Bob Ridpath
Pit Bull love
I’ll add something, if I may (as a non-pilot and understanding that the age rules differ for your profession). I pulled the trigger as soon as I hit 65. It cost me a relative few dollars per month from both Social Security and my County pension who had both decided that 67 was the appropriate age for “full” retirement. Those dollars lost, for me, were acceptable in order to get out of the game.
So much depends on both life circumstances and the things you need to pay for/want to do in the future. It was just me and the pups to care for; ex-wife long years gone and both boys grown and with families of their own. My bills are minimal (no car payment, for example, and generally just a more-than-fair rent, utilities and food). My wants are simple with wanderlust satisfied during an earlier life and it was a conscious choice to buy my last new vehicle with a cashier’s check rather than payments over time. My weekly driving has gone from 275 miles for the work commute and errands to possibly 12 - 15 miles weekly. I’ve been blessed with generally good health, though I recognize that could change in a moment.
Been 2 1/2 years now. I can’t recall a single bad or boring day. Grateful for the experiences of years gone by, I write (for my own benefit), read, enjoy the Food Channel, do a bit of property maintenance for the landlord, eat when I’m hungry and sleep when I’m tired. I can’t imagine a better existence for ME, and it was those things in total that helped me to “pick an age.”
YMMV with your own personal needs and desires. What do you want to do with your time? What is your debt load? What kind of things do you need to be happy and content? What are your obligations to others in your life? Where do you want to live, and how?
Ehh … you get the idea. Best wishes as you anticipate the future.
