Well i got my notice last week. not a total surprise but still a kick in the nuts. spent a lot of time soul searching. i'm 59, debt free, we have lived well below our means and while not rich, could swing it if push comes to shove, big unknowns aside. what i have is what i saved, no pension or anything like that. still wanted to work til 62 to buy some big ticket items though which i am not going to do unless i get another job. while i am marketable, i am also competing against people half my age, 2/3 my salary and frankly usually quicker learners. my ability to learn new complicated things has diminished in the past 10 or so years and my field changes a lot. i am looking for work but am bracing for the worst. fortunately my company is giving me a pretty good severance pkg which really helps. my emotions run the gamut from scared to happy to hopeful to anxious and all flavors in between. last time this happened was right smack dab in the middle of 2008 recession and i was schitting bricks with kids, mortgage, car payment, etc. totally different feeling now. i haven't enjoyed my line of work for 15 or more years but it pays really well. considering some totally different job but not sure what. most jobs suck and if a job is going to suck, i want it to pay well if possible. i have worked for 45 years and always been a saver. switching to being a spender is disconcerting.

anybody else ever just totally changed jobs at this point? the panhandling gig seems pretty good. just need to stay away from the intersections around clarksville.

You seem like a good person, you're going to be just fine, if I had to guess. If you have some cushion, why not try self-employment so you can control your own destiny?

Good luck in the next Chapter

Good Luck with it. Work on solutions you have control over and try not to stress out to much over the things you don’t.

A good man lands on his feet.

https://www.biznews.com/thought-lea...-data-shows-how-work-pounds-older-bodies

If your wife isn't in a job that has health insurance be prepared for another big kick in the nuts when you have to buy health insurance.

thanks, i appreciate the kind words. i've never been self employed and not sure how to do it at this point. i am in the IT field and considered going with a contract company doing hit and run type stuff.

Best of luck.

Not sure of what kinda IT work you do, check with local community colleges. They may need a part time instructor.


Look at the bright side, Col Sanders was 62 when he started KFC.

she's not and is actually retiring in a few months and going on social security in september. i can get keep my health insurance for 12 months for $675 month. its good too with low/no copays. after that i have 12 months of COBRA if i need it. i have the budget figured out and we can actually live ok on unemployment, especially with the covid bump.

if my wife had a good job with health insurance and not retiring, i would be golden. but her job is killing her and she deserves to retire.

This. I should have retired 10 years earlier to do the hunting and fishing i wanted to do, but i liked taking care of folks with ocular disease even though Zero and Ins screwed things pretty much.

Now im not tough enough to wade fish all day or flounder gig all night or hunt high and pack elk out.
Count your blessings and good fortune.

Sorry you lost your job, lots of people in that boat. When you get older getting a job gets harder.

i do systems/network admin work but don't have a degree. i would like being an instructor but they all want degrees.

Good luck with whatever you decide. I might be in your shoes shortly if air travel doesn’t pick up soon.

Not sure how your state is setup,

MS has adult Workforce classes. Non degree, certificate type classes. Some of the instructors for that have no degrees. Just tons of experience.

Me, I’d take a guy with years of experience with no degree VS a kid with book learning and no real world experience.

that is a pretty good article and is sort of my attitude. my work is stressful at times and i know it takes its toll on me. i realized way too late in the game that my career field did not fit my psyche well at all. but i was too far into it, with family, etc to change. and frankly didn't have the balls or the energy. now my conundrum is:

1 - look for a job in the same field and stress level and pay. i am concerned if i don't work in my field for more than a few months i am going to lose my skills
2 - collect unemployment for as long as possible and then look for a different type of job and let fate steer me. kind of think this also isn't going to fit my psyche either. might be more stressed without the pay.
3 - spend my days at the legion drinking all day and bitching about biden and hope i die by 80.

You sound like a good guy who is motivated. Perhaps view this as an OPPORTUNITY to do something different. I think if a guy like you views it as such, you may be pleasantly surprised with the outcome. Good luck!

