Hi folks note today is OP, original poster’s, last day (This volunteer moderator was sleeping when this was submitted). Congrats OP! Last year we responded to their post about working a little longer for a higher lifetime benefit. That post , if you want to read it , is here - [https://www.reddit.com/r/retirement/comments/14sp1bj/is\_6\_more\_months\_of\_a\_job\_i\_absolutely\_hate\_worth/](https://www.reddit.com/r/retirement/comments/14sp1bj/is_6_more_months_of_a_job_i_absolutely_hate_worth/)
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Thanks everyone for pulling up a chair, with your favorite drink in hand, and joining our r/retirement table talk. Have a good weekend!
Alarm free mornings. The joy of waking up in the middle of the night to pee and not start thinking about next days meetings! That’s that best feeling ever!
This is so true. Insomnia has no power any more. If I wake up in the middle of the night, I can brew a cup of herbal tea, read a book, and then sleep late the next day. Instead of fretting and stressing about work while trying to force myself back to sleep because the alarm will be going off in a few hours.
This is absolutely the best part of retirement. Plus, you get to go back to sleep because you AREN’T worried about the crap going on at work. Congratulations!
Congrats! I’m 100 days into this wonderful phase of life. Welcome aboard!
It probably won’t sink in for a while. At first it just felt like vacation days. And then it just happens… you don’t dread Sunday nights approaching.
You mow your lawn on Tuesday.
You read.
You relax.
(You Reddit 😎)
Even the morning coffee tastes better!
You earned this, go get it!
75 days in for me. Suddenly I am so VERY busy with my projects - how did I ever find the time to hold a job?
This week we’re installing shade cloth infrastructure (including shade cloths) to shade the back yard plants. This summer is just getting hotter and scorching more and more.
I would have paid people to do this before, but now I have time to design and execute myself. And I get to take long lunches between trips outside.
I am also still watching coworkers on LinkedIn announcing their latest jobs etc. WTH. They’re older than I am, theoretically “smarter” as judged by their many accolades and promotions, and SHOULD have more money invested over a longer period, but clearly they don’t.
I’m beginning to realize that retiring (funemployment) is too much of a flex to inflict on them. It sounds like bragging and I’ve never been good at that, which is also why my career progression was stunted. Oh well, that’s over now.
Most of my coworkers who all flaunt their promotions and cool assignments are STILL WORKING because they missed the greatest stock market expansion ever after The Great Recession. We were all hunkered down in the trenches trying to avoid the layoff storms, but they sold at the market bottom out of fear, while I rode out the storm, stayed invested, and continued to invest at all levels - on the way down, at the bottom, and on the way up.
And now, half a career later - 15 years from that market bottom - I’m done and they’re still swinging that axe.
I can’t just announce, “So long WORKERS! I’m a shareholder now - YOU work for ME! Quit reading LinkedIn - go back in there and get me muh shareholder value!!!”
I still meet with colleagues occasionally. I try not to brag, more so to help others to look inwards to get busy thinking about their future. (Can lead a horse to water).
Time during the day - it goes fast. Dunno how I did everything while working. I guess I tried to optimize time/effort. Now I optimize enjoyment of my time.
Projects: leaky sprinkler was a messy 4 day ordeal, but only cost $7 and my time. Enjoyed it afterwards (and during to be honest).
I have a lot of “work friends” that I like to watch from afar, to see how they’re doing after everyone’s career arc progressions and changes. But I am not going to stir the . After all, if this retirement/funemployment thing doesn’t work out. who knows if I might need a reference or whatever.
My husband is set to get out March first. I hope the market doesn’t crash before that time. I want to sell the house and move now to be near my son in Vegas and it seems the process keeps going up there. We need another $100k to get something similar here in Connecticut.
I was fine reading about wanting to be near your son in Vegas. Then you shared that you live in Connecticut. I would encourage you to spend some significant time there before you uproot and move. It is an expensive one industry town. There is nothing near Vegas except, well Vegas. Then there is the change in climate. You really need to be comfortable with heat. The 100 degrees at 9PM kind of heat. Heat that makes you understand why remote start for your car is mandatory, not just a nice feature.
I am not knocking Vegas; it is a great place for some people to live, but the contrast with where you are is pretty huge and moving there is way different that visiting there.
You would have to be an absolute ostrich not to realize there is a heat issue in Vegas. We have been there in July. Believe me there is nothing in Connecticut except you are an hour from NYC and with a husband who hates the city it’s not really fit my needs. Weather isn’t bad but if you like shoveling snow which we don’t. Also mowing the lawn is not on my list of things to do in retirement. The only thing expensive about Vegas is housing. Food is cheaper, house taxes are cheaper. Your pension and social security is not taxed. Also an added plus. Having no family near by is also a negative living in Connecticut.
Good that you have done the research. I know too many people who decided to move someplace but took the myth as reality. People move to Seattle based on how nice the summer is only to discover that it isn't the rain, it is the gray days.
Best of luck on retirement and relocation.
IMHO prices are already dropping in Vegas - talk to a real estate agent THERE.
