We recently also had a "lumpy" expense when our 20-year-old central AC unit died without warning. Ok, maybe the 20-year thing should have been a warning. So there went $10,000 we hadn't been expecting to pay right now. This on the heels of treating ourselves to a huge (70-inch) upgrade to our TV watching, along with a trip to Hersheypark with two of our grandkids. We're seven years into retirement and generally very conservative in our spending so all is good. Our spending philosophy is "Save money on what we need so we can spend on what we want." The kids break our chops when we use coupons so much and make trips to Costco, but so far so good.
Forget the financial stuff here, Jonathan. The key takeaway for me was Roy Rogers! My wife worked at one as a teen in Maryland. She loved working there, interacting with people and, of course, the roast beef sandwiches. Since there are no Roy Rogers any more in Connecticut, we have to stop at least once - no, make that twice - whenever we visit Maryland. She usually even tracks down the manager to thank them for another wonderful experience!
I struggled to hit the "like" button on this, Jonathan. How do you "like" someone's battle with such an awful disease? How do you "like" seeing someone whose work you've learned so much from for 30 years struggle so much? Yes, I hit the "like" button, but I don't like what you and your family are going through. May you take comfort knowing all your work has meant - and continues to mean - so much to so many.
My son and I built a 14x16 deck 7 feet off the ground off our kitchen and dining room 26 years ago when he was a teen and living with his mom. When he would stay with me every other weekend I would put him to work. It was a wonderful bonding experience, the planning, lifting, the driving of thousands of twist nails (back before deck screws were a thing, at least for me). He's a dad of his own now and whenever I am fortunate enough to be able to help him on small projects it brings back a flood of happy memories.
I was where you are five years ago, at age 67, when I retired. My daily commute increased to 100 miles per day roundtrip at the same time my media company offered an attractive buyout. It was a no-brainer for me, despite still enjoying the challenges of work. My wife, three years younger, followed suit 5 months later when her company offered an almost-too-good-to-be-true retirement incentive. To this day, we know we chose the right path.
The key here is to have something to retire to, whether it's hobbies, grandkids, traveling, etc. Have a reason to get up every morning, and don't fret if you didn't get to everything on your to-do list today. You'll still have tomorrow!
Best of luck in your decision.
I retired four years ago and felt much like you did. Our lives parallel each other in many ways. In 50 years of working, I never took a break. In fact, a career in newspapers was sandwiched around a 10-year "experiment" to work for myself, never taking more than two weeks off at a time for vacation. When I retired I had a lengthy list of daily "to-dos" I felt I HAD to accomplish. Slowly, with the help of my wife, I learned that if I didn't complete all of them, "there was always tomorrow. I'm retired, after all." It was a difficult transition, but I'm guessing it's typical for many of us. Best of luck with your continued successful transition. P.S. I'm even learning to work the saxophone!
Comments
Go for it!
Post: What They Don’t Tell You About Retirement: Part 1 – Everything Breaks
Link to comment from September 6, 2025
We recently also had a "lumpy" expense when our 20-year-old central AC unit died without warning. Ok, maybe the 20-year thing should have been a warning. So there went $10,000 we hadn't been expecting to pay right now. This on the heels of treating ourselves to a huge (70-inch) upgrade to our TV watching, along with a trip to Hersheypark with two of our grandkids. We're seven years into retirement and generally very conservative in our spending so all is good. Our spending philosophy is "Save money on what we need so we can spend on what we want." The kids break our chops when we use coupons so much and make trips to Costco, but so far so good.
Post: What They Don’t Tell You About Retirement: Part 1 – Everything Breaks
Link to comment from September 5, 2025
Forget the financial stuff here, Jonathan. The key takeaway for me was Roy Rogers! My wife worked at one as a teen in Maryland. She loved working there, interacting with people and, of course, the roast beef sandwiches. Since there are no Roy Rogers any more in Connecticut, we have to stop at least once - no, make that twice - whenever we visit Maryland. She usually even tracks down the manager to thank them for another wonderful experience!
Post: My Money Memories
Link to comment from August 7, 2025
I struggled to hit the "like" button on this, Jonathan. How do you "like" someone's battle with such an awful disease? How do you "like" seeing someone whose work you've learned so much from for 30 years struggle so much? Yes, I hit the "like" button, but I don't like what you and your family are going through. May you take comfort knowing all your work has meant - and continues to mean - so much to so many.
Post: Extra Innings
Link to comment from July 10, 2025
My son and I built a 14x16 deck 7 feet off the ground off our kitchen and dining room 26 years ago when he was a teen and living with his mom. When he would stay with me every other weekend I would put him to work. It was a wonderful bonding experience, the planning, lifting, the driving of thousands of twist nails (back before deck screws were a thing, at least for me). He's a dad of his own now and whenever I am fortunate enough to be able to help him on small projects it brings back a flood of happy memories.
Post: The Slumping Deck: A Lesson in Time, Money and Memory
Link to comment from June 24, 2025
How does the cost of the electricity you use to charge compare with what you would pay at the pump for the gas equivalent?
Post: A Rant about the Price of Gas
Link to comment from May 4, 2025
I was where you are five years ago, at age 67, when I retired. My daily commute increased to 100 miles per day roundtrip at the same time my media company offered an attractive buyout. It was a no-brainer for me, despite still enjoying the challenges of work. My wife, three years younger, followed suit 5 months later when her company offered an almost-too-good-to-be-true retirement incentive. To this day, we know we chose the right path. The key here is to have something to retire to, whether it's hobbies, grandkids, traveling, etc. Have a reason to get up every morning, and don't fret if you didn't get to everything on your to-do list today. You'll still have tomorrow! Best of luck in your decision.
Post: When and Where?
Link to comment from September 6, 2023
I retired four years ago and felt much like you did. Our lives parallel each other in many ways. In 50 years of working, I never took a break. In fact, a career in newspapers was sandwiched around a 10-year "experiment" to work for myself, never taking more than two weeks off at a time for vacation. When I retired I had a lengthy list of daily "to-dos" I felt I HAD to accomplish. Slowly, with the help of my wife, I learned that if I didn't complete all of them, "there was always tomorrow. I'm retired, after all." It was a difficult transition, but I'm guessing it's typical for many of us. Best of luck with your continued successful transition. P.S. I'm even learning to work the saxophone!
Post: Farewell Paycheck
Link to comment from July 27, 2022