will take up the slack eh.  Then the cost of living going up, but pensions not. (or as I am led to believe)

Geesh, you're retired and still have kids in school?  <imagination running wild here>  Are you on a second family or something?

Yesssirrreee you certainly do deserved a nice retirement after that long in a job where you weren't treated right.  You stuck it out.....to be admired.

I took early retirement - a little earlier than planned. Being single I had planned to do it around 52 and move to Spain, living frugally on my employment pension - reduced for taking it early.

But at 46 I met a Canadian woman, made a series of visits to Canada and it all went from there, including marrying. She already had two kids so it's a 'first family' for me.

 

What a nice little story!  Good for you......you sound happy.

You are here now?  In Canada?  I asssume so.  Did you have any problem getting cititizenship or do you have that?  I helped a couple, a few years ago from Gernsey come to Canada.  It got way over my head and I turned them over to someone royally smarter than me but for them to stay, they had to keep leaving and returning if that makes any sense.

I got Permanent Residency last year, but I've been living in Canada since 2004. It took much longer than it should have. Unfortunately there's not much common sense used in the department responsible. They make it all needlessly complicated and surprise surprise there's an enormous backlog of applications outstanding I don't mean they make it difficult - it shouldn't, after all, be easy. I mean they make it complicated for everybody, themselves included. The mistakes they made on our straightforward application, you wouldn't believe.

So now they are considering limiting the number of applications accepted. By that I don't mean limiting the number of applicants they say "yes" to. Literally having a cut off point where they say they have enough to deal with and they won't process any more.