Retirement planning

[AnneTeresa]

I’d like to hear from some catholics who are serious about their faith how they are “doing retirement”.

I am starting to consider retiring next year (my hb is already retired) and we’ve been talking about what we want to do before our health goes. My hb is ten years older than I am and one thing I know is I would like to retire before he (or I) am too unhealthy to enjoy it.

Is it selfish to plan a retirement where you mostly relax–do the things you couldn’t do when you were working full time–or is that just a normal life stage that is OK if you are blessed enough to have that option? How do you reconcile a life lived for God with a retirement lifestyle? I really would like to hear from other committed catholics who are in that stage of life.

 

[Debbie_Keefe]

I retired 2 years ago and love it. I became a Eucharistic Minister, bring communion to Catholics at our local Seton Hospital, and assist at the Communion service there, I teach CCD, and was an RCIA sponsor last year. I could not do all of that before retirement. I am also able to go to daily Mass, which is truly a blessing. I think it’s important to plan for your new life after retirement and include ways to give back to society and or your church. God Bless!

 

[Xantippe]

I’d like to hear from some catholics who are serious about their faith how they are “doing retirement”.

I am starting to consider retiring next year (my hb is already retired) and we’ve been talking about what we want to do before our health goes. My hb is ten years older than I am and one thing I know is I would like to retire before he (or I) am too unhealthy to enjoy it.

Is it selfish to plan a retirement where you mostly relax–do the things you couldn’t do when you were working full time–or is that just a normal life stage that is OK if you are blessed enough to have that option? How do you reconcile a life lived for God with a retirement lifestyle? I really would like to hear from other committed catholics who are in that stage of life.

I’m younger, but one thing I hear is that a huge share of volunteering (St. Vincent de Paul, church food banks, ferrying little old ladies to Mass, looking out for the very frail older people) is done by people your age.

A little work can also make retirement savings go much further. And I would actually recommend that as a way to stay active. My grandpa quit his mill job at around 70, but kept on farming until last year (when he turned 92). His mom (my great-grandma) was fattening up half a dozen or so Holstein steers well into her mid/late 80s as a retirement hobby/business. She also had an amazing garden that I used to toil in as a kid–picking raspberries, digging potatoes, etc.

I think a pure recreational retirement would get boring very quickly and would also be an unsustainable drain on finances.

 

[Musician]

My husband is 12 years older than I am, and he is taking early retirement next year. He will be 62. I am so afraid of him working himself to death and us not have a retirement to be together. So I helped him decide on this early retirement.
With eight grandchildren in and out of the house for childcare, we will be fairly busy on a day-to-day basis. Plus, we have land that he wants to work on (he is very fit). So there will be lots to do, really, without getting in each other’s hair.
We are also very active in our parish and its school, where most of our grandchildren attend.
One thing is getting finances in order, which we have done. We aren’t even close to rich, but our basics will be provided for and that’s what counts.

 

[jnjinnc]

Wife and I retired 10 years ago and moved from the rust belt to the Southeast US. Since moving, we have become very active in our small Parish, have had the opportunity to travel, volunteer at the local hospital, do the meals on wheels delivery as subs and attend daily Mass and Rosary.

Between our volunteer stuff and the Church things (KofC, Women’s Circle, EMCs, Lectors) we have a wonderful Faith Life and Retirement Life. Fact is, I don’t know how we had time to hold down jobs! :extrahappy:

 

[Pax2u]

I am 60, and retired last fall. My DH is still working…maybe through this year, or possibly next year (same age as me). I’ve approached my retirement differently than those who have already posted. I worked for 43 years, taught religious education for many years, raised children and helped with grandchildren. Frankly, I am totally enjoying just putzing around my house, reading, cooking, exercising, and finally good, quality prayer time when I’m not ready to fall asleep!! In the past 9 months I haven’t been bored at all, and truly love just being at home. No big desire to go out and find a part time job or volunteer…not at this point. Maybe sometime down the road, but I’ve done a lot of that in the past, and really am enjoying just having this down-time.

When DH retires we plan to do some traveling. We enjoy flea markets, antique shops, and garage sales. We like to read and watch movies. We’ll most likely go to daily Mass once or twice during the week. We live pretty simply, and have planned and saved for a most of our adult life to be ready financially for retirement. Whatever you decide, just go with what your heart tells you…what is a wonderful retirement for YOU might not look the same as someone elses.