Rethinking retirement - response by Jazoza

We don’t seem to discuss retirement much with others. How much do you think about your own retirement? What do you think about? And what do you avoid thinking about?

I think about it a lot. I started ‘really’ working late (paid salary that contributes towards social security) and I expect to have very poor funds by the time I retire. I have always been very active in the circles where I operate, but have not thought about retirement until I got my first official salary and started making estimations for the future. I might either never retire or I might need to invent a way to live a very modest life in my old age.

How about work, hobbies, family life, leisure, pleasure… Which activities from your present life would you like to keep doing? Which things would you like to never do again?

I don’t like doing work that I don’t believe in. Everything I do now (research, traveling, designing and writing) I hope to continue doing for as long as I can think.

Great, now that you’ve chosen what stays and what to leave behind - start to imagine your future self. The ‘dream you’. How do you get there? Which new skills and what knowledge do you want to acquire?

I need to make better use of what I have done so far. For example, invest my savings in something that would raise its value without me doing work. I know this is a purely capitalist thought but I feel that in order to continue working on things I really like, I need financial security that does not depend on selling my ideas on the actual market

Imagine your housing situation and the people around you (or their absence). Who are you surrounded by in your retirement?
Where and how would you like to live?

I hope to live with my partner and see my children often. I hope that we will often be many in my home or in any of their homes.

If you know people who have retired, was there something to learn from their experience and approach? Could you share their impressions?

When my parents retired they were never as busy. My father could finally do only things he likes without distractions from paid work (e.g. teaching). I hope to get the chance to live that.

How do you imagine sustaining yourself financially? Maybe you have a plan, a tip, or an idea, that you would like to share?

I save money. I hope to buy a place to live in my retirement and have enough funds to live off. Ideally, I would have a nice retirement monthly income. If this fails (ver likely) I need to build securities elsewhere (owning property, investing etc)

name: Jazoza
age: 39

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