Retirement, What is it?

Andy Martin

Well-known Member
In reading the new shop thread, I found it interesting that several mentioned something to the effect that if they had the money for a new shop, they would retire instead. My question is, what do you plan to do during retirement?

My plans are basically to fix up all the old equipment I haven't had time to do when working, as well as pursue woodworking, blacksmithing, broom making, weaving, and other hobbies as well as baling a little hay and feeding some momma cows.

If I had money for a new shop I would build it before retirement prior to retiring so I would have a better place to enjoy working in retirement.
 
(quoted from post at 08:26:32 10/09/15) In reading the new shop thread, I found it interesting that several mentioned something to the effect that if they had the money for a new shop, they would retire instead. My question is, what do you plan to do during retirement?

My plans are basically to fix up all the old equipment I haven't had time to do when working, as well as pursue woodworking, blacksmithing, broom making, weaving, and other hobbies as well as baling a little hay and feeding some momma cows.

If I had money for a new shop I would build it before retirement prior to retiring so I would have a better place to enjoy working in retirement.

Being able to putter around in the shop with no real deadlines is one of the best parts of retirement.
 
I do exactly the same things in retirement that I did
when I was working.
only difference is that the large time-clock hours chunk out of my day that was gone.....is now mine.

always makes me wonder when pre-retirement people wonder what they will do with their day after.
sounds like the job is consuming too much of life..adjust it..
your family will be happier...even with a touch less money and stuff....
 
Not everybody gets to retire in style. A lot of people try their best to handle the obstacles placed in front of them as they go from young to being old. It would be nice that a person can rise rapidly in a company to make a big salary while relatively young to build a nest egg for later. For a lot of people it just did not work out that way. Promotions went elsewhere due to favoritism. Turned done a better job because you did not want to pull family away from relatives and friends. Mother is in poor health and if you moved she would suffer from lack of help yet moving her in the house makes the breathing space a little too cramped. A lot of people will have to work in retirement to survive. If somebody did it "right" then all the power to them but many people especially younger will not know the retirement that many currently enjoy in terms of liesure.
 
Forget the shop,I need to build a gym before I can retire. I took a week off and came back feeling so fat and sluggish I can barely function. I wouldn't last as month before I bloated up so big I wouldn't be able to breath if I quit working.
 
As little as 6 years ago I didn't think I would ever be able to afford to retire. Things worked out and now I'm just waiting
to sell my other house which will allow my wife to retire. Wood and machine shops are all set up and then I want to build an
airplane while my health still holds.
 

I'm thinking like you. Wife and I are 2 years away from retirement and I'm buying things that will help us build our retirement home on some acreage we own and get a few horses. When I retire, I won't have the same income I do now to be able to buy those big-ticket items.
 
I am pretty sure I am one of the first to say that. I did ALOT of rebuilding and restoring of tractors and other things when I was young. Thought I would always be doing it. And then sell them off for a retirement income. Well tractor prices have tanked ! Then got married and had kids and the time and extra money just went away. Now my body is not holding up. Last year did a lot of work moving the mother in law after father in law died and I goofed up my knee and boy that sure shuts you down.
A few years back before this current president I came to realize buying & selling items made me more money than I ever made repairing them tearing up my body in the process. Wish I'd of done more of it back when.

If your in good enough shape and have enough spare money to spend on a HUGE shop I sure won't stop you. Go for it ! Many of these kind of shops mentioned are featured on Successful Farmings top shops. These run into the million dollar range !

Right now I'd sure enjoy not having to get up and go to work only to still barely make enough to pay the insurance companies and taxes ! I could also start giving the tractors I have the attention they deserve.
 
How can you retire if you sell off all your tools and have no shop? What would you do all day instead ,sit in a chair? You won't last long into retirement sitting in a chair.
 
Retirement for me has been RV trips to National Parks in the off season when not so crowded,,,,,,,Florida in the winter for Antique Tractor Shows and Bluegrass Festivals,,,,,,,,,,picking a darn old banjo at jams,,,,,,,,,,fun and time working in shop,,,,,,,,,,,visiting kids and grandkids,,,,,,,, part time semi retired law practice when home to help finance RV travel,,,,,,,,,,,no time clocks and extreme lowwwwwwwwwwwwwwww stress lifestyle. HOWEVER I saw too many old friends retire with no hobbies or interests who sat on the couch and watched TV and died grrrrrrrrrrrr Its NOT about money anymore, ITS YOUR HEALTH and money cant buy that. If your priorities have been God and Family and Country and you lived and retired on a frugal lifestyle, you are blessed and fortunate. Its been a good ride.

