For the other retired guys::

[dickfoster]

Keep yourself out of debt as much as possible first. Never invest money that you can't afford to lose but do invest. Try to understand what you're investing in and don't trust others to understand it because like as not they don't understand it either. Many found this out the hard way when the street exploded in 2008 from all the housing related nonsense. None of it made sense to me so I didn't invest in it nor did I jump on the web bandwagon before it went down the tubes. If it sounds too good to be true then it likely is. It's never too late to save and invest but the earlier you start the better off you'll be. 30 is fine and a lot earlier than many start but wish they had. Nothing is as easy as it looks and sounds, and this goes for rental property too. There are no guarantees nor are there any free lunches so diversity is the name of the game while reward is generally inversely proportional to risk.

 

[oldpilgrim]

I retired in 2012. For the first 3 1/2 years I took care of my Dad who needed health care every day as well as helping my wife care for her father who has lived with us for over 5 1/2 years. My granddaughter also lived with us. Never had time to really be retired. Was busy every minute of every day. I have no debt.

My Dad died a year ago last Nov, but with my FIL requiring 24/7 care, my wife and I still never got away or had time to be retired. My granddaughter moved out over the summer. Just before this past Thanksgiving, my wife of 48 1/2 years, suddenly and unexpectedly died in her sleep. I'm still waiting to find out why. Yesterday, my FIL died. I went from 4 people in my house to me alone pretty quickly.

Now I have time to be retired but no one to be retired with..

Things can change quickly when you're retired.

 

[BTDT2]

In my case, 'retirement' as some like to call it, is not having nothing to do but rather having lots to do, and choosing where and when I want to do it. I could put in ten-hour days for the next ten years and not complete my to-do-list. Perhaps if I stopped foreign travel, fishing, boating, RVing, and helping my neighbors, I could shorten my list, but I'm having way to much fun, so I'll continue to 'do-it-my-way'.

On a side note, my big '70' is just around the corner and I'm celebrating with a brand new right knee, that's making life even better.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

Keep yourself out of debt as much as possible first. Never invest money that you can't afford to lose but do invest. Try to understand what you're investing in and don't trust others to understand it because like as not they don't understand it either. Many found this out the hard way when the street exploded in 2008 from all the housing related nonsense. None of it made sense to me so I didn't invest in it nor did I jump on the web bandwagon before it went down the tubes. If it sounds too good to be true then it likely is. It's never too late to save and invest but the earlier you start the better off you'll be. 30 is fine and a lot earlier than many start but wish they had. Nothing is as easy as it looks and sounds, and this goes for rental property too. There are no guarantees nor are there any free lunches so diversity is the name of the game while reward is generally inversely proportional to risk.

I have mainly been investing my money and time into my house, I fenced in property, bought and built what I needed for cattle and chickens, bought a tractor ext. with the set up I have now I can very easily go up to 20 head of cattle IF I find pasture near by to rent.

So the debt came from buying the house, tractor, cattle, supplies, ext ext. I'm now getting to the point where I have enough work to keep me busy (like having a second job) and enough equipment to get the job done.

I absolutely would be tickled pink to find a 10-15 acre pasture with a pond or creek to rent, I would have everything paid off SO much faster going up to 15 head this year on top of my current job.

So I will just keep to my current plans of paying stuff off than and get out of debt. And reassess the retirement situation in another 4 years.

 

[Egon]

Retirement probably isn't the easy life people think of. First, you end up doing stuff you like so you end up working harder than ever. No weekends, no holidays & that kinda stuff. Then you gotta add in the advancing years and you find them golden years require some real toughness with also letting the things you like slide one by one as the body checks off on enjoying them or even trying to do.

It's an oportunity to make opportunities from!

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

I retired in 2012. For the first 3 1/2 years I took care of my Dad who needed health care every day as well as helping my wife care for her father who has lived with us for over 5 1/2 years. My granddaughter also lived with us. Never had time to really be retired. Was busy every minute of every day. I have no debt.

