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April 1,2011 proved to be an April fools joke on the rest of the world. That's the day I retired!! I had turned 62 the previous fall and had planned to make it official the first of the year, however, the last in my long list of employers had just announced that they were going to trim the operation by the end of March, and as luck would have it I would be one of those trimmed. So I trudged on for three more months only to qualify for a severance package. The night I left the building for the last time it was like a huge burden had been removed from my back. I certainly miss lots of folks I worked with but the idea of not working full time again eases the pain quite well.

If you are reading this in hopes of learning some fabulous secret about how to retire with millions, sorry to disappoint you but this isn't what I'm about. I am so relieved and feel so much better not only health wise but my mental well being has improved out of this world. I had no idea how much stress a job weighs on the average person, and contrary to the opinion of some, I consider myself to be average.

The knowledge that every day is what I decide it is going to be makes me smile every time I think about it. I'm not saying that when you retire you can or even should sit around and get fat. You can find plenty to do with your day. The difference is you decide what to do with it!

I tell anyone who will listen that retiring early (at 62 or before the full retirement age) will cost you some money in the long run but unless you love what you do for a living, the sooner you can get out the better you will feel.

If you are thinking, he probably has this million dollar portfolio so he can afford it.....wrong! I barely have a pot to piss in. Well, that's not exactly right. My wife and I own a house that we still make payments on, I have no portfolio, and because of health and other setbacks over the years, I have no 401k or pension. I receive SS benefits and have a little part time job where I net $75.00 a week. My wife also works, which by the way she isn't very happy about. So you see it isn't about the money. It is about enjoying the precious time we have left.

My Dad passed away 8 years after he retired. If he had not retired at 62 he would've had alot less time to enjoy. So I decided not to wait 5 more years so I could get an extra $800 a month from SSI.

So glad I did!!