Just wondering. I'm thinking retirement is overrated. The lack of things to do and meeting fewer people scares me. Also I'm not rich enough to travel each month, covid or not.
What Would You Like to Do after You Retire?
Frankensnore on 28/05/2021 - 10:39
Comments
"The whole retirement thing sounds scary/boring."
So many things to do in retirement … and so little time to do them ….
You are a data guy and you worry about lack of things to do? Retired or not, there are always more things to do and learn. The only constraint is time.
Plenty of ppl seem happy not learning new things.
Perhaps I should join them.
If we invent a true AI anytime soon it could end a lot of people’s careers, doing their job better than them for a tiny AI licensing fee. The nerdy PayPal guy is launching rockets to Mars and creating a market for microchip body implants, I wouldn’t bet on any particular thing not being invented, mass produced, and sold before I retire. That includes an AI that can do my job better than I ever could dream to. Maybe we will need some out of the box data geniuses around decades after we have an early ai, but that’s not most of us. It’s like if you had an army of robot soldiers, most army employees would lose their jobs and only a tiny selection of people who would have been captains and generals anyway will be needed. The average grunt may not be needed or wanted anymore, even if they were willing to work for free.
2 chicks at the same time.
Here’s a cup.
Dont need to be retire for that!
I'd just watch them.
Not putting any more work in. Retired. Remember?
Thats why you get a job that allows you enough free time to travel during the year and then there is no reason to retire.
I can't imagine many people want to travel 24/7, or can even afford to, so why not keep working in a job that allows you to travel.
"so why not keep working in a job"
Good question.
Why would anyone want to keep working, when there is so much to do outside it?
Sounds great in theory, but generally people get bored of those things. They need money to travel 24/7
Going to live 6 months in Malaysia and 6 months in Australia. Travelling and just chilling on a beach. I am a simple man.
Do you own a house in australia or do you live in a van by the beach in both countries? Or rent.
Travel around Australia in a 4wd and camper. Then live up on the Atherton Tablelands and live debt free with a debt free investment property portfolio. Hobby will be gardening, doing up cars and photography.
Move to Asia, its too expensive to retire here
This will become a growing thing in the coming decades.
I'm more or less retired (on extended leave). I agree that you need to keep social connections strong. One of the reasons I'm out the door is because the office is still closed and I don't see all the casual work acquaintances I had.
My day at the moment includes very social group training 4 mornings a week (can be 6 if I want).
A daily trip to the hospital with my partner so she can get medical treatment.
Hunting down scrap metal in some local industrial areas.
Making videos for my YouTube channel.
Keeping in touch with a few mates and my kids
Cooking and other household chores/maintenance.Future:
I've enquired about volunteer work at The Bower and OzHarvest but both aren't taking volunteers.
Signed up to help restore an historic ship - waiting on them to get back to me.
Try and buy a reasonably priced 4WD to do some more travel throughout Australia (yes, I need an off-roader).
Start up a very casual home handyman business in my local area.
Start fixing cars againHunting down scrap metal in some local industrial areas.
What do you do with the scrap?
ummmm, eat it?
Process it and take it to the scrap metal dealers but it's also the main focus of my YT channel.
Here's a link to my most popular video which is a trip to the scrap yard but I also do "pull apart" videos and "is the juice worth the squeeze" videos. It's very niche. lol
Cool channel. How much money do you make scrapping for metal?
Do you also live in Bondi?
@serpserpserp: I live in Erskineville (near Newtown) but my best mate lives in Penrith and calls me Bondi Scrapper, so that so that's what we named the channel.
No, scrapping doesn't bring in much money. I could do 2 hours overtime and earn what the scrapping does in a month but I enjoy the scrapping and the exercise it gives me and the recycling side of it. I also enjoy that I can pull something to pieces and not have to make it work again.
The channel isn't monetised and unless something amazing happens, it never will be.
