Speaking of retirement…

Brad Dimond wrote:

My son works for Delta, has stated that he wants to go to New Zealand next year with his girlfriend and Mom & Dad. Early days in planning but I am very interested.

Go any way you can. It’s a butt-buster to get down there, but it’s like nowhere else I’ve ever been.

I just like to travel anyway, but I’ll tell you there’s something really different about going down there. We went for a walk on the beach south of the famous Moeraki Boulders one day with the kids and just in the tall grass by the edge of the beach I stopped and there on the ground are these 18-inch tall birds sitting there looking up at us. In my little ol’ Minnesota mind, the first thing that registered is, “Dang. They’ve got some weird looking ducks down here.”

It probably took 15 seconds before it hit me, they were freaking penguins. Just sitting there on nests looking at us. They didn’t do anything, we stood there looking at them, they sat there looking at us. Not many places you can go to see things like that.

Go if you can. Here are the Moeraki Boulders

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

As an added benefit, the New Zealanders are the nicest people on the face of the earth and on the South Island, they seem almost surprised that you’re there. Outside of the major tourist hotspots, 99% of the foreigners never venture more than a mile away from Queenstown or Christchurch’s city center.

So that’s where we’re heading.

Rub it in why don’t you! You are 100% right though Grouse, the most beautiful country and everyone is super friendly. We stayed in the most populated area on the north island, Auckland, and it was absolutely mind blowingly gorgeous all over the city and many places within an hour drive…then we went to the south island and it was even more amazing PLUS no people anywhere. I cannot wait to go back. So to bring it back on topic, marry a Kiwi and retire there, or find a career that is in demand there and immigrate and never leave. Pretty sure those are the only 2 options.

Well I just turned 64. I don’t think I can retire officially until I’m what, 66.5? If I last that long. Honestly I don’t think I’ll ever be able to retire, I’ll just keep working. As long as I can catch a few fish, eat regularly, and stay warm in the winter I guess I can’t ask for much more than that.

S.R.

BigWerm wrote:

So to bring it back on topic, marry a Kiwi and retire there, or find a career that is in demand there and immigrate and never leave. Pretty sure those are the only 2 options.

Yes, to prevent Asian investment that was hyper-inflating the housing market prices, NZL now bans the purchase of real estate by non-citizens. So that makes it much more expensive to move down there for the long term, even in retirement because you can only rent property.

They have a merit visa system down there, so if you happen to be a doctor or RN, you’re in. Some skilled trades can also get visas fairly easily, I’ve heard a diesel mechanic can get a visa almost faster than a doctor.

Mrs. Grouse’s aunt has a nice house in Gore. Gore bills itself as “The Brown Trout Capital of the World.” They aren’t lying. From Mrs. Grouse’s aunt’s driveway, I would walk across the street, up the flood embankment, and the Matara River was across the park about 50 yards away. I fished literally through the middle of Gore and never saw anyone else fishing.

Grouse

” I fished literally through the middle of Gore and never saw anyone else fishing.”

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I’ll be waiting with a freshly squeezed screwdriver in my flip flops. See you soon.

mplspug wrote:

I’ll be waiting with a freshly squeezed screwdriver in my flip flops. See you soon.

Why would you have a screwdriver in your flip flops?

For me it’s 65 days 15 hours and 35 seconds to be a permanent retirey
We will be going places seeing things and basically doing what ever we want when we want

I think my plans are different than most and I’m sure they will change over time. I’m 38yrs old and I recently took a job that allows me to work in the winter and guide 7 days a week in the summer. We have three lil kids so spending time with them while they are young is our priority right now.

Retiring early will probably never be an option but guiding in the mornings and spending the rest of the day on the pontoon swimming with the kids is my “now retirement”. So in short I may never retire a rich man but I feel like the richest man in the world right now.

What’s that phrase from “My Generation”
By the way Bk the fifties ain’t old, your old.

11 years retired, a mine of a 25 or younger person and in a body of a 69 and 1/2 body. I love it and you all will when the time comes. All smiles!!!!!!!!!!!

Not to rain on your retirement dream but some things will change as you wake up retired. For one your hunting and fishing buddies may not have the health to accompany you like they use to. Your body will limit the things you use to do alone. I have been retired 7 years now and I think I have a handle on it. I was a school teacher and spent many of my summers practicing retirement by traveling all over the west, but not far enough to make it to California. The biggest challenge is keeping active in the winter months aside from ice fishing, snowmobiling, cutting firewood. I have a cabin in Canada I share with my brother and I spend a couple of weeks at a time there two or three times a summer. I usually spend some of September in Montana for the trout and the ruffed grouse. I have spent the whole month of September after elk and I will tell you calling in bull elk is a blast I had 21 bull within 30 yards or less before I took one.
My gal isn’t prone to travel so most of my trips are alone or I may meet up with friends. I also bought all of my retirement equipment before I retired and that was beneficial for many reasons. There are a great many things about retirement but it is best to prepare for all aspects of retirement.
I retired 5 years before my partner it was harder on her as I left for a fun day and she left for work. its better now with both of us enjoying our time. It should be known I ran a cash crop soybean corn operation for ten years before retiring and continue to do that now but at only half the size. That farm keeps me busy and is part of my retirement plan.

Mike

Brian Klawitter wrote:

Now, after my FW’s idea to get a floating camper, it’s changed again. Fishing while moving to a warmer climate and coming back to good ol’ Pool 4 (and Favorite Granddaughter) in the summer months is what’s on the radar now.

BK

congrats on your retirement!

What happens when you head for the warmer waters of the south chasing those flatheads, Blues or Gars.

Will the great rivers of Jonny Reb be graced with your Yankee blue tights, red shorts, and cape, from the bow of the retirement home?

