sandy grossman

Comments:

• Decided to go back to work after being fired due to my on the job accident. Long story. After two years of being home, wife suggested I find something part time. By the next day, got a part time gig in the rental car business and now, over ten years later, am still in that industry. Went from an independent contractor to an employee at two of the largest rental companies out there. As an independent contractor, my schedule was erratic & never knew when I was going to work until the night before. I longed for a set schedule and after a year, found such a position. We live off my pension for the big things with the wife throwing in some as she's a professional working full time. Took s s at 64 as being a retired federal worker, I only get a small fraction of it due to that ridiculous Windfall Provision Act of 1984, which is totally unfair & needs to be reversed honestly! She'll take s s at age 70 in a couple of years which will hopefully go into the joint account with my pension. We've always lived under our means and taught the kids the same, which I am happy to say they all do. Paying off the mortgage by working as much overtime as I could helped us retire it almost 28 years ago, made a huge difference. Am able to bank my part time salary and have been doing some dollar cost averaging these past few years. Have a handful of dividend paying stocks which keep on paying me monthly. Once we retire, think we'll be just fine. Depending on my health, we'll do as much as I am able. Looking forward for a long & happy retirement in a few years!

  Post: Beginning Badly

  Link to comment from August 20, 2023

• Sure wish I could travel but an on the job injury at work in 2005 injured my spine so traveling is difficult for myself. Feel badly for my wife but she goes with the kids so she's still pretty active. Hoping to see America once we both retire but know it'll be a challenge. But still, I plan to try & just see how it goes. Best to keep my glass half full at this point. Do envy those who are able to travel though. Hope they know how lucky they really are!

  Post: My Retirement Hero

  Link to comment from August 20, 2023

• As a retired civil servant, I stayed with getting a pension with COLA's instead of going into the FERS program back in 1984, we were given one chance to switch over. From what I recall, only one other worker chose to switch out of the pension and into FERS. Am so glad I kept the pension option but took it while agreeing that my wife will get half of what I get if I should pass before her. Very happy that I know I'll get a payment into our checking account each month. Having the COLA just means it will grow according to the current financial situation. The peace of mind I get knowing all this makes me sleep well at night. Especially with the stock market volatility of late, quite happy with my choice. Watching my investment portfolio go up & down like a yoyo recently is hard to watch but the one thing I have learned is not to panic & just stay the course. Those who panic usually end up selling low & buying high, two mistakes I do not intend to make. Am glad though in your case, taking the lump sum works & you are happy with your decision. I wish you many years of prosperity & good health...as I do us all!

  Post: Taking It Slow

  Link to comment from August 20, 2023

• We're close to retirement and thinking about selling the family home. Our oldest lives in Orlando with her husband and her sister is seriously considering locating to Orlando in the next year or two. She's a pharmacist & can most likely stay in her hospital group up there. Our son & his wife life in Chicago but due to the cold weather, not a place we'd ever move to. If the middle child does go to Orlando, no real reason for us to stay where we currently live. Luckily, we live in a family oriented city on a cul-de-sac, very safe for kids & has great schools. We know the house will sell pretty quickly, though it does need some major work, we'd price it knowing this but still think it'll go fast. Not crazy about the Orlando area but want to be within an easy drive of our girls so it's a price we're willing to pay. Figure we should be all done with by early 2026 but hopefully, mush earlier. Just need to have all our ducks in a row before we hand over our set of keys. Glad our time frame is long as I have a lot of stuff to go through. I'm the pack rat if you will & purging stuff is difficult for me. The family has learned to let me do it at my pace as I will get it done. I just can't be rushed. Your article really hit home with me & has given me the motivation I needed to start purging now, so I thank you for basically telling me what I already knew. You've really shown me that we are not alone in planning our futures!

  Post: Free in the World

  Link to comment from August 20, 2023

• Interesting article, counting the days and all. Just not something I do. About to turn 69, and thank G-d every day for the chance to get up & make it fun. Having lost two siblings by their 58th birthdays and a twin at 66, I no longer take life for granted, thus the thanking G-d every morning for another day. Finally empty nesters & all the kids seem to be doing great financially. We've always lived under our means which helped us to pay off our mortgage almost 30 years ago. We're both still working, me part time, and only because I want to. Between my pension, s s & investments, we're living a good life. Found that moderation is the key in every aspect of life. Had the "when do we retire" talk a few days ago, and have decided to stay the course & re-visit the topic next year as we both like our current life style & jobs. We are truly blessed but am cognizant that it could all be taken away at any time, so try to live each day to the fullest. Our glasses are truly half full and we have the man above to thank for that!

  Post: 1,000 Days at a Time

  Link to comment from August 20, 2023

• Having visited a relative living there years ago, would definitely never want to live there. Felt like it was an older version of The Stepford Wives if you get my drift. Though nice to look at, seemed more like a cult-like atmosphere which seemed to lean in one particular direction. After being there a short time, was happy to get out to be honest. Prefer living on the coast while still hot, a bit more temperate with more folks in the middle. At this point in my life, would prefer to move out of Florida for some cooler weather & more sane folks to be honest.

  Post: Not My Place

  Link to comment from August 19, 2023

• Like yourself, I love dividend paying stocks so when I came into a small inheritance, I invested it all in a few stocks which pay out each month. With some dollar cost averaging, I decide when it's time to purchase more shares & bank the rest. Having no mortgage and always living below our means has helped our bottom line. We're not rich by any stretch but definitely middle class folks who enjoy our work & our lives as empty nesters. We both still work, me part time since my forced retirement in 2010, and are not looking to stop quite yet. Have decided to work another couple of years & then see where we're at.

  Post: Riding Out the Storm

  Link to comment from August 19, 2023

• Was forced into retirement back in 2010 and after waiting a couple of years, transitioned back into the work force with a part time gig I still enjoy over ten years later. Working part time because I want to is a whole different thing because we don't even use that income to live on. Having a pension with a yearly COLA, social security plus other investments, life is great. Wife still works full time, her choice, while I'm gone three days a week which has turned into the perfect balance for us. So for the next couple of years, we'll both keep on doing what we're doing then, we'll see where things are in 2025 & make any changes then.

  Post: Learning to Retire

  Link to comment from August 19, 2023

• Seems like a great way to start retirement actually. See America first then decide where to put down roots for the later years.

  Post: No Fixed Address

  Link to comment from August 19, 2023

• I was forced into early retirement at age 56 and at first, was very unhappy about it. Was also recovering from an on the job injury a few years before so besides the mental anguish, there was also the physical pain. Hit a very low point & suffered from depression until one weekend where I hit rock bottom. There was no place to go, but up, and that's exactly what happened. Decided at that moment that I had two choices here, either to wallow in misery or, do something about it. Within a few months, got back into the work force part time in a new industry that was perfect for a retiree. This was over ten years ago and now at a different company where I still work today. Three days a week and I couldn't be happier. Get out of the house and work with other retirees & we all enjoy our jobs. The extra income is indeed a nice perk but not needed for our daily lives since we've always lived under our means. Working part time because one wants to is a whole different world as the stress is no longer there. So, have been able to go from rock bottom to a very happy & meaningful life. It was me who decided to make lemonade from lemons & still enjoying the ride years later!!!

  Post: My Retirement Shock

  Link to comment from August 19, 2023