Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Retirement question

For those out there that are retired, do you spend more or less than you budgeted for? and how did it change as you got older?

Only been retired for about 4 1/2 years, I'll get back with you in another 5 years or so........lol.


Money has not been a problem, spend whatever we want or need to.

Life's been good.

We rented the farm to our son ten years ago I don't get the sports in I though I would.

Money wise, we are still in %50 %50. I'd be scared to live out my days on a fixed income, unless I was Warren Buffet.

Retirement is relaxing and stress-free. Our income is more than I anticipated and I don't even have to budget. If I want something I just buy it. My wife likes her job so she is continuing to work. She's been putting her check in the ban for 22 years, so she has a nice little nest egg in cash. She is scared to death of the stock market. I fund her ROTH IRA and manage it an all of our investment and brokerage accounts. Not nearly as active as I used to be. Aches and pain in the joints and back have increased.

People nowadays are scared to death that they’re gonna run outta money before they run outta time. Which...it seems... means they’re more concerned about money than they are about time.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

We were debt free when we retired
Life is good

That’s a good question, I have a couple more years to work.

We were debt free when we retired
We don't do credit.
We are careful about what we spend, but, we buy what we want.
Life is good!

I was fortunate to work at a job with a good pension and was able to retire 10 years ago at age 52. My wife retired 1 year later. Our pension was about 40% of what we earned when we worked, but since they no longer took out retirement and taxes were less it wasn't a huge difference. We've both worked part time since, not because we had to have the money, but because we wanted to do something with our time. We have some money invested, but shouldn't need it. My kids and grandkids will likey need it worse than me. That is the plan anyway.

We haven't done much different when it comes to spending. But I turned 62 today and will get my 1st SSI payment in April. I anticipate being able to do some more traveling with the extra income. My wife will be 62 in May and we haven't decided on taking her SSI then or waiting until 67. I'm taking mine now. I figure that if I wait till 67 I'll be 78 before I break even. No guarantee I'll live to 78 and I'd rather have it now even if I do. But having one of us wait till 67 might be a good plan. Whichever dies first will lose the lower SSI and keep getting the one paying the most.

We've been retired going on 7 years now, could have bought our retirement home without the need for a mortgage but we chose to finance a small amount. Both cars are paid for and we always have paid our charge cards and not carried any balance. I buy & sell at gun shows, flea markets and on the internet for my "mad money" and the wife who is a retired teacher tutors and substitute teaches. We are debt free and comfortable, can within reason spend whatever we want. We have a good investment portfolio and an investment advisor who does a great job of managing it for us.

You’ll get a lot of personal viewpoints that may or may not be applicable to your personal situation, e.g., health is the biggie.

Been retired eight years.
Was debt free many years before we retired
Paid cash or paid off credit cards each month almost forever (have neve spent a penny on CC interest)
Have a large pension plus SS
And have large investment account that we contributed to for about 30 years and it’s invested in stocks, bonds, tax free munis etc.
We are pretty frugal, but if we need (want) something, we buy it
Life has been good

Sounds good will be retiring in April 2020 in same as you above no house or car or truck payments. 401's, pension, 2 ss should be in good shape.

Retired in Nov '11 at 59 YO......

never regretted it........

worked too hard driving the Brown truck for Brown.......

Collected SSA when 62......

Signed up for Medicare @ 65

First time in my life I had to pay for health insurance...

$140 month comes off the top of my SSA CK....what a rip.....

My Teamster retirement covers wife for health....she gets ' in lieu of' at her employer....

Yes still have small mortgage......bought current house/property late in life

Two divorces helped that also.....

Otherwise doing OK......seems the IRS takes advantage of me in April..........

Like many on this thread I was debt free when I retired 20 years ago. Not knowing what to expect I was a little worried at first. Doing better then I ever thought I would. I highly recommend retirement.

Other than large medical expenses it is or was great.

I'm finding out that I spent a little more each year. It makes sense since every thing is a bit older and needs more maintenance. This week it is a new water ballast tank and softener. Spring is a new barn roof, Summer is a new motorcycle. Fall will be a Florida lease.

When I retired we went on a road trip somewhere in the mountain west and only returned home to prepare for the next one. Life was good and we were having a blast. Then my wife injured her knee while hiking resulting in surgery for a torn meniscus followed by back to back total knee replacements. Then she fell while hiking and fractured her patella. Money is easy, time and health are short and hard.

We did her rehab during a month in Jackson, Wy. We plan on spending March in Idaho and Montana. Do not waste a healthy moment. Staying home is cheaper and will one day be mandatory. Live every day as if it were your last.


mike r

Life can be good. Since we no longer are socking away 401K funds we have more spending money now since we both retired than when we worked. And wife is waiting till 66 to collect SS and we don't plan on touching the 401K until we are forced to in about 8 years.

16 years. We worked hard, were conservative, had a good financial advisor. With my retirement, hers, and my SS, we are able to do a fair amount of charitable giving. Now that we have to take the mandatory withdrawals we have a surplus that allows us to travel, give more, and help support a couple missionaries.
Everything is paid off, house, hunting land, cars, truck.
Kept track and at the risk of sounding smug we outgave several high placed Dem politicians a few years back.
Probably should have taken a few more trips and bought a small motorhome as we are not as mobile as we once we're. One fused spine, two hops, one knee, two cataracts between us so far but had good insurance.
I've seen that the average fifty something has less than $35K set aside for retirement.
Since nothing has a loan or mortgage we spend less.
Don't buy bad beer either.