I ended up being the last one standing so I got to retire at 40.(family businesses) I would give it up in a heartbeat if my parents, and brother were still here.
Not sure I want this promotion
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I ended up being the last one standing so I got to retire at 40.(family businesses) I would give it up in a heartbeat if my parents, and brother were still here.
That is awesome, my wife has worked for a health insurer for the last 30 years and they stopped retirement medical and froze the pension for all mgmnt years ago. Pathetic thing is, the union still gets 2 raises a year and kept everything....some of them make more than she does and she is a director. I swear most of the people under her could not hold a job in the DMV if they tried.
ejay
TJ Addict
OP
So, time for another update. Things have changed a bit since my July postings.
If you recall, it was announced shortly after I accepted the position that the company had been bought-out by a much larger corporation. Long-story short, this new company couldn't give a rat's ass about its employees. They have proven this to us time, and time again. They are seriously all about squeezing out every last little bit of profit. Long gone is the company that I worked at for 38 years.
Anyways, I'm over it. This Friday, I am going in to make my last house payment. The mortgage is done! After that, I need about a month and a half to pay-off my only credit card (I made fuel purchases, and such, on the credit card, while I threw all my cash at the mortgage). After that, I am essentially debt-free...and broke!
As I have come to realize that I no longer want to work at that company anymore, I have decided that I am going to put everything I can into savings, right up until July 1st. After that, I'm done. This will afford me plenty of coin to pay the monthly utility-type bills, auto insurance, home-owners insurance, and property taxes for at least a couple of years. It will also allow me to enjoy an entire summer of working on my projects, without having to be interrupted by a pesky work schedule. My wife likes her job, and plans on working a couple more years, so she'll just put me on her health insurance plan. The only part I'm not 100% sure about is whether or not it will be July 1st, or June 1st. I mean, seriously, if the weather turns out to start getting nice in June...
I know this may sound sketchy to some, but I have always lived frugally, and been really good with my money. The plan is to start taking my Social Security at age 62, or maybe 63. I'll delay it as long as I can, but I would do fine with the amount I'd receive at 62. At that point, we will also put the house on the market, and get ready to relocate out of this insanity called Washington state.
I'm open for comments and advice, especially from those with experience in such matters. Thanks.
If you recall, it was announced shortly after I accepted the position that the company had been bought-out by a much larger corporation. Long-story short, this new company couldn't give a rat's ass about its employees. They have proven this to us time, and time again. They are seriously all about squeezing out every last little bit of profit. Long gone is the company that I worked at for 38 years.
Anyways, I'm over it. This Friday, I am going in to make my last house payment. The mortgage is done! After that, I need about a month and a half to pay-off my only credit card (I made fuel purchases, and such, on the credit card, while I threw all my cash at the mortgage). After that, I am essentially debt-free...and broke!
As I have come to realize that I no longer want to work at that company anymore, I have decided that I am going to put everything I can into savings, right up until July 1st. After that, I'm done. This will afford me plenty of coin to pay the monthly utility-type bills, auto insurance, home-owners insurance, and property taxes for at least a couple of years. It will also allow me to enjoy an entire summer of working on my projects, without having to be interrupted by a pesky work schedule. My wife likes her job, and plans on working a couple more years, so she'll just put me on her health insurance plan. The only part I'm not 100% sure about is whether or not it will be July 1st, or June 1st. I mean, seriously, if the weather turns out to start getting nice in June...
I know this may sound sketchy to some, but I have always lived frugally, and been really good with my money. The plan is to start taking my Social Security at age 62, or maybe 63. I'll delay it as long as I can, but I would do fine with the amount I'd receive at 62. At that point, we will also put the house on the market, and get ready to relocate out of this insanity called Washington state.
I'm open for comments and advice, especially from those with experience in such matters. Thanks.
So, time for another update. Things have changed a bit since my July postings.
If you recall, it was announced shortly after I accepted the position that the company had been bought-out by a much larger corporation. Long-story short, this new company couldn't give a rat's ass about its employees. They have proven this to us time, and time again. They are seriously all about squeezing out every last little bit of profit. Long gone is the company that I worked at for 38 years.
Anyways, I'm over it. This Friday, I am going in to make my last house payment. The mortgage is done! After that, I need about a month and a half to pay-off my only credit card (I made fuel purchases, and such, on the credit card, while I threw all my cash at the mortgage). After that, I am essentially debt-free...and broke!
