Retire rich or retire early?

[massphatness]

I'd work the extra 12 years and consider it a win to retire at 62

[mosesbotbol]

I want the health and profession to keep working as long as I can. Retire to do what? If you love your work and have where-with-all to keep doing it, keep doing it! I am not saying 50+ hours a week at 60, but I can't see myself really ever stop "working" until I am geriatric.

I admire the Bernie Eccelstone's and Warren Buffet's of the world.

[levrac68]

I'm 43 and I'm set to retire at 50 rich or not... I want to live a rich life and you don't necessarily need ogles of money to do it. I'll let you know if it was the right decision in 8 years.

[Sauer Grapes]

I've never heard of someone on their death bed saying they wish they spent more time in the office or less time with family.

[Silound]

Personally, I'm single, no kids, no attachments. I've worked a pretty varied number of jobs, gotten some experiences that I cherish, some I would cheerfully get a lobotomy to forget, and had a lot of fun along the way. I can't see myself retiring early, because if there is one thing I hate doing, it's sitting around looking for things to do.

The current job I have, while not the greatest paying job, I really enjoy. My weekends are filled with days of me saying "well what can I do now?" or "I wonder who isn't busy and wants to go shoot a round, or smoke one". I would rather be at work even for just maybe 3-4 hours each day on the weekends rather than stay home and do nothing.


At some point, I will reach the point where I look at life and pick a simple job, with relaxed hours, doing something I really enjoy doing, it doesn't have to pay well, and I can coast in life into my sunset years.

Until those days? I've got to do something to keep busy.

[gbum]

i wish to retire from my current job within 8-10 years,then move on to open a ranch,become a goat or lamb herder with my family and living at the country side(with internet!) till the day i die... (working part time at the cigar shop also not a bad idea...)

[Ashcan Bill]

I retired early and now live in genteel poverty.

Tragically, I had to give up the polo matches. And naturally no more charter jets.

Of course, I no longer own an alarm clock. Enjoy coffee and cigars in the courtyard whenever the mood strikes. Go to the range if I feel like it. Read a book if I feel like it. Putter in the garage if I feel like it. Take a walk if I feel like it. Veg out if I feel like it. And did I mention naps?

[n3uka]

At my current rate my accountant says I will be able to retire 3 months after I die.

Would love to semi retire at 50 and find a nice relaxing job to keep busy at if it was possible.

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by Ogre

My answer would have to depend on my health. Not worth working longer if you can't enjoy it.

I will retire as early as I can afford to and still live my basic current lifestyle. What good is being rich if you are too old or too feeble to enjoy it?

[pnoon]

Originally Posted by Ashcan Bill

I retired early and now live in genteel poverty.

Tragically, I had to give up the polo matches. And naturally no more charter jets.

Of course, I no longer own an alarm clock. Enjoy coffee and cigars in the courtyard whenever the mood strikes. Go to the range if I feel like it. Read a book if I feel like it. Putter in the garage if I feel like it. Take a walk if I feel like it. Veg out if I feel like it. And did I mention naps?

You are my hero, Bill.

Retire? What's that? Three kids to send to college. That'll be what, about $1.2 million? No true Einstein's or sports stars in the bunch, either, so it wouldn't be on anyone else's dime. LOL

Seriously, though, I plan on working as long as I will be able to. I like having something to get up and do every day. I enjoy get out and being with "people" (though being locked away in a lab may not exactly be "getting out"). I enjoy the income I have, and hope it will continue for quite some time.

[Madman31]

Interesting responses guys! A lot of factors to consider.

Maybe an answer we can all agree on is retiring early but picking up a part time job/ starting really small business to make some mad money to spend on in case we get bored with all the free time.

What do people who retire early do all day anyway?

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by Madman31

What do people who retire early do all day anyway?

I would hit the gym in the morning, herf all day, and play hockey every night.

[croatan]

Like most lawyers I know, I can't really ever see myself retiring completely, but more time on the golf course and fewer hours in the office would be ok at some point

[CigarNut]

For me retirement depends upon being able to maintain my lifestyle. My home is not paid off, so my wife and I need enough money in the bank to pay off our few debts and still have enough left to live off of.

Not sure I will ever be fully retired; more likely I will have a part time job doing something really different that will pay for my cigars

My original plan was to retire (do something different) last year, but I was layed off back in 2007 and out of work for a couple of years and that put a big kink in things.

If I am lucky I will be able to "retire" in 4 years.

[HollywoodQue]

You can't take it with you, so I suggest to enjoy the rest of your life because tommorrow isn't guaranteed to any of us!!!

[Apoco]

Originally Posted by Madman31

What do people who retire early do all day anyway?

Whatever they want.

No, really. If it were me - I'd spend a bunch of time in a kayak going down the river. What I didn't spend doing that I'd probably spend smoking cigars and playing video games until my working friends got off of work at 5.
Posted via Mobile Device

[E.J.]

Originally Posted by Madman31

What do people who retire early do all day anyway?

Ride my bikes, golf, flyfish, boat, hang out at the pool, yard work/house tinkering....hell, everything I wish I had more time for now.

[Old Sailor]

Originally Posted by Ashcan Bill

I retired early and now live in genteel poverty.

Tragically, I had to give up the polo matches. And naturally no more charter jets.

Of course, I no longer own an alarm clock. Enjoy coffee and cigars in the courtyard whenever the mood strikes. Go to the range if I feel like it. Read a book if I feel like it. Putter in the garage if I feel like it. Take a walk if I feel like it. Veg out if I feel like it. And did I mention naps?

[Boz]

Originally Posted by Smokin Gator

I currently have three jobs. I work as a consultant for a school district, have a residential rental property business, and have a cattle operation. The school job will go away at some point. The other two never will.

I choose work until the day I die. There is nothing else I want to do.

This is kinda what my wife and I are thinking about doing. We have IRA's, mutual funds and 401k's but we are going to start picking up small houses (for cash) and renting them out. Hopefully by our mid 40's (I'm 28 and she's 29) we will have quite a few of these and can rely on the rental income to support a healthy lifestyle. Sure there will still be "work" involved with the rental's but it wont be like a typical 9-5.