I'm 53 and my husband is 60. Retirement age has been legally raised to 70 with the free choice to continue working with the company we work for. I have been a stay-at-home Mom and wife. But as the children have grown older, I'm beginning to see myself doing diploma/certificate studies. And on semestral breaks, go with my husband and our two younger children (9 and 12) on holidays on cruise, traveling, living in a cabin in the woods for a period of time. Though, we live in the country in a small 10-acre lot. It's quite idyllic. I wan to see all my seven children caring for their own families--like traditional and natural families would in the fear and love of God. My marriage isn't perfectly sweet always, but I want to stay married to and in love with my husband all our days on earth.
Well, I hope the medical field has advanced enough to solve some of my spinal issues. I have both cervical and lumbar issues and I DON'T want them to get any worse than what they already are, but I suppose with age....that will happen. Other than that, I just want my health to be good. Perhaps I could even have a 2nd chance at life and find some meaningful work to do again if my health improved to that point. I'd like to see America get back on track, but with the recent "supreme" court decisions (a.k.a. kangaroo court) I am totally discouraged with what I see is going to be the future of America. I think there's going to come a day a lot sooner than what people think where Christians will be persecuted on multiple levels. Jesus said to count the cost and He wasn't kidding.
I wish with you with all my heart about what you envisioned your days will happen. It's good. The elderly citizens of America can work with our strength together, in unity-- on the basis of moral integrity--our voice can be made strong. Even in our wheel chairs, crutches and canes, walkers-- we can "march" towards the WH and petition for our right to protest against government anomaly and discrimination. We can help save our country and return to its moral values and freedom our forefathers fought for, again. We shouldn't be afraid. God's heart is on the poor, the orphans and the widows. I wish you well and in good health @Sarah Price.
I'm 55 now, but legal retirement age starts at 60, time at which I don't expect to receive any social benefit from work, because I never built a background labor story despite my father used to advise me to get a job and keep it for as long as possible to receive the benefits at elderly but, as a young person, I thought better to run against the wind and doing exactly the opposite he advised. So that, I envision myself reaching age 60 to receive the federal benefits of free local transportation and special discounts while keep working hard on my own entrepreneurship ventures to make that buck for my daily living with the hope to save some, while reaching age 65 and receive the second federal benefit of the bimonthly financial support that is worth half the minimum wage for the two months altogether. After this milestone, the next stopover is at age 68 for the full monthly half-minimum wage granted by the local administration, plus all the other health and social free benefits associated to it. I have no children, nor the most remote intention to get involved sentimentally with someone, so becoming a homeowner to give my children a legacy or something like that are not in my plans. Ah, last but not least, main and most important thing; I see myself walking unstoppable down the streets, for hours and hours before getting tired, just like I used to do when I was a teenager, and I keep doing up to date.
Since I am already over seventy, I guess I fit into the "+" portion of this thread. I do not really expect much to change in my life from this point forward. The SS benefit is slowly growing from that $400 amount where it started from; but never in my lifetime is it going to even get close to $500, at the rate of increases they provide for cost of living. Plus, when they do give me the CoL increase, then they take it out of my food stamps; so it really doesn't ever change for all practical purposes. I am blessed to have my daughter, Robin, and she provides us the house we live in, and helps us in many other ways. We don't even have the lottery here in Alabama; so I can't even pretend about someday winning that, and having enough money to live comfortably on. But if we did, and I won it; I would get a car that didn't have 200,000 miles on it, a refrigerator with an icemaker, and go on a 3-day Caribbean Cruise. Then, I could take care of my kids, and make sure that they had a secure life.
I am 70 now and very active. I would like to start to travel now that I do not have the restrains of caring for small children. I am not married and have been living with my oldest daughter to help with her boys who are now teenagers. My job can be done over the phone as long as I have internet connections.
At 75 years of age and in poor health, I just want to die in my sleep before I have to go to a nursing home or hospital. No, I am not whining. I've lived a full life. Already outlived many of my old pals and girl friends. Can no longer do the things I loved doing. So, here I am God, whenever You say.
We're the same when it comes to ages. My husband still works as a technical consultant while I am still some 7 years away from retirement although our company sometimes extends the tenure by several years. When I finally retire, my dream is to have an apartment that we can rent out to take care of our expenses from day to day. And for my occupation, perhaps I can open a small boutique to get my mind busy with something. And for my husband, he loves to stay home and do gardening so occupation is not an issue with him.