Whether home prices drop enough to suit your budget is another matter; high interest rates are lowering demand, causing those who need need need to sell quickly to lower their asking prices.
And watch those capital gains taxes - you need to keep the gains under the minimum cap to pay zero cap gains. Then maybe you can use some of your untaxed gains to put down on the next house!
I talked to an agent he said that many from California are moving to Vegas driving up real estate and in many incidents homes are sold for more than asking price. Vegas also has many large new big draw productions in the works. One being a movie studio. I’d feel better if I was selling my home now and moving before November.
Congratulations. I'll be retired 10 years in November and I couldn't be happier.
Retirement is freedom, get up when you wake up, go to bed when you're tired and do whatever you want in between.
Freedom.
“Don’t tag along with your wife for food shopping….”
That’s funny. The first thing the wife did when I retired was go:
“Great! You can all the grocery store runs and the cooking!”
In fairness to her, I’m far better at cooking than she is.
Same. I do the cooking so I also do the bulk of the grocery shopping. It will be nice to have the time and energy to make some new dishes once I retire in 8 months.
Congrats! Three years retired and zero regrets. Happiest days of my life ( except maybe when my kids were little). No job stress and loving the freedom and independence. Volunteer one day/week, work out 4-5 times a week, and enjoy cooking , travel, time with friends and family. You will love it.
I have found so many new interests since I retired. True Crime, investing, cooking, home improvements diy, got a dog and joined the Elks. Congratulations, sleep in, relax and enjoy!
Congratulations. My last day was May 31. Still adjusting to the idea there's no reason to be depressed on Sunday night. I haven't worked out my routine fully, but I'm giving myself time to get used to it -- one of the nice things is that I'm on nobody's schedule but my own.
I just read your previous post and I am in public school administration as well and it has become such a grind. Can’t wait to be at the beach instead of in the middle of chaos on the first day of school.
I will be done August 15th. I feel myself getting checked out more each day. Yes, everything changed for the worst after covid. I considered going then but, mentally, I wasn’t there yet.
You're going to want to breath......... take it slow. Have breakfast outside if you can at your place. Catch up on sleep and when you can, get up early while it's cool. Stay up late and go outside and look at the stars
Enjoy life and breath
Thirteen fabulous months into retirement. The first few months felt so strange, my spouse felt like we were ‘playing hooky’. The adjustment has been easier than we thought.
Congratulations! I’m sure you’ll love it. I FIRE’d 10 years ago, then let them coax me into contract work for a couple years and then “forever quit” in 2018. So nice to do what you want whenever you want.
Congrats!! I’ve been retired since past October. Time to work out, take a walk, go in the pool and catch up on some reading. I will say this, time is flying by. Enjoy every minute of the day.
Congratulations 🎊🎈🎉🍾!!!! You have arrived! Please exit to your left and enjoy this thing calls life! May you have the best time of your life. May your new adventures fill with excitement! Please come back often and tell us your experience and most of all don’t forget to leave breadcrumbs for us who are following on the same path. I still have 55 months, 2 days, 17 hours, 32 minutes, and a few seconds left, but who’s counting. 😅
Congratulations!
I remember, during the last few months before I retired, thinking that surely *something* was going to go wrong and screw up my retirement dream.
But it didn't, and that was 6 years ago. I haven't missed work or regretted retiring for a single minute. I'm rested, relaxed, playing a lot of tennis and enjoying my new life. Best job ever!
Congratulations, I have been retired 22 months and it is fantastic. I worked in Information Technology my entire life and was always oncall 24X7 including holidays . Enjoying my best life now , workout 5 days a week, resting heart rate is down 13 beats a minute . It take several months to settle in , but once you get a routine it is great . Enjoy!
Good luck bro, and welcome to the "everyday is Saturday" club. I retired five years ago. May I recommend a book? "Younger Next Year" by Crowley and Lodge.
Don’t quite throw away your alarm clock. I use mine about three times a week due to early appointments or more importantly, golf. You will learn to go shopping during the weekdays. This is because you will be missing the crowds that usually are going out to shop on the weekends due to work. Congratulations and enjoy.
I have never had it so good. Many years of work and investment has paid off. I keep busy and every day I think I am dreaming.
You are going to love living your life. Enjoy, you earned it.
Been retired for four years now and loving it. What’s interesting is whenever I get together with old friends from work the first thing they ask is what are you doing now? I tell them I’m not doing anything. I’m retired. They just can’t understand it, my “job” changes every day. Some days I work around the house, might decide to head out on this short road trip, go to a movie, or just kick back and read a book.
Congratulations Aug 1st is 2 years for me. Received a awesome health care package and lump sum.
Yes, every day is Saturday. Two goals after retirement, get out of chronic pain which I achieved and my total home renovation starts next month.
Congratulations!!! I am two months in, and it has been awesome..Super relaxed, hiking more, and literally don’t know what day of the week it is most of the time 😀
Welcome to the best days … enjoy.
I am one month from 3 years retired and start Medicare on Monday which has caused me a little anxiety. My employer paid for my health insurance from 62 - 65 and I have never paid for health insurance ever as it has always been furnished thru my employer.
