Your Biggest Retirement Regret?

[JeffKeryk]

I agree with your comments about Silicon Valley. There is a lot of money to be made there but without question it's the survival of the fittest. Those that don't work in the business or live in the area have no idea.

I had 28 great years with the same company but there were times I was hanging on for dear life, if for no other reason than computers aren't perfect. Sometimes they misbehave, and when the company is an international bank or stock exchange, things get tense fast.

And there were the deadlines, constant deadlines, one after the other deadlines, over and over again.

That said, I kind of miss the rat race and think I always will.

Scott

Yeah, and Semiconductor Mfg is considered by many to be the worst of the worst. "If you can make it in SEMI..." There are heart attacks and breakdowns. Lotta people gotta leave.
I had it easy, because I was the programmer analyst for the Novellus corporate forecast. The C-Level had the business need, but left it 100% to me how to get it done. Discussing (arguing?) with those stone-eyed execs made my words stumble, but I had to make sure we were on the same page. I had to disassociate myself from the C-Level use of the world wide numbers, because if I focused on the decisions I would have been paralyzed by fear. Those guys play hardball. Our president had multiple homes in Atherton and Blackhawk...

What an incredible opportunity! I was lucky. My favorite quote, when new functionality wasn't quite ready, was, "Then what are you doing here? Get back to work and don't come back until it's done." Meeting over. They had other fish to fry.

 

[Bud]

No regrets at all. Retired in 2007 and have never missed going to work every day.

 

[slo town]

Yeah, and Semiconductor Mfg is considered by many to be the worst of the worst. "If you can make it in SEMI..." There are heart attacks and breakdowns. Lotta people gotta leave.
I had it easy, because I was the programmer analyst for the Novellus corporate forecast. The C-Level had the business need, but left it 100% to me how to get it done. Discussing (arguing?) with those stone-eyed execs made my words stumble, but I had to make sure we were on the same page. I had to disassociate myself from the C-Level use of the world wide numbers, because if I focused on the decisions I would have been paralyzed by fear. Those guys play hardball. Our president had multiple homes in Atherton and Blackhawk...

What an incredible opportunity! I was lucky. My favorite quote, when new functionality wasn't quite ready, was, "Then what are you doing here? Get back to work and don't come back until it's done." Meeting over. They had other fish to fry.

Yeah the semiconductor companies were the worst. Thank God I never worked for one of them.

You mention meetings... I've been in some where I literally saw people lose it, their voices quivering in desperation and despair. One time a woman I respected and liked, she was getting savaged from several directions during a particularly tense meeting. She resigned in mid-sentence during what was an honest assessment, but not what management wanted to hear. We had an executive team member who caused nothing but havoc. He was merciless and enjoyed reaming people in public. I disliked the guy so much I'd sit there and wish bad things on him. I eventually got my wish and he died of a heart attack. Survival of the fittest indeed...

Scott

 

[JeffKeryk]

Yeah the semiconductor companies were the worst. Thank God I never worked for one of them.

You mention meetings... I've been in some where I literally saw people lose it, their voices quivering in desperation and despair. One time a woman I respected and liked, she was getting savaged from several directions during a particularly tense meeting. She resigned in mid-sentence during what was an honest assessment, but not what management wanted to hear. We had an executive team member who caused nothing but havoc. He was merciless and enjoyed reaming people in public. I disliked the guy so much I'd sit there and wish bad things on him. I eventually got my wish and he died of a heart attack. Survival of the fittest indeed...

Scott

I learned all about politics from my wife. She didn't play politics. Honest; straightforward; quickly admit your mistakes and move on.
We got work to do.

 

[loneryder]

Retired in 14 and love it. Bought a motor home and towed the Harley all over the west 3 times. Started spending the winters in SW Fl and ended up buying a winter home there. Ian got that just as I had gotten the place just like I wanted. That seemed to initiate some changes in my life. I got tired of bourbon and cigars so quit those. Also no longer had the desire to ride the Harley so am selling it this spring. Bought a convertible to take its place. Now preparing for a partial knee replacement in March so I can keep doing things I want to do. I’ve never been bored.