My Dad died a year ago last Nov, but with my FIL requiring 24/7 care, my wife and I still never got away or had time to be retired. My granddaughter moved out over the summer. Just before this past Thanksgiving, my wife of 48 1/2 years, suddenly and unexpectedly died in her sleep. I'm still waiting to find out why. Yesterday, my FIL died. I went from 4 people in my house to me alone pretty quickly.

Now I have time to be retired but no one to be retired with..

Things can change quickly when you're retired.

Sorry for your loss buddy, a farmer I know just had his wife pass away a few weeks ago also, hers was clotted arteries, she went shopping parked her car and either passed out or was gone before she even shut off the car, such a sad story.

I'm truly sorry for your loss.

 

[BTDT2]

I retired in 2012. For the first 3 1/2 years I took care of my Dad who needed health care every day as well as helping my wife care for her father who has lived with us for over 5 1/2 years. My granddaughter also lived with us. Never had time to really be retired. Was busy every minute of every day. I have no debt.

My Dad died a year ago last Nov, but with my FIL requiring 24/7 care, my wife and I still never got away or had time to be retired. My granddaughter moved out over the summer. Just before this past Thanksgiving, my wife of 48 1/2 years, suddenly and unexpectedly died in her sleep. I'm still waiting to find out why. Yesterday, my FIL died. I went from 4 people in my house to me alone pretty quickly.

Now I have time to be retired but no one to be retired with..

Things can change quickly when you're retired.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

I've been married to my best friend for forty years and can't imagine life without her. We must have been typing our replies at the same time as I did not see your post until after I posted mine. It was truly a wake-up call to always count your blessings as nothing about tomorrow is guaranteed.

 

[hawkeye08]

I retired in 2012. For the first 3 1/2 years I took care of my Dad who needed health care every day as well as helping my wife care for her father who has lived with us for over 5 1/2 years. My granddaughter also lived with us. Never had time to really be retired. Was busy every minute of every day. I have no debt.

My Dad died a year ago last Nov, but with my FIL requiring 24/7 care, my wife and I still never got away or had time to be retired. My granddaughter moved out over the summer. Just before this past Thanksgiving, my wife of 48 1/2 years, suddenly and unexpectedly died in her sleep. I'm still waiting to find out why. Yesterday, my FIL died. I went from 4 people in my house to me alone pretty quickly.

Now I have time to be retired but no one to be retired with..

Things can change quickly when you're retired.

Sorry for your loss, I would be lost without my wife.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I retired in 2012. For the first 3 1/2 years I took care of my Dad who needed health care every day as well as helping my wife care for her father who has lived with us for over 5 1/2 years. My granddaughter also lived with us. Never had time to really be retired. Was busy every minute of every day. I have no debt.

My Dad died a year ago last Nov, but with my FIL requiring 24/7 care, my wife and I still never got away or had time to be retired. My granddaughter moved out over the summer. Just before this past Thanksgiving, my wife of 48 1/2 years, suddenly and unexpectedly died in her sleep. I'm still waiting to find out why. Yesterday, my FIL died. I went from 4 people in my house to me alone pretty quickly.

Now I have time to be retired but no one to be retired with..

Things can change quickly when you're retired.

Sorry about your loss but there are many things to do if you look for them. Staying home and moping will not serve you well. You are still here for a reason, you only need to find it.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Having taken SS at 62, I picked up driving a school bus for the medical. Now on Medicare and a supplement, I am still driving the bus. (It would be a geat job if not for the parents, lol) For not taking the school district's insurance, I get 175/month for eye or dental care for which I do not carry insurance so that has paid for recently having the last of my teeth removed and for dentures. It is now going to pay for lower implants to better secure my lower plate.

There are issues which many of my fellow drivers do not say anything about due to needing the work but I have no fears so I will readily speak my mind.

The time in between my morning and afternoon runs allows time to make doctor's appointments. Dang it! There seems to be more and more of that.