Fifty Plus (50+) - Pre-retirement "Better get it now" Syndrome

My husband is thinking about retiring as soon as his Mini Copper is paid off next November. Consequently, I find myself making big-ticket purchasing decisions with a "better get it now while we've got two incomes and can still afford it" state of mind. This is especially factoring in as I'm thinking about my next bike. So far, it has nudged me from procrastination to action in a positive way. No regrets about my decisions so far.

For you 50+ who have already retired, did you go through this and are you glad you splurged while you still could? Or did you end up making bad decisions?

For you 50+ who are approaching retirement (your own or your SI), are you experiencing BGIN Syndrome as I am?

I've started to think this way. I know I've been thinking about what the next car should be from the point of few of "how many years can I drive this after I retire." I'm also thinking about a bike that will last many more years than I expect my current crop to be around. For better or worse or accurate or not this is leading me toward thinking about a titanimum bike. I must say, however, that I'm thinking more about what I don't need to buy and how to sock the money away for when I do retire than I am getting big ticket items. Although, to be honest, after I get the last son through college and all those bills paid, I could easily be in my 70s before I can retire.

I've been retired six years and my SI is about to. Went through BGIN before I retired and found it much easier to buy the bigger ticket items with a few more frills at that time... and I'm glad we bought then. Now, with me retired and her about to, we are much more careful....kind of did not have a BGIN window for her.......No regrets at all, we're just much more price/value concious now and have the time to shop more than we did when we were both working. It is all good....the freedom of retirement in exchange for buying a Ford instead of a Lexius or a nice used ebay bike instead of a brand new one from the LBS is absolutely worth it beyond imagination. I would not do anything different if we had to do it all again.
Good luck and congratulations on your soon to come retirements.

Bill J.

For you 50+ who are approaching retirement (your own or your SI), are you experiencing BGIN Syndrome as I am?

I would answer no but I think the forum have different ideas about my Bike purchases.

I may have a chance to retire early- If I can get the right deal- so While I have the money- I not only got a decent bike in June- I got a backup in December.

So Get hubbie a respectable bike and get a good one for yourself.

I bought more bikes after I left work then before :)

I certainly bought my Atlantis with an eye towards retirement. When the time comes, I want to have a very good touring bicycle, that is already my "old familiar bike," and all the basic touring equipment to stick on it. It may happen that I will not want to go touring at that time, but if I do, I'll be ready.

yes !

My wife and I are taking the opposite approach, buying virtually nothing, with the anticipation that with retirement will come a new home, new appliances and new furnishings. The less we have the less there will be to move. My Toro lawn mower is 17 years old, and I am hoping it will make it to my retirement. We honestly are trying to live a clutter free life style which explains why I have only one bicycle.

For some reason, I'm on a "take care of everything". That list of all the things I mean to fix around the house... the whole concept of getting rid of stuff I'm done with and getting what's left all in order.

Part of it is because I travel so much, I'm confused about what things are where, and my house needs to be in good repair if I'm not going to be around.

Part of it is, if I die on the road (between traveling and bicycling, that seems to be the best bet right now), I don't want people to have to deal with anything, like having to paint the basement before they sell my house.

And part of it is that I pretty much know exactly what I want now, and I'm tired of consumerism. I just want to get everything down pat, and then not think about stuff anymore.

So, I'm on repair/remodel jag.

Whatever rationalization helps you justify buying a nice bike is a good one imho. ;)

Funny, I'm also getting rid of clutter at the same time I'm getting the important things we need but won't be able to easily get later. Simple is better! But right kind of simple. :)

Thanks everyone! (Solveg, your horse is back! Change your mind?)

Yah. People missed it. I liked it. But it drives some people nuts. I'm waffling about what to do.

Yah. People missed it. I liked it. But it drives some people nuts. I'm waffling about what to do.

Follow your bliss.

I think there is good reason to consider spending some of your savings while in good health and in your 50s. Not to the point of seriously endangering your future, of course. But one never knows what awaits them in their 60s. (same goes if one is now in their 60s and is saving for their 70s)

I have twice seen people struck down by cancer in their late 50s. Both had been very conservative and had generous retirements established. One had always wanted to go to Alaska with his wife. They put it off for years. They finally decided to go when he was 59, and bought the tickets 6 months in advance. He was diagnosed with cancer two months later & was too far gone by summer to go.