I will say that the work environments of today are pretty miserable. Incompetence everywhere including managers that have no clue what they’re doing. Every profession has been ruined.

 

[GON]

I'm retiring on August 31, 2024. My goal is to start my new job, wherever and whatever it may be, on September 1, 2024.

Everyone is different. I think I will age really fast if I retire. I am cautiously optimistic about starting a new job.

One issue is showing desire for a new job to a potential employer. I did a zoom interview at 6am this morning, and I sense I am not working hard to sell myself. Kind of a take me or leave me. And that is not the way I want to present myself to a potential employer. Something I need to work on.

 

[Sam_Julier]

I can say honestly I have no regrets retiring at 57. My job as 100% commissioned salesman kept me away from home 80-100 nights a year. Our printing plant ran 24/7. Taking care of my customers while their projects printed was exhausting.

Yes, it was stimulating, the adulation from the plant workers for being a top salesman was wonderful, the compensation excellent. I was always tired, anxious, fearful of failure and often crabby. That was the price for challenging myself to be the top salesman.

That chapter is closed. I refuse to look back. Now is the time to do everything Jennifer and I put aside all those years.

Travel, travel and more travel; always together. Restore/preserve Volvo 240s. Read a book anytime I feel like it.

Losing my closest male friend last year had a profound effect on me. One day Tim was doing snow angels in the back yard with his grandchildren. Four months later he was dead.

Tim’s gift to me is simple: make today the best it can be.

 

[alarmguy]

I'm retiring on August 31, 2024. My goal is to start my new job, wherever and whatever it may be, on September 1, 2024.

Everyone is different. I think I will age really fast if I retire. I am cautiously optimistic about starting a new job.

One issue is showing desire for a new job to a potential employer. I did a zoom interview at 6am this morning, and I sense I am not working hard to sell myself. Kind of a take me or leave me. And that is not the way I want to present myself to a potential employer. Something I need to work on.

Everyone is different is true. The key as you get older is to follow your passion as to what you want to do, for many its the enjoyment of working and following that passion in that way, for others its a hobby or some other passion to follow.
The best part is, no matter what it is, you are free to change your mind and not have the burden of being stuck doing something you do not want to do.

Maybe instead of "retirement" we should call it "freedom day" The day you get to choose exactly what you want to do with your life and not have to take into account finances. Free of any burdens, except the one thing that cannot be changed your health status. Though you can make changes to that too, it's limited by nature so enjoy whatever it is that makes you happy is freedom day

 

[ecotourist]

I'm busy with volunteer work. I enjoy most of it. Life is good.

My only regrets:
(1) I wish I wasn't getting older. Youth is wasted on the young.
(2) Quite a few of my old friends, family and other people I'd like to visit have died. That part sucks.

I've completely changed what I do and that's a good thing.

I used to be the Department Director at a major insurer. Lots of talks to employees, problem solving and planning. But also considerable freedom about direction, product development and staff management. But I had a generous budget, quality employees and an expectation that I would deliver good results but with no time pressure. Worked for good people and was well paid.

Now I volunteer at an aviation museum and work with my hands doing carpentry, tin bashing and riveting. There is a completely different satisfaction in refurbishing and making stuff. There is always lots to think about but no worries.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

but I don't wake up any more excited about the new day.

I work overnights and have for the past 18 years, small stint on days prior and nights before that. I go to bed at 2pm weekdays and Sundays since I start at 11pm Sunday night.

