My wife and I were talking about retirement Friday and she mentioned that I would have to give up my "hobby" if I retire now instead of keep working for another year or two.
Income will be stable enough at first, but as anyone who has been through the "retirement counseling" seminars, it is what things cost 7-10 yrs. down the road that are crucial.
Inflation has not been an issue for the past decade or more but it will come back like with a vengeance since everyone is living on borrowed money, especially on the Government level.
I believe an economic "crash" is looming (I remember the last 3, but the next one is really going to level things off).
As I tell my students: not just families go bankrupt from spending more than they bring in, but countries do also.
I've been keeping the old-style blue Dome budget books for 3 decades and know exactly what my expenses are.
Some things have doubled in the past 20 yrs.: water and food to illustrate.
I told her I have already counted the costs and knew the realities, and wasn't going to keep working just to fund a hobby (I'm out of control, but not that much.,) especially one that is less than 2 yrs. old and only indulged in when the house and cars were paid off and no kids (no debt at all).
I just bought my wife a car and we'd intended to pay it off in 1.5 yrs. Not sure how not having a regular income will affect that since when I bought it I thought I was going to work 2-4 more years.
Buying a gun w/o selling what I have to pay for it (which I've been trying to do lately anyway) would be over, and I'd have to make some serious decisions about which guns to sell (not keeping two of the same kind of gun: Ruger Mark 4 and S/W 22A-1 or the same type/style of a gun: a dozen semi-auto .22LRs).
The biggest deal is ammo costs, imo., since not buying another gun stops that expenditure but ammo is ongoing and ongoing and ongoing.
When I go to the range, I usually put 200-300 rounds downrange. I couldn't go twice a week month after month at that rate when retired (9mm costs: $50/per session; $100/per week; $400/per month; $5200/per year). (.22LR costs would be $1733/yr.)
I've even thought that if retired I would want to go more often!
I have even thought I could shorten my range time and shoot 1/2 of the rounds (100-200 rounds) I do now .
Since many of you have "been there and done that," I thought I'd get some feedback on how you managed after retirement and your money flow was restricted.
Those of you still living on your spouse's dime during retirement b/c she is still working, need not reply. I do envy you though!
Income will be stable enough at first, but as anyone who has been through the "retirement counseling" seminars, it is what things cost 7-10 yrs. down the road that are crucial.
Inflation has not been an issue for the past decade or more but it will come back like with a vengeance since everyone is living on borrowed money, especially on the Government level.
I believe an economic "crash" is looming (I remember the last 3, but the next one is really going to level things off).
As I tell my students: not just families go bankrupt from spending more than they bring in, but countries do also.
I've been keeping the old-style blue Dome budget books for 3 decades and know exactly what my expenses are.
Some things have doubled in the past 20 yrs.: water and food to illustrate.
I told her I have already counted the costs and knew the realities, and wasn't going to keep working just to fund a hobby (I'm out of control, but not that much.,) especially one that is less than 2 yrs. old and only indulged in when the house and cars were paid off and no kids (no debt at all).
I just bought my wife a car and we'd intended to pay it off in 1.5 yrs. Not sure how not having a regular income will affect that since when I bought it I thought I was going to work 2-4 more years.
Buying a gun w/o selling what I have to pay for it (which I've been trying to do lately anyway) would be over, and I'd have to make some serious decisions about which guns to sell (not keeping two of the same kind of gun: Ruger Mark 4 and S/W 22A-1 or the same type/style of a gun: a dozen semi-auto .22LRs).
The biggest deal is ammo costs, imo., since not buying another gun stops that expenditure but ammo is ongoing and ongoing and ongoing.
When I go to the range, I usually put 200-300 rounds downrange. I couldn't go twice a week month after month at that rate when retired (9mm costs: $50/per session; $100/per week; $400/per month; $5200/per year). (.22LR costs would be $1733/yr.)
I've even thought that if retired I would want to go more often!
I have even thought I could shorten my range time and shoot 1/2 of the rounds (100-200 rounds) I do now .
Since many of you have "been there and done that," I thought I'd get some feedback on how you managed after retirement and your money flow was restricted.
Those of you still living on your spouse's dime during retirement b/c she is still working, need not reply. I do envy you though!