What does a typical day, or will a typical day, look like when you retire?

[KungFuPanda]

I always thought I’d be a classroom teacher once my kids graduated. The combination of being tired of teaching, the state of teaching today, and the pandemic sent me on a mission to find a job that paid at least as well as teaching but with less stress. As it turns out, that’s a pretty low bar and most jobs seem to meet or exceed it. Almost everything beats teaching’s work to reward ratio once I gave myself permission to be selfish. 

[regentrude]

21 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said:

I always thought I’d be a classroom teacher once my kids graduated. The combination of being tired of teaching, the state of teaching today, and the pandemic sent me on a mission to find a job that paid at least as well as teaching but with less stress. As it turns out, that’s a pretty low bar and most jobs seem to meet or exceed it. Almost everything beats teaching’s work to reward ratio once I gave myself permission to be selfish. 

Remind me, what are you doing?

[KungFuPanda]

14 minutes ago, regentrude said:

Remind me, what are you doing?

Office work for a community college. I’ve made a few jumps in the last couple years. I worked for a fashion designer, then I was the office manager for a landscaping company, and now I’m at a community college. I’m surrounded by colleagues who have been at this school for 20 years so I’m really enjoying the mentorship and camaradarie. I’m part time so I’m not really getting the full benefits of the position, but I could transition at any time so I’m thinking about it. 
 

I know I’m not supposed to be making drastic life-changing decisions at my stage of deep mourning, but my new job is just so much better in every way than my last one that I’m having trouble seeing a downside. If something happened to DH I could maintain my lifestyle at this job plus it’s only a two mile commute. 

[Lady Florida.]

3 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

I always thought I’d be a classroom teacher once my kids graduated. The combination of being tired of teaching, the state of teaching today, 

I was a classroom teacher before ds was born. I loved teaching and planned to go back after he started school. As I mentioned in a previous post our decision to homeschool changed that plan. However, by the time he was old enough that I could have gone back I no longer wanted to. The state of teaching today doesn't in any way resemble the teaching profession once I loved. My hat is off to people who choose to teach in today's education environment, especially in a state like mine with so many restrictions placed on teachers.

[sheryl]

On 1/11/2024 at 5:04 AM, Kassia said:

My DH is retiring early at the end of the month.  He'll be 60 this year and planned on doing it earlier but it didn't happen for various reasons.  I've been a homemaker since having our first child 33 years ago.  He keeps asking ME what we're going to do when he retires and it kind of stresses me out.  I already have my own routine and am content with that.  I am worried that he has this fantasy vision of retirement that isn't going to happen.  The first week of retirement he has a root canal and then a biopsy, so it's not going to be fun but after that...it will be interesting, for sure.  He has tons to do around the house but I don't know that's what he was hoping for.  I think he feels like he's going to wake up the first day he's retired and life will be completely different.  He's been working since he was a kid (paper route) and doesn't know life without a job.  

Wow, similar here.  My husband is getting ready to retire in a couple months.  What you said above is right on with us.  I think he has a mindset that it will be a certain way.  He's the breadwinner and I've worked on/off over the years.  I'm in a routine and while it's only the 2 of us now I do have a routine. I do like spontaneity at times but do like a routine.  Before pandemic he worked downtown M-F and since the pandemic he was M-F home in the beginning but for the last 2 years has been downtown in the office M-W and home Th and Fri.  That's been a little eye opener.   Nothing bad really but little annoyances.  Please close cabinet door when you take out a plate for lunch.  Please turn off lights to a room when you are not in it or don't plan to go back for awhile, bring your plate up to kitchen and clean off as well as put in dishwasher (what is that 1 minute?) instead of letting crumbs and food dry and become hard at the end of business day (which he has done!).  I think it's good for him (anyone) to be engaged.  He'll miss the "social" aspect to work - mingling with co-workers at work, working on and successfully completing projects from president to support, etc.  He is on a schedule.  He gets a lot of activity (walking) in when at the office.  At home he's sitting at the desk all day to complete his work.  

So, I started an acrylic painting class last year through a local art guild.  I'm completing my 2nd session this coming Tuesday.  I'm signing up next week to take painting through the Corporate and Continuing Education dept under our local community college.  I asked him if he'd like to take a class or classes with me through the CC perhaps.  Maybe dancing for fun.  We did that when we dated in college and it was fun!  We're thinking of a photography class together.  He has no interest in painting.  I'd like to take voice too but he has no interest.  We'll go hiking and traveling.  Bicycling.  Kayaking.  We'll find fun things to do.  He likes antique cars and coins.  I will research "again" those areas.  We'll go to festivals and maybe join a senior group.  

My concern (which is unfounded right now) is that he'll sleep in and become lazy.  In my mind I'm thinking he's been working hard for decades so let him sleep in everyday for a month!  LOL!  So, let him RELAX but not too long that he loses motivation.  