Pretty much anyone can do lawns, the guy that does mine makes 6 figures a yr.

Canned in 2008 w 599 other salaried.
Took 2 yrs tonland a gig w insurance, and not what I used to do. Took yrs to get back to where I was wage wise.

Expecting layoffs w Biden at the helm.

Snow and ice, heading out to driveway to work on my POS 98 suv. Aint gonna buy nothing new(er) til a conservative prez.

Sorry to hear of your situation. I chose to leave my job at 59 when the employer was downsizing and offered buyouts to the senior people.
Best decision I ever made. If you can swing it financially retirement is a gift.

4 - What about “phuuk work”...? You’re 59, you’ve been workin’ for 45 years, you’re debt free, and you “can swing it if push comes to shove.” You’re 3 years away from bein’ able to draw social security.

There’s more to life than work. Does life (for you presently) = work...?

Embrace early retirement, kick back for a bit and enjoy life.

Run the numbers and calculate what it truly takes to pay the bills each month, cut back everything unnecessary.

I found myself in a similar situation at the same age, I was amazed at how far I could make what I was sitting on last.

I too considered another job, it never happened, I found it wasn't really necessary. I'm now past the age required for early social security payments and haven't even applied.

Just be savvy and wise with your decisions, put quality of daily life first.
Don't get depressed, avoid those thoughts and feelings at all costs.
Keeping yourself busy helps, let travel and/or hobbies become an obsession.

Medical insurance is a major factor, if you were dependent on a group policy your employer had you'll have the option for Cobra coverage for 18 months, it'll be the least expensive option with no change from the company policy.
After that, you'll be damn glad there is Obamacare, it'll be cheaper than the Cobra payments were after you spend enough time unemployed.

So give it a year, if you just can't keep your time occupied go look for that oddball job, might need it to keep up on your insurances anyway.

Just don't let yourself get depressed!

Good luck on the transition. I had the same thing happen 3 1/2 years ago at age 64. Also no debt, no pension, but a decent amount of savings. As a CNC Programmer in a fairly rural area, I knew finding new work without changing careers wasn't going to be easy. I just took 3 years off, hunting, fishing, and chasing grandkids. After a lifetime of hard work, grew up on a dairy farm, the hardest part was getting used to not having pressing duties. Lately I've started doing repair work in my daughters jewelry store after her repair guy retired. Part time work, but it will pay for fishing tackle and some powder and bullets while giving me something to do to be productive.

Starting over, or getting older, aint for puzzies
Good luck.

i had considered that. 10k-ish in capital. i actually like doing yard work. i think i'm part mexican.

What I hear is that you really don't like the work you do, but you do it for the money. That is poison to the soul. It also seems you are in a good position financially, and while you have some wants, your needs are minor.

I'd suggest taking some time to figure out what you want, and go pursue that. Might make less money, might make more. Generally, we do much better at something if we actually enjoy and take pride in what we do. That can be your own show, or be the trusted second in command at someone else's show. Job one right now is to figure out what you want to do when you grow up.

Cobra was not cheap when I got laid off
So, kids and I had no insurance
Just paid cash for everything ( medical and braces for two of them ).
That gobbled my POS severance package.
But all bills paid and kids taken care of.

Id have been fugged had I chose Cobra.

Lucky bothing major happened those couple of years.

That sucks. But if I was you I'd do some looking of for a state/county/city job. They can't discriminate due to age and you could run that out for a few years and then go your own way. Heck lots of cities have crews that do landscape stuff on city property. Doesn't pay that great but it pays better than not working and you can be outside every day.

