When will you retire?

[Top man]

Im afraid, im one of the unlucky ones . I'll never be able to retire. And it's all my fault. I will always have to go back to my home country for twenty weeks a year, leaving my beautiful wife and house. So to the people who have retired early and live here. I congratulate you. Well done.

Does your wife's work rule out her traveling with you? Depending on where you live might be able to lease house out a few months during tourist season here and spend that time in your home country with her?

unfortunately not, she works for the government. And I have to tell you it breaks my heart when I have to leave home, but it's something I have to except two times a year for ten weeks I'm hoping to get it down to eight weeks each time. But as I said before, it's my fault and I really like to hear when people don't have to go back to their home country. They should feel proud.

[lopburi3]

Well at least in today's age you can connect with both audio and video at little cost so that may help a bit - I spent about 18 of 24 years before retirement only able to be in Thailand during vacation days so know the feeling.

[Suradit69]

When will you retire?

9 years ago. It took awhile to get over the guilty feeling about not having some schedule to follow or deadlines to meet, but the remaining 8 years and 51 weeks have been smooth sailing.

I think in all that time I've set my alarm clock no more than 3 times.

I quite like the hours and, aside from some tropical fish that make obscene fin gestures if they're not fed on time, no one to worry about impressing with my work.

[Top man]

Well at least in today's age you can connect with both audio and video at little cost so that may help a bit - I spent about 18 of 24 years before retirement only able to be in Thailand during vacation days so know the feeling.

yeah your right about that. But I tell you, when I'm at the airport ready to go back to the uk.

! Wow! It bloody kills me.

[csabo]

Retired at 45 from a great career working for the worst people I have ever known who made it their daily chore to make everyones life there a living hell. At least once a day a little voice inside my head says "Thank god it's over". But then I grin ear to ear knowing they are all there in that pit of despair while I am living my personal dream. GFYJMB. That's a little message to my old boss. Happy heart attack you fat old son of bitch!

[Bangkokazy]

I retired age of 43 years

[Blue Muton]

Retired last year aged 54 and loving it. I am now a Duck Rancher's Husband.

[BwindiBoy]

i retired 26 years, 5 months and 16 days ago

Too vague, we need minutes and seconds.

my apologies! i just realised that the 16 days are incorrect. to be precise it's 15 days, 13 hours and 18 minutes (based on Thai time) and 15 days 8 hours and 19 minutes (based on central European time)

Don't you just love being born on December 31st? I find it very helpful to calculate things such as this and precise age... :-)

[MauiSteveBKK]

I will work until lunch the day of my funeral.

To retire is to die early.

Recent studies say that being ACTIVE and keeping the mind going strong with

numbers and ideas, is the only way to live a long time.

Every man I know that has lived into his 80's with good health -- still went to

their business office every morning.

To feel wanted -- to feel needed -- even if an "illusion" is still a good thing.

Bansai Business.

[Somebodee]

I have just retired this year at 55 but have been coming here 16yrs, Enjoying not working a slight adjustment living here, best to do when individuals are ready and financial OK

In aussie now they want you to work to 67. life too short for that

There's been so much talk about lifting the pension age to 70 and the super withdrawal age to 65.

It's just a matter of time before it's implemented. My friend joke to me just the other week, I'll never retire he said. And when asked why he's reply "no one in my family has lived past the age of 65"

[1FinickyOne]

I will work until lunch the day of my funeral.

To retire is to die early.

Recent studies say that being ACTIVE and keeping the mind going strong with

numbers and ideas, is the only way to live a long time.

Every man I know that has lived into his 80's with good health -- still went to

their business office every morning.

To feel wanted -- to feel needed -- even if an "illusion" is still a good thing.

Bansai Business.

I used to think I would never stop work either, because I enjoyed running my own business - but things change - retiring early does not prevent you from thinking, using your mind, feeling wanted, feeling needed... maybe it increases these... and it gave me time for family and creative pursuits...

Just go out and around in Thailand - be it a massage at the temple or lunch in a noodle restaurant... go every few days and then don't show up for a month... the first question will be pie nai maah - where have you been?

But as long as you are enjoying your work... great - keep at it.

[rsokolowski]

I retired from the US Navy in 2006 but had to keep working to pay the bills. We have just sold our house in Hawaii and are in the process of selling everything in preparation of the move to Thailand. I am 53 years old and have been married to my Thai wife since 1993. I will spend my 54th birthday in Thailand (making the move in Feb of 2017).

[bprinceuk]

Planned to work until I was 67, but the Company I work for has just been bought out and I was informed yesterday that I am on my 30 days notice. So it will be 65 retirement.

Edited May 17, 2016 by bprinceuk

[slipperylobster]

I have just retired this year at 55 but have been coming here 16yrs, Enjoying not working a slight adjustment living here, best to do when individuals are ready and financial OK

In aussie now they want you to work to 67. life too short for that

Yes, life is too short, and the time goes by quickly. Twenty years for me in SE Asia (straight...with only four visits of one month each, back to the USA).

What I learned is, it takes a long time for some people to be comfortable with not working. I had to teach myself the hard way. There is a psychological need to be productive...and I used to feel guilty about not having a schedule, not being in the rat race, not commuting in traffic at 5am, through a snowstorm, to be at work.

It's a no brainer...much better to pursue hobbies and travel/adventure. Work, for me, was not a pleasant thing...but I sure felt important. Now I don't feel the need to be important.

It was just like working...trying to learn not to work. It is great, now that I am sixty..and the kids are grown, divorce long over, money increases in two years (social security), and still am young enough/healthy to enjoy the best part of my life (which is right now). I think 68 is way to late....for the reason that you need to adust for years.