I'll do my things.  He'll do his things.  And, we'll do together/couple things.  

I know someone who bought her husband a smoker and he smokes different meats and cheeses.  That can only take so long and don't know what else he does.  He used to play golf but don't know if he does that anymore.  Dh is not a golfer.

Lastly, we are fixing our house up to sell so he'll have his hands full with some of those projects and then I'm sure there will be more projects after we move.    

I do know I do NOT want to sit around watching tv all day.    Following this thread to hear from others.  

[Sunshine State Sue]

On 1/14/2024 at 7:00 AM, regentrude said:

I am sick of the continually increasing demands, the ridiculous time-wasting requirements that overshadow the actual part of my job that I like.

I work part-time now. They know I have one foot out the door and they don't want me to leave. I am learning to be very passive aggressive. I get emails about stupid training. Delete. Eventually they email my boss who forwards them to me with a request to do the training. Delete. Invitations to company wide or department wide meetings. Delete.  Go ahead and fire me. Then I won't have to decide when I go.

Just had a birthday. I turned Medicare - 2.

[Sunshine State Sue]

We live in a 55+ community. Dh is 72 and retired 3+ years ago. He plays softball, lots of pickleball, does pottery, shares a garden plot, volunteers 1 morning a week, is on our COA board, and will likely be the next pottery club president. When dh worked, all he ever did was ride his bike and watch sports on TV. I love that he is so active now.

I'm working part-time and mostly do fitness classes. I volunteer as a tax preparer during the season, tutor a fitness instructor returning to college in math, and volunteer as a cake baker for mostly kids in foster care. Together, we volunteer as ushers 2x a month at the big live theater 30min away.

When I retire, I would like to learn some of the games (euchre, rummicube, bridge, poker, hand/foot, majong) played around here or maybe try some of the paper crafts or sewing/quilting. But what do you do with the "stuff" you make? We are awash in pottery already. I'd like to invite friends over for tea and conversation more often.

[TexasProud]

On 1/14/2024 at 8:14 PM, Lady Florida. said:

I was a classroom teacher before ds was born. I loved teaching and planned to go back after he started school. As I mentioned in a previous post our decision to homeschool changed that plan. However, by the time he was old enough that I could have gone back I no longer wanted to. The state of teaching today doesn't in any way resemble the teaching profession once I loved. My hat is off to people who choose to teach in today's education environment, especially in a state like mine with so many restrictions placed on teachers.

Yes, this was me. However, I did teach in a private school when my daughter was in high school.  It closed in 2019, and hubby retired in summer of 2019 so I guess we retired together. LOL.  The plan was for him to do locum tenems for 1/3 of the year to pay our living expenses, 1/3 of the year do mission work, and 1/3 of the year travel for fun.  However, he ended up having to retire for medical reasons as he could not keep up the pace of the practice after a medical issue. Stress and sleep make his issues much worse which his profession is pretty much built on.

My husband will never slow down.  Even in "retirement," he has a legal pad filled with a daily to-do list and several other bigger to-do lists.  

Our schedule at home:
We both tend to wake up somewhere between 3 and 5 without an alarm, getting up at 4am most mornings.

4-5am
He- 50 situps and 50 pushups ( or more, maybe). If we are not going walking for some reason, he rides his stationary bike.
He does Bible study with the Logos program, often watches lectures from my seminary
I make coffee and unload the dishwasher. I read my Bible and journal. I often work on writing a devotion, newsletter or something that takes a lot of brainpower. 

5-7am
He is often working on either getting supplies for our mission trips like implants and such.  He is head of a council that helps train surgeons in Africa, so he does a lot of work for that. . Sometimes he is researching something like how to add an inverter to the RV or something.
I am still working on my writing.  Oh and we both eat . at some point, normally when we are doing our Bible studies. We do not eat together.

We walk anywhere from 2.5 to 4 miles at least 4 times a week, sometimes more. This time varies as to weather and when the sun comes up. In the summer, we walk at 6:30 am. In the winter it may be 8-8:30 

Then it just varies. Are we getting ready for an RV trip? He is sanitizing the water tank, packing wheel bearings, wiring the RV for internet, etc. Are we getting ready for a mission trip? See above. 

Is it spring or summer? He might mow or bushhog our place, edge, spray the fruit trees, etc.

He also practices guitar on a regular basis and does Spanish Duolingo. 

We typically eat lunch together and that is our big meal of the day.  He will grill and is often the one that cooks, though I do as well. 

Then he goes back to his lists to do other things. 

We typically eat dinner and watch a show like The Chosen at 6ish. Then he goes back to emails or other chores. I really struggle as I am typically tired and I wander the house. Maybe clean up. But I really don't know what to do with myself. If I try to read, I will fall asleep, but that means I will wake even earlier. 

We are in bed at 9pm

We go to church on Sundays.  He is vice-chair of the deacons, so he has meetings with that when he is home.  We both go to church on Wednesday afternoons and have dinner and choir practice.