I retired at 60. Best thing I’ve done in lots of years. Look, you are debt free which is a great accomplishment in this day and age. You can ride unemployment for a while. Why stress yourself? Something will always pay something, so you won’t starve. Take your SS at 62 and keep calm for a couple of years. Ride the company benefits as long as you can if it make financial sense. It still takes years to get years of experience, so don’t sell yourself short because you know lots of stuff in your profession. Companies want people with product knowledge, not necessarily just a kid with a degree. I ran into it all the time. Educated kids that were book smart, but they had near nothing for practical product knowledge. Good luck doing what you want, but do something that makes you happy.

this is a dominate thought it my head. and no, life does not equal work for me. i worked because thats all i ever did. but i could definitely be retired if the money situation wasn't stressful.

#beaner

Rem141,

I'd not bet against you. You have lots of knowledge in a very desirable field. You're disciplined if you've lived below your means. Report back in a few months and I'm thinkin' you'll have good things to say about your situation.

Might turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to you. Best of luck. Hasbeen

There’s a difference between standard of living and quality of life. Sometimes you gotta decrease your standard of living in order to increase your quality of life.

Good luck and best wishes, whatever you decide to do.

Buy a 24ft ladder and start knocking doors, cleaning out gutters.


200-400 cash a day

get a high school kid and pay him to do most of the work while you upsell the homeowner on attic ventilation, foundation moisture control, driveway sealing, pressure washing. Etc

this is the truth. i look back on life and realize that if i had a job that didn't suck the life out of me, i would have been happier and so would my family. hind sight is 20/20 for sure. and yes, the last sentence is my goal.

Slumlord school of Technology

I have been unemployed a number of times in my life (it goes along with being an a$$hole who will not conform), most recently about 10 years ago. Each other time I was fired from a job led to a much better situation, so I took the plunge 10 years ago to start my own business. It turned out to be the best decision of my life. I haven't been fired in 10 years now and I have the mix of freedom and income that I wanted.

It's not easy, it might take a few years to get everything running right, but at the end you're your own boss and from my perspective, I will work, doing the things I truly enjoy, until my last breath.

i do tan well.

Sorry to hear amigo. Best of luck to you!

can i get a diploma from there?

Check local hospitals and school districts, to see if your computer skills are of use, there. Little to no layoffs, better bennnies, and less stress.

And, yes, LOTS of folks would like to hire a good lawn guy who can speak English, and not look like he’s using the job as an opportunity to scope out stuff to steal when the sun goes down. Talk with them about a “cash discount”.....

Yeah, become a Traveler. Just don't stay in one town too long. How's your Gaelic accent?

Starting over at 59 is going to be extra rough....I did it at 47 that
was rough..... I suggest you collect the employment the democrats are going to buy votes with an ride that out , spend the rest of the year with easy money rolling in ..and keep a eye out and let work find u ...

I worked at 84Lumber for 3 whole days, quit at lunch on the 4th lol


I sold 3 roofing jobs and a deck to customers in there. I couldn’t resist. Got spinoffs and family and friends and neighbor jobs off of those jobs 😃👍

A bouncer at a titty bar maybe ?

I feel for you. My employer went bankrupt just before 9/11. I saw more talented people looking for work than I could shake a stick at. I was keeping a bunch of pc apps on a netware platform going in a world that wanted Microsoft server products. I didn't feel like making the switch. I went back to fixing things as a maintenance tech. PLC's, robotics are fairly easy to deal with as I had my hand in that along with IT.

Too much stress will kill you. My heart after 20 years of working at what I do now has healed. I no longer have LVH. I'm 63, planning on hanging on to 66 1/2 but willing to punch at 65 if work turns unbearable.

Pick something at a level that isn't as stressful, even if it doesn't pay as much. I wish you well.

Just don’t limit yourself. Being in one field all your life can make you feel like a one trick pony.
Lot of money to be made out there, watch for it.
Osky

rem,

Where are you located? and what type of IT work do you do?

G23

Depending on your locale, IT people are generally in relatively high demand, degree or not, if your experience is solid.

MM

Sure. Just write the check!


If you’re not ready/willing to retire, face this challenge as an opportunity - the be self employed, free lance, start something differenter.

Know a coach who told kids; the problem is not the challenge; your reaction is the challenge.