As I have come to realize that I no longer want to work at that company anymore, I have decided that I am going to put everything I can into savings, right up until July 1st. After that, I'm done. This will afford me plenty of coin to pay the monthly utility-type bills, auto insurance, home-owners insurance, and property taxes for at least a couple of years. It will also allow me to enjoy an entire summer of working on my projects, without having to be interrupted by a pesky work schedule. My wife likes her job, and plans on working a couple more years, so she'll just put me on her health insurance plan. The only part I'm not 100% sure about is whether or not it will be July 1st, or June 1st. I mean, seriously, if the weather turns out to start getting nice in June...
I know this may sound sketchy to some, but I have always lived frugally, and been really good with my money. The plan is to start taking my Social Security at age 62, or maybe 63. I'll delay it as long as I can, but I would do fine with the amount I'd receive at 62. At that point, we will also put the house on the market, and get ready to relocate out of this insanity called Washington state.
I'm open for comments and advice, especially from those with experience in such matters. Thanks.
Sounds like a sound strategy to me. The longer you can wait on SS the better (as you know). Hopefully the housing market is still somewhat in tact when you go to sell. The only issue I can see is that most of the places you'd want to go are getting insanely expensive.... at least in the West. Down here in PHX cost of living has risen faster than any place in the US for example.
Get one of those cool mid-70's GMC motorhomes and "build" that Olds 455....
and see the country.... That's all I got.
So, time for another update. Things have changed a bit since my July postings.
If you recall, it was announced shortly after I accepted the position that the company had been bought-out by a much larger corporation. Long-story short, this new company couldn't give a rat's ass about its employees. They have proven this to us time, and time again. They are seriously all about squeezing out every last little bit of profit. Long gone is the company that I worked at for 38 years.
Anyways, I'm over it. This Friday, I am going in to make my last house payment. The mortgage is done! After that, I need about a month and a half to pay-off my only credit card (I made fuel purchases, and such, on the credit card, while I threw all my cash at the mortgage). After that, I am essentially debt-free...and broke!
As I have come to realize that I no longer want to work at that company anymore, I have decided that I am going to put everything I can into savings, right up until July 1st. After that, I'm done. This will afford me plenty of coin to pay the monthly utility-type bills, auto insurance, home-owners insurance, and property taxes for at least a couple of years. It will also allow me to enjoy an entire summer of working on my projects, without having to be interrupted by a pesky work schedule. My wife likes her job, and plans on working a couple more years, so she'll just put me on her health insurance plan. The only part I'm not 100% sure about is whether or not it will be July 1st, or June 1st. I mean, seriously, if the weather turns out to start getting nice in June...
I know this may sound sketchy to some, but I have always lived frugally, and been really good with my money. The plan is to start taking my Social Security at age 62, or maybe 63. I'll delay it as long as I can, but I would do fine with the amount I'd receive at 62. At that point, we will also put the house on the market, and get ready to relocate out of this insanity called Washington state.
I'm open for comments and advice, especially from those with experience in such matters. Thanks.
I remember that being one of your fears when the buy out went down. I'm sorry to hear that. All too often great mid level companies get gobbled up in the ever growing corporate round up of anything that can be milked dry and tossed out.
So, time for another update. Things have changed a bit since my July postings.
If you recall, it was announced shortly after I accepted the position that the company had been bought-out by a much larger corporation. Long-story short, this new company couldn't give a rat's ass about its employees. They have proven this to us time, and time again. They are seriously all about squeezing out every last little bit of profit. Long gone is the company that I worked at for 38 years.
Anyways, I'm over it. This Friday, I am going in to make my last house payment. The mortgage is done! After that, I need about a month and a half to pay-off my only credit card (I made fuel purchases, and such, on the credit card, while I threw all my cash at the mortgage). After that, I am essentially debt-free...and broke!
As I have come to realize that I no longer want to work at that company anymore, I have decided that I am going to put everything I can into savings, right up until July 1st. After that, I'm done. This will afford me plenty of coin to pay the monthly utility-type bills, auto insurance, home-owners insurance, and property taxes for at least a couple of years. It will also allow me to enjoy an entire summer of working on my projects, without having to be interrupted by a pesky work schedule. My wife likes her job, and plans on working a couple more years, so she'll just put me on her health insurance plan. The only part I'm not 100% sure about is whether or not it will be July 1st, or June 1st. I mean, seriously, if the weather turns out to start getting nice in June...
I know this may sound sketchy to some, but I have always lived frugally, and been really good with my money. The plan is to start taking my Social Security at age 62, or maybe 63. I'll delay it as long as I can, but I would do fine with the amount I'd receive at 62. At that point, we will also put the house on the market, and get ready to relocate out of this insanity called Washington state.
I'm open for comments and advice, especially from those with experience in such matters. Thanks.
