Officially retired

"I'll probably never be able to retire." 

I said that many times over the years. Even just a couple years ago I still believed it to be true. 

Yet, I was informed yesterday that my social security application was approved and I'll start receiving monthly checks in February!

I have officially gone past tired, all the way to re-tired!!

 

I'm still not sure how it all came about that I quit working in July 2023. And at the time I had no intention of not working again (for someone else anyway). Sometimes things just happen, I guess.

I will also say, since I've never made much money, it made no sense for me to hold off on applying for social security. I've basically worked since I was nine years old mowing lawns, shoveling snow, bailing hay and whatnot, but I think there were only two years in my entire life where I made over $50,000, and that was as a pastor! So I'm not getting much back. If I was on my own I could maybe afford to rent a cheap one-bedroom apartment and buy bread and peanut butter each month. I'm glad I'm not on my own.

Of course, there were also political reasons for retiring at the minimum age. Even though it is entirely my money, that I earned and paid into, who knows what in the world the current administration and his billionaire boys will do.

Anyway, I got online earlier this month and was surprised it only took 10 minutes to fill out the application. Two weeks later... and it's done! I had no idea it was this easy. Why can't everything be like that?

It's not out of the question I might still work again (I can almost make as much money as I was making and not have to pay a penalty). But at least it's nice to know I'll be getting a little something back that I've paid into for the past 40+ years.

Maybe I'll go take a nap... ;)