patrick.net

I have posted before that I work for the govt.

Best life decision I ever made. I wish I had listened to a friend who was advising me to go that route a few years earlier.

I’ll retire when I’m 57, if not sooner. There’s a lot I want to do and don’t have the time to do now. I remain constantly baffled by some coworkers who don’t want to retire. I’m taking they have enough years on that they would take home more in retirement than they do now while working. One guy actually rescinded his retirement when we were offered a cash incentive a few years back stating that he didn’t know what he would do with himself.

Fuck that. I retire means I have time to prepare all my own meals, I get to enjoy hobbies I like, I get to fucking sleep in every day. Growing up, my dad was up at 730 even on weekends(630 during the week). He was constantly on edge, and any little thing woke him up. Now retired for 16 years, he sleeps until 8-830. My mom doesn’t wake up until 10. I envy that. I’ve always been a night person and sleep has always seemed like such a luxury to me.

Travel is awesome. After long road-trips the last two summers, I want to just keep going and wifey is fully on board. She absolutely loved the American west. There’s a ton of places I’ve never been to and really want to go. Airbnb and vrbo have made it much easier and cheaper to do.

Honestly I can’t wait.

clambo says

Having children means you cannot quit working if they go to college

I disagree. Oxygen mask parenting. Teach your kids. Show them how to save and invest. Take care of yourself first. Any money we save is not earmarked for college for our kids. They already know that.

With 3 boys I'm not paying for them to just go and party at college and learn bull shit unless they're serious. Also I'm a community college guy. Go there for two years and get the basics out of the way. If you get that done then I'd maybe pay for a state school. Otherwise I'm in Puerto Rico or St. Thomas.

Off topic, but admissions to colleges are a joke now. It wasn't like when I was 17. You literally can get into most universities that will take your money. Even in 2000 for me I was accepted to Brown with average grades because of athletics. They just want your money at this point.

FuckTheMainstreamMedia says

Travel is awesome. After long road-trips the last two summers, I want to just keep going and wifey is fully on board. She absolutely loved the American west. There’s a ton of places I’ve never been to and really want to go.

Go everywhere. The Salt Lake City to Vegas national park trip is amazing. Arches, Bryce, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Zion. Could swing to the north rim of Grand Canyon. A bit overrated and you need to be in good shape to get to the bottom or get a donkey. The lodge there is cool and it's less trafficked and you get good views.

I preach here, but you have to go to St. John. St. Thomas, where you fly in, is rough around the edges, but the people are chill. Once out of Cruz Bay on St. John you just drive around and go to some of the most amazing beaches ever. About the only good thing a Rockefeller did well for the public. You'll need to rent a Jeep though. Some roads are rough.

On St. Thomas Magens Bay and Coki Beach are favorites. We stay at Margaritaville. On site restaurant is below average, think Chilis or Applebees.

I hate suggesting this, but Navarre Beach, FL. I don't want it to get crowded... But it's the best sand you'll see. If I recall you're in Tennessee now. Not a bad drive. Limited condo towers and it's not buildable to the east or west of the beach. So a low party vibe and on a calm day white sand and emerald water. If you like views the 6 or so towers on the island are nice. May is the best time of year when kids are still in school and no hurricane risk.

I could write about this all day. I know the OP is about age, but I think it's pertinent to the conversation. What do you do if you do retire early?

I am shooting for 60-62. My oldest is starting college next year and have another one 3 years behind. So I have at least 8 years of college tuition in my near future. Not worried about retirement income, just need to keep me and the wife healthy until Medicare kicks in.

Fortunately, I really like what I am doing now and they pay me well. The next 8-10 years will fly by. I work really hard, but still get plenty of time for travel and fun with the family.

I know a few guys in my industry who are in their mid-late 60's and can easily retire, but they like their jobs and still like being in the game. Some are negotiating part-time or consulting gigs so they can keep a foot in the door. Again, I am very fortunate to work in a rewarding industry for a good company.