I wake up with a %$#@ I just want to go back to sleep and dread going in. It used to be a lot different group and even overnights you could joke, laugh and still get everything done. New heads of the regime, new criteria etc. makes it miserable and I'm less patient for those that don't follow through just surface fix things, not root of problems like we used to. Finance group denies $1/hour raises for promotion for my good workers but we hire $300K social media promoters/directors/VP's etc. Most young from outside. I'm in manufacturing, my guys make the stuff we sell. If they don't do it correctly we have to destroy material that was $250k+ in our costs not sales marked up about 10x that. Can't get them a $1 to help them.

I'm putting away a good amount and according to all the articles/experts/papers of who is where on savings by age, I'm way ahead of the average. Still not enough IMO and then the healthcare things to worry about. Daughter has 2 years of grad school coming, son has 1 year left in his. They both want to move off Long Island when done. We'll see what that brings at that time.

I look forward to doing stuff with my family and on house and cars when free. My volunteer activities helping others and spending some time with some great groups of people on odd car forums.

 

[MrGraybeard]

*sigh*

My wife and I are both on the same page and have wanted to retire early, and then travel, and do the things we want to do in life. We even decided not to have kids partially because of that. We just want to spend time together and see the world. So, we worked towards that and my main goal was to retire the day before my 50th birthday, which is in about seven years.

Unfortunately life seems to have gotten in the way and I was recently diagnosed with MS. So I really have no idea if I'll make it that far with work, or if it will be no problem, and because of that uncertainty I really don't know what retirement will look like. All I can do, is do my best. I hope it works out ok and we can still do the things we want to do.

Yes, health is a big factor in the equation once you hit the half-century mark (for a lot of people). I worked with a woman who had a star-studded job -- Mick Jagger held her in his arms -- but late career she often came to me with complaints about her boss. I tried to commiserate, but hey, I had bosses too. None of them were champs.

We both retired at the same time, July 2013. Two weeks later, she was dead. In retrospect, I understand she had some heart trouble that I wasn't aware of. She should have hung it up earlier, maybe, but some perks kept her hanging on. I won't second-guess her, she had her life to live as she saw fit.

 

[fdcg27]

I think I'll finally hang it up this July. I'll be 68 this year and that seems old enough to cease working full time. If I feel the need I'll find something new and different to do. I plan at least a few weeks of home projects and we're looking at a trip to Matero in the Italian South in September with an onward trip from there. Check out Matero online. Looks like a really neat place to visit and not loaded with other tourists.
My wife has been retired since July 2021 and is very happy with it. We would like to travel more and we did take a couple of two week trips over the past year which we really enjoyed. I'll just say that it's always fun to go somewhere you've never been and while there is much to see in this country going someplace else not loaded with fellow Americans is a different experience. The downside is a long plane ride both ways, although GON would probably laugh at my saying that.
I've enjoyed what I do for the most part and the money is nice. It is nice to blow eight or ten grand on a trip and see how quickly cash on hand recovers, although we should be in good shape even after I cut the cord.

 

[CKN]

I work overnights and have for the past 18 years, small stint on days prior and nights before that. I go to bed at 2pm weekdays and Sundays since I start at 11pm Sunday night.

I wake up with a %$#@ I just want to go back to sleep and dread going in. It used to be a lot different group and even overnights you could joke, laugh and still get everything done. New heads of the regime, new criteria etc. makes it miserable and I'm less patient for those that don't follow through just surface fix things, not root of problems like we used to. Finance group denies $1/hour raises for promotion for my good workers but we hire $300K social media promoters/directors/VP's etc. Most young from outside. I'm in manufacturing, my guys make the stuff we sell. If they don't do it correctly we have to destroy material that was $250k+ in our costs not sales marked up about 10x that. Can't get them a $1 to help them.

I'm putting away a good amount and according to all the articles/experts/papers of who is where on savings by age, I'm way ahead of the average. Still not enough IMO and then the healthcare things to worry about. Daughter has 2 years of grad school coming, son has 1 year left in his. They both want to move off Long Island when done. We'll see what that brings at that time.

I look forward to doing stuff with my family and on house and cars when free. My volunteer activities helping others and spending some time with some great groups of people on odd car forums.