Will us working-class poor have access to your southern exploits through
you-tube videos.

The great rivers of the North will be missing your presence.

Hamms Spam and empty cans.

I’ll be 62 this year, no debt at all (yahoo!!!!), financially set, live on a lake. We’re just regular working folks, didn’t borrow money for toys, or stupid stuff. Other than our mortgage our biggest payment was always to ourselves for investments. I still really like what I do, so I’m not sure when I’m pulling the plug…. Time will tell.

BigWerm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Brad Dimond wrote:</div>
College buddies travel to games each year. Next fall the Army-Navy game is our destination.

We do the same but for NFL games, it’s a lot of fun. I’d also add Notre Dame/Chicago to your list Dave, Notre Dame is awesome and Soldier Field is pretty fun too.

Morgan Stanley hosted a private party on the Notre Dame track with tent, booze and giant shrimp for the UCLA/Notre Dame game with their Chicago/LA folks making for a friendly rivalry. Ron Paulus (sp?) won the game with a big comeback in the final seconds to send the LA folks home sad. One dude was a Bruin cornerback. Fun day!!!

Steve Root wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mplspug wrote:</div>
I’ll be waiting with a freshly squeezed screwdriver in my flip flops. See you soon.

Why would you have a screwdriver in your flip flops?

Because I have been waiting a while and it wasn’t my first

Anonymous wrote:

I’ll be 62 this year, no debt at all (yahoo!!!!), financially set, live on a lake. We’re just regular working folks, didn’t borrow money for toys, or stupid stuff. Other than our mortgage our biggest payment was always to ourselves for investments. I still really like what I do, so I’m not sure when I’m pulling the plug…. Time will tell.

This is indicative of my situation as well except I’m 10 yrs younger. Didn’t really get started with any kind of retirement savings until age 30-32. Currently saving like gangbusters to make up for lost time. I have all the retirement plans and catch ups maxed (401k & Roth) with additional investments/savings on the side. On the bright side I have no debt as well (yahoo x2). Like the Bon Jovi song said: “I’m half way there…” except hopefully I’m better off than living on a prayer.

I need to see what the health care climate is going to be. Too soon to assume anything.

29 now, been putting away 30% of my income since 24….Still doesn’t feel like I’m saving a darn thing. Wish I could see the light at the end of the tunnel as I’m pretty sure I don’t want to be stuck behind this desk long after 50.

I have been retired now for 2 years, I do pretty much the same as before, but the sense of urgency making every moment count is gone, if i don’t catch or kill something today, tomorrow is another day, if I am lucky.

I had an Epiphany, I will move up to the cabin, get a CDL, buy a logging truck and live happily ever after.
Oh, and fish on the weekends.

Plan on going at 50, but if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans…

Eelpoutguy wrote:

I had an Epiphany, I will move up to the cabin, get a CDL, buy a logging truck and live happily ever after.
Oh, and fish on the weekends.

Fantastic plan! After daily DOT inspections, Annual DOT compliance inspections, Biannual DOT health exams and truck/ trailer maintenance you should have about two hours a week to fish.

People can live their life whichever way they want, all good in my world.

My 2 cents, work hard and live hard. Goofiest F’in idea in the world to me to sacrifice your whole life, money that could be spent on more family vacations, even more fun times with friends to save for a time in your life that you hope to even live to, all the while your bones are achey, most joints have arthritis and your d!ck don’t work. But yeah great time to travel the world and have nicer toys you “saved” for your whole life hoping not all your friends die off to not only enjoy em with, but have them their to use bc you’re too old to launch em or trailer em up by yourselves…..

When I can’t work anymore, I can’t do much other stuff anymore. Sit my a$$ in a rockin chair, give me some books if I can still read, and let me reminsce in the memories of my life bc I’ll have plenty of em.

Youth is wasted on the young, Mr. Beads.

I couldn’t agree more, Mr Beads.

There’s no reason to not have fun while you are saving for retirement. Canada, LOTW, Rainy, Lake Michigan, Devils Lake, Fort Myers, Europe, Cataract Canyon whitewater and more fit in to my pre-retirement plans.

Oh yeah, everything I have done is pre-retirement since I am still working. I just want to also be able to have fun post-retirement.

I planned to die early & leave a tattered & useless corpse….. but I’ve been retired 7 yrs now …… so I even screwed that up.

One thing I will say is That I have a hard time with managing time. I used to work 80+ hr weeks and still managed a household. Now I find myself always trying to catch up. The busiest unemployed guy I know. Maybe I’ve just slowed down that much or I can’t keep up with the world as it revolves around/past me.

I have so much pain & memory issues that life seems to suck that much more each day …… I feel like I’m 20 yrs older than I am.

All I can say is that I’m lucky that I retired early….cause you never know how long you’ll make it.

That’s a good take Mr. Beads. I’ve thought before too about what would happen if someone took maybe a 10-year mid-life “retirement” and then went back to work longer, that way you’re doing all the fishing & travelling of retirement but you’re in better shape and younger. Interesting concept but would probably be hard to pull off.

The wife and I have done a pretty good job of saving for the future while still getting in a few trips and fun experiences while we’re still at this age. I absolutely always have an eye on saving for the future but I also don’t want to always be living for a tomorrow that never comes (thanks Garth).

Mr Beads
I agree with your philosophy to a small extent,but after all the youthful bravado subsides planning for the future is necessary.
I had a great time as a younger person but still found ways to plan for a family(4 kids) and retirement. I retired at 55 and never looked back 8 yrs ago.
ps: I’ve been in my Lund 41 of the last 45 days down in Arizona, fishing has been very good! Sure beats working until I need a rocking chair.

I agree, it’s not for everyone. And it’s far from youthful bravado. Way too many close people and family members kickin the bucket before retirement or just couple years in.