The key for a good retirement is having good hobbies, a good partner, social life and remaining active. I watched my father in law basically go to shit after he retired at 67 and he was super bored and depressed the last 10 years (he was divorced living by himself and had knee issues). All he did was sleep most of the day and watch TV.

FuckTheMainstreamMedia says

One guy actually rescinded his retirement when we were offered a cash incentive a few years back stating that he didn’t know what he would do with himself.

Fuck that. I retire means I have time to prepare all my own meals, I get to enjoy hobbies I like, I get to fucking sleep in every day.

I know a guy around here who was an early employee for Juniper Networks. When they went public, he suddenly had something like $20M. He bought a big house in Palo Alto and travelled a lot with his wife and kids. Then he got bored and went back to work at the same place. I was amazed.

I usually sleep in now, because I was so annoyed for 30 years at getting up early to get to work. But I feel guilty about it, like I should be working harder.

clambo says

I would have liked to travel more but I'm becoming intolerant of airports and bullshit

I just drive places. But then again, I rarely leave the northeast.

Patrick says

I usually sleep in now

Literally my #1 reason for even remotely wanting to retire. Actually I could just work later hours if I wanted to, but don't.

WookieMan says

Even in 2000 for me I was accepted to Brown with average grades because of athletics.

I got in the top 1% of standardized tests like the ACT and SAT though my grades were A-. So I was sent a bunch of invitations to apply to various schools. When the one from Brown showed up, I'd never heard of them and was throwing it away when my mother saw it and stopped me. I didn't apply there, because I also got an application from Harvard and we were pretty poor and so didn't have much money for applications. My dad didn't want to pay the $50 for the Harvard application, but my mom gave me the money. They rejected me, which I think was pretty predictable because I had no connections or knowledge about how admissions works. So now I'm not too sad to see they have turned into a woke cesspool that I wouldn't want to be associated with.

Later I had a girlfriend who did get into Harvard with lower test scores and similar grades, because both of her parents had gone there, both from old New England families. She was younger than me, so in her junior year I moved into her dorm room with her for a semester, against the rules. People thought I was a student. In a way I got the Harvard experience without paying for it.

As to when to retire, obviously, that is a highly individualized decision. All of us are different in that we have different values, needs & wants, etc. For us, my wife & I actually gravitate to enjoying the simpler things in life, so our financial needs are probably a lot less than most Americans. Having said that, we both now recognize that we have accumulated a lot more money than we actually need, primarily because we've lived either within our means and often even below it.

On the subject, a few months ago, I watched a very interesting youtube video in which retired people were interviewed at a public park in Florida. Practically every person interviewed said that if they had it to do all over again, they wouldn't have spent so much time pursuing money, and, that they would have retired earlier.

Patrick says

I usually sleep in now, because I was so annoyed for 30 years at getting up early to get to work. But I feel guilty about it, like I should be working harder.

Don't feel guilty. You should feel guilty if you're on welfare and sleeping in capable of working. If you worked hard and saved there should be no guilt at all. Just make sure you do stuff. As others have said, at least have a hobby or two. Could be paying hobbies.

One guy I know his wife is an optometrist. She does yoga classes on the side. He plays guitar and does charcuterie boards at private events. He likes music and meat and cheese. Usually nights, but he gets to hang out, it's not corporate, so he can drink wine on the job and it pays really well. I think he nets $500-600 a gig. He'll do 3-4 of those a week. Usually only 4 hours of time. So 24 hours of work for a fun job knocking out about $2k/wk playing guitar and giving a meat and cheese presentation.

I know you've said you like your wine. Think of something with that. I know there's a bunch of that where you are with Napa near by(ish), but might be something fun. Hell, start a small winery. My mom's friend has one out there in Napa.

I'm getting back into music here in a bit. I'll have a studio in the new house. I will eventually share my music here, but I'm not ready to dox myself. I can handle the reviews of it, but I just don't want people knowing who I am. Just watched a live Edgar Winter Frankenstein cover I did. I need to get those chops back. Played the percussion and drum part in the solo. One of the hardest covers I did. Warren Zevon was next with Werewolves of London. I'm not a singer. I did lead vocals. Backups vocals are fine, but that was hard. Cringy at times but not super bad.

