Do you expect to work continuously for 30+ years?

It might not be with the same company anymore, but do you think you need to have a job for 30-40 years? Or do you have a plan to work less than that? Maybe you will work for part of your career at a job to make money, and then at a job you like just to have something to do even if the money isn't good. Or do you need to work a certain amount of time before you get a pension?

Have you had any problems finding a new job if you have lost a job? Is your life setup in such a way that you can't survive and pay the bills for a few months if you aren't earning a regular paycheck?

What else would you do if you didn't need to go to work? Do you have a plan for what you will do if you find yourself laid-off unexpectedly? Does adding kids into your life make the job-loss problem much more complicated, or is it better since you can spend more time with them?

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I'm still at my first post-college job, and I could technically 'retire' after 20 years without a pension, it would be tough. I would still have a lot of years to live and any health expenses could ruin everything, let alone health insurance premiums. I do save a lot of money and I also keep my expenses down pretty low. I expect to really be able to save in 2014 without the big expenses that I've had in the past few years (20% -> 50%+).

If I did lose my job unexpectedly, it would take me a while to figure out what I would do. I wish I had a better plan. Part of me would want to travel for months at a time by bicycle and staying in hostels, and I know that I could handle it now and not have the feelings of "what are you doing, you should have a job" that I felt the last time I was unemployed. I have enough money saved up to keep my house, but if I sold it and put my stuff into storage, it would feel more freeing. I'm not attached to this area, and would have no problem moving to a better area. Not that this is a bad place, I would say 80% of the country has more problems than here, and I would only want to move someplace better. I think I would like to try and start a business too, so if that worked out or didn't work out, it would still be something to say that you are doing to keep 'society' from considering you a deadbeat or a slacker.

 

If my photography passion could support my solo mortgagee status, I'd work as long as I was able to keep capturing frozen moments of time that only the camera lens can.

However, the reality is photography won't because it's something I've never been employed to do therefore I don't have the 'experience' but I've never had any problem finding the next job as I'm not a 'specialist' in a particular area fortunately. I was made redundant three times in seven years but I've also temped numerous times, in my city and up country, so I have that experience working in my favour and I'd do it again if necessary.

 

I'll probably work until I'm dead. Savings are a pipe dream eaten away by medical bills. My wife will probably be a PA in about three years so we should have a good income. Maybe she'll be able to retire when I'm dead.

Honestly from what I've seen from retired people, I'd probably rather work anyway.

 

I have been consistently employed since August of 1979, never laid off or let go. In fact, since 1969, there was only once I was unemployed and it wasn't by choice. I was working nights as a busboy/dishwasher and the manager asked me to skip school and work a double shift. When I declined he fired me. The SOB was asking a high school honor student working on a 4 year perfect attendance record to skip school for his minimum wage gig. I didn't like him or the job anyway.

Since '79, I've had 3 employers, 26 years with my current (technically. Our company was "merged" a year ago). I've always found a job, gave notice and moved on without missing a pay day.

Life has always conspired to swallow up any real savings we could accumulate, but other than a mortgage, we live relatively debt free. I have no pension coming and my 401k has suffered as much as everyone else's. I'm 58, reasonably healthy and will probably work as long as I can function. (or until I have a hit record )

 

It's not that I dislike my current job, and the travel and field work is great. The issue I have is one of burnout. I don't get the vacation period that teachers do. That is pretty much what I would be looking to have if I started my own company, but I would want 2 months off in the Summer, 4 weeks off from before Christmas to after the New Year, and a week for a Fall and Spring break. And the hours don't change so I can work less when things aren't busy, but I always have to work overtime when they are.

I do worry about having enough to do if I didn't have a job (after I spend 3-4 months catching up and completing things that I have been meaning to do...) Although, if I had a comfortable bank account, that wouldn't be a problem.

 

I am in the grumpy old dude category, although I would characterize it as ornery and experienced.

First full time job was in 1983. Two years working in the US Senate, followed by working for four different public interest groups as researcher, policy analyst, lobbyist and finally settled in for the last 10 years on the program development side. Public interest work was always the plan, but it took a while to find the right niche.

The compensation is more than acceptable, although no match for comparable work in the private sector. But more importantly, the culture of the current organization suits me well, there are always new challenges to take on, and the flexibility and autonomy are worth more than being driven by a profit motive just for a higher paycheck.

I could retire comfortably in another 5-7 years if it became necessary, but as long as they like my work, the plan is to stick around and eventually ease into a few consulting contracts with a smaller but still comfortable income stream until a post-65 retirement.

 

I would love to retire now, but that isn't a realist option. I suppose I will retire someday, but there is at least another 15 to 20 years to go before I can manage that. If I somehow come into a lot of money, enough to offset a reduced income, I could see going into semi-retirement. What I mean is, living a less expensive life and working a smaller jobs that are more personally satisfying but financially less rewarding.

 

No, I expect to meet a sugar daddy, and travel the world as a highly pampered courtesan.



Okay, probably not. I'm young enough that I can work for the next 30 years and be just about the right age for retirement, so that isn't a huge deal. I'd like to have an active sort of retirement, though, with either a part time job I love, or some kind of volunteering.

Money-wise, I'm most definitely not prepared to stop working, but that should start to change this year.

 

i work only part-time (but earn a full-time salary) although it's not a choice, it's a medical restriction

 

I got a surprise when I read the thread title, and thought, well, 30 years of work is so far off in the future, who knows.
Then I remembered I've been working since 1994 so 20 years is right around the corner.
My work is grueling, emotionally exhausting, but highly personally rewarding and fulfilling and comes with a nice check every month.
I think I'll be happy when my wife and I hit the "magic number" and I can leave the work scene. I have so many hobbies and interests that I would like more time to enjoy.

 

Yeah, I plan on working until I'm 60-65, no matter "the retirement age." I am currently on year four of my current job and it's decent. I've gotten a lot of experience, and they're paying for schooling so that's a plus. Also getting a lot of training, and going for some certs in 2013.

I aim to have at least 5-7m in my 401k, on top of other investments such as PMs, IRAs, HSAs, etc. My fiancé will have about 3-5m in her 401k, depending...I have thought about the next raise I get (March), maxing out her 401k and we just live off my salary and save hers (on top of my own investments)...a lot of people do that in my area and I think it's a solid retirement plan.

As far as working, I don't know. If I stay in the corporate world, probably my original 60-65 quote. If I end up starting my own business, which is very possible, who knows.

 

In reality, I'll probably be dead in 30 years, certainly in 40. I'm maybe looking at working 8 years tops. Then I hope I have enough accumulated to live comfortably - a relative term. I was unemployed for 17 months starting in 2009. I had left a great job and took a chance with a start up. Then the economy crashed. The industry I'm in was hit extremely hard. I probably aged 10 years then. I never want to be in that position again. I'm fine with what I'm doing today, not what I would have expected but it provides a pay check. And that is what it's all about. I really don't need a career at this point, I need a pay check.