If you retire at standard age then Medicare kicks in. The most I could be on the hook for in an extended hospital stay is $5,000.00. While not a small sum, it's peanuts compared to what you could have to pay otherwise. I retired at 55 years of age and spent the better part of $30,000.00 on healthcare premiums, but now have an advantage plan.

 

[ecotourist]

I think I'll finally hang it up this July. I'll be 68 this year and that seems old enough to cease working full time. If I feel the need I'll find something new and different to do. I plan at least a few weeks of home projects and we're looking at a trip to Matero in the Italian South in September with an onward trip from there. Check out Matero online. Looks like a really neat place to visit and not loaded with other tourists.
My wife has been retired since July 2021 and is very happy with it. We would like to travel more and we did take a couple of two week trips over the past year which we really enjoyed. I'll just say that it's always fun to go somewhere you've never been and while there is much to see in this country going someplace else not loaded with fellow Americans is a different experience. The downside is a long plane ride both ways, although GON would probably laugh at my saying that.
I've enjoyed what I do for the most part and the money is nice. It is nice to blow eight or ten grand on a trip and see how quickly cash on hand recovers, although we should be in good shape even after I cut the cord.

I retired at 66 1/2 and that felt like the right time to go. Our home renovations and travel plans were cut off by "that well known pandemic". We've finished the renovations but now it seems everyone is traveling feverishly to make up for lost time so flights are packed and so are the tourist destinations.

So it's not a great time to be traveling. We've been considering a river cruise for the spring of '25 (this coming spring's cruises are mostly sold out!) but the prices are jarring. A 2 week river trip for 2, with flights, would be around $30,000 Cdn. I don't know about the rest of you but I think that's a lot.

 

[NormanBuntz]

Working for too many clueless managers in the last few years of a 29 year career. Since 2005, no regrets.

 

[fdcg27]

So it's not a great time to be traveling. We've been considering a river cruise for the spring of '25 (this coming spring's cruises are mostly sold out!) but the prices are jarring. A 2 week river trip for 2, with flights, would be around $30,000 Cdn. I don't know about the rest of you but I think that's a lot.

Even converted to USD that seems like a lot.
I took a quick look myself and found that it wouldn't be hard to spend the 22K USD on such a trip. You'd then have to figure in another grand or so for incidentals.
So yes, this would not be anything like the deal you might have gotten in 2019.

 

[Pablo]

Even converted to USD that seems like a lot.
I took a quick look myself and found that it wouldn't be hard to spend the 22K USD on such a trip. You'd then have to figure in another grand or so for incidentals.
So yes, this would not be anything like the deal you might have gotten in 2019.

This is why we arrange all our own trips - stay at rentals. That must be a pretty deluxe boat ride!

We had a great time in Italy for 3+ weeks, with air fare and everything, ate really well. Under $8000US total (budget for trip, wife thought at first would be $15K) - I think we spent a little less than $7000 total for two of us. Places had kitchen, but that was a bonus - shopping at small Italian grocery stores, cooking real food was amazing. Paestum, Herculaneum, Pompeii, Amalfi coast, etc Admittedly it was southern Italy, still I guess traveling and seeing cool stuff doesn't have to blow the budget up.

 

[eljefino]

EDIT: Oh and I certainly don't miss the forced personal interactions with geniuses with no souls or rather seemingly lack of empathy and/or child like boundaries on specific areas of behavior. This can drain a person such as myself each and every day. This was probably the worst thing about work.

SpaceX?

 

[Pablo]

SpaceX?

Aerojet

 

[alarmguy]

Yeah.....I've only got a year to go but I wish I'd planned for it much better than I did.

Sounds like you enjoyed living while you could, not everyone does or gets that chance. I suspect you're still in ok shape to retire. I know the feeling that maybe things could have been done differently. I lived like I may not live, but I did live and yet still life is good, appreciate what you have is key.