When I am out peeing in the yard right before bed, like my old dog taught me, I look up at the stars and contemplate this when I start to worry about my *{{UnDERfunDeD REtiReMENT}}*
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Y_qx4G025Ug

I’d like to drive around the USA and maybe Canada to explore what is going on. A Winnebago Solis is an intriguing way to go. It seems small enough to drive into a town without needing to tow a second vehicle for getting around. Has a galley and even a shower.

Robert Sproul says

When I am out peeing in the yard right before bed

Lol. Only 2 baths currently and 5 people. I pee outside often. It's honestly nice. Save a flush with village water/sewer bills. It's a win and I get some fresh air. Fenced yard helps. Although I have no particular concern if someone sees my dick besides a kid.

We'll have 3.2 baths soon. So we can all be peeing and pooping at the same time. lol.

Al_Sharpton_for_President says

I’d like to drive around the USA and maybe Canada to explore what is going on. A Winnebago Solis is an intriguing way to go. It seems small enough to drive into a town without needing to tow a second vehicle for getting around. Has a galley and even a shower.

I'd get a truck or SUV as a daily driver and a travel trailer. An RV is going to cost you more with insurance and maintaining it. You won't use it as much as you think and it will go to crap. Then you also have a vehicle to get around at the destination with a travel trailer setup.

Key is you need to cover it when not in use along with the tires. But at least you don't have to deal with an engine. I like the freedom of dumping the trailer and having a car. Towing is easy, just don't embarrass yourself if you have to back into a spot.

I wouldn't want to pack up my temporary camp site to go to the grocery store or out doing something. But I'm a multi-day person in one spot. If just doing one night the Winnebago could make sense. But unless you're an early riser, you'll have maybe 5-6 hours of exploring to do if you have to drive 3-4 hours to the next stop? Might as well go on a cruise at that point.

Peeing in your yard keeps away raccoons and ground squirrels. Seriously. Not sure about rats though, they may not mind it.

We've had various animals move in under the house, but they really don't like it and leave if I pee where they enter under the house.

Al_Sharpton_for_President says

I’d like to drive around the USA and maybe Canada to explore what is going on. A Winnebago Solis is an intriguing way to go. It seems small enough to drive into a town without needing to tow a second vehicle for getting around. Has a galley and even a shower.

Listen to Wookie on this. Remember you must pay for the lot/space, too. So it's $ for the RV + $/time for the lot/space. Or get a used A-Frame or Pop Up or a cab trailer if you have a truck. A smaller trailer will get used more often than the 30+ foot luxury RV.

"I'll stay in Public Facilities" = time limits, and often no sewer - you have to hitch everything back up to dump the blackwater and then set everything up again.

RVs used to make sense when you could BUY the entire RV lot for a $5000-$15000 near lakes, shore, attractions, etc. and make less than $100/month payment for the maintenance/landscaping. You could drive the RV down once to the lot and let it sit there. Maybe invest in a carport to reduce sun/rain damage. Or when localities used to allow RVs and utilities to be set up on vacant lots, now most require building a min sq. ft. house with a time to complete. Whenever you say "Wow, what a nice piece of property at a not-bad price", guaranteed it'll be in Horse Puckey Covenant Community, require a 2400 sq ft house be built in 3 years after purchase, no RVs or mobiles (no "wides"), etc.

Now lots are going for 6 figures, easily! And the maintenance is up to the hundreds.

You can rent an RV. 90% of RVs just sit on the property getting old.
https://rvshare.com/

If it floats, flies, or Fs, rent it by the hour - let the owner make the payments and do the maintenance.

WookieMan says

I'd get a truck or SUV as a daily driver and a travel trailer. An RV is going to cost you more with insurance and maintaining it. You won't use it as much as you think and it will go to crap. Then you also have a vehicle to get around at the destination with a travel trailer setup.
Key is you need to cover it when not in use along with the tires. But at least you don't have to deal with an engine.

