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[jdmessner]

I read this today and it certainly made me stop and think about the things that are really important in life and how we will be thought of when we are gone.

People Will NEVER Remember:

• Your salary
• How busy you are
• How many hours you worked
• How much stuff you owned

People Will ALWAYS Remember:

• If your brisket was tough
• If your pulled pork was chewy
• If their steak was over cooked
• If your chicken was dry

Thank you to everyone on the forum for helping others build a legacy to be proud of!

[pmillen]

Great!  I’ll add two items based on two pieces of my father’s advice–

People Will Also ALWAYS Remember:

• That you were always the first person to say “Hello”
• That you listened more than you talked

[urnmor]

I think this will be a fun post about life especially as we grow younger.

i was told to buy your toys before you retire
 “life is to short not to have fun”

Most important tell your wife and your children you love them and don’t forget to hug them

[BigDave83]

I think this will be a fun post about life especially as we grow younger.

i was told to buy your toys before you retire
 “life is to short not to have fun”

Most important tell your wife and your children you love them and don’t forget to hug them

The important thing to add to this one is.

Don't tell them the cost of the toys , but be sure to leave a note with them on their value should something happen to you, so they don't get taken advantage of if they decide to liquidate them.

[Bentley]

Man there is a Lot of Truth & Wisdom in this post!

[Kristin Meredith]

People will always remember:

    -- bullies, vicious people, petty people, mean people, abusive people BUT will rarely do anything about it or confront that type of person.

   --- the person who stood up to the bully, vicious person, petty person, mean person, abusive person and tried to protect and champion others.

[dk117]

Most important tell your wife and your children you love them and don’t forget to hug them

This is my stretch goal right now.  Problem's however abound.  One is near 3000 miles away at college, the other will be out a year from now.  The grind of a career is weighing on me and the wife.   At 50, I might be on the younger side of this crowd.  I certainly need advise on how to bridge today to 59.5/62/65 (or even rule of 55 with my 401k) on how to make family, travel, BBQ my number 1. 

[Bar-B-Lew]

Most important tell your wife and your children you love them and don’t forget to hug them

This is my stretch goal right now.  Problem's however abound.  One is near 3000 miles away at college, the other will be out a year from now.  The grind of a career is weighing on me and the wife.   At 50, I might be on the younger side of this crowd.  I certainly need advise on how to bridge today to 59.5/62/65 (or even rule of 55 with my 401k) on how to make family, travel, BBQ my number 1.

I am taking the rule of 55 route at the end of the year.  Been working towards it for about 5 years.  Reach out if I can be of any help.

[yorkdude]

Lifes tragedy is we get old too fast and wise too late.
Benjamin Franklin.
SO true

[Kristin Meredith]

Most important tell your wife and your children you love them and don’t forget to hug them

This is my stretch goal right now.  Problem's however abound.  One is near 3000 miles away at college, the other will be out a year from now.  The grind of a career is weighing on me and the wife.   At 50, I might be on the younger side of this crowd.  I certainly need advise on how to bridge today to 59.5/62/65 (or even rule of 55 with my 401k) on how to make family, travel, BBQ my number 1.

What works for one may not work for another but I can share my experience.  I was burned out also but needed to keep working until at least 57.  I tried to focus every year on planning one "big trip."  Did not need to be overseas, one year did the Natchez Trace from New Orleans to Nashville driving the lovely parkway the whole way.  But I studied up and planned it out.  We stayed overnight in some Antebellum homes which had been turned into B&B's, tour historic stops (sometimes just a few miles apart on the trace), walked the Shiloh battlefield, saw Elvis's hometown, etc.  The point is I would focus a lot of attention on planning the trip and just tell myself the job was what I was doing to make the trip happen.  It helped me psychologically.  But it may not be something which would help you.

[Bar-B-Lew]

I've been doing something similar to Kristin and that is planning a lot of trips.  Planning parts of Highway 61 and Route 66.  I love going to special exhibits at art museums, music related museums and looking for music history sites.  I like to make music playlists with music related to my trip, too.  Most of those are what I build a trip around.  Its gotten to a point where I want to focus more energies on researching trips, taking trips, and then somehow documenting those trips.  I can't do that and work at the same time!