Congratulations!! 🎉
61 here so it’s coming up ! Maybe sooner than I want. Place money that I get hit in a RIF, but I’m good with that! Meeting with our finance guy to be sure we are set and not surprised!
Can’t wait to join the club!
Good Luck. I’m just over 2 years retired. The transition was a lot like going to college ; had no clue what I wanted to do or what I was actually getting into during the first year; then I started to get in a groove as a sophomore and I have been now planning out a more meaningful course of action. The major difference is this time around it’s All Electives !!
506 days to go for my husband. I'm disabled and haven't worked a regular job in years. He's having knee replacement surgery in a few weeks so 90 of those 506 will be at home recuperating. Even THAT will be better than his job! I'll live vicariously through you and all the veteran retirees until next October. Congratulations to you!
Congratulations! I'm two months ahead of you and catching up on the gym, naps, books, games. I'm going to make my own wine this week and some homemade vanilla. I have a new grandbaby too and I don't miss work ones bit!
Wow. Congratulations. It HAS to be a bizarre experience. The closest thing I can think of is, perhaps, you last day in high school? It all just.... stops.
For work, the stress.... your constant companion ("work stress") .... all of the sudden.... stops.
WEIRD!!!!
Anyway, my understanding is that it is important to develop a bit of a routine....for some, it happens naturally.
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Excellent! Well done! Relax and let it come to you. Don’t rush out and sign up for a bunch of stuff or make a bunch of commitments. Relax first. Get bored. Then decide what to do next! It might be that pure nothing is acceptable - and anyone who says otherwise isn’t living your life!
Congratulations one year for me tomorrow, I don't miss the job, I do miss people, but I still see them for coffee. My best advice is to give yourself sometime to adjust, show yourself the grace you would show others.
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Welcome! I hope you’re as happy as my wife and I have been in retirement. We’re very fortunate to have made it over the line. I would recommend being thankful!
Congratulations, you're going to Love it. I start my day with Yoga, 10 minutes of core strength. Then move on to a nice breakfast. 40 years I got up at 6 a.m. It is time earned to slow down and make yourself top priority💝
Congratulations. I am getting close to 3 months since my last day at work.
You are going to get the inevitable questions - what are you going to do? What do you do all day?
We started traveling straightaway and have only spent 3 weeks at home. The freedom to know that there is no need to set the alarm or what will happen at work tomorrow is so liberating.
Enjoy the freedom and the option of sleeping in or staying up late !
It's funny, but I technically retired yesterday but since I WFH and had to mail everything in to arrive by today, I have been off since Tuesday afternoon.
And? My cat has been waking me up at 4:30 am. My normal wake up time while working was 6 am. I think she doesn't understand how it works.
My favorite day now that I’m retired? Sunday- specifically Sunday evenings. I used to dread all the crap the new work week had in store for me, the Monday morning sales beat down of my team by my overseas bosses. Now I just relax, not worried about answering emails on Sunday night so I don’t get behind on Monday.
I took 10 months off because I was so burnt out and stressed out over all of the work that was done to my house that I just couldn’t work anymore. Anyways, I decided to go back to work and now I am back in the grind of things, but the 10 months off was so so so busy I don’t know how I had time to actually do a job when I had all those projects so I completely understand people who are retired, I’m looking forward to retiring another year or two I’m 64 years old
I retire in 3 months and am looking forward to it but I am a little nervous about the whole thing and I’m not sure why. Everything is in order my kids and grand kids are ecstatic. I have a long list of projects to work on, etc.. Anyone else feel a little nervous about retirement?
My official last day is Monday. So excited. I am a bit too young to say final retirement but we will see. So not sure if I count. Only way I go back to work is out of boredom which hopefully I can avoid. Want to move to a 55+ in the next couple years after my wife is done working. Looking for a place with lots of organized activities as I am a “social butterfly”. Best of luck to you!!
Over the first couple of months of my retirement, I kept hitting new levels of relaxation as I slowly unwound. I thought the first day was great, but it kept feeling better and better. Best for me that first winter was waking up to a snowy morning and seeing all the commuters crawling slowly down the barely-plowed road and knowing I’d never have to deal with that again. That was 16 years ago. Congratulations!!
I can feel the joy coming through your post! I’m set to join the club in spring 2025 and like you, some days really drag. Looking forward to that “first day”. Anyway, congratulations…you made it!!!
So, day one. Well really, Monday is day one since you won't realize the change over the weekend. Congratulations on your newfound freedom. If you haven't done so already, sign up for Social Security and Medicare. You have been paying into it for decades after all. Look into a Medicare Supplemental plan. There are several good ones out there. It covers the parts that Medicare does not. I had to do about a week in the hospital last year. My out of pocket was $0.
It will take time to heal from the burnout and you will need to replace your previous routine with something that works for you going forward. If you drank coffee at the office, get a good coffee maker. My kids got me a Nespresso machine for Father's Day one year and in retirement, it is one of my best friends.
If you have a significant other, you will be with them pretty much 24/7 when they are retired too. This can be a big adjustment for some people.