This right here is good RV advice, unless your Class B van can be a daily driver. Class A and C RV's make no sense to me.
I'll go further, Class A or C are a ridiculous boondoggle for the vast majority of people.

For some crazy reason, inflatable tents are not sold in the States. All you have to do is stake them, inflate them, and run some fly lines out. And they have massive space.

COLEMAN makes and sells them in UK/Europe but not at home. A big brand seems to be Vango. They also have Inflatables made for hatchbacks and 4-doors.
https://www.winfieldsoutdoors.co.uk/coleman-weathermaster-8xl-blackout-air-tent/

Weird because there's plenty of kid tents and play areas sold here, but not camping tents on the same principle.

Patrick says

Peeing in your yard keeps away raccoons and ground squirrels. Seriously. Not sure about rats though, they may not mind it.

We've had various animals move in under the house, but they really don't like it and leave if I pee where they enter under the house.

Wish it worked on rabbits.

Freaking rabbits are tearing up my front yard. I took care of the ones in the backyard with a bb gun and use the nasty smelling Coyote, Deer and Rabbit spray in the front yard, but it doesn't seem to work on rabbits other than making my yard stink!

Cwazy Wabbits.

SoTex says

I think you're one of the few younger people on patnet with a pension? Former Airforce?

Yes, former AF but I am no longer young. Weren't you AF as well? I think I remember it was you who said you got quite a few flight hours per month at Diego Garcia.

AmericanKulak says

https://rvshare.com/

Thanks. I did a quick search for a medium priced RV rental, and I can stay at a hotel for less per night, go figure. $196-$268/night for a self-driver.

HeadSet says

SoTex says

I think you're one of the few younger people on patnet with a pension? Former Airforce?

Yes, former AF but I am no longer young. Weren't you AF as well? I think I remember it was you who said you got quite a few flight hours per month at Diego Garcia.

I was probably writing about my Dad. He flew a lot of AF planes but the last one were the C5s... He used to fly them to DG and bring me back strange little shells or rocks or whatever. Told me it was the most remote place to land on earth or something like that. I was probably in 3rd grade.

Al_Sharpton_for_President says

Thanks. I did a quick search for a medium priced RV rental, and I can stay at a hotel for less per night, go figure. $196-$268/night for a self-driver.

Welcome my friend!

Don't know if you included the lot/site rent - whether at a State/Fed Forest or Campground - is yet Moar money on top of that if you didn't. Even in the off season, in a teardrop, it's still $80 for the rental + minimum $30 for the hookup (even in Gov parks) = $110.

You can rent a cabin at a KOA or Outdoor Resort Park, or a hotel for the same without the headaches or setup.

The only time an RV makes financial sense is if you inherit a lot (since even rural counties are cracking down on utilities without a house in place) or deer blind with utilities and use it often for a decade.

.

Its about cash flow given the lifestyle

That means cutting back on expenses, but having free time which is valuable

And that means you could find work for supplemental income like freelance (door dash, spark driver, online instructor/teacher, rat race rebellion website, etc) or start your own company like Garage Door Doctor, etc

I know people that are very happy living in a large RV at age 35 with their home schooled kids (who participate in team sports and attend church activities including the church's school teaching chemistry, physics, and advanced math) and working on micro farms in the mountains as well as doing all sorts of gig and freelance work ; fortunately for Starlink they have good internet

.

AD says

I know people that are very happy living in a large RV at age 35 with their home schooled kids

Couldn't live that way myself. Location matters the most. You'd have to buy the land, preferably acreage so neighbors are further away. White trash is as bad as inner city criminal blacks. They'll rob your place if you're not around.

Also RV's will have something break multiple times a year. Similar to a boat. If it's your "house" it can be stressful. You can't necessarily head to a hardware store and get parts. Some might need to be ordered or an RV store nearby. You could be without a toilet for a week.

