The main question for me was....'Do I want to quit early and enjoy the better parts of my life? Or do I want to wait and save money for when I'm too old to enjoy it'

Easy decision.

Dude you completely echo my boss, also 47/48ish. She's absolutely of the "get out now and live" mindset. Don't work until you die, if you have any other means.

Of course for her "summer" is a verb and she has family on cape cod. I have family in Grandville MI, so "summer" is not a verb for us, it's just a season.

Spent three decades working on other peoples projects so thought it was about time to take a break and concentrate on my own project

Enjoying every minute of being away from work but also looking forward to going back to work as I'm not ready to retire just yet

Also need to go back to work to save up enough money to buy our last house but in the meantime I need to finish off my first house

Retired guys, what did you really need?

A working wife :D

Yep.

I could retire now and live a simple but good life.

...but there's that damned bucket list.

...longer I wait though, shallower that bucket gets.

i didnt plan my life out well when i was in my early early 20's. i dicked around way to much and ended up right behind the 8-ball. i rallied and got my S together. and quick.

but despite my best efforts, there is no substitute for the power of compounding interests. i cannot subscribe to "retire now". my life would be really really simple. i'd have to move to some tiny city with a low cost of living...like Juarez Mex :) hahha.

i have some more work life in me. because i have to.

Yeah I didnt really start making an effort until I was 30-ish. What I'm seeing now in my 50's is that even ramping up my annual contributions only has a small effect given I'd like to retire in just 7 years or less.

I'm trying really hard to help my kids understand that.

Depending on the markets over the next 25 years - they may get a nice head start from me, but uncertain.

"If your not making money while you sleep, you will be poor."
Warren Buffet

Well - the markets are usually closed when I'm sleeping so..... :D

Timely thread for me as well.

I have 2 more months to go, them I'm pulling the plug. Was going to go in February originally, but decided to stay just a little longer. I'll be 55 in May, and I'll have just a little over 30 years on the job. My wife will try to do a couple more years, but she can barely go to work if I take a day off, so we'll see.

The question of what do you really need is something I've thought about alot. I'm realizing that I actually want less stuff as I'm getting older. I'm actually looking to selling off some bikes, a car or two and would love a smaller house for just the two of us. I'm finding I don't want to have or maintain a bunch of stuff.

I'll have a decent retirement and won't have to change my lifestyle or spending, I'm just finding I want to.

So much truth here!

No, a also retired wife.

I NEED a $10K watch that I will never wear .... but...

I do get by without one ;).

Retired at 48 .... 14 years later.... no regrets.

I had planned to exit the corporate gig at 50 .... and then failed to reach that goal :D.

Umm. I got retired at 45. non-voluntarily retired, fired I guess you could say.

I just sold one or two houses to freehold others and have enjoyed doing next to nothing since LOL