I woke up one morning 3 years ago and decided that I did not want to go to work any more, so I looked at what would keep me occupied and sane before I handed in my notice.
Coffee with my retired mates a couple of times a week, more time on my hobby (Amateur Radio for 40+ years), becoming a graffiti removal volunteer with my local council, reading heaps of books and FINALLY able to spend quality time with my wife as she also retired.
NEVER having to get up to an alarm again (now generally when my dog reminds us that he really, really needs breakfast), no more boring hours at my second home in various QANTAS Lounges, trying to forget TLAs like KPI, ROI, CRM, etc., not having to squeeze medical appointments in between meetings, - the list goes on and on.
Never been happier.
"I woke up one morning 3 years ago and decided that I did not want to go to work any more,"
A man after my own heart!
How old are you and I assume you both don't have a mortgage?
I retired 5 years ago age 54. I bought a yacht and sailed up to the Whitsundays and back. Been on a few cruises. Your children and grandchildren keep you busy. I would like to do some more overseas travelling when it becomes safe to do so. Hopefully taking my adult children with me. I also enjoy visiting my mother weekly. I would be sadly remiss without mentioning how fantastic it is to spend extra time with my wife.
I have also done a few building projects around the property and renovated an investment property prior to sale. I don't recall being this busy prior to retirement despite working 10 plus hours per day in my working life. If you are a busy person and you are thinking of retiring, don't worry about running out of things to do. It's not going to happen. At least it hasn't for me.
Just today/tonight I have been looking at boat sale websites at sailing boats with an idea in the back of my head to buy one and live on for a bit… I live in WA and work full time and used to travel overseas about 4-5 a year but that obviously hasn't been happening of late even though I have heaps of frequent flyer points/miles in several programs…
But thinking of selling my overly large house and taking osme profit and getting me something smaller, but maybe buy a boat or do a van up at some point to do some local travel… How do you find your boat, do you just sail on it or do you think you could live on it? Are they a money pit etc?
They can be, but if you live onboard and can do most of the work yourself they can be a pretty cheap way of living. You don't need much and a good boat can take you anywhere in the world. I found mine just searching on the web, there are plenty around.
lack of things to do and meeting fewer people scares me
What's your personality like? E.g. on a continuum, are your interests very narrow (e.g. I know of someone who worked 6 days a week for 12 hours a day for years and still does 5 days but shorter hours after retirement) or broad like Leonardo da Vinci?
Related to this, are your networks just at work or broader in the community?
Re money and other concerns, my recommendation is to take firstly long service leave of months, then career breaks of years to test things out. If you've got broad interests, you'll be busier than you were ever at work, but in a much broader way, including intellectually, physically and connection wise.
Retired 4 years ago age 53. Bought a campervan in Germany and spent the last 3 years travelling Europe (Summer months). Seen some amazing sights and the experiences have been priceless. Staying in Vineyards in France and camping around the Italian lakes, Spain and Portugal before heading North to Denmark, Norway and Sweden for the end of summer. Ahhh… Bugger off Covid so we can get back to our van!!
This is what I'd like to do. I've seen a lot of WA through past jobs but would like to become a "grey nomad" and spend a good year or two travelling the country. And then go overseas and do the same.
So where do you leave your van when you come back to Australia? Or do you leave it with a company that can hire it out while you aren't using it?
Probably target shooting and play golf. Hopefully spent a lot of time at caravan parks.
Question for anyone who has retired: immediately after handing in your notice, what did you do the next month or two. Did you get straight into doing activities, or did you just relax, sleep in and do nothing for a bit.
Im still 30 odd years away from retirement age, however seeing how technology has alienated people, i wonder if there will be any social interaction at all in the future…
"did you just relax, sleep in and do nothing for a bit."
A good start!
Which is what I did.
Unless my crypto goes gangbusters probably can't ever retire . If I were to.though I would travel around doing photography
Write a book. Learn to play music instruments, painting and all that artsy stuff.