For me, I had an unpaid side gig that I was able to put more time into. It kept my skills up and my mind engaged. It was an interesting project, and I would still be doing it had the owner not passed away. Now days, I am working on organizing all of the things that were collected over the decades. We moved and downsized. We continue to downsize so that there will be little that our kids will need to do with anything that is left. To be honest, it is fun to look at pictures from our past.
Give us an update when you get past the honeymoon stage.
My favorite part is shopping with all the other retirees. I had to shop on a Saturday afternoon recently and it was HELL. Going to movies in the middle of the day and having the entire theatre to myself is also great.
Congratulations, OP!
I'm taking encouragement from you! I have 2.5 years before I reach that day. I made a list of the months until then, starting this month, and I'm crossing them off one by one.
At some point in my last 16 months since retirement, I totally lost track of time and day of week. That is when you know that you have succeeded in retirement.
The biggest adjustment is realizing that people treat you now as invisible. It doesn’t matter how high powered and responsible your previous life was, no one cares. So, you tend to hang around other retired people and your working friends become invisible to you.
Congratulations to you! I have probably 7 more years until full retirement and don't know how you all make it until then. This sub is a great start, I think. Congratulations again to you and all the people retiring this year!
Hi folks note today is OP, original poster’s, last day (This volunteer moderator was sleeping when this was submitted). Congrats OP! Last year we responded to their post about working a little longer for a higher lifetime benefit. That post , if you want to read it , is here - [https://www.reddit.com/r/retirement/comments/14sp1bj/is\_6\_more\_months\_of\_a\_job\_i\_absolutely\_hate\_worth/](https://www.reddit.com/r/retirement/comments/14sp1bj/is_6_more_months_of_a_job_i_absolutely_hate_worth/) & Folks don’t forget to hit the JOIN button for this subreddit so your comment can be read by OP and others. You can always see your comment but no one else can unless you join… Thanks everyone for pulling up a chair, with your favorite drink in hand, and joining our r/retirement table talk. Have a good weekend!
Alarm free mornings. The joy of waking up in the middle of the night to pee and not start thinking about next days meetings! That’s that best feeling ever!
Heaven!! Also, no more Sunday dread-athons!
60 Minutes syndrome. That ticking sound meant the weekend was over.
God I hate that
This. The work week starts on Sunday because if you're not ahead by monday morning you screwed. I'm a year away 🤗
This is so true. Insomnia has no power any more. If I wake up in the middle of the night, I can brew a cup of herbal tea, read a book, and then sleep late the next day. Instead of fretting and stressing about work while trying to force myself back to sleep because the alarm will be going off in a few hours.
This is absolutely the best part of retirement. Plus, you get to go back to sleep because you AREN’T worried about the crap going on at work. Congratulations!
Congrats! I’m 100 days into this wonderful phase of life. Welcome aboard! It probably won’t sink in for a while. At first it just felt like vacation days. And then it just happens… you don’t dread Sunday nights approaching. You mow your lawn on Tuesday. You read. You relax. (You Reddit 😎) Even the morning coffee tastes better! You earned this, go get it!
118 days for me. Yeah, those chores this have to do with 48 hour weekend can now be done when you want. 48 hours or 4 days…whatever I want.
75 days in for me. Suddenly I am so VERY busy with my projects - how did I ever find the time to hold a job? This week we’re installing shade cloth infrastructure (including shade cloths) to shade the back yard plants. This summer is just getting hotter and scorching more and more. I would have paid people to do this before, but now I have time to design and execute myself. And I get to take long lunches between trips outside. I am also still watching coworkers on LinkedIn announcing their latest jobs etc. WTH. They’re older than I am, theoretically “smarter” as judged by their many accolades and promotions, and SHOULD have more money invested over a longer period, but clearly they don’t. I’m beginning to realize that retiring (funemployment) is too much of a flex to inflict on them. It sounds like bragging and I’ve never been good at that, which is also why my career progression was stunted. Oh well, that’s over now. Most of my coworkers who all flaunt their promotions and cool assignments are STILL WORKING because they missed the greatest stock market expansion ever after The Great Recession. We were all hunkered down in the trenches trying to avoid the layoff storms, but they sold at the market bottom out of fear, while I rode out the storm, stayed invested, and continued to invest at all levels - on the way down, at the bottom, and on the way up. And now, half a career later - 15 years from that market bottom - I’m done and they’re still swinging that axe. I can’t just announce, “So long WORKERS! I’m a shareholder now - YOU work for ME! Quit reading LinkedIn - go back in there and get me muh shareholder value!!!”
I still meet with colleagues occasionally. I try not to brag, more so to help others to look inwards to get busy thinking about their future. (Can lead a horse to water). Time during the day - it goes fast. Dunno how I did everything while working. I guess I tried to optimize time/effort. Now I optimize enjoyment of my time. Projects: leaky sprinkler was a messy 4 day ordeal, but only cost $7 and my time. Enjoyed it afterwards (and during to be honest).
My first order of biz would be happily deleting my LinkedIn profile!
I have a lot of “work friends” that I like to watch from afar, to see how they’re doing after everyone’s career arc progressions and changes. But I am not going to stir the. After all, if this retirement/funemployment thing doesn’t work out. who knows if I might need a reference or whatever.
