Thursday, August 15, 2013

To retire, or not to retire?

    To retire, or not to retire? That is the question - if you haven't already retired. The answer lies with each individual's feelings and work situation. Many experts believe you should wait until you are 70 or older and have at least 1 million dollars saved.  However, I think I can speak for the majority of retirees when I say, if I had to wait until I was able to save at least 1 million dollars, if still alive, I would be, by far, the world's oldest man - and too old to enjoy retirement.
    So, most of us retirees have to make do with whatever resources we have and can get. If that means giving up some luxury things and even getting a part-time job for a while to supplement a pension, IRA, savings, and/or a social security monthly check - so be it.
    Again, everybody's situation is different, so retiring is certainly a life-changing decision. But I know for me (I'm a retired teacher), instead of sitting at the computer doing lesson plans or typing study guides and tests, preparing for conferences and meetings, or sitting on the couch grading papers, I'm doing what I love to do - creative writing and writing and recording songs. and even performing some. My wife is a painter - so she paints in her spare time. We both work part-time now, so we're retired half the time but, hopefully, soon we can just work at home full time - doing what we love to do. After all, life is short, so do what you enjoy the most as soon as you decide that you're able to.
    If you haven't already visited my new website, retirementwelcomecenter.com, please stop by and check it out. It's for retirees and future retirees - and anybody looking for retirement information or planning a retirement party. Browse the brochure rack. It has loads of website links to official informational sites like social security, medicare, and medicaid, as well as sites about retirement in general, retirement party planning and party songs, retirement poems and humor, plus much more... I'll add more links and information to it often.
    I look forward to seeing your thoughts, comments, and ideas on this blog - no advertisements or spam, please. I'll check it and post on it frequently, because, after all - I'm retired and have plenty of time!
    In the meantime, for your entertainment, here's my animated youtube Retirement Song video. More songs to come... 
     
On my next blog, I'll talk some about social security.