Kristin, if you have your itinerary documented, I would be interested in a copy of it if possible.  Thanks.

[urnmor]

Most important tell your wife and your children you love them and don’t forget to hug them

This is my stretch goal right now.  Problem's however abound.  One is near 3000 miles away at college, the other will be out a year from now.  The grind of a career is weighing on me and the wife.   At 50, I might be on the younger side of this crowd.  I certainly need advise on how to bridge today to 59.5/62/65 (or even rule of 55 with my 401k) on how to make family, travel, BBQ my number 1.

As Meredith said his is not an easy question to answer as one solution does not fit everyone.  First I would say "everything in moderation". That is do not over think it nor spend all of your funds buying toys or traveling just yet. 

IMO you can have only one number one and for me it was family and good health.  Everything else after that will fall in place.  You do have options f the stress of the job is an issue.   Some are more realistic than others.  First invest in yourself that is make exercise a regular part of your day (at least 30 minutes), take time off and go away with your wife and/or family on a three day weekend.   Don't take work home with you on a regular basis.

As to savings.  I believe in the 10% rule my Dad taught me.  Save a minimum of 10% of every pay raise and invest in it.  xxxx you never had it before and survived, so you don't reedit all.
Do not take out from your 401k or other retirement savings unless it is an absolute emergency, however, put away a rainy day fund. 

When to retire for me I knew when to walk away.  I took early Soc Sec.  Also remember we live longer so ones funds have to further. I fully retired at 62, am now 80.  I have for the most part enjoyed every minute of it. 

Do not retire without a hobby or hobbies.  I cannot stress this enough.  IMO you must have a reason to get up in the morning.  I start the day by making lattes and breakfast for Claire and I.  I love to cook and we love to travel. 

Now one good thing if you are helping your children with college you will get a pay raise when they graduate.  But don't make the mistake we did tell them they must graduate in 4 or 5 years after that it is on them.  It took us awhile to learn that or maybe were just softies. And make sure they have job upon graduation.

Anyway I probably wrote more than you wanted.  Most importantly keep smiling and love life to the fullest.  Oh also play loud music and sing and dance when you BBQ

[dk117]

thank you for the thoughtful responses.  Gimme a few years and I'll let you know how the story turns out 

Edit for context.  We've got the travel part figured out.  We've got the personal finance part figured out.  We don't have the healthcare and the kids (softies, guilty as charged) figured out.  So we endure for a while longer.

[ICIdaho]

thank you for the thoughtful responses.  Gimme a few years and I'll let you know how the story turns out 

Edit for context.  We've got the travel part figured out.  We've got the personal finance part figured out.  We don't have the healthcare and the kids (softies, guilty as charged) figured out.  So we endure for a while longer.

I am in the same boat.  I am 50, and have been fortunate to not have been unemployed since 19 years old. 30 years straight is a blessing, but I am burned out too.  I have one kid that just started college, and the other still has 2 years of high school left before starting college.  Once I get them through, I will see where the market has left me, its ups and downs can make or lose a lot of money fast.  One thing I have to think about is my grandpa, and my wife's grandma both lived until 94.  I am certain that I do not want to work the extra years to make it that long.

[Kristin Meredith]

thank you for the thoughtful responses.  Gimme a few years and I'll let you know how the story turns out 

Edit for context.  We've got the travel part figured out.  We've got the personal finance part figured out.  We don't have the healthcare and the kids (softies, guilty as charged) figured out.  So we endure for a while longer.

I will say that healthcare is a biggie. I thought I had it budgeted out -- and I did for the first 3 years.  But then premiums skyrocketed and I was having to downgrade from a silver to a bronze plan and paying higher and higher deductibles and co-pays.  Because I had to have two operations in my last 2 years, I put out $18,000 per year those years for healthcare.  I was so glad to go on Medicare with a supplemental insurance -- it was like receiving a big pay raise!  So definitely something which has to be carefully planned.