Anyone go from SAHM to retirement?

[Anonymous]

I quit full time work in finance at 31 and now work 10 hours a week. It’s perfect for our needs. I found that when my youngest went to school all day I felt aimless. Now I work to better my community and help others to achieve their goals. The idea of getting a job for money that you don’t need is so depressing to me- but being able to do something that I love on a very part time basis has been good for both me and my family.

[Anonymous]

Another former finance Mom here. Right now I’m busy being a SAHM to 3 young children. I plan dabble in some real estate investments and do some trading. It is more for fun. I can’t imagine trying to get a part time job while kids are in school or trying to get rehired at age 50+.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 53, my youngest is 15 years old. 3 more years at home before he's off to college. I keep batting around returning to work but it's been nearly 18 years for me...yikes.

If I go back sometime between now and when we have an empty nest when I'm 56, I have to really think about the value in returning to work. At 56 I won't exactly be looking to start a new career. It would be strictly for the added income and it wouldn't be for that long, maybe 5 years? I've never approached working with quite that view before so the answer as to whether to go back or not isn't that obvious to me. Still debating....

At 56, reality check...no one is hiring you unless you want a service job or some other low-level part-time job that the employer finds difficult to fill. So not much to debate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm 53, my youngest is 15 years old. 3 more years at home before he's off to college. I keep batting around returning to work but it's been nearly 18 years for me...yikes.

If I go back sometime between now and when we have an empty nest when I'm 56, I have to really think about the value in returning to work. At 56 I won't exactly be looking to start a new career. It would be strictly for the added income and it wouldn't be for that long, maybe 5 years? I've never approached working with quite that view before so the answer as to whether to go back or not isn't that obvious to me. Still debating....

At 56, reality check...no one is hiring you unless you want a service job or some other low-level part-time job that the employer finds difficult to fill. So not much to debate.

If these moms didn’t need income at 54 they probably dont at 56- so lucky them to be able to look for something with low stress that they enjoy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm 53, my youngest is 15 years old. 3 more years at home before he's off to college. I keep batting around returning to work but it's been nearly 18 years for me...yikes.

If I go back sometime between now and when we have an empty nest when I'm 56, I have to really think about the value in returning to work. At 56 I won't exactly be looking to start a new career. It would be strictly for the added income and it wouldn't be for that long, maybe 5 years? I've never approached working with quite that view before so the answer as to whether to go back or not isn't that obvious to me. Still debating....

At 56, reality check...no one is hiring you unless you want a service job or some other low-level part-time job that the employer finds difficult to fill. So not much to debate.

If these moms didn’t need income at 54 they probably dont at 56- so lucky them to be able to look for something with low stress that they enjoy.

No beef with that but portraying it as debating whether to return to work in any meaningful way is just silly. And I think the point is the pickings at that age with no job experience aren’t likely to be all that fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get way more life and disability insurance.
The last think you want to do if your husband passes suddenly is worry about trying to go back to work immediately.

+ 1. We bought enough life insurance on DH that I never have to work again, I can pay for kids education and marriage, I can keep the house - if I live a bit carefully.
I went from SAHM to retirement. My kids have gone to college, but they have not finished and settled yet. They have still many years of college and higher education left that we are paying for.

[Anonymous]

I hope to do this. But i'm sure it has its pros and cons

[Anonymous]

But since she’s presumably working for fun I disagree with you.


It makes sense that those of you who have missed out on your kids only equate income with success, but those of us who invest in relationships and our families can be very open minded in what defines our success to us.

[Anonymous]

For a SAHM, once your kids go off to college - you are retired. Doesn't matter what age you are - this is what retirement looks like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For a SAHM, once your kids go off to college - you are retired. Doesn't matter what age you are - this is what retirement looks like.

My kids are still in ES but I list myself as “retired” . My income is interest based from investment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a SAHM, once your kids go off to college - you are retired. Doesn't matter what age you are - this is what retirement looks like.

My kids are still in ES but I list myself as “retired” . My income is interest based from investment.

No, you still have to pick them up, take care of them -- you're still a SAHM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a SAHM, once your kids go off to college - you are retired. Doesn't matter what age you are - this is what retirement looks like.

My kids are still in ES but I list myself as “retired” . My income is interest based from investment.

No, you still have to pick them up, take care of them -- you're still a SAHM.

Okay, but the bank doesn’t care about that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But since she’s presumably working for fun I disagree with you.


It makes sense that those of you who have missed out on your kids only equate income with success, but those of us who invest in relationships and our families can be very open minded in what defines our success to us.

If working as a greeter at Walmart or a barista at Starbucks or the check-in person at the gym or if she’s really lucky and gets a job answering phones somewhere - if that’s fun and success, then be open-minded and debate away. For people who actually have these jobs, I don’t think anyone is calling it “fun”.

It doesn’t have anything to do with income or investing in your family (but nice try). It’s the cluelessness and privilege to think anyone just hops back into the job market after 20 years and funds something “fun”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a SAHM, once your kids go off to college - you are retired. Doesn't matter what age you are - this is what retirement looks like.

My kids are still in ES but I list myself as “retired” . My income is interest based from investment.

No, you still have to pick them up, take care of them -- you're still a SAHM.

Okay, but the bank doesn’t care about that.

So? You can be independently wealthy or a trust-fund baby and still be working as a SAHM. My point is that once your kids are out of the house - your job as a SAHM is over and you are retired.

[Anonymous]

You’re acting like people take jobs as cashiers for Walmart for “fun”. They don’t, they take those because they need them. I have friends who “work” 3 hours a week at Williams Sonoma or fancy boutique olive oil stores. One works as a gardener for a private residence. One works as a personal trainer a few hours a week. These are choices people make to benefit themselves- not to rock the corporate world at 52. Choices are always a luxury.