Edited May 17, 2016 by slipperylobster

[gandalf12]

I will retire when they take my body to the temple for cremation and not a minute before.

[USAgoodMAN]

Retired at 50 on just a modest Firefighter salary (Frugal living, no wife, no kids). Retired on a Tuesday and was in Bangkok 4 days later on Saturday (First time overseas). That was 3.5 years ago and I'm headed back again for my 4th long visit at the end of this year!

[JAFO]

I find the term Retirement odd. What does that mean...really. To me retiring is when you can start to collect Social Security. I personally see it all as living ones life on their own terms, not someone else's. I stopped working at 48, got on with living. Early 50s got lured back into the fray and played for 2 years or so but was totally on my terms. I got bored and left, Same old corporate BS. I just turned 56 and rejoined the working class again for some fun. Again totally on my terms.

The key to all of this is having the financial means to live the quality of life you want. The others that judge others based on their choices or financial means missed the boat. It doesn't matter how much you have.

I love being here in Thailand. I have no debt. Everything is paid for. All I can say living with no debt offers an very calm and stress free life. Most of my American colleagues are dieing and very slow painful death with debt up to their necks.

[Agent Sumo]

Debt is incredibly useful if you know how to use it and when to pay it off

[Naam]

To me retiring is when you can start to collect Social Security. I personally see it all as living ones life on their own terms, not someone else's.

collecting social security payments does not mean "living on own terms". it means living on the terms the amount dictates.

[manfredtillmann]

Debt is incredibly useful if you know how to use it and when to pay it off

only if you make money in a system that lets you off-set investment expenses against income.

this is a forum dealing with 'retirement'.

by the time you get to validly post here, debt is the last thing you want to hang over your head.

[baneko]

Probably when im deed! Only work half a year which gives me a break fae the missus!

[marko kok prong]

Retired at 45,ha,ha.

[YeahSiam]

Retired at 45,ha,ha.

Yeah keep telling yourself

that, Marko. Everyone

knows you had to go back

to work because you

spunked your money

building 2 houses for your

Thai ex-wife

[sickwaterbuffalo2]

Retired at 45,ha,ha.

Yeah keep telling yourself

that, Marko. Everyone

knows you had to go back

to work because you

spunked your money

building 2 houses for your

Thai ex-wife

Oh god this getting better by the day,please tell us more?

[sickwaterbuffalo2]

So very clearly when reading up on the posting history of most boasting about retirement at age 40 to 50 al is a puf of hot air concerning financial securety.

[Jingthing]

So very clearly when reading up on the posting history of most boasting about retirement at age 40 to 50 al is a puf of hot air concerning financial securety.

You're definitely correct in some cases. When you "retire" very early as I did, that does mean if you manage to get older that the money you have has to last a LOT LONGER than if you retired at a "normal" age or later. I'm certainly in that situation. Also going back to work isn't always realistic for everyone depending on your skills and the market when you've been out of the workforce for decades.

[YeahSiam]

So very clearly when reading up on the posting history of most boasting about retirement at age 40 to 50 al is a puf of hot air concerning financial securety.

A lot of the time, those

boasting about retiring at

39 or 45 or whatever are

talking guff. A lot of them

just have their finances

planned to the last cent.

They stretch something

like GBP50,000 (which is

about THB2.5 million and

just rent a house in the

middle of nowehere for

3k a month, eat street

food, drink cheap beer

and shag cheap women

and hope to hell they

don't get sick. Without

incident, that can sustain

you for 10 years if you're

spending 20k a month,

all-in but it isn't retirement,

it's a wing & a prayer

[sickwaterbuffalo2]

So very clearly when reading up on the posting history of most boasting about retirement at age 40 to 50 al is a puf of hot air concerning financial securety.

A lot of the time, those

boasting about retiring at

39 or 45 or whatever are

talking guff. A lot of them

just have their finances

planned to the last cent.

They stretch something

like GBP50,000 (which is

about THB2.5 million and

just rent a house in the

middle of nowehere for

3k a month, eat street

food, drink cheap beer

and shag cheap women

and hope to hell they

don't get sick. Without

incident, that can sustain

you for 10 years if you're

spending 20k a month,

all-in but it isn't retirement,

it's a wing & a prayer

So they did not listen to the wise and arrogant words of that German klingon Naam......

[Jingthing]

Well I've been happy enough with my level of living for many years now but I'm now expecting that there will a harsh price for retiring early later. Maybe very harsh. At least have had a pleasant time when younger. I think whether you love your work or not makes a difference too. I hated it.

Edited May 21, 2016 by Jingthing

[manfredtillmann]

So very clearly when reading up on the posting history of most boasting about retirement at age 40 to 50 al is a puf of hot air concerning financial securety.

A lot of the time, those

boasting about retiring at

39 or 45 or whatever are

talking guff. A lot of them

just have their finances

planned to the last cent.

They stretch something

like GBP50,000 (which is

about THB2.5 million and

just rent a house in the

middle of nowehere for

3k a month, eat street

food, drink cheap beer

and shag cheap women

and hope to hell they

don't get sick. Without

incident, that can sustain

you for 10 years if you're

spending 20k a month,

all-in but it isn't retirement,

it's a wing & a prayer

So they did not listen to the wise and arrogant words of that German klingon Naam......

where did that come from? ah, yes, i remember, he stepped on your shirt sleeves in some earlier post.

jealous? or you just dislike krauts? some people just do better than others, pal.

i know nothing about naam other than what he posted but he seems to have made a lot more out of nothing than many others out of a lot.

you do yourself no favor by displaying your inferiority in such blatant way - just another arrogant kraut's opinion...