Getting Closer.....

We are now under the three weeks left mark before we head over that financial cliff called "retirement".
17 days to be exact.

Friday was payday so there are 1.5 paychecks left until there are no more. Hubs last paycheck will be for only 1 week's worth of pay, not two.

We sent the notarized retirement papers in last week and everything is in order in that regard so we are set to begin annuity payments and COBRA medical coverage on the proper dates.

Tomorrow we will attend Hubs retirement luncheon with all his coworkers at a local restaurant, followed by an open house in his office building.

Every now and then I get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach over money.

I know, I know.....
We've planned the finances out over many money meetings over many, MANY years along the way.

And I have a sheet of paper here on my desk with what's in our financial armory come June 30th after the paychecks stop rolling in.
And I KNOW in my head that we have this financially covered.
But even so.......

It's darned hard to wrap your head around a "New Normal" when it comes to finances.
No more growing the Net Worth and saving every spare nickel for retirement.
Retirement is HERE!

Changing from a saver into a spender is hard.
My brain isn't wired that way anymore. lolz

As for changes other than money........

Routines will likely not change much(other than Hubs won't be driving off to work 5 times a week).

Once this Summer Road Trip happens things will settle down to a new routine, but similar to our old routine.

Perhaps I'll get more help around the house(or Hubs will do ALL the outside/yard work now).
He says he'll help out more with chores so we'll see what that turns out to be.

I see a bit more of eating out maybe for us at lunchtime in retirement since he'll be home weekdays.
I doubt we'll do more shopping.
Hubs will definitely spend more time on his 3 main hobbies-chess, beer making and reading.

It will be interesting to see how our relationship changes with being together so much more after he leaves his job. If it changes at all.
Luckily we both have interests outside of the other's interests so we don't need to be, nor do we want to be glued at the hip.

Spending won't change much except that Hubs won't need as much WAM now(aka walking around money).  He won't be buying lunches, coffees, etc. at work.

We'll need to have a meeting to come up with a new retirement budget around here, one that is based on what the monthly annuity payment will be.  Especially the first 3 months when we can't withdraw anything from the 401K account.  We have some big expenses coming up the latter part of 2017-house insurance, 6 mo. car insurance and property taxes, along with the Summer trip expenses(which will be on two c/c statements slated to arrive late July and late August)so we'll need to figure out where to draw cash from to cover those big irregular expenses.

And then there is the Louisiana house situation too.  The renters are moving out soon and we need to get the house fixed up and put on the market to sell.  This will mean more money spent in the short term. Oh goody.......
Once that is sold we'll have more cash to add to the coffers so it's all good.  8-)

It's harder to go into a fixed income situation when you still have almost adult children dependent on you.  College Boy has one more year left of college(really 1 semester and 1 internship's worth)so that's an added expense on us and Daughter is living with us so she can finish college as well, though she isn't as much of a financial drain as CB at this point.  We don't pay for her car insurance or school but her living here means more cost in utilities and food.

It's scary and exciting, all at once, venturing into unknown waters, even if you've done sufficient financial preparation.

I keep telling myself that "change is good".
But I'll be so glad when we are past this Transition Time.

And I just keep reminding myself to breathe deeply.

Sluggy