Why do you want to retire early?

**jIM_Ohio** · 01-11-2010, 01:32 PM

Originally posted by Beppington View Post

It seems pretty universal that people want to retire early.

I also plan to be able to retire early ... very early, although I don't really have an age target set, yet.

I just wonder what other people's reasons are, though. It seems many people hate their job, & therefore wanting to retire ASAP makes sense. I don't hate mine, I just want the option of retiring if I want to, or simply doing whatever the heck I want ... & I want that option as soon as possible.

I think most people probably do well to be needed, to be useful, to be helpful, as long as you're not stressed too much from being over-needed. It seems retiring to stare at the TV runs you into the ground. But heck maybe you love TV!

I heard Bobby Bowden (FL State Seminoles football head coach) say there's only one big event after retirement, & he wasn't ready for that yet.

So, what's your reason for wanting to retire early? Or, do you also just want the option of retiring early, & maybe even think you might not actually retire as early as you plan for once your retirement/ financial goals are met?

Financial Independance, wanting to travel, disliking the monotony of working all factor into my desire to retire before age 55.

**disneysteve** · 01-11-2010, 01:43 PM

I have a cartoon hanging on my fridge. A guy is standing at his boss' desk saying, "Sure I like working here sir, but it really takes a big chunk out of the middle of my day."

That pretty much sums it up for me. I like my job. I like what I do. But there are a lot of other things I'd rather be doing, and I'd like to still be young enough and in good enough shape to do them and enjoy them.

My wife lost her father at 59. I lost mine at 69. My wife is a childhood cancer survivor. We appreciate every day and that you never know how many more days you will get. I don't want to spend them all working.

Some people would be lost without their jobs. They wouldn't know what to do with themselves. I am not one of those people. Even without a job, I still wouldn't have enough hours in the day to do everything I'd like to do in life. I am 100% positive I will never be bored in retirement, whether I retire at 50 or 55 or 60 or whenever. Even if the money isn't there to do the big things like traveling and such, just having the time to putter around the house, stroll through the flea markets every week, watch movies I didn't have time to see when I was working, cooking more meals from scratch, trying new recipes, baking, etc. I could list dozens of things I'd like to have more time to do when I'm not stuck working.

Will I change my mind once my financial goals are met? I seriously doubt it.

**srblanco7** · 01-11-2010, 03:06 PM

I'm not certain that I want to retire early (though I'm pretty sure I do). I most certainly want to know that I can retire early.

**kork13** · 01-11-2010, 03:09 PM

I'm only in my twenties, so for now it's only saving in order to have the option to retire when I decide it's time. Right now, I'm looking at retirement as an opportunity to travel extensively while focusing on photography. Technically, I could really make a job of that, but I'm seeing it mostly as the fun of doing two things I love (traveling and photography). Beyond that, I'm not sure if I even really have a "plan" for anything more than about 15-20 years from now. Heck, I'll be able to "retire" from the military by the time I'm 42 (though I plan to stay in longer than that), and from there I have no idea what I'll look at doing...

**LivingAlmostLarge** · 01-11-2010, 03:22 PM

My DH wants to retire from a "set" job and do something fun I think.

**cschin4** · 01-11-2010, 03:31 PM

To me, it is the idea of owning your TIME. Really, a job is trading your time for money. I prefer owning my time. I had a job where I was on salary and spent many years on-call and was owned by the company 24/7. I will never do that again or take a position where my time is owned in this way no matter what the pay. I would rather live on much less and own my time than sell it and be owned.
I don't get bored at home. I cook, garden, decorate, exercise, read, volunteer at the church, play in the church band and many other things.

**KTP** · 01-11-2010, 03:45 PM

Because if the only thing I am able to do in retirement is play shuffleboard and complain about my denture cream while taking a cruise I will be sorely disapointed.

I would like to have some adventures while most everything is still working.

**Like2Plan** · 01-11-2010, 04:42 PM

I am almost to the moment of truth... I plan to retire in just over a year from now-- I will be 55. I'm wondering if I will change my mind and chicken out when it comes times to put in the paperwork.

Reason for not retiring:
Overall, I love my job and I work for a couple of really good, first rate supervisors.

Reasons for retiring:
1. My place of work will be moving (around the same time I plan to retire)--commute time will be more than doubled.

2. I work shift work. I like to work during the day, but about half of the time I have to work in the evening. (I won't miss working in the evening

)

3. I want to spend more time with DH. (I don't get to see as much of him when I work in the evening).

4. I want to take advantage of every cheap travel deal that comes along.
I'd like to spend Thanksgiving with my extended family and get there a week ahead of time! I want to go see the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular or A Christmas Carol during a weeknight and not worry about staying out too late. I want to see every National Park in the lower 48. I would also like to go to some parades and festivals.

(These are only a few examples. I have a really long list of things I want to do...

)
Right now, I have to use vacation time--which is finite and sometime not even available because someone else may already off.

5. I don't want to drive on snowy, icy roads to get to work. I want to go somewhere warm for most of the winter

(at least part of the winter--at least one winter).

**disneysteve** · 01-11-2010, 05:15 PM

I want to take advantage of every cheap travel deal that comes along.

I second this one. I get so sick of seeing all these great offers only to get to the fine print and learn that I couldn't possibly take advantage of the offer due to my work schedule.

The same goes for casino visits. We regularly get free room offers, free food offers and other promotions, but they are only good Sunday-Thursday. I would have to take a day off from work to collect on the offer, which would cost me more than it would save me. When I'm retired, we can spend a few days each month at the casinos with free rooms and at least partly free food.

**Daylily** · 01-11-2010, 06:56 PM

Because I'm lazy and I don't like to work.
Perhaps that's an exaggeration. I have to agree with some of the previous comments about the desire to own your own time, the ability to find plenty to do around the house, gardening, reading, taking advantage of last-minute travel deals/steals. I can entertain myself plenty without having to leave the house or have face-to-face contact with the rest of the world.

**jasonnoguchi** · 01-11-2010, 07:09 PM

I announced retirement from full time employment at age of 28 and went full time investing all over the world. I then realised that if you have the ability to retire financially free early in life, you are the kind of person with the drive to create new things/value and you won't allow yourself to totally retire from working on your new ideas. The only difference is that whatever work you do after you have "retired" are what you choose to do much like a hobby instead of something you do strictly for a living. There really is some truth behind "Rich people retire in order to get richer" said by Robert Kiyosaki.

**HistoryChick** · 01-12-2010, 02:09 AM

I teach at the local college, because, well, I love history, but also so that I can "ease" into my retirement when the time comes many years from now. The way the system works, I can "retire" but retain the right to teach one or two classes a year just for fun.

*Yes teaching is fun for me...not sure I would feel the same at K-12 though

**wincrasher** · 01-12-2010, 03:47 AM

Don't put off the things you want to do until you retire - it may be a day that never comes. I've known plenty that retired at 65 and were dead by 67. Missed time with family, missed vacations and scrimped and saved for basically nothing.

Within reason, enjoy your time while you have it. Take those vacations. Enjoy some of your money along the way.

I don't really plan on retirement until the health gives out. I do plan on eventually cutting back and taking sabbaticals. At some point, I may decide to switch careers if something strikes me.

**elessar78** · 01-12-2010, 04:48 AM

Retirement is a pretty modern concept right? Probably back to the middle of last century?

I'm in my 30s and my goal is to not have to work in my later years because I need the money. But I do want to stay engaged and productive with my life. Stay busy enough to have a reason to wake up, but enough time to do the things in life that are meaningful—HECK, I SHOULD BE DOING THAT RIGHT NOW!

Why do you want to retire early?