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

[jaotguy]

as far as the "too many " jobs to do ... pick any one out of the job jar and complete it ... then another ... another ... soon , the list will be gone ( or a lot smaller ...

BTW ... nothing wrong with taking that occasional nap ... you're not a slave driver are you ?:laughing:

if there are must do and like to do , put them in separate jars...

 

[ultrarunner]

The old GI bill went away years ago, and few companies offer tuition reinbursement. And you cannot get the GI bennies unless you have been in the service. I have had younger relatives that had to wait a couple of years to join, and any physical ailment gets you kicked out in a hurry. I believe in not taking on debt, but young people are really screwed - more jobs require a college degree, and that degree has become more expensive. Btw, California probably has better options than most places in this country.

We just hired two registered nurses that are in their 20's... both joined the service at age 18 and both took advantage of the education benefit to obtain their nursing degrees... these are the only two I know of recently.

302 Found

One of my friends got her entire college tuition reimbursed by AT&T... she started in the secretarial pool and worked her way up into management... she completed her degree in 2002.

The Hospital where I worked offered tuition reimbursement for work related study... this and just about all the other big company benefits went away in 2005-6.

Right now the Bay Area is in a building boom... construction workers are in demand and new projects underway all around... just a few years ago I had big firms calling asking for any work... even adding a few sinks or cabinets.

We are putting in a new MRI center right now and all the trades are very busy...

 

[zigarelli]

Also true for me. College in the mid 70s, then law school. I loaded pop trucks when I was in high school then drove the trucks in during college/law school breaks when the older guys took their vacation. I was able to pay for my 7 years post H.S. without any student loans except for the last two years in law school. I didn't mind the hard work, I actually had more fun and learned more about life working with the older guys during those years. Mostly WW II and Korean War veterans. I didn't have any trouble finding jobs when I finished school either. It's completely different for young kids these days. I don't think they will have the same luck I had. Student loan debt, no good jobs to be had, and a world that seems to be falling apart. I'm a federal lawyer now counting down the last 2-4 years till retirement. Guys my age are probably in the last generation of Americans who will live a better retirement than our parents. I hope that I'm wrong, but I doubt it.

 

[OldMcDonald]

A few posters have mentioned taking a nap. I still operate my place as a commercial farm, but take a minimum 2 hour lunch break. Almost every workplace in Portugal takes a 2 hr lunch break, although some consider it old fashioned and are on 1 or one and a half hours.

I have at least one hour in bed after a small meal. This has gradually increased from occasionally to regularly to every day. Sometimes I sleep for an hour and a half, sometimes only a few minutes. I feel that being in bed is far better to recharge my mind and body than sitting in a chair. This rest is known as a sesta (siesta across the border) and I am told many younger people take advantage of it, particularly in summer. Apparently it is just about compulsory for older folks.

I am sure it prolongs everybody's life. My informed guess is that at 70 I am one of the younger full-time active farmers in these parts.

 

[newbury]

Parents want their kids to have a better life than they did. I know the job market is changing So...they buy them stuff and make life easier. That makes the kids lazy and changes their values. And now you see a culture that lives at home in their mid to late 20s with no real job, taking 1 or 2 classes a day, up all night playing internet games, with no future in sight. America is a rich country...or what...

I remember working my way thru college at jobs such as janitor and "mop boy" at a doughnut shop. Real difficult to keep the grades up when you work all night. SWMBO got her way paid by a Daddy who got his MD from the GI bill. We decided our 4 kids would be funded like her if we could afford it. They all got good used cars while in college and the last two got new cars as "graduation presents". 3 have Masters degrees, 1 an Associate and 1 of the Masters is closing on her Doctorate. All now earning their own way and "contributing to society".

When I went to college, in the mid 70's, my college tuition was $17 per credit hour. Now it is about $400, per credit hour. ( same school ) We used to be able to make enough with summer factory jobs to pay tuition, and room and board. The costs of just school are way higher than what we had to pay. And the summer jobs are hard to find.

I paid about $600 for the first YEAR (2 semesters) of college tuition and fees at UVM (not books etc.). The minimum wage was about $1.45 and I made about $1.85 and took home about $1.50. So I worked about 200 hours just to pay for tuition. Today that same two semesters cost about $16,000 and you can probably get $10 per hour to take home. That would take 1,600 hours to to pay the base cost.

 

[Green Acres Homestead]

I remember working my way thru college at jobs such as janitor and "mop boy" at a doughnut shop. Real difficult to keep the grades up when you work all night. SWMBO got her way paid by a Daddy who got his MD from the GI bill. We decided our 4 kids would be funded like her if we could afford it. They all got good used cars while in college and the last two got new cars as "graduation presents". 3 have Masters degrees, 1 an Associate and 1 of the Masters is closing on her Doctorate. All now earning their own way and "contributing to society". I paid about $600 for the first YEAR (2 semesters) of college tuition and fees at UVM (not books etc.). The minimum wage was about $1.45 and I made about $1.85 and took home about $1.50. So I worked about 200 hours just to pay for tuition. Today that same two semesters cost about $16,000 and you can probably get $10 per hour to take home. That would take 1,600 hours to to pay the base cost.

I pitty the young people. Man they are up against it. As a matter of fact they are ripped off so bad that it is hurting the economy because all the young folk can do is pay back their university bill and cannot afford to put money back into the economy by buying cars etc...barely can afford food.

 

[farmer2009]

I pitty the young people. Man they are up against it. As a matter of fact they are ripped off so bad that it is hurting the economy because all the young folk can do is pay back their university bill and cannot afford to put money back into the economy by buying cars etc...barely can afford food.

Ok so I may not fit in here but have been following this thread. As I am not retired still like 20-30 years. But I am self-employed and like to say I got to retire at 25 because I found my dream job.

You speak so much truth there. My wife and I were the first generation in our families to go to college. I farm she teaches. Both of us have said that college for our son will be an option unless he wants to join the farm. Then it won't even be discussed. But currently college is over priced. Imagine spending your first 12-24 months of gross wages on a piece of paper.

I walked into work (part time) the day after graduation (college) one of the owners looked at me and said "You graduated. Do you feel any smarter?" I said not really. He looks at me and says "but you have piece of paper that says you are. And that's all that matters".

 

[ultrarunner]

I do think college is over rated as opposed to education which is not...

Also, many colleges indoctrinate... at least they do here in California. Being exposed to different views is educational if that is all that is to it.

I know young people that are doing really well... also the first from their families to go to college... in one couple... her family is from the Philippines and she is a Nurse and her husband's family is African American and he is a Police Officer... in their mid to late 20's and making over 200k plus benefits most of us can only imagine.

My point is they both went to college with a purpose... not to find themselves.

They both are on track as far as retirement... he will be able to retire with full benefits at age 54...

 

[ray66v]

I've been retired 7 1/2 years. It turns out that a lot of stuff doesn't actually need doin'. :laughing:

Lol. My 10 year plan turned into mostly, let the next guy worry about it if he wants it that way.

Took a part time job, repairing industrial pneumatic tools.
Easiest job I ever had, I can work whenever I want, and the shop is air-conditioned. :drink:

 

[FTG-05]

I pitty the young people. Man they are up against it. As a matter of fact they are ripped off so bad that it is hurting the economy because all the young folk can do is pay back their university bill and cannot afford to put money back into the economy by buying cars etc...barely can afford food.

Boeing just gutted their used-to-be-awesome retirement plan. Now, after a certain year (don't know when, don't care) you're on you're own.

I got two words for young people today: 401K and IRA! Don't depend on your company! Don't depend on SSN!

FWIW.