I retire this week!!

**alabamagirl** · 03-20-2006, 12:24 PM

My last day of work is this Thursday (March 23)!

I will bring in $850 less per month. Hopefully, I can make that up by more homecooking, hanging laundry, making gifts, etc.

I contacted my auto insurance company and I'm getting a reduction on car insurance since one of the vehicles will now be for pleasure only.

Are there any other discounts or reduced expenses for retirees that I can check on? I'm only 47 so I'm not eligible for senior discounts.

I'd love to hear from anyone who has left work and found their cash flow has stayed about the same.

Debbie

**Darlene** · 03-20-2006, 12:35 PM

No tips but wanted to say Congratulations!

**ironmaiden** · 03-20-2006, 12:51 PM

I'm impressed!!!

What are your plans?

**pammy** · 03-20-2006, 01:14 PM

Cash flow not only stayed the same, but got better.

Take into account extra gas spent to and from work. Work clothes. Lunches out. Co-workers birthday/wedding/baby shower gifts. Snack machines. The 'I deserve it cause I work so hard' stuff. The extra eating out because you're tired. Along with this, for me, was the more expensive car because I had a long commute. Wear and tear on vehicles. Extra mileage therefore more oil changes. When I added all of this up one day I was dismayed to see that it was actually costing me $220 a year to work.

At first, before I quit work, I didn't think I could afford to quit working because (according to my calculations) there would be more outgo than income. Yet within two months not only was this innacurate, but I was able to have $750 per month left over!

Now, almost 6 months later, we've sold a toy, and downsized to a cheaper vehicle. So we're missing one debt. The car payment is the same, we just reduced from owing 3 more years to one. Combine those, along with the other things I'm able to do at home, and we now have between $1200-1400 extra per month, which we are snowballing to get rid of debt.

Still constantly reading and trying new things to save money. We lost one income, but have been better off because of it. You'll now have all this extra time to try new things, read up, shop sales, plan better, organize better.... tons of things you will now be able to do. I don't regret it one bit.

Here's to much good luck and enjoyment in your retirement.

**alabamagirl** · 03-20-2006, 01:27 PM

Thank you Darlene, Iron Maiden, and Pam!

My plans are to be an adult slacker for at least a year.

Just kidding, I will have my hands full with a vegetable garden and lots of thrifty and home organization/decoration plans. Eventually, I may work part-time as a librarian. I've never used my masters degree in it.

How encouraging Pam to see you are doing better without the paycheck! I've long suspected we would be better off but DH wouldn't hear of it. Ah, well. Water under the bridge as they say. I am thankful I am still young enough and in good health to try new things.

I have a list of about 50 "things to do" in retirement. Includes: becoming a master gardener (the class is in Sept. for free through our county extension agent); volunteer work; see more of my family living out-of-state, etc.

For the past couple of years I've kept a list of "Books To Read" that now numbers to about 100. That will take some time also and be fun to do.

Debbie

**alabamagirl** · 03-20-2006, 01:28 PM

BTW, Pam - did you know you could get a reduction on your auto insurance since you aren't driving your vehicle back and forth to work?

**pammy** · 03-20-2006, 02:02 PM

Sure wish I'd known that a few months back, lol. Since I recently traded vehicles I finally got that reduction. Saving about $120 a year in premiums. Funny, the insurance company sure doesn't mention that to you, do they? The stinkers!

**NoDebtMom** · 03-20-2006, 02:44 PM

Wow... good for you. Enjoy your new phase in life.

**Michele Annette** · 03-20-2006, 03:06 PM

Congratulations Debbie!!

**nodmicks** · 03-20-2006, 03:34 PM

Congratulations on your retirement!!

**ironmaiden** · 03-20-2006, 06:38 PM

I'd love to see your list of things to do in retirement, if you'd like to share.

**marym** · 03-20-2006, 07:04 PM

Congratulations Debbie! You will find lots of ways to cut costs and save money. I enjoy staying home. My Son's are grown and out on their own. It's just DH and I. I am finally doing the things I wanted to but never had the time to do. I got my master gardener certification through our county. I did 3 years service with the program. I am putting myself on inactive status for awhile because my mother is elderly and not doing well and I help out with my Grandchildren. I am now taking quilting classes, I always wanted to do that. There are plenty of thing to keep you busy! There are tons of ways to save money when you stay home. Most things that you would pay someone else to do, you can do yourself. Enjoy your time off!!

**ironmaiden** · 03-20-2006, 07:39 PM

When we originally thought about my staying home with kid #1, I tallied up our bills from the previous month including credit cards and said "oh my, I need to work". Then I sat down and figured out the fixed expenses and the "discretionary" ones. And yes, I stayed home and not only did we make it easily, but we saved alot of money as well.

**alabamagirl** · 03-21-2006, 09:46 AM

Thanks Marym!

Here's a list ironmaiden - obviously some of them are very localized to my neck of the woods.

Things to do in Retirement:

1. Take up oil painting classes - Tuesday nights, 6:30, at the Art Gallery in Wetumpka - across the street from Dominos.

2. Become a master gardener through the Elmore County Extension Service.

3. Get totally buff - join a gym.

4. Drive around neighborhoods for gardening ideas.

5. Try CO washings on hair as an experiment.

6. Fix up house.

7. Feng Shui.

8. Book club meetings at Library

9. B&N book club meetings or book crossing meetings.

10. Bake my own bread.

11. Political activism!

12. Bike ride - join Montgomery bike club

13. Mystery shop, do internet surveys, try entering Internet contests. Freebie sign-ups, rebates and coupons

14. Read everything on my book list

15. Declutter/paint in house and garage

16. inventory all property room by room

17. Volunteer work

18. Join a Women’s Bible study

19. Quilting club with Kelly

20. Take up meditation

21. Check out the Mill Store off Redland Road and the J Blueberry Farm on Redland Road.

22. Visit my family in Georgia more.

23. Go on the 450 mile garage sale junket – always held third weekend in July beginning in Gadsden, AL.

24. Cook from scratch: Bread salad dressings granola

Yogurt potato chips French fries
25. Start a blog

26. Second Tuesdays of every month – salad luncheon at Frazers Church

27. Check out The Living Wage Resource Center at: www.livingwagecampaign.org and The Public Campaign at: www.publiccampaign.org.

28. Try Carmack’s Meat Store in Tallassee – By Hwy 14 by dam on County Rd. 32 go right – at the four-way stop is Carmacks.

29. Trumans Seafood in Santuck – Hwy 9 – Open Thursday – Saturday evenings, seafood. Just past the fire station in Santuck.

30. Skin consultation

31. Take a 7th Day Adventist food course

32. Try different gyms – Mall walking is free

33. Clean out/use up old freezer and pantry items

34. Visit Lost Luggage place in Scottsboro.

35. Hang out laundry on hangers after washing.

36. Make my own gifts – quilts, mixes in jar, bread, candies, pomanders

37. Use my inversion table daily

38. Detox program for colon and liver

39. rub Tim’s feet with cream every night and shoulders with massage oil with eucalaptyus

40. Visit Birmingham Botanical Gardens

41. Clean houses? Next time I see Janice tell her I can help out if she’s overbooked.