First embrace it. Think about perfecting your Crappie fishing technique and become a guide. Last I have been retired for five years now and would be happy to find a job to take up some of my time and do something different.

I got my walking papers last April, wasn't what I wanted, was hoping for a couple more years, but it is what it is.

When the magic negro trashed the economy in '09 my employer walked me to the door. I took advantage of the 13 weeks of severance pay and unemployment to take an extended break from employment. I too was age 59 and my wife had a good job with health insurance that covered me, we were debt free and the kid's college was already paid for. I eventually found work in an associated field at 2/3 my previous salary and much less stress. I worked until I was 64 and retired two years early, I have been enjoying life ever since. Retirement is the best job I ever had, no driving to work in rush hour traffic nor in winter snow and ice. No boss, no time clock and no kiss azz company politics to deal with, I do as I please when I please.

i am in PA and i do linux/network/vmware admin. i don't mind that work, if the job is not a pressure cooker. maintaining a banks transaction and storage environments or a healthcares datawarehouse sucks. good money, stress out the ass. oncall, RCA's, phone bridges in the middle of the night, that kind of schit. schit goes sideways and the buzzards circle. everybody in those environments is stressed usually. i would like to find a low stress linux admin job where i am not the Man. hit and run contracting has its appeal, but you are treated like a janitor most of the time. i could be an old fugger IT guy at a community college though. but those jobs pay less than unemployment usually.

i used to be able to kick a brothas ass but that schit hurts too much these days. i'd be good for 30-45 seconds of furious action and then looking for the exit. i would be more suited to being bounced than doing the bouncing anymore.

rem,

Sorry about your situation. Best of luck with whichever path you choose.

Life throws us serious curve balls. I was just starting to make really good money when my heath problems overwhelmed me. Decide what you can control and what you can't. Try not to waste too much time worrying about what you can't and make some positive goals with what you can.

Its hard to shift gears when work has been a huge part of your life. Focus on what you have and enjoy your time now that it's yours. Sounds like you were smart and better prepared than some. I could have been much better prepared with a few more years but it turns out I was better prepared than I thought. Its been good to have a paid off house.

If it wasn't for $2000/month in medical premiums and lots of medical bills on top we would have got by even better. Look into medishare and those types of plans if your relatively healthy. Don't underestimate your value or your skills. You know some useful stuff and could find something you enjoy more. Best of luck.

Bb

#ThroatPunch

thank you for all the kinds words and encouragement gents. its what i needed. that and a nice long walk in the woods.

That’s always a winner. Regardless of anything else.

Good luck.

If you do choose to work some more, I've always found that doors that close always lead to a bunch of other doors opening.

Have faith, and use some common sense, and it'll work out for you. Good luck

You have something the young folks don't......WORK ETHIC.......I know a person that hired for Lowes and they would rather hire a healthy retiree than a youngster because older folks show up every day and on time. I know this has to be the case in other companies.

IT contracting is going strong now.

If you go contracting firm, look into incorporating yourself.

They hire, and pay, your company. Down the road you can cut out the middle man

I feel for you. I lost my job on the 4th. I am 56 and hoping I can find work soon.

Best wishes.

Another Avenue is technical training.
Probably not what you were making before but it’s a solid $65 to $90k a year job.

I would get on LinkedIn, create a profile that highlights your skill sets and check the box that’s says you are open to job offers. Make posts about technical topics you know, link to other topics that interest you. Show a potential employer you are highly engaged in your field.

Start networking with known associates and their connections. That will open up more opportunities.

Also hit up indeed.com. Seems to be a landing spot for tech jobs.

Finally with your down time pick up a relatively new skill set that is in demand, like python or low code apps like Mendix

Good luck, losing a job in our age bracket is a reality all of us could face.

Yes. The first step is being honest with yourself. You can only be good at what your good at. It doesn't have to be IT, but it does need to be something you can do well. Capitalize on your passion.