As far as getting older goes I have longed resolved that the best that anyone can do is live everyday. Once I started to feel that way it was much easier to stop worrying about money. I have pretty much accepted that the way that things are right now is the best that they are going to be. I have about 17 more years in the work force before I can even consider retiring. I have started to develop a plan. I am so enthralled with the idea of getting a little place, a cabin or a small home and getting off the grid as much as I possibly can, which says volumes because the winters here can be brutal. I will have some social security but that's about it. I plan to spend the warmer months at this cabin, probably by then with grand children, and then in the winter stay with my son, or get a winter place. I am going to let my son have my house (that we live in now) because it is a great place to raise a family. As far as small blessings go I am glad that you can finally access the net via a satellite hook-up because the internet is like a lifeline. I will still be able to do some work, enjoy my photography and some of the other things I love. That's a win, who knows how much better it could be in 17 years.
Wow, I probably need to get off this young site. My work is done and I'm waiting for the chariot now.
Maybe still be working, but without a college degree and/or certification, that just wasn't going to happen today. My age doesn't help either. Left my last job in 2007, which was the best job I'd ever had, because wife and I couldn't handle the ice/snow anymore in south Denver, CO. I fell in it and that fall required a rotator cuff surgery........which sure wasn't fun. So, ended up getting my SS at 62. Wife had no problem finding a job with her Bachelor's Degree. Unfortunately, her job is "on the line" due to her job performance (being too slow to understand some new things). So, where would we like to be up to and beyond 70? Well, at 66 (me) and 67 (her), descent health so we can keep enjoying power boating, sometimes fishing, target shooting and perhaps some travel and playing slots.
I've got Social Security and I won't have a mortgage in a couple of months, so I suppose I could survive without working but I'd have to cut way back on things that I don't want to cut back on. God willing, I'll still be working as long as I am able to sit behind a computer, but I'd also like to do some traveling.
Why not extend it till 80+! I’m 61 now, a freelance online writer, an ESL teacher, a part-time Virtual Assistant. All these I do at my own pace, no pressure, no stress. In God’s grace, my 60-year old husband enjoys being challenged by new learning opportunities as he builds his website from the ground up. This website will be our platform to engage in digital marketing, hopefully soon. Furthermore, it will carry our son’s online endeavor in digital arts technology. He is sort of a “sleeping giant” awakened from a deep slumber, now bent on making business out of his God-given talent in Illustration and design skills via the internet. With my writing skills and substantial knowledge and experience in digital marketing, I can do so much to make an active contribution to their initial foray to the digital world. I will continue being an ESL teacher to Japanese students for the simple reason that I love everything Japanese (1 to 3 students a week will be fine!). As pay-back to all of God’s wondrous goodness, my husband and I do volunteering for our Church, albeit in less physical strenuous tasks. Once I have a space big enough, I dream of putting up a free class for 5-10 marginalized young women, teach/train them in office administration and English language communication skills. I will take initiative to take the role of a counselor for distressed women, children of migrant workers who ended up not knowing one or both their parents thus do not feel affection towards them. Quite alarming that a lot of marriages disintegrate (as one parent or both emigrate to work) resulting in large numbers of children growing up with divorced or unhappy parents. This alarming pattern continues as they themselves are troubled and unhappy, clearly an impact of broken homes! My family have traveled the world all throughout the length of our overseas stay. Upon retirement in 2014, love of country is back in style! We crisscross the breadth of our home country, marvel at its unparalleled beauty and uniqueness. God bless our “last hurrah” plans, we’d like to go on a pilgrimage to Poland. St. Pope John Paul II is my hero (since he assumed the papacy in 1975) and newest favorite saint!. We will walk in his footsteps, visit churches and shrines of his youth, pray and pay homage to the victims of WWII concentration camps. My husband’s ultimate dream is to journey back to our favorite city, Rome, Italy and immersed himself (thinking it could be our last pilgrimage!), be captivated, mesmerized once again by the extraordinary works of art in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel!
I'm 64 and in a rut, I need to make some changes in my life but it's difficult, especially alone. I would like to downsize. It's just me and my dog in a 2,000 sq ft home. I'd be happy in a one bedroom condo. I'm never home anyway and yet I have all the responsibilities of a home owner. Maybe 2016 will be the year I finally do all this. I wouldn't mind finding a companion but one that goes home at night. Someone I know calls them "Mr. Right Now". It would be nice to have someone to do things with, I miss that.