OP
Sounds like a sound strategy to me. The longer you can wait on SS the better (as you know). Hopefully the housing market is still somewhat in tact when you go to sell. The only issue I can see is that most of the places you'd want to go are getting insanely expensive.... at least in the West. Down here in PHX cost of living has risen faster than any place in the US for example.
Get one of those cool mid-70's GMC motorhomes and "build" that Olds 455....
The wife and I have talked about being semi-nomadic for a couple of years, so a vintage motorhome is not entirely out of the question.
So, time for another update. Things have changed a bit since my July postings.
If you recall, it was announced shortly after I accepted the position that the company had been bought-out by a much larger corporation. Long-story short, this new company couldn't give a rat's ass about its employees. They have proven this to us time, and time again. They are seriously all about squeezing out every last little bit of profit. Long gone is the company that I worked at for 38 years.
Anyways, I'm over it. This Friday, I am going in to make my last house payment. The mortgage is done! After that, I need about a month and a half to pay-off my only credit card (I made fuel purchases, and such, on the credit card, while I threw all my cash at the mortgage). After that, I am essentially debt-free...and broke!
As I have come to realize that I no longer want to work at that company anymore, I have decided that I am going to put everything I can into savings, right up until July 1st. After that, I'm done. This will afford me plenty of coin to pay the monthly utility-type bills, auto insurance, home-owners insurance, and property taxes for at least a couple of years. It will also allow me to enjoy an entire summer of working on my projects, without having to be interrupted by a pesky work schedule. My wife likes her job, and plans on working a couple more years, so she'll just put me on her health insurance plan. The only part I'm not 100% sure about is whether or not it will be July 1st, or June 1st. I mean, seriously, if the weather turns out to start getting nice in June...
I know this may sound sketchy to some, but I have always lived frugally, and been really good with my money. The plan is to start taking my Social Security at age 62, or maybe 63. I'll delay it as long as I can, but I would do fine with the amount I'd receive at 62. At that point, we will also put the house on the market, and get ready to relocate out of this insanity called Washington state.
I'm open for comments and advice, especially from those with experience in such matters. Thanks.
Sounds like a solid plan to me. Move somewhere where the cost of living is cheaper and I’d say you will have it made. Don’t take on any new debt, and when the time comes maybe just get a part time job that you like better just to keep your mind busy. Even if it doesn’t pay as much, you may be able to find something that brings you joy and at least pays you something.
OP
I've been watching the prices drop on houses in the areas I'm interested in. What I'm hoping to see happen is that the market in this area will remain a little stronger than the areas I want to relocate to. The Seattle-Metro area has always done fairly well in that regard. I'm literally banking on it to stay that way!
I retired 5 years ago at age 56-1/2. Starting SS later this year. The "plan" to bridge the gap worked. Good financial decisions on the part of my wife, plus being frugal - AKA a cheap SOB - my entire life made this possible. In your situation, I'd "look at" selling NOW, and renting something for a couple of years, then buying again at the bottom of the crash. I'm not a financial advisor nor do I play one on the Internet - and this isn't financial advice, or advice of any kind. YMMV and all that...
Oh, and junk the smartphone - that'll save you a chunk of change!
Oh, and junk the smartphone - that'll save you a chunk of change!
Anytime I have been part of a large acquisition there is always a round of layoffs that happen shortly after. You can always try throwing your hat in the ring and put it out there that you would be open a voluntary package if they are looking to make reductions. Sucks to resign from a job with that much seniority without getting a payout.
An early retirement package of some sort possibly covering some health care would be beneficial.
I'm very lucky in what I do can be done individually. I went solo when the vaccine mandate pushed me into a corner. I left and two of the largest clients we had in my region followed me. I took the work to a competitor as a consultant. My former company just offered me a 5 year contract (will get me to 64) that let's me keep part of the profit from the clients I have. Now I'm a contract employee in a field that is short personnel and making more even after paying for my own benefits. Could only shelter 15% or so as an employee.... now it's up to 25% as a consultant.
In this labor market you can call more shots than you think.
I've said it before I retired at 40 because I was the last adult left in my family, so I could've hired people to steal from me.
I decided it was better to sell the businesses instead. I don't miss dealing with the general public.
The only time I worry is when the stock market goes down while the cost of everything goes up.
I'm hoping in November the red wave will turn things around. Then you and others can afford to retire too.
I'm done rambling for now.
I decided it was better to sell the businesses instead. I don't miss dealing with the general public.
The only time I worry is when the stock market goes down while the cost of everything goes up.
I'm hoping in November the red wave will turn things around. Then you and others can afford to retire too.
I'm done rambling for now.
I'v been self emloyed my whole life. I can't believe what you guys deal with.
OP
The new company did away with any retirement payouts we had. Just another way to demonstrate what we really mean to them...
