Cellar Scribblings

[Front-Ranger]

I don't know what the answer is but it is not retirement. I am supposedly retired (actually laid off from my last two jobs) and I don't have money problems (knock on wood). I live within my means. Keep my car for 10 years, use a hand-me-down computer, and rent out a floor of my house. I just got back from my first vacation in 8 months. But I always seem to be working lately! After my vacation, I've been having to get up every morning at 5 or 5:30 am and last night I was still working at 11 pm! It is enjoyable work for the most part but still, as Cassie would say, "It gets tiresome!"

[serious crayons]

We do need to pay for our fancy stuff, but I think perhaps the main reason why so many people are working even more than before is fear--fear that somebody else will get ahead of us, fear that we'll lose our jobs if we don't appear to be working enough.

Yeah, that's a factor, too. It explains why Americans often don't even take all the vacation to which they're entitled.

[serious crayons]

I don't know what the answer is but it is not retirement. I am supposedly retired (actually laid off from my last two jobs) and I don't have money problems (knock on wood). I live within my means. Keep my car for 10 years, use a hand-me-down computer, and rent out a floor of my house. I just got back from my first vacation in 8 months. But I always seem to be working lately! After my vacation, I've been having to get up every morning at 5 or 5:30 am and last night I was still working at 11 pm! It is enjoyable work for the most part but still, as Cassie would say, "It gets tiresome!"

I happen to be writing about this very subject for work as we speak. I was in New York a couple of weeks ago for a workshop at Columbia about the value of working past the traditional retirement age. It's good for your bank account, for sure, but also good for your cognitive and physical health. And it's good for the economy.

Tomorrow I'm going to interview a friend who retired from the Post Office with a nice pension. But in less than a year he got bored. So now he has two jobs that don't pay much but are perfect for him: he mows a golf course (he likes golfing) and he tends bar at this local stadium that hosts concerts and professional sports (he likes sports).

[Jeff Wrangler]

I happen to be writing about this very subject for work as we speak. I was in New York a couple of weeks ago for a workshop at Columbia about the value of working past the traditional retirement age. It's good for your bank account, for sure, but also good for your cognitive and physical health. And it's good for the economy.

Yeah, it's my understanding that I should actually work to age 67 in order to receive the largest Social Security benefit.  

Tomorrow I'm going to interview a friend who retired from the Post Office with a nice pension. But in less than a year he got bored. So now he has two jobs that don't pay much but are perfect for him: he mows a golf course (he likes golfing) and he tends bar at this local stadium that hosts concerts and professional sports (he likes sports).

That's the thing. I keep thinking that there are lots of things out there that I could do that I might really enjoy--even if they were just volunteer positions that didn't pay anything. (In particular there's an organization that helps congregations preserve their old church buildings because of the value of the building to the community--seems like a perfect fit for me!) I might still be "working," but I'm not sure I'd consider that actually a "job." To me there can be a difference.

[Front-Ranger]

It's good for your bank account, for sure, but also good for your cognitive and physical health. And it's good for the economy.

I agree about the benefits. Older people working is good for the economy because we are cheap. I work 2 to 3 times longer to take in the same amount of income, and I do not get any benefits. Another thing, I spend a lot of time supervising, mentoring and teaching the full time employed people, covering for them, filling in for them, etc. I don't mind it but people get very dependent on me. I have so many responsibilities already! Because of my caregiver responsibilities to my mother and grandchildren, I can not work more than about 20 hours a week. That's how I end up working almost every evening!! I don't think most younger and employed people have an accurate idea of what it's like.

[brianr]

I retired from full time work (teaching) at age 59 towards the end of 2002. For the next few years I did casual work and had to average 3 days per week during term time to make ends meet but often had much more, tried to have one day off per week.  
In 2005, at age 61, I accessed my private superannuation (available tax free from age 60) but still needed about 6 weeks work per year. After my mother died in 2006 (10 years ago this week) I inherited half her apartment so I rolled most of it back into my super fund and no longer needed any work but continued with occasional casual stints to pay for an overseas holiday or a new computer until mid 2009. I was then eligible for aged pension and work became a nuisance as in Australia you have to ring and advise any extra income and your pension is reduced.  Then I moved to New Zealand at the beginning of 2010, did not register for teaching and have not done a day's paid work since. In NZ everyone 65 and over receives the full pension but it is taxed. You can survive on it with care. I volunteered on the local tourist train in summer, one day per week but was not sorry to give that up after 3 summers. I organise a fortnightly hiking group and belong to other walking , movie, culture groups.

I am never bored, probably spend too much time on the internet. I never miss teaching. I liked it when I was young, still keep in contact with a number of my early students  but not when I got older.  
Hope to work in the garden today if the sun comes out as promised but it is not suppose to go above 10'C, probably only 8'C up here on the hill and the ground is cold for sitting on.

[Jeff Wrangler]

I agree about the benefits. Older people working is good for the economy because we are cheap. I work 2 to 3 times longer to take in the same amount of income, and I do not get any benefits. Another thing, I spend a lot of time supervising, mentoring and teaching the full time employed people, covering for them, filling in for them, etc. I don't mind it but people get very dependent on me. I have so many responsibilities already! Because of my caregiver responsibilities to my mother and grandchildren, I can not work more than about 20 hours a week. That's how I end up working almost every evening!! I don't think most younger and employed people have an accurate idea of what it's like.

Of course they don't, because the world revolves around them. ... 

[CellarDweller]

Hello Bettermost Friends!



It's the Friday before a holiday weekend, and usually we get told we can leave early.  I'm anticipating staying later, perhaps later than usual.

I'm on vacation next week, and I want to make  sure that everything that needs to be done, is done and filed.  so far, so good.  Very few customer requests, so I'm able to get to various things.

[CellarDweller]

I occasionally wonder about retirement.  Mom and Dad are officially "retired" however, both of them still  have jobs.  LOL

Mom works as a teachers aide for part time job, and dad is a crossing guard.  During the summer, he does whatever odd jobs the town needs done.....repainting yellow curbs or  such.

[serious crayons]

Yeah, it's my understanding that I should actually work to age 67 in order to receive the largest Social Security benefit.  

Nope, 70. Your benefits increase by 8% for every year you delay claiming Social Security, up to age 70.

That's the thing. I keep thinking that there are lots of things out there that I could do that I might really enjoy--even if they were just volunteer positions that didn't pay anything. (In particular there's an organization that helps congregations preserve their old church buildings because of the value of the building to the community--seems like a perfect fit for me!) I might still be "working," but I'm not sure I'd consider that actually a "job." To me there can be a difference.

That what the guy I interviewed yesterday did. This guy (not the postal worker, whom I'm interviewing at noon) retired from a nonprofit feeling burned out. But he felt the need to keep busy and continue contributing, so he volunteered for various things. Eventually, the networking that happened through his volunteer connections led him to a paid job that he really likes: doing nonprofit work he's interested in, part time, out of his home.