"Low Code" software. Ha ... that is too funny.

Reminds me of that famous song.

OP - sorry to hear, know the feeling. Good luck moving forward!

Hookeye - understand - or until the Givernment forces all to buy electric....and outlaws fossil fuel burners. Indeed the future is uncertain.

Little security or stability in corporate America- not sure if much better being self employed with the radicals in charge. They are anti small business as we know.

Folks strive to make the most we can. Keep debt and spending as low as reasonably possible. Save, invest, hope and pray for the best.

Something folks might consider:

https://www.biznews.com/thought-lea...-data-shows-how-work-pounds-older-bodies

Where you are does not matter as much any more.

Linux/vmware ... really. I would think with the "covid" going around technical support for virtual environments would be high. Sell yourself as an "expert in technology enabling remote work environments." Linux is a a bit of a no go for low tech companies. Seems like people are afraid of it. Have you used proxmox? Maybe you could come in and offer complete open source solutions and save lots of money for them. Then of course they are afraid of loosing the tech knowledge too. Microsoft is safe.

The tech industry is a world of young minds who think old mind are dumb minds. They are too young to realize the IT industry is a world of rehashed buzz words and they are being taken for a ride.

Find your passion and turn it into a business.

speaking of rehashed buzzwords, throw in Cloud computing (essentially VMware remotely) and Managed Services (running their software apps on the cloud so they don't have to buy hardware - think Office 365 now)

Consider taking some time learning about how its done on AWS if you don't know already. The transition to that world probably wouldn't be very hard given your background.

I retired at 59. My company was bought out by a foreign outfit. I did not want to start a new career at that age, so I just left the work world. 15 years later, all is copacetic.

rem, sorry to hear. Tough pill to swallow. If you decide to keep working, best of luck in your search. With some health problems rearing their heads, my brother just decided to bag it this year at the same age. Had a pacemaker put in that got infected. He was a picture of health, prior. Still lifting heavy weight. STD is done. He's milking out vacation now. Will extend through LTD, then pull the switch. 3rd party healthcare admins harassing him, of course. Its the way the big corps maintain that pretty face to the world. Might return as a contractor. He's got 35 years in at same company.

The Best to you.

ya i actually know some cloud computing too. thats what i have been doing for the past 6 months. not aws though. i think one problem i have is that i have been in a one-company bubble for 11 years doing pretty specialized work. and honestly i have kind of lulled myself into the idea of staying at this job until 62 so i haven't been as diligent about keeping my skill set up to date. my passion for the work has diminished as well. i think the proper term is burn-out. thats where the soul searching comes in.

Start your own business working with small business owners or small .gov entities to get them off their 20+ year old servers and in the cloud. Just helped my BIL get the local transportation authority off a server ( his IT contractor was collecting 275 per month to monitor a 16 year of server with no backup ) and moved to AWS.

Been where you are now and it sucks. But I will make you this promise, you will land in a better place.

I find it is the sense of accomplishment I enjoy more than the work.

It's often been said, The Lord never closes a door, without opening another.

The cloud is just another way to centralize your company gems in the hands of corporate overlords. Just like our massive dependence on cell phones we will come to regret the sirens song of the convenience of the cloud.

I don't know anything about the computer world, but a guy can make a good living as a handyman. I find it hard to believe that there's people who can't fix a leaky toilet or replace a light switch or put a shelf up.

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. "
(Rom 8:28)

Truth! Especially if the guy is debt free to begin with.

Parler learned that the hard way

Hat, Romans 8:28 is a favorite. Long story. Hard lesion, worth learning.

Insurance is the main issue, but maybe Joe will fix that for you.

If you can afford to live without a job, it’s a fine thing. I’ve been out 10 1/2 years, my health has been good, and there’s never a lack of stuff for me to do. Those years off have been better than anything that extra money could buy. Hoping for more of the same, but can’t complain if I fell over dead today.

It's a real hit in the guts to lose your job...so much of our identity is tied up in our work.

