Now that I have – for the moment, at least – all the money info out of the way, I want to start talking about what I foresee as Retirement Life For Me being. In other words, I want to begin to predict what I expect. After all, this is the whole purpose of this blog: how I prepared for retirement, what I expected retirement to be like, and then what happened after it occurred.

My very first non-money topic is: the daily schedule. When working full time, pretty much every day was something akin to: wake up early (I used to get up about 6:20), shower, have breakfast, make lunch, get ready for work, commute to the office, work, commute home, dinner, relax.

Commuting home from work would sometimes include a stop at the supermarket for ingredients for dinners or weekly needs (milk, OJ, etc.), or even at the home improvement store for supplies for a weekend project. The COVID restrictions (the time wherein this topic is being written) have shown that even though I work from home for now, we still need to schedule one day a week to go to the market to restock, mostly on perishables (milk, OJ, eggs, salad, fruit). So being a homebody requires going to the store sometimes too. (Yes, one could get delivery, but that is 1) a waste of money [see previous Money articles], and 2) doesn’t get you out of the house.)

There were some days during the week – usually toward the beginning of the month as my job dictates – where some extra time was required. I am a salaried employee, so I got paid the same amount whether I worked 40 hours a week, or 60 (though I hardly ever had to work more than 45 or so at the worst times). But this is relevant because working more hours did not result in more income. Working extra hours only pushed the second half of the daily schedule out however long the extra working time was.

Fortunately, having a spouse that was at home just made the timing a little different. I would keep her updated and when I would finally leave for the night, call and let her know. Unless we really NEEDED something from the store, on a late night that would be postponed to another day.

But there was spot on the way where I knew I was about 15 minutes from home. So I would call from that spot so that meal preparation could be timed so dinner was ready when I got home or shortly thereafter. It wasn’t a matter of “being bossy” or being waited on, but just a desire for both of us to eat earlier rather than later.

This workday schedule used to be, and probably still can be, referred to as “the daily grind”.

Some people, including my parents, say “I was busier when I retired than I was when working.” How can this be? When your retired, you don’t have to work, you can sleep until whenever, you don’t even need an alarm clock, right?

Well, no, not exactly. There will still be days when one might have to get up at a particular time for, maybe, a doctor’s appointment. But without having to go to work, what can the day be filled with?

Whatever. You. Want. OK, maybe not whatever – because you can’t spend money on anything and everything, one needs a budget – but there are what seems to be so few time constraints after retirement. You can sleep until whenever, shower, have breakfast then… what? Work on a hobby? Volunteer somewhere? Go to the beach or out on a boat (assuming you have a boat)? Write a blog? Visit with friends or family? Exactly: whatever you want. The “grind” isn’t so much a grind anymore. At least that’s what I hope.

I foresee my daily schedule being getting up, shower, breakfast, and maybe relaxing for a little. Then exercising – not every day, but a lot more than I am now. Maybe work on a hobby or puzzle, read, or play a game. Then it should be about lunch time. Depending on the weather, that could include going to the beach or out on the boat, or hanging out in the backyard on the patio. The afternoon may consist of visiting with a friend or volunteering somewhere for a little. Relaxing a little. Then it should be close to dinner. Maybe do something after dinner such as go to the club house for an event, or hang out with a friend, then finish the day with some TV and news.

Whatever I don’t get around to on one day should be able to be gotten to the next. With enough hours in the day, nothing should have to be put off for too long. During my usual working day, between getting up in the morning and finishing dinner, it could easily be eleven or twelve hours. (When I worked in NYC, it was more like thirteen to fourteen.) When working that many hours, who really wants to do chores or things around the house at the end of the day? Not me, that’s for sure.