Is working till old age a bad idea?

dodgeball · Mar 24, 2014

The idea doesn't seem that bad if we actually do believe that we have a long way ahead of us. Instead of "chionging" in younger days so as to retire at an earlier age, i rather take things slower and work on a moderate pace. After all, staying at home and watching grandchildren may be relaxing but it can be quite stifling if we stop learning. Stop learning how to interact with strangers, stop learning new skills, stop learning about new technologies, stop keeping our mind and body active, stop getting out there in the society. I am not against working in my old age as long as it doesn't take a toll on my physical health. I would totally opt for part-time, 3 days a week kind of job. It seems healthy.

You?

Leongsam · Mar 24, 2014

Nobody has to wait till their old before calling it a day. My advice is to achieve financial independence as quickly as possible. If you succeed before you're 30 I say congratulations for a job well done.

Once financial independence is achieved, take a few years off work and explore the world to expand your mind.

When you feel that you've seen enough, you can then spend your time indulging in your passions in life.

yellowarse · Mar 24, 2014

If you're fit and healthy, then doing something you like, engaging in your passion or even working in a job that gives you satisfaction and fulfilment into your old age is great. Some people paint, some do private consulting, others teach or write a book or give lecture tours. To each his own.

What is NOT OK is having to slog for a living till you die, not because you enjoy it but because you need the money to survive and the state does not support you at all. Who enjoys rummaging in trash cans for cardboard, load it on a trolley and sell it to the karang guni for 10 cents a kilo when you're 80 years old? Who enjoys walking around tables in a hawker centre selling tissue paper just so you have $10 a day to pay for your two meals (no breakfast) and transport home?

And then if you fall ill, you just lie down in bed and die because you can't even afford to see a doctor. That is, if you still have your bed and have not downgraded to the void deck bench.

dodgeball · Mar 24, 2014

Leongsam said:
Nobody has to wait till their old before calling it a day. My advice is to achieve financial independence as quickly as possible. If you succeed before you're 30 I say congratulations for a job well done.

Once financial independence is achieved, take a few years off work and explore the world to expand your mind.

When you feel that you've seen enough, you can then spend your time indulging in your passions in life.

hmmm. Then how relevant will the re-employment act be?

Leongsam · Mar 24, 2014

dodgeball said:
hmmm. Then how relevant will the re-employment act be?

Nobody needs to be employed once they have achieved financial independence. I've been stressing this fact for many years. I hope it sinks in eventually.

dodgeball · Mar 24, 2014

Leongsam said:
Nobody needs to be employed once they have achieved financial independence. I've been stressing this fact for many years. I hope it sinks in eventually.

What about those who still cannot achieve financial independence when they hit 50?

Leongsam · Mar 24, 2014

dodgeball said:
What about those who still cannot achieve financial independence when they hit 50?

They'll have to work beyond 50 and their lives will be far less pleasant.

tanwahtiu · Mar 24, 2014

hey halo, he is asking about working in old age, don't shoot off tangent talk about financial independence and all that stuff.

Of course old is old cock nobody want to hire old people unless you have your own business. and keep working for yourself. Business people don't need retirement, retirement is for employee, civil servants and so on.

Leongsam said:
Nobody has to wait till their old before calling it a day. My advice is to achieve financial independence as quickly as possible. If you succeed before you're 30 I say congratulations for a job well done.

Once financial independence is achieved, take a few years off work and explore the world to expand your mind.

When you feel that you've seen enough, you can then spend your time indulging in your passions in life.

Isogallardo · Mar 24, 2014

Leongsam said:
They'll have to work beyond 50 and their lives will be far less pleasant.

I guess that will be me. For i have spent so much money on useless stuff and no savings... All those money would have given me a good retirement fund or on some savings plan which can yield me some money for retirement. =(

tanwahtiu · Mar 24, 2014

one important Confuscius saying if you love your job you never work for a day. How to retire when the job you love that keep people coming back for more to buy from you?

yellowarse said:
If you're fit and healthy, then doing something you like, engaging in your passion or even working in a job that gives you satisfaction and fulfilment into your old age is great. Some people paint, some do private consulting, others teach or write a book or give lecture tours. To each his own.

What is NOT OK is having to slog for a living till you die, not because you enjoy it but because you need the money to survive and the state does not support you at all. Who enjoys rummaging in trash cans for cardboard, load it on a trolley and sell it to the karang guni for 10 cents a kilo when you're 80 years old? Who enjoys walking around tables in a hawker centre selling tissue paper just so you have $10 a day to pay for your two meals (no breakfast) and transport home?

