Holidays after you are retired.

[FootScoot]

I took an early retirement at 55. Everything was great until I turned 65, then it hit the fan. Part of your ss goes back for medicare. Then the union reduced my pension by more than 50%. I may have to get a part time job to make ends meet. It's a good thing I have no mortgage or I would be in the street. I'm not far from there now.
I don't worry about packages as there are no more. Retirement hasn't been fun the last 10 months. Everyday is like every other day trying to hurry things up until I get paid again. Hopefully things will get better. :)

[mattb]

I retired early, at 49. I had one basic thought, if I have to, I will just go back to work again. No big deal, I had a skill and could make a decent paycheck if I had to. It worked out for me. I've worked part time jobs for 10 years or so of the 15 I have been retired. Not so much for the money, but to get out and be productive. I had insurance thru the hospital part time job and that saved me a bunch. I'm thinking of going back this fall. All of the previous part time places have asked me to come back. The hospital has asked me to come back as a volunteer and that is what I may do this fall. It is good to have something in your life you do that gets you out and is productive. .

Retirement takes some early sacrifice and conservative spending habits. You should start planning with your first full time job.

[Czar]

[DAVE]

I retired at 62, partly for health reasons and also I have several cars in restoration which I need to finish. The
work load became such that cars that could be driven but had been stored for the winter didn't get pulled
out and serviced for summer driving. The company went through several people hired to replace me, but
they just didn't work out, so I agreed to go back on a part time basis, one or two days a week. That escalated
to three, then four days weekly, and so I am right back where I started. The socialist security people don't
like me, they take back half of everything I get.

[Gameover]

This pretty much sums it up for me lol

[Modlerbob]

Well I may as well tell the rest of my story. I had my hip replaced in 2007 and after trying to go back to work I went out on disability as I had insurance I had been paying for for 20 years. Had to fight the insurance company to get the long term benefit which took a year, during which time I had to take money from my 401K to live on ( paid big taxes on that). Finally I had that and social security disability which added up to 60% of my before disability gross salary. This year I turned 66 which triggered the termination of the insurance benefit so now I am living on just social security retirement. I had to cut my expenses way back including buying as many toy cars as before. I still might have to go back and work part time if I can find a job at 66 working in a wheelchair.

Trouble is when I was younger I never expected to be living this long. Oooops! But it still beats the alternative.