Another started working for the state of Wisconsin, which has a nice retirement package, when he was 20. Could have retired comfortably at 57, with 37 years of service. Had enough banked sick leave to continue his state health insurance plan for another 10 years. Didn't enjoy working all that much. But was too conservative and decided to stick it out for another 2 years. Didn't make it.

So I think if you can travel now, or bike now, or ski now, or whatever, and you can afford to do it, then at least do some of it. Don't spend so much that you are in serious financial straits at 70, and don't put all of your eggs into the basket of being healthy enough at 65 to do everything you can do now.

Follow your bliss.

Yes, Solveg. I agree with DG. This is one of my favorite stories that I read to myself when I try (and fail) to please all people:

The Man, the Boy, and the Donkey


A Man and his son were once going with their Donkey to market.
As they were walking along by its side a countryman passed them
and said: "You fools, what is a Donkey for but to ride upon?"

So the Man put the Boy on the Donkey and they went on their
way. But soon they passed a group of men, one of whom said: "See
that lazy youngster, he lets his father walk while he rides."

So the Man ordered his Boy to get off, and got on himself.
But they hadn't gone far when they passed two women, one of whom
said to the other: "Shame on that lazy lout to let his poor little
son trudge along."

Well, the Man didn't know what to do, but at last he took his
Boy up before him on the Donkey. By this time they had come to
the town, and the passers-by began to jeer and point at them. The
Man stopped and asked what they were scoffing at. The men said:
"Aren't you ashamed of yourself for overloading that poor donkey
with you and your hulking son?"

The Man and Boy got off and tried to think what to do. They
thought and they thought, till at last they cut down a pole, tied
the donkey's feet to it, and raised the pole and the donkey to
their shoulders. They went along amid the laughter of all who met
them till they came to Market Bridge, when the Donkey, getting one
of his feet loose, kicked out and caused the Boy to drop his end
of the pole. In the struggle the Donkey fell over the bridge, and
his fore-feet being tied together he was drowned.

"That will teach you," said an old man who had followed them:

"Please all, and you will please none."

Is that some kind of Anti-Democrat attack ad?

I think there is good reason to consider spending some of your savings while in good health and in your 50s. Not to the point of seriously endangering your future, of course. But one never knows what awaits them in their 60s. (same goes if one is now in their 60s and is saving for their 70s)...I have twice seen people struck down by cancer in their late 50s. Both had been very conservative and had generous retirements established.

So I think if you can travel now, or bike now, or ski now, or whatever, and you can afford to do it, then at least do some of it. Don't spend so much that you are in serious financial straits at 70, and don't put all of your eggs into the basket of being healthy enough at 65 to do everything you can do now.

Thanks for the reminder, Tom! It's sometimes easy to take life for granted. I've also lost some friends at a young age. The latest was just before Thanksgiving, and he was my age: 52. He was smart; after his initial bout with the disease that ended up killing him, he decided to take the early retirement when it was offered about 4 years ago. He took a major cut in retirement benefits, but he had 4 years with his family before he died.

TruF: I love that story! And I'm totally touched that you typed all that in for me! Thank You!

TruF: I love that story! And I'm totally touched that you typed all that in for me! Thank You!

Solveg: Copy and paste. :)

Tom: No, not an anti-Democrat tale. I stay away from politics in this forum. ;)

Follow your bliss.

Ignorance is bliss.

Follow your ignorance??

Ignorance is bliss.

Follow your ignorance??

If that works for you, why not? :D

I'm not so much thinking about buying things now, but about doing things now while I am still able. For example, for decades I've thought about bike touring in Europe, for an extended trip (spent a week in Holland in 1982). Now would be a good time, before my mother is totally dependent upon me. But now I don't have anyone to join me, & not sure that I want to travel alone again as I did when I was 30.

also once toyed with the idea of moving to Quebec to learn to speak French -- I don't think I could stand the winter! Another good reason to go to Europe, right?