And then if you fall ill, you just lie down in bed and die because you can't even afford to see a doctor. That is, if you still have your bed and have not downgraded to the void deck bench.

Isogallardo · Mar 24, 2014

tanwahtiu said:
hey halo, he is asking about working in old age, don't shoot off tangent talk about financial independence and all that stuff.

Of course old is old cock nobody want to hire old people unless you have your own business. and keep working for yourself. Business people don't need retirement, retirement is for employee, civil servants and so on.

I guess you are not farsighted to realised that if you gain financial independence, you would not need to worry about working in old age.

virus · Mar 24, 2014

Leongsam said:
They'll have to work beyond 50 and their lives will be far less pleasant.

Not for some pple. Being on the dead beat n screaming their lungs off so thry can continue to bully pple bevos they r depraved of doing that back home is a joy. Old fart eally missed his job. I bet he would b happy to pay to keep his job.

laksaboy · Mar 24, 2014

Working till old age is the best idea! Doesn't matter if you're 'financially independent' or not. Only lazy people retire.

dodgeball · Mar 24, 2014

Leongsam said:
They'll have to work beyond 50 and their lives will be far less pleasant.

My friend sent me this link. Apparently, this female blogger said her mum who "will be reaching the stipulated retirement age soon, is much happier working then staying at home with nothing better to do". http://www.renzze.com/index.php/2014/03/22/ageing-gracefully/

Sounds about right for my dad too.

tanwahtiu · Mar 24, 2014

one thing for sure is if you make dirty money you will never get to keep it.

If you walked with God and fear God and be righteous you will not meet bad people steal your money or by nature means you buy an investment at the beginning of bad time and loss all.

Leongsam said:
Nobody has to wait till their old before calling it a day. My advice is to achieve financial independence as quickly as possible. If you succeed before you're 30 I say congratulations for a job well done.

Once financial independence is achieved, take a few years off work and explore the world to expand your mind.

When you feel that you've seen enough, you can then spend your time indulging in your passions in life.

Leongsam · Mar 24, 2014

tanwahtiu said:
hey halo, he is asking about working in old age, don't shoot off tangent talk about financial independence and all that stuff.

It's not a "tangent" I'm highlighting the very heart of the issue.

People seek employment in their twilight years only if they are forced do so. If they aim to achieve financial independence early in life, they will not end up in such a predicament in the first place.

yellowarse · Mar 24, 2014

tanwahtiu said:
one important Confuscius saying if you love your job you never work for a day. How to retire when the job you love that keep people coming back for more to buy from you?

Very true. If you love what you're doing, you never call it work. Horowitz kept performing till he was eighty ... Alfred Hitchcock continued to make movies till the day he died.

But they were financially independent. They worked past retirement age cos they loved what they did, not because they had to. That's the difference.

Leongsam · Mar 24, 2014

laksaboy said:
Working till old age is the best idea! Doesn't matter if you're 'financially independent' or not. Only lazy people retire.

Retirement doesn't mean doing nothing. It means not being beholden to others for a livelihood.

I retired more than 15 years ago and I've never been more busy in my life. I hardly consider myself lazy. My day is full to the brim with things to do and projects to complete.

Leongsam · Mar 24, 2014

yellowarse said:
They worked past retirement age cos they loved what they did, not because they had to. That's the difference.

They were not working. They were busy indulging in their passions.

dodgeball · Mar 24, 2014

Leongsam said:
Retirement doesn't mean doing nothing. It means not being beholden to others for a livelihood.

I retired more than 15 years ago and I've never been more busy in my life. I hardly consider myself lazy. My day is full to the brim with things to do and projects to complete.

I think you are fortunate. Those who can retire at an early age, it will be less stressful during the retirement years. But i feel not everyone has it as good. There is a need to cater to the group who still need that job to either occupy their time (lack of hobbies) or for a decent sum of salary to get by.

Is working till old age a bad idea?

Alfrescian

High Order Twit / Low SES subject

Alfrescian (Inf)

Alfrescian

High Order Twit / Low SES subject

Alfrescian

High Order Twit / Low SES subject

Alfrescian

Alfrescian

Alfrescian

Alfrescian

Alfrescian

Alfrescian (Inf)

Alfrescian

Alfrescian

High Order Twit / Low SES subject

Alfrescian (Inf)

High Order Twit / Low SES subject

High Order Twit / Low SES subject

Alfrescian

Similar threads