So Ready for Retirement

This has been some kind of week; a bad one. Last week flew by but this week I can't believe it's only Thursday. Time is moving incredibly slow. That's what happens when you spend your day in a fog.

There is no pattern that I can figure out but every now and then I get insomnia. MJ will usually tell me that I was asleep but it doesn't feel like it. I feel like I'm laying in bed all night waiting for the alarm to go off.  I can only guess that I'm just not getting into that deep REM sleep that makes you feel like you are sleeping and rested when you wake up. So that happened last Monday. I couldn't fall asleep and was exhausted all day. I took OTC sleeping pills for the rest of the week to make sure it wouldn't happen again and I was okay for the rest of the week but this week I had a new problem. I'm waking up hours before my alarm clock for no reason. The sleeping pill gets me to sleep but then I wake up too early so I'm still not getting enough.

My happily retired parents 

Speaking of being tired I am so ready to be retired. It makes total sense that the word tired is in the word retired because after working for so many years you have got to be straight up tired. I know I am and I am not even half way there. People in their 30's have no business even thinking about retirement.  I'm thinking about it because I'm having a really bad week and my mom is having a really good one because she just retired. After 28 years of working at the post office my mom is finally a free woman.  28 freaking years! That is a really long time to work at one place. My Dad retired last year but they still couldn't travel freely or be flexible with their plans because my mom was still tied down to a job. She might have worked a little longer but after seeing my Dad enjoy the retired lifestyle she was ready to be done with it. I'm glad it's happening while they can still enjoy it. I hate hearing about people who spend their life working only to retire so old and/or ill that they aren't healthy enough to really enjoy their life once they finally can.  Or worse; that they never even make it. My parents are gym rats and are in good health.  My Dad is doing really well since his Kidney transplant so now they'll get to enjoy life together.  It's a pretty exciting time for them. California isn't exactly a retirement friendly state so they have some big decisions to make about where they want to move and settle down. This is their time to live life on their terms. It makes me happy to know they will have comfortable retirement.  Things have fallen into place.  They've worked hard and they deserve it.  I'll have to do the same. 

If I can't retire I'll settle for independently wealthy but either one feels like an impossible far off dream.  I love thinking about getting there one day but I also hate thinking about it because who knows if I'll actually be able to.  I  have a long way to go before I am age eligible but realistically, I'll probably end up working for several years beyond that.  It's overwhelming (and depressing) to think about working well into my 60's. Sigh.  Pensions are a thing of the past.  How do regular folks do it? I contributed to a 401(k) with a company match for 6 years at my old job. I rolled that into a 403 (b) where I contribute what I can monthly since 2008.  I also contribute 7% of my pay to a state retirement account.  I always forget about that one because they make us do it.  I've been paying into social security since I was 16 and I have multiple savings accounts but I still have no idea if it will be enough. I don't think I'll ever feel like I'm doing enough. What do people who don't work rely on?  MJ has a 401(k) with a employer match and he plans to stay in the Army reserves long enough to collect retirement from that so his chances are better then mine. I hate thinking about going to work every day while he lives the retired life.  Call me selfish, but it would really suck.      

If only my actual life was one big vacation with days and days stretched out ahead of me with which to do whatever I want whenever I want.  Wouldn't it be awesome though if you could retire in your prime when you are still young, hot and full of energy?  Not that I can barely stay up past 10 or that my parents aren't hot or anything.  I won't wish these years away.  There is plenty of life to be lived and good times to be had but there will also be years and years of weekends that are never long enough, many Monday's I will dread and vacations that I wish would last forever. 

10 comments

  1. oh girl so sorry its been such a crappy week. and i feel ya on retirement...I actually started an IRA when I was 18, but only contributed to it for about 6 years...and havent since. yikes.

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  2. Retirement would be such a blessing right now.....

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  3. Sorry it's been a bad week for you. Insomnia is THE worst, especially when you have to get up for work!

    -Sharon
    The Tiny Heart

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  4. I would totally retire if I could! How come I haven't found that money tree?

    Hope next week is better.

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  5. That's very cool to be able to see your parents begin to enjoy retirement...and high five to you for already doing things to work towards your own retirement, that's awesome and oh so grown up :) I am behind on that whole train and need to get my crap together and catch up quick!!

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  6. Hi Cece! Sounds like you have too much on your mind lately :( How has the recovery been since surgery? I would recommend either going for a walk/run late afternoon in order to tire you out. Either that or some meditation so you can relax a bit. You can also try some teas to make you sleep.
    Kudos to your knowledge on your savings and 401K plans...I can say I am totally not ready for retirement, but just enjoying life at the moment.
    Hope you are able to get some much needed rest! Remember that GI and sleep are the first things to go when stressed!

    xoxo
    Andie's Traveling Pants

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  7. What a thoughtful post...i've been thinking about a lot of this stuff lately but hesitant to write about it because it can be so heavy and weighty but a much needed conversation. the best thing i am finding out is getting into the stock market...one of the best ways to increase our monies into retirement. but it's depressing to think so many people work so hard and in the end they can't survive JUST on their government pensions. i listen to these financial folks say you need about 1-3million to retire comfortably and i am like WHAT...but if you want to live a comfortable life for the next 20-30years...it makes sense. anyway...that was a mouthful!! CONGRATS to your parents for reaching retirement...

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  8. I truly don't know how most people go through life without some form of retirement plan. It's just nuts. You and I always seem to think alike when it comes to this stuff ;) As of right now, we are right in line with where our retirement should end up, but I still worry about inflation, the market, or you know, just catastrophes lol. At least we are trying unlike the rest of the fools!

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  9. I just got back from vacation so am playing catch-up. Both Eric and I have pensions through our work, and that is seriously going to be our saving grace. I also have a 403b and we both have Roths, but haven't contributed to them since we opened them. We will probably start doing that this year.

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  10. it's so scary thinking of all the things we do to try and save and how it may not be enough. who knows?! very frustrating.

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