Anonymous
05/11/2026 21:37
Subject: If you retired early
Volunteer at 2 different organizations, go out to lunch and coffee with other retired friends, take painting and poetry classes, exercise
Anonymous
05/11/2026 21:11
Subject: If you retired early
Anonymous wrote:^ In other words, you have to have purpose.
In other words you are not actually retired.
Anonymous
05/11/2026 21:10
Subject: If you retired early
I retired last year at 53. It’s been wonderful. I don’t have any problems filling my days. I still have a kid at home and a college student, so they require a fair amount of time. I love to read, do crossword puzzles, take long walks, exercise, bake, etc. There’s also an endless list of household projects that we never got to while working full time, plus some volunteer work. I feel like the days just fly by.
Anonymous
05/11/2026 21:04
Subject: If you retired early
^ In other words, you have to have purpose.
Anonymous
05/11/2026 21:02
Subject: If you retired early
I retired at 51 (former fed), but then I turned around and started working as a contractor for the federal government. I enjoy it because the work I do is intellectually stimulating, but I don’t have to manage people or work a punishing schedule anymore. I plan to work as a contractor until I’m 62, then I will either go part-time or do something entirely different.
The key is to stay mentally engaged, intellectually stimulated, and then exercise, socialize, and eat right. All of these will keep you mentally and physically fit and hopefully lead to a long life.
The key is to stay mentally engaged, intellectually stimulated, and then exercise, socialize, and eat right. All of these will keep you mentally and physically fit and hopefully lead to a long life.
Anonymous
05/11/2026 14:48
Subject: If you retired early
Recent meta analysis shows that early retirement is not correlated with earlier death
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7307664/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7307664/
Anonymous
05/11/2026 14:32
Subject: If you retired early
Anonymous wrote:Take care of elderly relatives and college aged kids.
+1
Anonymous
05/11/2026 14:32
Subject: If you retired early
Anonymous wrote:I think the bigger question is what is your DH going to do when he is retired? Is he going to be on your nerves, complaining and messing up the house 24 hours a day.
What a weird assumption that OP isn’t a man.
Anonymous
05/11/2026 14:30
Subject: Re:If you retired early
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I retired early - at 40. I am 60 now.
-Kids were young so a lot of my time went in guiding them and their academic and EC life.
- I invested and played the stock market of two countries and it has done well.
- I have invested time and energy in my family and relatives. I have cultivated a huge circle.
- We travel a lot. DH and I have several hobbies that we spend time on.
- Home improvements and yard improvements also take our time and we also entertain a lot.
- Exercise, daily life, yoga, healthy eating etc.
- We don't have pets. We have two adult kids who have launched well. We are empty nesters. DH is gearing for retirement but I encourage him to continue working because he enjoys his work a lot.
Maybe this is semantics, but I don't consider it "retiring" when you had young kids, and your spouse still worked and continues to work 20 years later. You just quit.
More charitably, you became a SAHM when your kids were young, but after that, you just didn't work. Which is great, good for you . . . but it isn't retirement.
It's not just semantics. This is what women who quit higher pay jobs early in their careers say to make themselves feel different than low income non-working women.
Anonymous
05/11/2026 14:29
Subject: If you retired early
I know lots of career feds, teachers, police, etc (the kind that get nice pensions in their early 50’s) who retired at that time and are doing great. None died early. That sounds like something people tell themselves because they can’t retire anyway.
Anonymous
05/11/2026 14:23
Subject: Re:If you retired early
I'm planning to retire at age 52. I plan to sub in our local public schools and invest time in my hobbies like native plant gardening, piano, reading, puzzles, house projects, hiking, etc. I'm also interested in taking advantage of educational opportunities, exhibits, concerts, etc. around the DC area.
I do worry sometimes that I'll be bored or sit around too much, but I think I'll be fine. I think there are plenty of satisfying ways to fill up time and money won't be a concern. My mom has never worked and she's healthy and active at age 74. A lot of times she seems busier than me and I work full time and have two teens!
I do worry sometimes that I'll be bored or sit around too much, but I think I'll be fine. I think there are plenty of satisfying ways to fill up time and money won't be a concern. My mom has never worked and she's healthy and active at age 74. A lot of times she seems busier than me and I work full time and have two teens!
Anonymous
05/11/2026 12:20
Subject: If you retired early
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:everyone I know who retired early died early as well.
Interesting observation. I have noticed that several people have died right before or soon after regular 60's age retirement.
OP here and this has been my experience as well.
Anonymous
05/11/2026 12:19
Subject: Re:If you retired early
Anonymous wrote:I retired early - at 40. I am 60 now.
-Kids were young so a lot of my time went in guiding them and their academic and EC life.
- I invested and played the stock market of two countries and it has done well.
- I have invested time and energy in my family and relatives. I have cultivated a huge circle.
- We travel a lot. DH and I have several hobbies that we spend time on.
- Home improvements and yard improvements also take our time and we also entertain a lot.
- Exercise, daily life, yoga, healthy eating etc.
- We don't have pets. We have two adult kids who have launched well. We are empty nesters. DH is gearing for retirement but I encourage him to continue working because he enjoys his work a lot.
Maybe this is semantics, but I don't consider it "retiring" when you had young kids, and your spouse still worked and continues to work 20 years later. You just quit.
More charitably, you became a SAHM when your kids were young, but after that, you just didn't work. Which is great, good for you . . . but it isn't retirement.
Anonymous
05/11/2026 12:13
Subject: If you retired early
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:everyone I know who retired early died early as well.
Interesting observation. I have noticed that several people have died right before or soon after regular 60's age retirement.
Its so common.
Anonymous
05/11/2026 12:12
Subject: Re:If you retired early
I retired at 57 this year.
I’ve travelled to 5 places so far but it’s impossible to fill all the hours of the day.
Psychologically it’s not good to do nothing for more than 5 hours a day.
I’m gonna get a part time job after the summer.
I’m not good at piddling around and making up chores to do.
I golf, Play pickleball, do yoga, hike, and cook. I watched my nephews kids over spring break but I also did that when I was working.
I’ve travelled to 5 places so far but it’s impossible to fill all the hours of the day.
Psychologically it’s not good to do nothing for more than 5 hours a day.
I’m gonna get a part time job after the summer.
I’m not good at piddling around and making up chores to do.
I golf, Play pickleball, do yoga, hike, and cook. I watched my nephews kids over spring break but I also did that when I was working.