"all that artsy stuff."
I foolishly gave up learning to play the piano when I was young.
Now that I'm retired, I wish I hadn't.
You are never too old to learn :)
If you going to retire you need to have hobbies and interests to keep you occupied and involved with people. So, work for as long as you are able and stash the money away. Also enjoy the less expensive things in life.
"work for as long as you are able"
I worked only as long as needed to retire comfortably.
The sooner I retired the better.
Sleep all day 😷
Wait to die 😢
"Wait to die"
Only the brain dead would do this.
So many things to do …There is a lot to do if you retire young. But if you are old, frail and/or poor, then you are pretty much waiting to die.
Who do not want to hit the clubs, drinking, jetski and parkour once retire. But the sad reality old body cannot withstand those activities.
You must be fun at parties… :) So while yr young get out and do the things you want and let the future unfold as it will trying to make the most of it…
I would pursue sports that are easy to play for elderly retirees e.g table tennis, play video games, go for walks, volunteer, go camping, read, pursue creative endeavours, go on cruises etc..
I know that some people find retirement boring, however in theory it's great.
Pull the project car out and finish it. Get the motorcycle out and ride it. Ride pushbike. Go to the beach. Cook things I don't have time for. Read books. Fish. I'm sure there are plenty of other things.
Walk the BNT (Bicentennial National Trail), then head overseas looking for similar adventures
May finally have to time get round to my Epic game collection.
Got to get through your steam collection first. Mumma mia that might take a lifetime.
I don't understand when people don't know what they can do with their free time. So many possibilities. Want to keep mentally challenged? Take courses, learn coding or language or whatever. Start a side business. Want to be hands on? Do woodworking and refurbish old furniture to sell. Want to socialise? Go join meetup groups.
Baffles me each time someone says "what are you going to do with all the free time?", As if all they know in life is to work and that that is the purpose of living."all they know in life is to work"
Poor souls …
we become institutionalized by the system
Probably spend a lot more time jerking off.
One can dream.
There will be robots for that by the time we retire.
I would watch robots jerking off.
I would.
Do you think they'll stand up while they do it? Or hunched over in a corner somewhere? Lie down?
There are already robot pocket p*ssies available. Not bad not bad
Nothing.
I loved my job as a school teacher but retired 13 years ago and have never looked back. I'm the happiest I've ever been. You can live life at a slower pace and you spend a lot less money. Recommended!
By the time I retire, the government will have nationalised everyone’s super and your retirement present will be a green pill…
Happy thoughts…I retired at 58. Started delivering Meals on Wheels once a week; went to the gym three times a week; rode my bike at my leisure; took up lawn bowls (but it wasn’t really for me); went fishing. No we have a couple of kayaks to paddle around in, too. BUT, we’ve now moved and will start joining informal gatherings to broaden our friendship group. Unless you’re ready to retire, and WANT TO, it could’ve scary I guess.
A gentleman does not work, a gentleman pursues his interests.
Never understand people that don't know what they would do with free time. So many things to try, places to visit, hobbies to do. Still 10 years off my retirement goal and between hobbies and travel I still will be constantly short if time.
Heroin. Butt tonnes of heroin. /endthread
People that truly love what they do for a living usually don't retire while people that hate their job can't wait to get out the door.
Do the former and not the latter. Don't get stuck in a job that you resent. Do something you love and enjoy every minute of it.
A very small % of people 'love their job' but also i dare say a small % 'hate their job'
HOWEVER the majority tolerate there job because we all need money to live
majority of people pick their career when they are 17-18 (end of year 12) where most people are at a stage of their life in which they have little to no life experience. Sure you can change careers but i find it amazing when people say do something you love when they really should be saying do something that will allow you to love your life because work is just a way to fund that life style
Yep, you're right, and the poster above is either young, idealistic, or still finds those motivational posters motivating.
Do something you love and enjoy every minute of it.