John T
 
By god John I like your speed. I am retired and now live in Fl full time. Travel some .Where in Fl do you go ? I am in Zephyr Hills because of the Blue Grass jams here. I go to Fly Wheelers also. Well John Safe travels to you. Keep that old swing a swinging and that old Banjo a ringing. Maybe run into you some time. Thanks Jack
 
By god Retirement is a great thing. I had 30 some years of retirement working for Freddie Goodrich doing machinery auctions all over the North East and even up in Nova Scotia. Great life then and now I am too old to get around so I set here and look at Yesterdays Tractors. Remember that when you retire every day is Saturday, And on Saturdays you can sleep till noon. And I often do just that.
 
When i retire I plan on sleeping late, maybe as late as 5-5:15am. I never plan to retire. I'm doing what I want to do however it would be nice to do it because I want to and not because I need to. I have a small retirement that I can start drawing from in a couple of years. That will pay all of my personal stuff and anything I make off of the farm I can put back in.
 
We base around Lake Bonnett Village on SR 17 between Avon Park and Sebring. However we exhibit at BOTH Jan and Feb Flywheelers in Fort Meade (stay 12 days each show) plus Pioneer Days in Zolfo Springs. WE go to Bluegrass Festivals at Yeehaw Junction and Craigs RV Park in Arcadia plus Sertoma Youth Ranch near Brooksville in late March. WE NEED TO MEET UP THIS WINTER. My friend Dusty winters there in Zephyrhills.

John T
 
Lol at Rex's reply. Yup, just as busy as I was while I was working. Only difference is I do it for myself and my kids, and grandkids now, not for someone else.
 
Seams like there isn't enough time to do all my projects, and mowing jobs. Since I retired.I don't know how I did it while I worked in my factory job. The only good thing is, If I want to take some time off I just do it. The bad part is I am getting older. Stan
 
Well, I think you are on the right track. When I was 'crazy workin', I made some REAL $$. I took the time to figure how and what,. In 2001, I built an addition to my wood shop. Currently, it is 1650 ft2. I have developed a clever RULE ; "If you are in the shop other than to get a beverage,' then you MUST throw something out'. This is working out well. Two garbage cans later it's lookin' good
 
I retired this past February.

I have plenty of project just waiting to be completed.
But for the first five months I mainly sat on the back porch and watched it rain.
We had an unusually wet spring this year.
All my more ambitious projects required dry conditions.

I managed to complete two main ones that were in the planning for the past several years.
I put in a french drain for my garden, and built and installed an entry gate with an automatic opener.

The main thing to watch is your health.
Even a small lift performed recklessly can leave you with a sore back for days.
 
I don't think I could officially retire till I own every tool that has ever been made... I thought once I could get a dollar a min. I would be rich,that did not make me rich now I am shooting for two dollars a minute...

I don't plan to lay my wrenches down as long as my health lets me work and I can fetch top dollar for my time...
 
I don't see me ever "retiring". It would kill me. I can retire from teaching in 11 years so at that point
my retirement will be only farming this 1000 acres. I have done both for so long I've forgotten what
it is like to eat dinner while it is light and go someplace and spend the night. I have been off the
farm overnight one time in all of these years. That was to go to a crop conference with a neighbor.

I find that the older I get the more comfy equipment I buy. Last year we bought a tractor that was
only 18 years old. She's like a Cadillac. Maybe retirement will mean buying another tractor that's
only a couple of decades behind the times. Those creature comforts make the cab feel like an
office!
 
At 64 years old retirement is far into the future for me unless something drastic happens. I hope to wait till 70 to start collecting. Medicare is coming soon though.
 
John T thanks for the response. We will for sure meet up at Fly Wheelers.Where do you set up at Fly Wheelers ?? And what do you display ? Looking to see you. Thanks Jack
 

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