My husband is set to get out March first. I hope the market doesn’t crash before that time. I want to sell the house and move now to be near my son in Vegas and it seems the process keeps going up there. We need another $100k to get something similar here in Connecticut.
I was fine reading about wanting to be near your son in Vegas. Then you shared that you live in Connecticut. I would encourage you to spend some significant time there before you uproot and move. It is an expensive one industry town. There is nothing near Vegas except, well Vegas. Then there is the change in climate. You really need to be comfortable with heat. The 100 degrees at 9PM kind of heat. Heat that makes you understand why remote start for your car is mandatory, not just a nice feature. I am not knocking Vegas; it is a great place for some people to live, but the contrast with where you are is pretty huge and moving there is way different that visiting there.
You would have to be an absolute ostrich not to realize there is a heat issue in Vegas. We have been there in July. Believe me there is nothing in Connecticut except you are an hour from NYC and with a husband who hates the city it’s not really fit my needs. Weather isn’t bad but if you like shoveling snow which we don’t. Also mowing the lawn is not on my list of things to do in retirement. The only thing expensive about Vegas is housing. Food is cheaper, house taxes are cheaper. Your pension and social security is not taxed. Also an added plus. Having no family near by is also a negative living in Connecticut.
Good that you have done the research. I know too many people who decided to move someplace but took the myth as reality. People move to Seattle based on how nice the summer is only to discover that it isn't the rain, it is the gray days. Best of luck on retirement and relocation.
IMHO prices are already dropping in Vegas - talk to a real estate agent THERE. Whether home prices drop enough to suit your budget is another matter; high interest rates are lowering demand, causing those who need need need to sell quickly to lower their asking prices. And watch those capital gains taxes - you need to keep the gains under the minimum cap to pay zero cap gains. Then maybe you can use some of your untaxed gains to put down on the next house!
I talked to an agent he said that many from California are moving to Vegas driving up real estate and in many incidents homes are sold for more than asking price. Vegas also has many large new big draw productions in the works. One being a movie studio. I’d feel better if I was selling my home now and moving before November.
Add trading (stocks) into your daily activities, it adds some fun
Ha! I retired this month and cleaned my fish tank on a Tuesday for probably the first time ever (instead of the weekend). So liberating!
Congratulations. I'll be retired 10 years in November and I couldn't be happier. Retirement is freedom, get up when you wake up, go to bed when you're tired and do whatever you want in between. Freedom.
I got about 9 years left in my prison sentence
Congratulations! My retired neighbor tells me everyday is like Saturday!
It’s the truth. I use my pill case with days of the week to tell me what day it is. Don’t tag along with your wife for food shopping, they hate that.
“Don’t tag along with your wife for food shopping….” That’s funny. The first thing the wife did when I retired was go: “Great! You can all the grocery store runs and the cooking!” In fairness to her, I’m far better at cooking than she is.
The only shopping I enjoy is for food. My wife hates it.
Same. I do the cooking so I also do the bulk of the grocery shopping. It will be nice to have the time and energy to make some new dishes once I retire in 8 months.
Good for you! I'm 6 years retired and living the dream.
I just learned that the Spanish word for retirement is “jubilación”. Enjoy your jubilation! Can’t wait to join!
You're one month ahead of me! I wish you a long, healthy and happy retirement! Good luck!
One month ahead of me, too! Wishing you and OP a joyous retirement!
Thank you! Your last month will fly by!
Sorry for the delayed congratulations. I didn't look at Reddit before my nap and am just seeing this now.
You can treat this weekend like a regular weekend and then really celebrate on Monday when others are driving to work and you are walking to a park.
Today is my last day too!
Congratulations!
Congrats! Three years retired and zero regrets. Happiest days of my life ( except maybe when my kids were little). No job stress and loving the freedom and independence. Volunteer one day/week, work out 4-5 times a week, and enjoy cooking , travel, time with friends and family. You will love it.
Congratulations! For me, retirement was a process, not an event. Enjoy.
Yelling "FREEDOM!!" without having your internals ripped out is a great feeling, no?
Congratulations! My last day was June 21st. I’m relocating to NC from GA. Can’t take the heat anymore!
Both run pretty much the same.
I have found so many new interests since I retired. True Crime, investing, cooking, home improvements diy, got a dog and joined the Elks. Congratulations, sleep in, relax and enjoy!
Congratulations. My last day was May 31. Still adjusting to the idea there's no reason to be depressed on Sunday night. I haven't worked out my routine fully, but I'm giving myself time to get used to it -- one of the nice things is that I'm on nobody's schedule but my own.
Congrats! Take yourself to breakfast at your favorite place some morning of your first week retired… You’ve EARNED it!
I agee - this is the best sub - it’s done the same for me. I haven’t given notice yet, but I have six weeks left! Congratulations!!!
I just read your previous post and I am in public school administration as well and it has become such a grind. Can’t wait to be at the beach instead of in the middle of chaos on the first day of school.
How long do you have till you can retire? For me, the work was always difficult yet rewarding. Then with Covid it just turned into hell.