I should think someone on your field shouldn't find it hard to do gig-work. There are probably a lot of small businesses that could use occasional network admin work but can't swing a full-time employee to to it. I know a guy who's been doing that since the early 90's. It became a full-time business with him. He has a shop over his garage and 3 or 4 people working for him. He goes in and sets up networks for companies, and is, in general, just a sort of all-around IT problem solver. My guess is, you'd be busier than you want to be before too long. Stop and think: was it the work you didn't like, or was it your job you didn't like? Whole lot of difference between going into a job every day, where they tend to take you for granted, and getting called to ride in on your white horse and bail them out. The lawn care thing is not a bad idea either. I don't know about where you live, but around here there seems to be a gazillion guys doing that, and we still can't find anybody reliable enough to do ours. I ended up doing it myself and I really don't want to.

I got kicked to the curb from a job I loved in 2016. New parent company didn't want anybody relatively senior (I was the senior attorney in the sub and age 63). My wife was working, but not making much and had no benefits. I spent 8 months looking for a job, discovering that 40 years of experience wasn't worth squat in today's market when you're first number on your age is a 6. I did finally get lucky, finding a job that paid about 40% of what I'd been making, but it was with a county government and had health insurance and even a pension plan. Not how I'd hoped to finish, but it has provided the bridge I needed to get me to retirement. Don't be afraid to step down in salary or in level of responsibility to get you through to retirement.

I will have to gauge how my salary is compared to my peers but one strategy I am entertaining is a voluntary pay cut when I hit 62 which seems to be when the “shouldn’t you retire?” Emails start coming from HR

Our IT guy is an independent. He does our businesses in 2 states and a few others. From my standpoint, he's much easier to work with than the big boys. He gets it done when we need it and does a solid job. He does well for himself. There is a demand out there for reliable and responsive IT guys. Go for it!

Don’t rule out city or county .gov work in your field. That way you’ll be well versed in the BS methods and philosophy of the millennials and socialists taking over the country. It pays to be well acquainted with the adversary instead of guessing. Happy Trails

The OP needs to go woke or go broke. He is in a field dominated by the millennial. Needs to get an earing and a man bun. It wouldn't hurt to work for minimum wage and learn spanish.

I thought this was going to be about Aaron Rogers.

I changed jobs when the crash in 2008 hit the construction industry. I'm still in construction, but in a totally different compacity. Getting the boot was by far the best thing that happened in my carreer. I work less, make more money and have a lot more flexible hours than I ever did before.

I'm sorry you lost your job, but you sound like you have a good head on your shoulders and are sitting well financially. That's a great thing. Take a few weeks to figure out what you want to do, if it's anything.

I'm not that great at seeing the door just opened.

Regarding sourcing a new job, ask yourself this question: Am I an employee I would hire? My guess is yes. Here's what you have that new, young employees don't possess. You are stable. You are experienced and have gone through situations that will wreck a new employee's mind.
Don't cut yourself short. You have a lot of things that employers look for that young job seekers can't provide. The biggest issue I have with young employees is there is no loyalty to a job. They will come to work and if another job comes along they think might better, they jump. This after spending less than a reasonable time at their current job, learning how to work.

I quit my job in 2007, because the new management was not someone I could work for. 57 at the time and had planned to work until I was 62. Really took a look at things and decided we had plenty of money to live on. My health was bad but not great wither. Work (heavy international travel) just made it worse. Had seen too many folks work till they died and decided to enjoy life while I could. Has really worked out for me. Would not give up the last 13 years for anything and still going strong for the future. Decide what is important to you and make it happen.

Yep. Work till you’re 65, die at 67...or work till you’re in your late 50’s, and live till 85. Work takes a big toll on ya’ after your late 50’s, even if you love your job.

