Yup. My better half stopped working before me. Declared one day she was done. I said "what about me" and she said "you can stop working too if you want." Small things like funding our lifestyle not all that important apparently.
Drinking money is important, and once you're at a point where you theoretically could stop working, working becomes more rewarding:
1. All the money you earn can be spent - because you don't need to save any more, and just by earning money you're avoiding dipping into those savings
2. When you're doing stuff you don't like, you can always think "I don't have to do this if I don't want to." That got me through many situations I didn't enjoy - knowing I had a choice made it OK
3. Actually, it's nice to get out of the house and see people. When I'm not working (I'm working about 50% of the time) I can go a week without leaving the property, and seeing almost nobody other than the missus. That's not really healthy
1. It’s quite an adjustment to go from saver to spender. I’m told that I excel in this category. Actually, our budget allows for X in discretionary and unplanned spending each month and tracks with the credit card cycle. Last month we had .4X left and we’re tracking about the same this month.
2. People always ask, “What does Gerry do all day?” Many days, there are no plans but, having built a new home on 10 acres, there’s always something to do. My typical response is lighter: “I do what I want, when I want for as long as I want….with my wife’s permission.” That’s not too far from the truth. I enjoy being outdoors but, doing stuff manually with a rake, a shovel, a weed wicker, a backpack sprayer, etc takes its toll hence, the tractor.
3. Socialization as you age is hugely important. “Mind games” impact us more than we realize otherwise. Church, being in the south, has played a role in introducing us to new people, being a volunteer fireman does also. One of our wealthy neighbors has huge gatherings for the locals two or three times a year. Potluck supper although they typically provide the proteins. We have a potluck on Sunday for the volunteer firefighters also. We have more time to join others for dinner. We’re been to others‘ homes for lunch or dinner more in the last 18 months than the last 18 years. We may live rural but we’re more social now.