No, you don't enjoy every minute of anything. Not even things you love.
Stop being a walking self-help book.I enjoyed my job for 36 years but the last year was sh!t. Fortunately, I was able to get out (retire) and live happily ever after (well for the last five years, anyway!)
Just do not work, work, work and leave everything else for when you retire.
I have a close friend who did exactly that and 5 years before his planned retirement his wife suddenly died.
5 years after he finally retired (ie 10 years later) he is now managing to keep himself busy with his hobbies but with so much regret about never being able to share them with his wife.
The first 5 years were spent trying to come up with reasons not to follow her and the next five have been spent trying to avoid activities that they planned to share.
Glad to say he now has a relatively positive outlook for the immediate future (but the regret hits on occasion).He has always been heavily into photography but moved from travel photography (shared) to bird photography (can be enjoyed alone).
The concept of retirement took him a few years to come to grips with too but he is finally able to feel like he is not just unemployed as his days are prety much filled with hobbies/appointments/family.
Feel for your friend
1/3 of us will die before or shortly after we retire
It is highly likely if you do make it to retirement your partner might not and your plans to enjoy your twilight years are ruined
Exactly that - since my friend's wife died my wife and I have made much more of an effort to make memories rather than just dreams and plans.
I really do not want the one left behind to just have unfulfilled plans and dreams. Memories are what you will really treasure.
By consciously making that effort to actually live our lives we have made it immeasurably better.
Paid work is definitely just a means to enable you to live your life. I didn't really get this until my friend's life turned inside out.
Yes I know someone this happened to too. He retied then his wife suddenly died. He had bought big caravan, boat and 4 wheel drive so they could travel around Australia, they had all these dreams and with her death it was all gone.
After retirement there are still expenses like council rates, elec bill, water bill, Regio, insurance, service and petrol etc. which means quite an outgoing even house and car fully paid up. Not to mention expensive meals with friends.
"Not to mention expensive meals with friends."
Not expensive if you cook them yourself.
You have the time after all.
I had an amazing job I really enjoyed, and was worried about getting bored if I retired. My wife told me not to think about what to do, but trust in the sort of people we are.
We both have plenty of energy and had always had lots of things on the go. Best advice. Just over 2 years retired now and even with the COVID year lots of things to do.
We let our passions and interests guide us, and if we feel like doing stuff all - that’s what we do!!
Both happy, healthy, have lost unwanted kilos without real effort.
So perhaps spend time to understand yourself, then back yourself. You will have a fantastic time. 👍
Turn 40
Make my way through all the stuff I got here for free/cheap on Steam, Epic, Udemy, Kindle, etc
This made me laugh how many bloody Udemy course i have signed up too from OzBargin i honestly dont think i have even completed one
Literally NOTHING.
Earlier this year I went part-time, rather than retiring. If you like your job, a lot of the retirement books suggest easing into retirement rather than going cold-turkey. I started asking about going PT at work in 2018 with no luck at all. It took a pandemic and HR carnage for them to realise that letting me go PT was the very least of their problems.
Apparently many retirees, after completing the trip around Australia, or painting the house, start to miss the benefits of work (a bit of structure to your time, social interaction, mental stimulation, income) and find a part-time job. I thought a lot about this - my future part-time in-retirement job would probably be less interesting than my current job and at half the pay rate.
So currently I work 3 days a week, one of them WFH, thanks to covid. I have a 4-day weekend during which I can test-out being retired. I'm fortunate that financially this is possible (mortgage paid off, adult kids at home but working). Take-home pay is more than 3/5 of full-time as I'm in a lower tax bracket. Money is still going into super rather than drawing down from it. I'm 61 so have access to my super.
I'm glad the retirement options are much broader these days. In my 30s I heard a lot of stories of old guys who retired at 65 and were dead within a few years. Of course retirement wasn't totally responsible for killing them, a lifetime of red meat and cigarettes wouldn't have helped. But a common story was that they were miserable in retirement because they didn't know what to do with themselves, just interfere with their wife's very successful household management.
