I retired two days after my 60th Birthday back in 1998. Since then I haven't missed a day of work. I didn't wanted to take even a consulting job as I thought it'll impinge on my freedom as well as not being fair to the consulting company. I was right. Now, with the current situation, my kind of retirement will become more difficult. Unfortunately, retirement advice from professionals are for people in their 30s or 40s as I think they don't have to worry even if their predictions are wrong. For us who will be retiring shortly or already retired, what to do is an urgent matter. I've lost in stocks during the IT bubble and lost again during the financial crisis. Now, current situation, probably again. Hadn't these situations not occurred, I would be sitting pretty but not anymore. My financial adviser tells me to conserve your savings. He told me when I retired that I was a very prudent man and I'll have a great retirement. When he says that I should conserve I tell him that I saved for retirement and I have no intention of skimping again. I won't be extravagant but I won't live like a miser either. What to do if I can't even afford amenity fees in TV and live only on Social Security? Well, I have been saying to my friends that we will either go to India and live like Ghandi or go to the Philippines where costs are still much less expensive. English are understood in those two countries. We don't have to experience the latter if we are Frogged before the money runs out. We are o.k. whichever comes first. This is the only mentality one can have. So, in short, don't wait. Have fun.