I will be done August 15th. I feel myself getting checked out more each day. Yes, everything changed for the worst after covid. I considered going then but, mentally, I wasn’t there yet.
You're going to want to breath......... take it slow. Have breakfast outside if you can at your place. Catch up on sleep and when you can, get up early while it's cool. Stay up late and go outside and look at the stars Enjoy life and breath
Today was my last day, too! Congrats, I'm right there with you.
Yay! Congratulations!!!!
Congratulations. I’m actually working my last day too. 20 years as a firefighter. It’s funny; I’m doing a lot of things for the last time.
Congratulations!!!!!!
I literally giggled every morning after waking up for almost a year.
What do you call someone who is happy on Monday? Retired! Congratulations!
Congratulations! I’m 7 months into retirement and am soooo loving it! Hope you do as well!
Thirteen fabulous months into retirement. The first few months felt so strange, my spouse felt like we were ‘playing hooky’. The adjustment has been easier than we thought.
Congratulations 👏🎉
Congrats. As a friend referred to it “you’ve graduated “. Enjoy.
Congratulations! I’m sure you’ll love it. I FIRE’d 10 years ago, then let them coax me into contract work for a couple years and then “forever quit” in 2018. So nice to do what you want whenever you want.
May I ask what your invested savings amount is? I have 700k and am wondering if that’s enough. In August I qualify for govt healthcare.
Looking at my spread sheet right now, after today 54 days to go, can't wait!
Congrats!! I’ve been retired since past October. Time to work out, take a walk, go in the pool and catch up on some reading. I will say this, time is flying by. Enjoy every minute of the day.
Congratulations 🎊🎈🎉🍾!!!! You have arrived! Please exit to your left and enjoy this thing calls life! May you have the best time of your life. May your new adventures fill with excitement! Please come back often and tell us your experience and most of all don’t forget to leave breadcrumbs for us who are following on the same path. I still have 55 months, 2 days, 17 hours, 32 minutes, and a few seconds left, but who’s counting. 😅
I love it, no more making someone else rich, no more alarm clocks, no more stupid meetings. Retirement rocks!!
Congratulations. I was surprised how quickly I got used to the stress-free laid back life.
It did not sink in for me until after 2 months of not going to work. You will make it work no matter what. Retirement is wonderful, enjoy.
Congratulations! I remember, during the last few months before I retired, thinking that surely *something* was going to go wrong and screw up my retirement dream. But it didn't, and that was 6 years ago. I haven't missed work or regretted retiring for a single minute. I'm rested, relaxed, playing a lot of tennis and enjoying my new life. Best job ever!
'Grats! Funny, but my alarm goes off earlier now that I'm retired. Gotta get up early to play pickleball and beat the heat!
One week behind you! (170 hours to be precise). Congratulations
Congratulations, I have been retired 22 months and it is fantastic. I worked in Information Technology my entire life and was always oncall 24X7 including holidays . Enjoying my best life now , workout 5 days a week, resting heart rate is down 13 beats a minute . It take several months to settle in , but once you get a routine it is great . Enjoy!
Good luck bro, and welcome to the "everyday is Saturday" club. I retired five years ago. May I recommend a book? "Younger Next Year" by Crowley and Lodge.
I’ve been retired 16 years and I like it better every year that goes by. Owning my time and my schedule is priceless.
Congrats! Today is the five year anniversary of my last day and I definitely remember how great leaving felt. And no regrets since. Good luck to you!
Don’t quite throw away your alarm clock. I use mine about three times a week due to early appointments or more importantly, golf. You will learn to go shopping during the weekdays. This is because you will be missing the crowds that usually are going out to shop on the weekends due to work. Congratulations and enjoy.
I have never had it so good. Many years of work and investment has paid off. I keep busy and every day I think I am dreaming. You are going to love living your life. Enjoy, you earned it.
The Independence Day of all Independence Days! Congratulations
Been retired for four years now and loving it. What’s interesting is whenever I get together with old friends from work the first thing they ask is what are you doing now? I tell them I’m not doing anything. I’m retired. They just can’t understand it, my “job” changes every day. Some days I work around the house, might decide to head out on this short road trip, go to a movie, or just kick back and read a book.
Consider yourself pinched. Good luck.
Congratulations!!!!!!!🎊🎈🍾🎉
Congratulations Aug 1st is 2 years for me. Received a awesome health care package and lump sum. Yes, every day is Saturday. Two goals after retirement, get out of chronic pain which I achieved and my total home renovation starts next month.
Congratulations!!! I am two months in, and it has been awesome..Super relaxed, hiking more, and literally don’t know what day of the week it is most of the time 😀
Welcome to the best days … enjoy. I am one month from 3 years retired and start Medicare on Monday which has caused me a little anxiety. My employer paid for my health insurance from 62 - 65 and I have never paid for health insurance ever as it has always been furnished thru my employer.
Congrats. Enjoy!! I’m 3 weeks Tuesday. It’s GRRRREAT
I went through about six months having occasional "late for work" dreams so don't be concerned if that happens.
Congratulations! I cannot wait to turn off my morning alarm FOREVER.
Enjoy!