I think we've come a long way.over the road from us is a cafe which was once managed by a Chinese guy
with several cafes within 1 block, neighbours tested it and found the coffee and food were bad, with rude service
turned out the guy had a new Mercedes, had previously run a big restaurant successfully and retired with plenty
when he started climbing the walls, his wife told him to get out of the house or she would leave him
so he used to arrive ridiculously early and work late like 7 days a week
but he alienated customers who stayed away in droves
so yeah - if you're selfish and rude, you can have a lot of problems (while of course blaming everyone else)
https://fontfolly.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/mjaxmy1lzjzmnj…
I once read that the longest-lasting human happiness comes from helping others
focus on self is a downward spiral to depression
focus on helping others is an upward spiral to joy
choose - wisely …
The wife was clearly happier with him out of the house and played him like a fiddle.
"the benefits of work "
All I can think of is the pay.
Makes a lot of sense to do a transition to retirement, I'd like to go from 5 days a week to 4 and then eventually maybe 3 or 2 days a week working… 2 day work week/5 day weekend sounds just fine to me… Plenty of thing I can think of too keep me busy or enjoying life…. I did take a redundancy from a job I had grown tired of a few years back and spent about a year out of the work force but back working now… But could easily think of working a bit less if I get my financial affairs lined up….
Same.
I’m 55 and this year have gone from full time to 3 days a week (by choice).
I already know I won’t go back to full time.
Hopefully I can afford to continue working 3 days.
So far my longer weekends have been busy. But I do have travel, plenty of interests and family things to occupying my time.
'The lack of things to do and meeting fewer people scares me. Also I'm not rich enough to travel each month, covid or not.'
I'm retired and somehow manage to do exactly what I feel like every day without pressure to be somewhere I don't want to be, and without spending anything I don't choose - most of my activities cost nothing - like strolling the city to free music concerts.
I did read of a survey that found
- before retirement, most said they expected to miss the money
- after retirement, most said they missed the social connections.Paid employment tends to involve multiple daily conversations with work colleagues, clients or customers.
Retirement can be no conversations if you don't leave the house or speak to anyone (on Zoom or voice call).
So for introverts who stay at home and don't regularly speak to others it could shrink your social contacts.
Reading about olddataguy - gaming, arthritis - I realise that immobility can be world-shrinking in retirement
Over the road from me is an old guy disability pensioner with 4-wheel mobility ?scooter who tends to sit out on the footpath to be greeted by passing neighbours - just putting yourself outside catching some sun and chatting to neighbours can be pleasant. Since retirement we tend to have much more frequent pleasant conversations with multiple neighbours.
Which costs nothing - i.e. the best things in life are free - fresh air, sunshine, a smile and pleasant chat with a neighbour - a smile costs nothing but gives much, etc.
"Paid employment tends to involve multiple daily conversations with work colleagues, clients or customers."
You left out
- waking at some ungodly early morning hour to the sound of your alarm clock
- madly rushing to get washed, dressed and have a hurried breakfast
- commuting in overcrowded, smelly public transport
- spending seemingly endless, boring hours trying to look busy at work
- redo the commute back home in another smelly, overcrowded public conveyance
- repeat this torture at least 5 times a week… what fun …
Buy an RTX3080
I would visit every single massage parlor in my suburb while making a blog of which ones do and do not give happy endings.
Syd99.com will do
How soon can you retire? 😂
coming up with codes/clues it the best part
Cocaine and hookers
A bit of topic, but that brings the old joke:
If you think money does not bring happiness … is because you don't know WHERE to shop !!
For this, our particular topic it might sound like:
If you think freedom from work does not bring happiness … you have been working for far too long and have lost the plot …
My opinion only, of course.
The whole retirement thing sounds scary/boring.