I appear to be 10 to 15 years older than most of the guys on this forum and have been retired for 18 months now. I thought that I would toss out some observations since most of what is "Retirement Planning" deals only with money.

There is a lot of “togetherness” in retirement and I am sure glad that I am married to my current wife of 23 years and not my first wife or my 2nd rebound wife. Either of those two scenarios would be a nightmare. The first had a problem with the idea of fidelity and the second was just plain impossible to live with. Retire with someone you love, it will be the single most important thing you do.

More next week.

Yeah, that makes sense. Say, maybe our first wives were related - mine seemed to have that same problem.

Is this insight gained from your RV trip?

Pecos - I don't know that you are all that much older than the "core" group on the board. I keep suspecting that I am the senior statesman here so I will gladly relinquish my title to you.

As retirement looms closer each day for all of us, I apprciate any perspective you can offer. Although at the rate I'm going I won't be able to afford to retire any time soon. I spent my entire retirement account from my previous jobs to start my own company 10 years ago. And, although things are going pretty well now, I feel like I am way behind in retirement savings and planning.

I'm glad you have someone worth retiring with! I know from observation that many couples didn't realize they couldn't stand each other until the forced togetherness of retirement.

I hope you continue to post often. I will consider you my "advance scout" of things to come.

quote:

Yeah, that makes sense. Say, maybe our first wives were related - mine seemed to have that same problem.

Is this insight gained from your RV trip?

Maybe these wives were related, maybe they were the same one. I was recently told that my first wife is now on husband number six out in Wash State somewhere. Actually the incident that prompted my observation occurred in a resturant recently where I witnessed some particularly bad behavior from a woman toward her pre-teen daughter and her husband. I found it to be unnerving and it reminded me of several similiar performances by my second wife. This woman also looked a lot like the 2nd wife so it drove things home even more. Later that evening, I heard my current wife laughing while she was playing with our two dogs. Her laughter is certainly one of my favorite sounds. It made me feel very lucky and caused me to reflect on how miserable retirement would be with either one of the first two.

I am still planning the RV trip and will probably do it in the spring of 2008. This fall we are going to South Dakota with a hiking group. Comfortable Inns and good food, none of that sleeping on the ground at this point in my life. I like to plan vacations at least 9 months out.

quote:

Pecos - I don't know that you are all that much older than the "core" group on the board. I keep suspecting that I am the senior statesman here so I will gladly relinquish my title to you.

As retirement looms closer each day for all of us, I apprciate any perspective you can offer. Although at the rate I'm going I won't be able to afford to retire any time soon. I spent my entire retirement account from my previous jobs to start my own company 10 years ago. And, although things are going pretty well now, I feel like I am way behind in retirement savings and planning.

I'm glad you have someone worth retiring with! I know from observation that many couples didn't realize they couldn't stand each other until the forced togetherness of retirement.

I hope you continue to post often. I will consider you my "advance scout" of things to come.

I will turn 65 in a couple of months so I don't know if that makes me the oldest, but I can tell from reading several of your previous posts that you are "young at heart." I am always intrigued by the courage of those who launch their own business. I worked for 45 years, but am convinced that financial security is more closely related to how long one works than it is to how much money one has in the 401K. Doing something you love, and can put your heart into, trumps a big 401K balance every time.

Yikes!

I wouldn't dare tell you that my dear mama is only 5 years older than you

As to financial security - you ever read the book "The Millionaire Next Door"? The examples given in that book of surprise millionaires drives home a simple message - it's not what you make, it's what you keep that you retire on.

LKS

quote:

As to financial security - you ever read the book "The Millionaire Next Door"?

I've read it, and it is a good one. Another good one is "Get a Life, You Don't Need a Million to Retire Well" by Ralph Warner.