No Retirement Income Is Not as Appealing as Dying

Would you rather run out of retirement income or die?

According to a recent survey by Allianz Life 61 percent of the 3,200 baby boomers and retirees (ages 44 to 75) said they feared outliving their retirement income more than they dreaded dying.

More than 90 percent of baby boomers feel the United States is facing a retirement crisis. Respondents indicated that they were aware that they may be contributing to that crisis by not saving enough so that they have an adequate retirement income:

It appears that few retirees have asked that important question: How Much Do I Need to Retire?

Most of the soon-to-be-retired said they don’t know how much retirement income they will require once they retire and they fear that they will outlive their retirement income.

The study, titled “Reclaiming the Future: Challenging Retirement Income Perceptions,” was conducted in May 2010 for Golden Valley-based Allianz.

Respondents also said they expect a lot from retirement — 79 percent said their retirement lifestyle must surpass their parents’. (In my opinion, these people are nuts - delusional, in fact.)

Survey results showed that the median annual retirement income retirees and the soon-to-be retired targeted is $59,000, but baby boomers’ savings are on track to provide only about $20,000 (one third of that retirement income that they would like).

Perhaps some of these retirees can take up writing and self-publishing books as one of many retirement jobs to pursue as I have done to provide me with a residual retirement income for many years.

This is an e-mail that I sent to one of my friends about how he can retire with a little more retirement income:

Hey Frank:

If you lose your job, you can move to B.C. to live with Jennifer, and sue your kids for support.

No doubt Jennifer would be proud of you having your own income in retirement.

Check out this article about parents suing their children for support.

http://lifestyle.ca.msn.com/family-parenting/moms-dads/rogers-article.aspx?cp-documentid=24682220

See, you are richer than me because I have no kids to sue.

And you know what that means if you sue your kids successfully.

More money for beer ! ! ! ! ! !

Ernie Z.

Boring Retirees Take On Boring Retirement Jobs

Apparently many Americans are taking on new jobs after their "official" retirement.

Some retirees need the extra money and other retirees are simply bored.

Whatever the reason, an increasing number of retirees are opting for semi-retirement by having some sort of retirement job.

Here are eight of the most popular post-retirement jobs.

1. Consultant


2. Caterer


3. Store Greeter


4. Floral Assistant


5. Temp


6. Tour Guide


7. Retail Worker


8. More of the Same That the Retiree Used to Work at

To me, the majority of these retirement jobs are boring, boring, boring.

Of course boring retirees will tend to take on boring retirement jobs

For more interesting retirement jobs see:

• Retirement Cafe Retirement Jobs


• Best Retirement Jobs on Squidoo

Related to the fact than many people who retire actually get a retirment job sooner or later is the trend of many just staying in their jobs.

A recent survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute found that a growing number of American workers are also planning to delay retirement.

That has negative implications for the U.S. job market, where unemployment is high and layoffs continue to grow.

Almost one in four workers (24 percent) postponed plans to retire this year.

Of those postponing retirement 29 percent cited the poor economy, wheras 22 percent cited a change in employment status, 16 percent cited inadequate finances and 12 percent cited the need to make up stock market losses.

Job Loss Is a Golden Opportunity

Here is an e-mail that I recently received from a reader of one of my books. I have changed the person's name in case the information is sensitive:

----- Original Message -----
From: Sharon P.
To: ernie @ telus dot net
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2009 4:58 PM
Subject: one response to The Joy of Not Working

Hello, Ernie!

Another co-worker and I had the great good fortune of being laid off at the end of June. We decided that we were the lucky ones. Only after we were out of the negative work environment did we realize how much stress we had been carrying and how exhausted we were. It took a couple of weeks of rest, good nutrition, and tender loving care from friends before I felt human again and didn't ache all over. Plus it took a while to file for unemployment benefits and to get back to the job-hunting game.

Once I was done with all the paperwork hassle, I picked up a few books to read in between doing housework and sending out resumes. I started with Michael Shuman's books, The Small-Mart Revolution and Going Local (I was curious about how to sustain local economies), then proceeded with Robert Fritz's The Path of Least Resistance (how to apply creative techniques that artists use to living my own life). After that, I picked up your book, The Joy of Not Working.

I am about halfway through the book and yesterday I finished my first leisure tree. Wanting more bang for my buck, I made a game out of trying to combine as many things as I could from the tree into a single day, and I made a game plan over morning coffee. I am interested in horses, I want to learn to ride dressage, I enjoy reading and writing and walking/hiking, and I need to exercise (both for health and to be a better rider). So I combined those things and created "dressage Monday" -- which of course I won't just be doing on Mondays, but I had to start somewhere, right? Here's how it went:

breakfast

Read: articles on riding in Dressage Today magazine
Exercise: yoga - full set, for at least 20 minutes
drink a full glass of water
Exercise: leg stretches, using a step in the kitchen

break for lunch

Reading: three chapters of the book Balance in Movement (applying physiotherapy to achieve a proper seat on the horse)
Exercise: walking my elderly dog to the local post box, to post greeting cards (I decided to send the cards so that I would have to walk to the post box today!)
Watching: video of dressage training by Reiner Klimke
Watching: gold medal performance by Reiner Klimke in 1984 Los Angeles olympic games (on YouTube)
Exercise: 15 minutes on rebounder (mini trampouline)

break for a drink and a snack

reading: more articles in Dressage Today magazine
writing: sending a long email to Ernie J. Zelinski

It's a little after 6 pm now (I'm in Ohio, on Eastern time), and I still have plenty of time to do other things, like more reading and some weight training in the evening.

