Retired People: What Surprised You?
- Thread starter Harvey
- Start date
Peter Minde
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2020
I'm 3/4 retired, with a grueling, unendurable 1-day work week.
The biggest thing is, one needs more money in retirement than one may realize. Unfortunately, I'm lousy at budgeting.
I've met people who sat on their hands after retirement because they had no hobbies. I don't think that will be an issue for most people lurking here.
As a counterpoint to @jasonwx , I believe there are multiple definitions of "productive member of society." I may not be contributing much to the GDP, but I'm making music.
The biggest thing is, one needs more money in retirement than one may realize. Unfortunately, I'm lousy at budgeting.
I've met people who sat on their hands after retirement because they had no hobbies. I don't think that will be an issue for most people lurking here.
As a counterpoint to @jasonwx , I believe there are multiple definitions of "productive member of society." I may not be contributing much to the GDP, but I'm making music.
Peter Minde
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2020
Ya can't just grind forever for billionaires and their shareholder value.
Peter Minde
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2020
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2020
I was hoping to hear about lifestyle things, not really money. Yea it's all a guess about how much money you need, but you don't know how long you will live.
For sure it will be weird not working and having a paycheck.
My homeowners insurance is like 2x was it is in NJ and my house isn't even done yet. Health insurance is WAY more expensive, because it was "free" (paid for by work) but in reality the cost is way less on Medicare vs the private insurance I had. Don't know about car insurance yet.
My property tax it will likely be a lot less, maybe half. I don't know how much it will be, but smart people have estimated it for me.
For sure it will be weird not working and having a paycheck.
My homeowners insurance is like 2x was it is in NJ and my house isn't even done yet. Health insurance is WAY more expensive, because it was "free" (paid for by work) but in reality the cost is way less on Medicare vs the private insurance I had. Don't know about car insurance yet.
My property tax it will likely be a lot less, maybe half. I don't know how much it will be, but smart people have estimated it for me.
Peter Minde
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2020
My supplemental Medicare insurance - from everybody's favorite, United Healthcare - jumped when I moved up here. I have Humana for prescription insurance. F'n Humana nearly doubled when I moved from NJ to NY. Then it went up another 47% for the coming year. Plus, they don't want to pay for a maintenance medication that I'm on, which they had no problem with when I lived in NJ.
Property taxes approximately the same here as in Dover NJ.
But the early season skiing has been great so far.
Property taxes approximately the same here as in Dover NJ.
But the early season skiing has been great so far.
Peter Minde
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2020
Lifestyle: It hasn't been easy finding musicians to play with up here.
IDK what it will be like in North Creek, but it can be hard to get a plumber, electrician etc in for work on your house. Not enough of them. Two weeks ago I contacted my electrician, they're now scheduling into January.
Insofar as health care, I don't have any difficulty seeing a local primary care physician. But specialists, I gotta go to Plattsburgh or Burlington VT, and sometimes they schedule way out.
IDK what it will be like in North Creek, but it can be hard to get a plumber, electrician etc in for work on your house. Not enough of them. Two weeks ago I contacted my electrician, they're now scheduling into January.
Insofar as health care, I don't have any difficulty seeing a local primary care physician. But specialists, I gotta go to Plattsburgh or Burlington VT, and sometimes they schedule way out.
SlowPokePete
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2024
I retired early (age 55) from being a public school teacher, so took a bit of a hit to my pension.
Wife and I moved from Westchester County to Hillsdale, in Columbia County, and were doing ok financially (lower property taxes, etc) until we bought our Airstream and refinanced the mortgage to buy it.
Money got tight, wife started collecting Social Security, which eased the pain a bit.
Anyway, it still became a challenge any time a big bill would present itself (new tires or brake job on car type stuff), so I started working part time at Hawthorne Valley Farm Store.
This is what has allowed me to buy lots of stuff like skis, bike stuff, etc.
I'm kind of a gear guy, and like having the money to buy stuff like this.
I have enjoyed meeting lots of local folks in the community through my job, have the ability to pick up extra shifts pretty easily if I need more money, and get a fair amount of free, high quality food.
I also came to realize that having a few days of work reignites the great feeling of having days off. I'm pretty busy with chores around here, taking care of a house and five acres with swimming pond and lots of perennial gardens. But I enjoy taking care of it all and keeping it looking nice. Still, having scheduled work days definitely makes me appreciate the days I don't have to work. Does that make sense?
I have no regrets about choosing to retire early. My job as a teacher was extremely stressful for a variety of reasons. I loved being a teacher, and loved the kids (six years of second grade, sixteen of kindergarten, three years of fifth grade), but have realized there were lots of things that I never should have had to put up with, mostly from administration and high stakes observations that came into play with APPR (public school teachers here in NYS will know what that is).
Time is more important to me than money. And you never know what will happen. I have been active and fairly healthy all my life, but about three years ago had a T.I.A. (mini stroke) caused by AFib. This has uncovered previously unknown heart disease, which is mostly easily manageable. But I know I want to enjoy my days to the fullest, and being retired has allowed me to do so.
If you take a ten year slice of life, I realized they are not all equal. The ten years from age 50 to 60 are likely a lot nicer that the ten years between 70 and 80. Maybe not, but in mind, this is likely. I did not want to wait.
I just turned 60 a couple of weeks ago, and am very aware of how quickly time passes.
I don't want to waste a single minute.
SPP
Wife and I moved from Westchester County to Hillsdale, in Columbia County, and were doing ok financially (lower property taxes, etc) until we bought our Airstream and refinanced the mortgage to buy it.
Money got tight, wife started collecting Social Security, which eased the pain a bit.
Anyway, it still became a challenge any time a big bill would present itself (new tires or brake job on car type stuff), so I started working part time at Hawthorne Valley Farm Store.
This is what has allowed me to buy lots of stuff like skis, bike stuff, etc.
I'm kind of a gear guy, and like having the money to buy stuff like this.
I have enjoyed meeting lots of local folks in the community through my job, have the ability to pick up extra shifts pretty easily if I need more money, and get a fair amount of free, high quality food.
I also came to realize that having a few days of work reignites the great feeling of having days off. I'm pretty busy with chores around here, taking care of a house and five acres with swimming pond and lots of perennial gardens. But I enjoy taking care of it all and keeping it looking nice. Still, having scheduled work days definitely makes me appreciate the days I don't have to work. Does that make sense?
I have no regrets about choosing to retire early. My job as a teacher was extremely stressful for a variety of reasons. I loved being a teacher, and loved the kids (six years of second grade, sixteen of kindergarten, three years of fifth grade), but have realized there were lots of things that I never should have had to put up with, mostly from administration and high stakes observations that came into play with APPR (public school teachers here in NYS will know what that is).
Time is more important to me than money. And you never know what will happen. I have been active and fairly healthy all my life, but about three years ago had a T.I.A. (mini stroke) caused by AFib. This has uncovered previously unknown heart disease, which is mostly easily manageable. But I know I want to enjoy my days to the fullest, and being retired has allowed me to do so.
If you take a ten year slice of life, I realized they are not all equal. The ten years from age 50 to 60 are likely a lot nicer that the ten years between 70 and 80. Maybe not, but in mind, this is likely. I did not want to wait.
I just turned 60 a couple of weeks ago, and am very aware of how quickly time passes.
I don't want to waste a single minute.
SPP