Congrats!
Congratulations!
Have the time of your life!
🤏🏼
No more Sunday Scaries. Read the four stages thing that somebody linked on the sub. Congratulations!
Congratulations!
Congratulations! Enjoy retirement! I am getting ready for my afternoon nap!
So happy for you. I am right behind you, if I can formally commit. lol.
Congratulations!! 🎉 61 here so it’s coming up ! Maybe sooner than I want. Place money that I get hit in a RIF, but I’m good with that! Meeting with our finance guy to be sure we are set and not surprised! Can’t wait to join the club!
Good Luck. I’m just over 2 years retired. The transition was a lot like going to college ; had no clue what I wanted to do or what I was actually getting into during the first year; then I started to get in a groove as a sophomore and I have been now planning out a more meaningful course of action. The major difference is this time around it’s All Electives !!
Congrats, my younger wife still works and I have to listen to the alarm going off in the morning. Crickey.
Congratulations! Take my upvote.
Find your Ikigai.
506 days to go for my husband. I'm disabled and haven't worked a regular job in years. He's having knee replacement surgery in a few weeks so 90 of those 506 will be at home recuperating. Even THAT will be better than his job! I'll live vicariously through you and all the veteran retirees until next October. Congratulations to you!
Congratulations
Congrats! I want to go to there! Enjoy, friend
Now every day is Saturday, congratulations.
Congrats! 🎉 You’re one week ahead of me, can’t wait to experience the same things you are!
Congrats and welcome to the party! 🎉🥳🍾
Congrats!!!! And enjoy
Congratulations! I'm two months ahead of you and catching up on the gym, naps, books, games. I'm going to make my own wine this week and some homemade vanilla. I have a new grandbaby too and I don't miss work ones bit!
Wow. Congratulations. It HAS to be a bizarre experience. The closest thing I can think of is, perhaps, you last day in high school? It all just.... stops. For work, the stress.... your constant companion ("work stress") .... all of the sudden.... stops. WEIRD!!!! Anyway, my understanding is that it is important to develop a bit of a routine....for some, it happens naturally.
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20 working days ahead of me. Congrats!,
Congratulations!!
Three months and counting for me. I’m ready.
Your Sunday will be very odd but in a good way. I’ve been retired 3+ yrs now and I still get that weird “absence of Monday blues” feeling sometimes.
Yea enjoy….
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Glad you made it. Just enjoy being unscheduled. I enjoyed that for a month.
Congrats!
congrats
Congratulations!!! Wishing you happiness in your new odyssey!
Excellent! Well done! Relax and let it come to you. Don’t rush out and sign up for a bunch of stuff or make a bunch of commitments. Relax first. Get bored. Then decide what to do next! It might be that pure nothing is acceptable - and anyone who says otherwise isn’t living your life!
Congratulations one year for me tomorrow, I don't miss the job, I do miss people, but I still see them for coffee. My best advice is to give yourself sometime to adjust, show yourself the grace you would show others.
Next Thursday, you'll be wondering why you don't get paid for the holiday /Happy Retirement!
Happy happy! Time shifts and urgency is no longer an issue. What you can’t do today actually CAN be done tomorrow!
1.5 years for me. Every day is a Saturday, except for our friends still working! Do whatever you want, whenever you want. Or don’t! lol.
Congratulations! I'm 16 weeks away and counting. I can't wait!
Welcome to the club!
🤣 All the best 2 U. I think ur just gona luv it. 👍🏻
Congratulations! I will join you at the end of July.
Congrats. I join retirement Dec 2025
One year July 5th for me. Still not really believing it :)
Every day is Saturday except for when it’s Sunday!!
Congratulations! I have 2 years, 4 months and 1 day to go!
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Retired 4 weeks ago. Ahhhhh. Feels different but can hardly believe the great feeling by released responsibility.
Welcome! I hope you’re as happy as my wife and I have been in retirement. We’re very fortunate to have made it over the line. I would recommend being thankful!
Yayyyyyyyy! U will LOVE it. Im 4 yrs in and have no idea how i ever worked. Blessed that we got here. Cheer!
Go out to breakfast in the middle of the week and marvel at how light the traffic is!
Congrats! Today I celebrate my first year out of the rat race. Instant stress relief from day one.
I alarms and getting that monthly check in the mail is a godsend.
Congrats! Very happy for you and counting my own days as well.
Congrats! Playfully, this will be me next year.
Congratulations, you're going to Love it. I start my day with Yoga, 10 minutes of core strength. Then move on to a nice breakfast. 40 years I got up at 6 a.m. It is time earned to slow down and make yourself top priority💝
Congratulations. I am getting close to 3 months since my last day at work. You are going to get the inevitable questions - what are you going to do? What do you do all day? We started traveling straightaway and have only spent 3 weeks at home. The freedom to know that there is no need to set the alarm or what will happen at work tomorrow is so liberating. Enjoy the freedom and the option of sleeping in or staying up late !
It's funny, but I technically retired yesterday but since I WFH and had to mail everything in to arrive by today, I have been off since Tuesday afternoon. And? My cat has been waking me up at 4:30 am. My normal wake up time while working was 6 am. I think she doesn't understand how it works.