I write, declutter, and do housework during the day.  

Last year we traveled 26 weeks out of the 52 weeks.  10 of those weeks were on mission trips.  My husband traveled an additional 4 weeks without me. A couple of weeks were for conferences and/or training.  4 or 5 weeks were for traveling to see our children graduate from seminary or star in a musical or something. A couple of weeks we were at my MIL for the holidays. The rest of the time were RV trips. 

[Laura Corin]

19 hours ago, Sunshine State Sue said:

I work part-time now. They know I have one foot out the door and they don't want me to leave. I am learning to be very passive aggressive. I get emails about stupid training. Delete. Eventually they email my boss who forwards them to me with a request to do the training. Delete. Invitations to company wide or department wide meetings. Delete.  Go ahead and fire me. Then I won't have to decide when I go.

Just had a birthday. I turned Medicare - 2.

I haven't quite reached that glorious stage of don't-care-ness, but I suddenly thought - in a departmental reorganisation meeting where my contribution was denigrated and a similar one by an academic colleague was considered gratefully  - that they have lost my dedication to the corporate whole. I care about the students whom I support and the colleagues to whom I'm close. That's it. Eta I'm private pension (small) minus four years and state pension/US SS minus six years.

Edited January 16 by Laura Corin

[ScoutTN]

Well, at 58, I am trying to get work, not leave it. We need the money and are not planning on retiring until age 70, and then probably still working part time as long as we are able. My younger child will not likely be launched for another 4-6 years. 
 

In my ideal world, I’d have time to read, volunteer, and learn new things. I do best with some structure and schedule. I am am extrovert and need to be with people regularly. I would not be getting up before the sun in the winter!

[QueenCat]

I'm retired half the year and working half the year. But not in halves. I work for about 2.5 months out of every election season for the BOE. When I'm not in one of those seasons, I'm still busy. I'm very active in Rotary, a women's auxiliary for the children's hospital, and other things in our community. I serve on the Rotary board, which is almost like a part-time job at times. I try to tackle big projects during the off-season, as well as any regular appointments. And catch up with friends for more lunches than I can do during the season. 

I don't imagine changing much of that until I can't. Dh still has 8-10 years until he will retire. He enjoys many of the same volunteer activities as I do. We will travel while we still can. 

[Miss Mousie]

DH and I retired 10 months ago (which is why it took me so long to see this thread - I spend much less time reading online than I used to).

I can't say there is a "typical day," but there is a general routine.  It may take you a while to find it and work out the kinks so it suits you. 

I second the suggestion upthread to take time to research and plan before pulling the plug.  I too liked Holy Schmidt and some other YouTubers, and I read the Mr. Money Mustache forum extensively before retiring.  That forum was by far the most helpful.

DH and I are on the early side for retiring, and neither of us gets a pension (but we will get SS when the time comes), so we have to watch the money very carefully.  I track expenses to the penny and made a budget for the first time ever, but those things function more as guardrails and signposts rather than strict limitations.  Navigating our ACA health insurance plan has been a challenge but we've only had it for a month; I imagine I'll get the hang of it soon enough.

We are each other's best friend, and after decades of seeing so little of each other, it has been marvelous to be able to share our days - ALL of them.  We are also introverts, and feel no need to be together constantly, or active constantly.  Reading side by side in companionable silence suits us just fine, as does spending time in separate areas of the house doing our own thing.

One more thing:  I expected to find that time moves much more slowly without a schedule and the hustle-bustle.  Wrong!  I have found that it moves even faster than before.  The days have a way of filling themselves up, and all of a sudden it's bedtime again, and then all of a sudden it's a new week, and a new month.  Be careful not to over-schedule or over-commit yourselves until you find your footing and your balance.

 

Edited January 25 by Miss Mousie

[Laurel-in-CA]

DH is 66, laid off last June, and has been looking for work. But we're convinced they're mostly including them in interviews so they can't be accused of ageism. This last "no" when they flew him to AZ to talk to 4 people and then made us wait 2 weeks for an answer....difficult. So he's thinking of retiring, but I don't think he'll have trouble filling his time. He currently does bowling and ping pong lessons and wants to get certified to coach pickleball. He does all 3 of those sports, some times twice in one day, throughout the week. Plus he's done training to work with Stephen Ministry, which is meeting an hour a week with someone going through crisis, just listening (no advice -- I couldn't stand that) and praying for them and is part of that team on call at our church. We're thinking about training to do a beginners bible study as a team, too. That's really my sweet spot. And I'm starting a crochet-to-give fellowship group @ my house and playing pickleball with him a couple times a week; we walk @ lunchtime. I'm still working p/t from home with an old co-worker and that keeps my brain going! Plus we still have 3 young adults living with us. They help w/household expenses, but (in truth) I am eager for at least two of them to be on their own, and #3 is working f/t and a college junior.