I find this thread interesting as it sums up my working life as a blue collar worker.
I always looked at the termination of employment as an opportunity to learn another angle. Now at 58 and another change 5 years ago, I haven't worked a day in the last 5 years as I don't consider it work making more money than I ever have, make my own hours and am in the best physical condition of my life because I'm not beating my body up anymore.
Only debt I have ever had was a mortgage on a home, drove crap, still do. Made the distinction between what do I need and what do I want, big difference.
Its not so much about how much you make as it is how much you spend.

well as an update, i've been looking for a job for the past couple months in the same field and being very picky. i was prepared to call it quits rather than take another soul crusher. so in the past week i have gotten 3 offers for jobs that don't suck. when it rains it pours and i feel lucky and blessed. i accepted the best one so i will be getting laid off next thursday from Job A and starting Job B on 5 apr. couple of weeks to get some stuff done around here will be nice. hopefully the weather is good. so it looks like i will be putting off retirement for a few more years.

Good deal, good luck with the new job.

I hope the new job goes well. I've know several guys our age and a bit older that retired and at first they were concerned about the financial part of it but in watching them they seem to be fine. Also being self-employed is nice, I am. There are allot of risk but not as many as some have you believe. Being debt free puts you in a good spot for moving forward. Something I read, Colonel Sanders was 62 years old when he started selling friend chicken. He was just getting warmed up when many are thinking about sitting down.

Glad something came up that you’re good with. And I hope you stay good with it for as long as you choose.

Retirement is like fruit; When your'e ripe, you get picked. Nothing fair about it.

It’s possible that a lotta that is due to fear and worry and doubt. It’s one of life’s biggest changes. Often it involves a change in perspective too. Realizing that there’s more to life than working and earning and spending and acquiring and consuming can be quite liberating.

Huh?

100% This!

Well said. Since cutting ties with the "stable" world of employment I've come to see how easy it can be if you go about it the right way. I also think many would be more happy if they did the same. It's not a way of life for everyone but I do believe more folks could do it if they tried. It fits me very well.

Have you considered setting up your own Web forum? I do think that the time is right for some one to compete with Facebook and some of the other chat rooms that are out there.

If you know how to build websites you could have a nice business.

rem, that's a high demand job. You don't say where you're located, but I'm sure you're already aware there are jobs available in your field in larger metropolitan areas - my area, for instance.

Have you thought about doing it as a contractor on gigs? I'm still getting job offers from headhunters and it's been many years. I still know a couple guys doing it to round out their lifetime work investment.

Or, you could do what I did and completely change gears. Went full-on picking up distressed properties and never looked back. Had already been doing it on the side, but dove into the deep end when me and the man decided it was time to part ways.

If you want to work for a few more years, I would seriously consider looking at applying with the city, county, sheriff's office etc. I was wanting to relocate but a similar reality set in for me. I know I am a better employee than many of the younger folks but age discrimination is a real thing, especially in the tech world. I just came to grips with that and now just riding my time until I can retire. I'm maxed out on my pay but I have health care etc and a decent salary. And my work ethic will keep me employed far better than some of the no loads working for the government. They typically have rules against discrimination for age. You just have to put up with the garage about diversity and what not, but that's true in 90% of the current pathetic environment anyway. If you get such a job, go to work on time, keep your mouth shut (sometimes a challenge) and get something done, it's almost impossible to lose your job.

Good on you, bud. Best of luck in the new spot.

I went through the same thing last April. I now work at a job 6 rural miles from my door vs. 35 metro, making less than half of what I was and am happier than I have been in a long, long time.

Got a great review yesterday and a bump in pay.

I should have left my old job years ago but didn't realize how much it was sucking the life out of me.

People stay at jobs like that because they get sucked in by the routine, the money etc.

I've learned one very important life lesson:

Life is too short to not be happy going to a place that you spend more time at then with your family.

Good luck with your new gig Rem!

Best of luck. G5M

Interesting..... I did it exactly backwards from this. My working life I was uber frugal, saved for investing, now I can buy what I want.

Maybe antlers you didn't do it right and are lying to yourself to feel better?

lol