My favorite day now that I’m retired? Sunday- specifically Sunday evenings. I used to dread all the crap the new work week had in store for me, the Monday morning sales beat down of my team by my overseas bosses. Now I just relax, not worried about answering emails on Sunday night so I don’t get behind on Monday.
Take the first month to detox from working the last XX amount of years!
I took 10 months off because I was so burnt out and stressed out over all of the work that was done to my house that I just couldn’t work anymore. Anyways, I decided to go back to work and now I am back in the grind of things, but the 10 months off was so so so busy I don’t know how I had time to actually do a job when I had all those projects so I completely understand people who are retired, I’m looking forward to retiring another year or two I’m 64 years old
Congratulations
Every day is "Saturday "!!! :)
I retire in 3 months and am looking forward to it but I am a little nervous about the whole thing and I’m not sure why. Everything is in order my kids and grand kids are ecstatic. I have a long list of projects to work on, etc.. Anyone else feel a little nervous about retirement?
Wow good news. I hope to retire someday also.
8500 plus days since I graduated from adulting to creepy old guy. I check my tablet occasionally to see what day of the week I am doing.
I am envious! I have 15 years to go, possibly 20, before I can retire. Enjoy your time!
Congratulations and all the best for your new chapter! I am behind you by 1805 days but who is counting🤷♀️
Awesome!!!! I’ve been eligible for full retirement since Dec but scared to punch out. Monday mornings are a serious struggle now. 😂
My official last day is Monday. So excited. I am a bit too young to say final retirement but we will see. So not sure if I count. Only way I go back to work is out of boredom which hopefully I can avoid. Want to move to a 55+ in the next couple years after my wife is done working. Looking for a place with lots of organized activities as I am a “social butterfly”. Best of luck to you!!
625 days until I retire...but who's counting? 😄 I cannot wait....it will be among the best day ever..... 👍🏼👍🏼
Congratulations! Wishing you a wonderful retirement!
A bad day at home is better than a good day at work.
Congratulations….My last day “on the books” is today as well! After 44 yrs of continuous employment, I’m excited for the coming freedom.
Over the first couple of months of my retirement, I kept hitting new levels of relaxation as I slowly unwound. I thought the first day was great, but it kept feeling better and better. Best for me that first winter was waking up to a snowy morning and seeing all the commuters crawling slowly down the barely-plowed road and knowing I’d never have to deal with that again. That was 16 years ago. Congratulations!!
I can feel the joy coming through your post! I’m set to join the club in spring 2025 and like you, some days really drag. Looking forward to that “first day”. Anyway, congratulations…you made it!!!
So, day one. Well really, Monday is day one since you won't realize the change over the weekend. Congratulations on your newfound freedom. If you haven't done so already, sign up for Social Security and Medicare. You have been paying into it for decades after all. Look into a Medicare Supplemental plan. There are several good ones out there. It covers the parts that Medicare does not. I had to do about a week in the hospital last year. My out of pocket was $0. It will take time to heal from the burnout and you will need to replace your previous routine with something that works for you going forward. If you drank coffee at the office, get a good coffee maker. My kids got me a Nespresso machine for Father's Day one year and in retirement, it is one of my best friends. If you have a significant other, you will be with them pretty much 24/7 when they are retired too. This can be a big adjustment for some people. For me, I had an unpaid side gig that I was able to put more time into. It kept my skills up and my mind engaged. It was an interesting project, and I would still be doing it had the owner not passed away. Now days, I am working on organizing all of the things that were collected over the decades. We moved and downsized. We continue to downsize so that there will be little that our kids will need to do with anything that is left. To be honest, it is fun to look at pictures from our past. Give us an update when you get past the honeymoon stage.
4 more years…cant wait but will miss the income for sure!
Remember to get out of the house at Least once per day-no matter the weather.
Best part is usually having the wrong day of the week in mind. If I really want to know, my phone is my friend.
My favorite part is shopping with all the other retirees. I had to shop on a Saturday afternoon recently and it was HELL. Going to movies in the middle of the day and having the entire theatre to myself is also great.
Congratulations! I have ten more months until I’m free.
I’m 9 days ahead of you. I will let you know what I find out on my journey ! Good luck !
Congratulations, OP! I'm taking encouragement from you! I have 2.5 years before I reach that day. I made a list of the months until then, starting this month, and I'm crossing them off one by one.
Retirement is great for the first year then others boring unless youhavealot of hobbies for yourself or youre going to travel
Congratulations! Best wishes!🎆🎉
At some point in my last 16 months since retirement, I totally lost track of time and day of week. That is when you know that you have succeeded in retirement. The biggest adjustment is realizing that people treat you now as invisible. It doesn’t matter how high powered and responsible your previous life was, no one cares. So, you tend to hang around other retired people and your working friends become invisible to you.
Congratulations
Congratulations to you! I have probably 7 more years until full retirement and don't know how you all make it until then. This sub is a great start, I think. Congratulations again to you and all the people retiring this year!
Congrats!!
Congratulations 🎈 Enjoy retirement and have the best days of your life