Exercise had been a problem for me in the past. I had so much tension in my body that it hurt even to do yoga! But now that I am not in a negative job situation, I find that exercise is very easy. Not only does it not hurt, but it is more meaningful because I have a specific goal in mind: strengthening my body to be able to balance better when I am riding and to ride for longer periods of time. I think that having a goal for exercise is a huge thing. For me, lack of exercise wasn't because of taking the easy way out, it was because I was in pain and also because I didn't have a specific purpose or goal for it.

Now that I am coordinating my activities for a common purpose, everything is incredibly easy to start and easy to continue through to the end (reading three chapters of a book, doing 15 minutes of rebounding, etc.). My day has been joyful and effortless and full of activity!

It all started when I decided to start training and studying like an olympian, since I no longer have that pesky full-time job.

Living in the USA, however, I am concerned about the fact that I will only be able to keep my health insurance for nine months. I will try to find a paying gig with benefits before then, but in the meantime I will be making huge progress in my riding, and the exercise and learning will be building my confidence for whatever I will choose to do down the road. In order to keep my horse, my husband and I have been cleaning stalls and helping to care for horses in exchange for my horse's board. Plus, my riding coach wants a website, and he will give me some free lessons in exchange for website development and writing, which we will be glad to do for him. You cannot imagine what a relief it is for me to be able to keep my horse, I've had him for nearly six years, and he's a member of the family. It's also a big relief to still have lessons from a great coach; my friend and I just found out about him last winter, and I'd hate to lose him, too!

I am very grateful for your book, to show me how to give my life a specific direction and to re-frame my job loss as a golden opportunity.

One thing that I have to thank you for specifically is for mentioning reading as an activity that is active. I had been kicking myself for sitting around and reading -- even though I was learning a lot through my reading and the Fritz book was about a technique that would help me through life and help me find meaningful work -- because I saw it as passive. I was incredibly relieved when I saw reading on your leisure tree! I put it on mine as well, and now I can actually feel good about the reading I am doing, and that is another huge weight off my shoulders.

My time between jobs will not be a worrisome time for me, because I am now a woman on a mission and I am test-driving the life I will live the next time I am between jobs. It is and will be a joyful life full of self-directed learning and exploring.

Even when I am once again working at a job, I'll have a better idea of how to manage my time in the future. I will continue to be an olympian-in-training even while working 40 hours a week and planning how I can create my own business, so I will eventually be able to rid myself of the next pesky full-time job that I happen to acquire.

All the best,
Sharon P.

Here are some resources to deal with job loss, unemployment, and involuntary retirement:

Jobs for Retirement at the Retirement Cafe

Benefits from a Recession

Dream Jobs and UnReal Jobs

25 Reaons Why Retirement Rocks (and Work Sucks!)

Cool Reasons to Quit Your Job

Retirement Jobs at the Real Success Resource Center

Create More Money for Your Retirement

Most of the articles I see on Google Alerts for anything relating to retirees has to do with money, their retirement portfolios, and how many of them are short of money.

I am amazed by the number of people that I know who want more money in their lives but are not willing to put in the time, effort, and creativity to generate more income.

If you are short of money, you likely aren't using your time, effort, and creativity to generate more retirement income. Either that or you don't handle money that well.

Here are some ways to attract money into your life according to Joe Vitale that can add to your retirement income:

• Take action on an idea you have.


• Write a script of you being wealthy and how it feels.


• Forgive yourself and others.


• Read Think and Grow Rich.


• Turn a problem into a product and sell it online.


• Feel grateful for something you have.


• Pray.


• Create a vision board of what you want.


• Do 5 things each day on items on your vision board.


• Ask for help.


• Help someone else. (by hiring them to help you)


• Do whatever you are afraid to do. Wealth is hiding behind your fear.


• Get a retirement job. While you pursue your dream, feed yourself with work.


• Get clear of limiting beliefs about money

When the Recession Affects Your Retirement, Turn to Your Friends

I am still working on my new e-book 101 Reasons to Love a Recession.

Looks like the recession is having its effects to retirees worldwide. (If you would like to see a definition of recession go to the Love a Recession website.)

Figures obtained by The Weekend Australian show the country's 2.3 million retirees are 20 per cent poorer than they were a year ago, with the global financial crisis slashing the value of their assets.

Approximately 40,000 soon-to-be retired Australians this year will be forced into part-time retirement jobs as the economic downturn erodes the value of their homes and savings.

Research by Rice Warner Consulting shows that of the 155,000 Australians who planned to retire this year, between 38,000 and 40,000 will move into part-time employment - if their bosses don't force them out in a cost-cutting drive.

It's getting tougher for Japanese retirees as well: The Japanese slide in household spending remains unchecked. In addition, the government reported a record fall in industrial output. Japanese unemployment continues to rise.

No doubt many retirees will have to learn to adjust their spending habits as there is little free money to be had.

Of course having a happy retirement depends on many other things including having a number of best friends to share time with.

Here are five quotations about friendship to place the value of best friends in perspective:

#1 of Top Ten Friendship Sayings
It is better in times of need to have a friend rather than money.
— Greek proverb

#2 of Top Ten Friendship Sayings
When you are looking for a best friend, don't look for perfection; just look for friendship.
— Unknown Wise Person

#3 of Top Ten Friendship Sayings
A true friend wants nothing more from you than the pleasure of your company.
— Unknown wise person

#4 of Top Ten Friendship Sayings
Heaven must be an awfully dull place if your best friends end up elsewhere.
— Unknown wise person

#5 of Top Ten Friendship Sayings
A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.
— Unknown wise person

Retirement Quotes about Working at Fun Retirement Jobs When You Retire

Working in Retirement Years

According to Statistics Canada, more than 300,000 Canadians 65 or older worked
in 2001

• 57% were 65-69
• 26% were 70-74
• 17% were 75 or older

If you are going to work in your retirement years, why not work at a Fun Retirement Job ?