For those retired....what do you enjoy most?

[Rocksprings]

Watching rush hour traffic, accidents, traffic jams, etc. on TV. Getting my SS check.

 

[the old grind]

...what are you doing in regards to medical insurance?

COBRA for me in the interim per UAW contract. Been paying ~$42/mo for dental & ~$15/mo for medical for a few years. That said, with BCBS the office calls are the big costs, but coverage/acceptance is nationwide. Copays for my 'scrip' are something like $2 every other month at Rite Aid with the free 'Wellness' card. Glad I'm healthy. New ruling say my monthly costs will disappear (again) after Jan 1, '15.

I'll go on Medicare next Spring and things may change when I have the option to switch plans in the fall. Sure wish more of you guys had what I do.

btw, if ACA means another government subsidy don't look at me! I voted for Pat Paulsen.

 

[grnspot110]

For those of you retiring early, what are you doing in regards to medical insurance? That is my biggest obstacle at the present time. No tri-care here.

In my case, I was able to buy in to the local city's insurance (worked for them for 29 years as a firefighter). It's still expensive, $380/mo., but a lot cheaper than their previous carrier. Another 1-1/2 years & I'll hit Medicare, trouble is, between Medicare supplement & part B, it will probably cost me just as much as I'm paying now! ~~ Lowell

 

[ultrarunner]

Employer says my COBRA cost for Health Insurance is $870 a month and it has $50 co-pay plus lots of extra fees unless you become Hospitalized and then all is supposed to be covered after $400.

When I look at the Affordable Health Care site it seems the coverage would be better for half the premium?

The twist now days is you must have coverage or a fine/penalty is collected through the IRS... right?

I'm no fan of any mandatory coverage... just weighing my options.

For certain, I would be retired if I had a retirement plan... I really missed the boat because I was becoming eligible for all the benefits as they were being phased out... several of my more tenured co-workers left with nice packages 15 years or so ago and most really enjoy their retirements... my form CEO had a different package and retired a few years ago... when I hear from her she sounds like a totally different person as long as the Hospital is not in the conversation...

Health Coverage is a huge variable for those thinking of early retirement and even more so since coverage is mandatory...

Just trying to make the best decision based on current reality...

I've got a dozen restoration projects just waiting for me to get started... about half are Model A's

 

[rsallen]

What I enjoy most?.......Working on what I feel like rather than what I have to.

Though when my other half drags out and lays an old roll of barbed wire on the edge of a field for the mower to find does kinda spoil my day.

 

[MotorSeven]

No wrist watch(threw it away in '07), no alarm clock(threw it away in '07), no more oh dark thirty briefings, bosses, uniforms, rules, etc. I putter around in the AM's and drink a couple of cups of coffee, then work on my stuff until I feel like quitting. I have never been bored, always have a project(or thirty) stacked up to get done. I think the best part is I tell myself what to go do.

 

[mikim]

rolling over for 30 minutes more sleep when the wife leaves for work...:thumbsup:

 

[IXLR8]

They had some top notch massage chairs down in the lounge where I worked. Spent thirty minutes every day in them. I miss those, and the free fruit and sodas.

Hmm, sounds like where I work.
The plant where I work is shutting down Jan '15, I will be staying on 6 months to help clean the place up so I will be retiring Aug '15, at the age of 61. I am having trouble staying motivated. Most of my co-workers are panicking about finding a new job and moral in the place is in the dump and tensions are high. Miserable place to be working at the moment. Some of my co-workers have 30+ years in the company, have contributed nothing to their 401K's, just have what the company has put in... there is no pension. They recently figured out that they are going to be able to get $300/month out of their 401K's. They have some fancy $$$$ toys but are now in a panic as it will be several years before they are eligible for SS and they have no money set aside. I could retire now but the big ????? is medical coverage and the brief research I have done, ACA is not very affordable. If I stay until the plant shuts down as part of the separation package I get another year of medical paid for and hopefully by then I will have the medical situation sorted out with medicare not far away.
In retirement, I can't wait for the first snow storm where I can sit at my dining room table sipping coffee while watching my neighbors shoveling their driveways and then slip sliding off to work. Then when I am ready, I will fire up my tractor and clear my driveways.

 

[downsizingnow48]

Hope you come out OK sounds like it. I am curious, what is causing this long-lasting company to close down, and is there any possibility they can move at least some employees into continuing positions elsewhere?

 

[IXLR8]

Hope you come out OK sounds like it. I am curious, what is causing this long-lasting company to close down, and is there any possibility they can move at least some employees into continuing positions elsewhere?

They are just shutting down the plant I work at, end of life for the product and they can't update the plant for the new products. Some folks are transferring to other plants... I just don't feel like moving across country again.