I just want a house that I know is going to work. Besides the initial rehab we've literally, knock on wood, have had no issues mostly. Only issue was the pool. We got 10 years out of it when the kids would use it the most. Filled it in this summer. Pools are like boats, have friends with one.

WookieMan says

Pools are like boats, have friends with one.

Use the community pool or get a plunge pool. Every pool I see seems to be made for a family of 6 with friends over all the time. A plunge pool will be cheaper to buy and maintain, and take up less space.

GF wanted a RV at one point, and I'm glad she got past that. Those things are a giant sinkhole of time and money. I think they only make sense if you live in it full time or use it a lot and have kids. For just 2 people a hotel is better and cheaper.

zzyzzx says

WookieMan says

Pools are like boats, have friends with one.

Use the community pool or get a plunge pool. Every pool I see seems to be made for a family of 6 with friends over all the time. A plunge pool will be cheaper to buy and maintain, and take up less space.

Community pools and sports courts are among those things worth paying dues for instead of maintaining them yourself (and being responsible for them).

On the bright side, investments in euthanasia suicide pods is a growth prospect.

https://t.me/epochtimes/113474

Ceffer says

On the bright side, investments in euthanasia suicide pods is a growth prospect.

Got a ticker symbol?

gabbar says

So, I stumbled on this facebook video short and took a snapshot of it. What are your thoughts about middle age, retirement and retirement age?

I'll say one thing

They always emphasize the MONEY not the TIME it takes to retire.

Imagine if an 18-25 year old worked one extra shift every so often and put $400-500/month in an IRA/401k starting at around 19 and kept it up for just a few years, where they would be at 30, 40, 50.

At age 52 that kid would have about a million bucks.
If it's a 401K, he'll owe Uncle Sambo $200,000 bucks.
If it's a Roth IRA, he'll owe Uncle Sambo zip, nothing, nada.
I've talked to a ton of people younger than I am about investing in a Roth IRA; they often take my card so they can ask me questions.
Not one of them ever asked me any follow up questions.
Few people want to save money and few people want to think about the future, few people want to make plans for what to do in the future, it's just running on the hamster wheel for most people.
Some get married which means they'll likely have kids and be broke pleasing the harpy demanding to provide for them anything their heart desires.
"Don't get me started!"

There is one kind of RV that might make sense.

You like camping, and get a teardrop or other tiny trailer just for an AC, Bed, Water, and as a Power Source and it weighs under 3000lb. and can be towed with almost anything.

clambo says

If it's a Roth IRA, he'll owe Uncle Sambo zip, nothing, nada.

As gratifying as that sensation might be on paper, the premise of the Roth is that the government gets its taxes today on your hope that taxes will be higher and that you will make out in the future, like, the distant future, and that your lower net compounding money bolus will somehow prevail and outperform over extended time.

If you do the Monte Carlo geusstimators, they show that the projected advantages of a Roth are so slight and at such older ages (decreptitude) that there really isn't that much of an advantage. I would rather make the Guv wait for their taxes.

Most people who make Roth 'work' shift money into them when they are in lowest possible tax bracket and use it when in higher tax brackets.

However, the psychologic pleasure of giving the Guv and its taxes the bird finger, if only allegorical, might be worth it.

socal2 says

Wish it worked on rabbits.

Rabbits are quite edible. Just sayin.

zzyzzx says

Ceffer says

On the bright side, investments in euthanasia suicide pods is a growth prospect.

Got a ticker symbol?

I bought SCI when I realized a lot of people are dying from the vaxx. I'm up 32% so far.

zzyzzx says

Ceffer says

On the bright side, investments in euthanasia suicide pods is a growth prospect.

Got a ticker symbol?

GRMRPR

AmericanKulak says

They always emphasize the MONEY not the TIME it takes to retire.

Because as you get older, the most precious commodities are time and health. You can't always game those with just money.

Also, all of those nursing home politicians (or their dead name avatars) are definitely on Satan's treadmill, because after 60 or so most people would like to kick back, travel and enjoy their grandkids, not spend 90 minutes in the makeup wagon every morning to dance in the clown show.