What are you gonna do in retirement?

Singapore
June 25, 2007 1:22am CST
I've realised that myLot is a diverse community of stay-at-home-mums, students, people who work but are so efficient they have extra time to myLot, and retired grandpas and grandmas. The last group of this interesting demographic spectrum got me thinking. What age do you think you'll retire, realistically speaking? 55? 65? never, cos you enjoy working full-time? what would you want to do ideally, during your retirement? And if you think you might not achieve this ideal, then what do you think realistically speaking, you'll actually be doing in your retirement years? If you are already retired, what do you do to keep yourself occupied? How different is that from what you imagined yourself to be doing during retirement, say 20 years ago?
4 people like this
10 responses
@PunkyMcPunk (1477)
• Canada
25 Jun 07
I am 26 years old. I have my retirement planned out already. I hope/want to retire by the time I am 67 years old at the latest or 63 years at the earliest... I want to have enough saved to buy a really nice RV and I want to travel all across Canada and the USA and down into Mexico. I want to take that RV just about anywhere I can drive it. I would drive it to Europe and Asia if there wasn't those oceans in the way lol! But I also want to stay active by farming. Farming is my love and passion but unfortunately here in Canada it isn't stable or profitable enough these days to make a career out of which si a complete bloody shame of which I am terribly upset about (stupid useless government!) So anyways, I would love to run about 100 if not more head of beef cattle and when they are on pasture in the summer time I want to travel. Then in the winter the cattle would keep me occupied looking after them. I would also be able to make money off the calves I could sell.
• United States
25 Jun 07
I think it's wonderful that you have your retirement planned out already at such a young age. Good for you!! My husband and I would also like to buy a big RV and travel. I hope we can do that someday.
1 person likes this
• Canada
31 Jul 07
Farming can be tough but it is a labour of love and I love it.
• Singapore
26 Jun 07
yup, 63-67 sounds realistic. these days women especially are expected to live till 85, and that's just half of us! Farming and cattle sounds like a very idyllic lifestyle too. although it might be hard work? but the picture of a farm looks like a great dreamscape.
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
25 Jun 07
Sometimes I wonder if I will ever retire - my guess is as long as my fingers can type and my brain is functioning somewhat I will still be writing. I just can't imagine 'retirement' as I always have been busy and will continue to do so as long as I can - retirement will mean doing what I do now just being older and older and older.
2 people like this
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
26 Jun 07
Experience is certainly helpful for a writer but also need to get it 'on paper' before the mind goes and start forgetting things.
• Singapore
26 Jun 07
that's great. I think writers get better as they get older. more experience to back the writing.
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
25 Jun 07
To be honest I have not really thought about this and I know my husband and I should be planning towards it too. I am a stay at home mom and most probably will return to the workforce when my son starts school. I don't think I could afford to retire at the age of 55 but I'm hoping that my husband and I are able to. We don't have any set plans yet. Realistically I hope by then we have secured a small home or apartment for us somewhere here or there (maybe back in Samoa) and enjoying what life we have left to live. I would expect enjoying our time with our grandkids and family. Would be nice to go on a cruise too.
2 people like this
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
26 Jun 07
Well we moved from Samoa last August. I am actually Samoan/Cook Island and was born and raised in New Zealand. It is a beautiful island with lovely beaches, friendly people, very hospitable. Very rich in culture and traditions which took a little getting use to. My son loved living there :)
• Singapore
26 Jun 07
wow you came from Samoa? A friend got to know someone else from Samoa. It's a gorgeous island right?
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
26 Jun 07
Ideally, I want to retire now. It need not be age dependent. It is just the mind. I have met people who have actually achieve their goal to retire at 40. They were back to work after 3 years. The reason being it was too boring to be a retiree. In my opinion, these people are really lucky to have the free time, but they do not know how to spend it. There are so many things one can do when one retire. I would be a busy retiree - working part-time to kill time as well as keep the mind running, volunteer my service to homes and religious organisations, continue to fullfill my dream to travel round the world as well as providing healing services.
1 person likes this
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
26 Jun 07
Yup, healing. There are many free clinics in Singapore, isn't it? It is just to fulfil a dream. My ambition was to be a doctor, and I missed the chance to study medicine.
• Singapore
26 Jun 07
wow - healing services? Like medical help? Yup, Singapore needs more volunteers like you. I once considered giving tuition to sick/hospitalised children via Club Rainbow but too busy these days sigh.
1 person likes this
@arcidy (5005)
• United States
25 Jun 07
I would love to retire now because I hate working lol but ill probally retire at the normal age like 60 or something like that and I have no idea what ill do because I have no idea what ill be like then I know what I would do now I would watch tv sleep and go on lots of vacations lol.
2 people like this
• Morocco
25 Jun 07
good lock im happy to read your pool.
1 person likes this
• Singapore
26 Jun 07
yeah... but lots of vacations require lots of savings, so guess we all need to save more.
@FSCAries (881)
• United States
26 Jun 07
I'm not sure about retirement 20 years ago, or even what mine will be like, but I would like to think I am going to be able to come up with something so that I can live me dream. See, I want to live like I'm retired, now. I want to travel around and see the world and spend time with people I love. It will happen, just gotta have faith.
1 person likes this
• Singapore
26 Jun 07
Lots of people want to spend retirement seeing the world! Yup, take heart. Work hard and save hard now!
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
25 Jun 07
I guess you could say I am retired. I don't collect ba pension and probably won't be working again at anytime soon. 20 years ago I was drinking to forget the stress of my job, my life, and daily events. I worked for a small manufacturing company. I hated jobs in reality. Too stressful. I was working 14 hour days and never had free time with raising a family etc so I just drank away all my problems. I am now sober and semi-retired. I do a lot of gardening and yard work. I also am the caregiver for my father till he passes. I take walks ever so often in Nature centers, city parks etc. That's what I do in retirement. HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
• Singapore
26 Jun 07
I thought everyone collected social security once reaching the age? that's the good thing about the US compared with Singapore there's no SS benefit. Glad that you're now sober and doing so much great gardening! I'm sure your dad really appreciates all you're doing for him. Take care!
@daycarepal (1998)
• United States
25 Jun 07
Oh I hope I'll be able to retire someday, but it doesn't look good. I'll probably have to work a couple days a week because things are just so expensive nowadays. My husband and I would love to buy one of those campers that you get in and drive. We would like to do some traveling. Even if it was just going away on long weekends at first.
1 person likes this
• Singapore
26 Jun 07
sometimes it can be boring to totally retire as well. It could be more interesting and easier to keep one's brain alive by working a couple of days a week and travelling over the weekends. (:
@japboy (572)
• Malaysia
26 Jun 07
I'm not sure yet because i'm still a student but i think i'll retire when i feel that i can't do any job anymore and lets my children continue the business,If i have a business that making profit every year.If not,i just stay at home or go holiday with all of my family.
@japboy (572)
• Malaysia
26 Jun 07
sorry i post twice.It's because my connection sometime always making problem.
@japboy (572)
• Malaysia
26 Jun 07
i'm not sure yet because i'm still a student but i think i'll retire when i feel i can't do the job anymore and let my children continue my business,if i have a business that making profit.If not,i don't know what to do.Maybe just hang out and go holiday with my family.
• Singapore
26 Jun 07
yah a family business is such that one never really retires! I see really old grandpas running food stalls with their kids. And those are really profitable food stalls that have provided for their whole family, including luxury cars and landed property.