I'm retired. Blissfully. I hated my job (bad managers!)! I had a part time job after I retired and I hated it so I quit that after a couple of years too (nice managers, bad systems!). Now I do what I want. I work on my trains. We go bird watching almost every weekend. We take nice vacations.
I couldn't imagine going back to long hours and constant headaches. Why? If you are in need of funds, at least do something that will allow you to take some time off without having to worry about your business.
By the way, I have a friend who is a producer in the film/video business. He pays the bills by working at Canadian Tire on the receiving dock.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I tried the "hobby as a business" years ago (different hobby). It drove me out of that hobby for 15 years.I retire in 36 days, and I can't wait. I kept working as a programmer LONG after it stopped being any fun just for this.And I've got so many things I want to do, I don't worry about too much time in my hands. And my "work ethic" is "I had to work to support myself." The day I got chewed out for not putting enough unpaid overtime (even though none of my projects were ever late) is the day I decided "work ethic" could kiss my pink brake hose.
Disclaimer: This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.
Michael Mornard
Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!
Well, I retired 4 years ago from a job I really liked but from a company and management I hated. It was stressful and a drag to go to work every day. The job also kept me in an area I hated for many reasons. A long commute, heavy traffic, dirty city and rude people generally were a daily bummer. My saving grace there was my custom painting. It relieved the stress and gave my mind a clear path for the next day or airplanes.
We moved to a farm and I now have many animals both wild and domestic to enjoy and a pond full of fish to catch. My biggest issue at first was not having a schedule. Things are very laid back and demands are low here but I found once I made a schedule and sort of followed it things were better. You have to stay busy and keep active. The first year I vegged out and woke and went to bed and everything else when I felt like it. VERY BAD MOVE!! You need to create a schedule and stay close to it. Don't turn on the TV. I stay very busy now, probably more than when I worked but being on my terms it's much more fun.
My new train building/work shop is to be built in the next month or so and when it gets done I'll need to finish the interior then I will start custom painting again. I love painting and it always helped me chill. I'm not stressed at all now but I enjoy shooting paint on brass models and the money will help out too.
I hope you enjoy your retirement.
Roger Huber
Deer Creek Locomotive Works
All those years working and looking forward to retirement. Then when you retire all you can look forward to is...well, I won't go there.
In my opinion the first thing you need to do is to take care of your health. Many of my work, and other, friends are dealing with prostate issues (several), MS (one developing and one passed from), pancreatic cancer, gall stones, heart attack (just came back from a funeral today), and so forth.
I have been retired 13 years, have not worked a day for pay since.
A couple of friends and brothers also retired early.
One spent 2 or 3 years learning the work at night school and in a shop part time, and started a TV repair shop in his garage (converted) He did it for twenty years, must have liked it.
One bought a hobby farm and horses, and kept it until health issues developed.
One took his trade of Industrial Maintence Mechanic, plus welding, and set up a summer season business building low rider trikes and repairing bikes. Still doing it.
The question on any hobby job is are good at it, do you enjoy it, can you control your hours, and do you make enough to be worth well. What do you do well enough, and enjoy doing 20 hrs a week in the hobby to get Dave fumblefingers to pay you to do it for him.
There are no rules as we all have different tastes and work/play ethics. I retired in 1987 from a second career in industrial design. My first career was working as a commercial pilot including stints in military and airlines. I quit in 1977 as the thrill morphed into being an airborne systems manager. My goal was to be fully retired by age 50, but to go into something new and very much my liking.
I've always been a model railroader (a mess of ex-wives will attest to that) and I loved everything to do with model trains. I figured with some thought and design, I could build a business in the field, but not so much as to destroy my enjoyment in the hobby.
The day after I retired (sold a business), the market went south taking over 1/2 of my investment portfolio with it. This was October of 1987 as many may remember. I took what ever was left and purchased a brass collection thus beginning my now 30 years as a used brass dealer. With a partner I began the Great Scale Model Train Show which actually began in 1982, but I now had time to expand it.
But what about my railroad? I found that my profits from brass sales and train show were finding their way into the railroad which greatly increased my interest, participation, and love of what dwelled in my basement. I did build a few layouts for others, but I did find that activity was hindering my own hobby, so I stopped after 5 layouts. Now I build custom structures for others and found this activity does not at all hamper my playing with my own train set.
Point........retirement is a reward and well earned. Sure you should retire into something, but it must be something you very much enjoy. If you love your hobby as I and most do, then by all means explore a career in model railroading.
It will only bite you if you let it.
HZ
Hey, MAXMAN,
Don't try so hard to cheer us up!! Yes, as we age things don't work as well as before we got to retirement age but it's all a part of life. Many retired folks live great lives for a very long time. Many people die in their teens and twenties from all those things. God has no guarantees so just make the best of it and just keep on this side of the sod as best you can.
Taking care of your body early on is good advice but no guarantee. Cheer up, Pal! My personal observation in 67 years is to avoid doctors and medicines as much as possible. They don't seem to be there to help us. My 2¢.
TrainsRme:
Thinking of something outside the hobby: If you really like dogs, you could board a dog in your house when the owner goes away. A couple hours a day of walking the mutt, gettibng fresh air. A little cleaning up and the owner provides the food and bed, etc.
oldline1 Hey, MAXMAN, Don't try so hard to cheer us up!! Yes, as we age things don't work as well as before we got to retirement age but it's all a part of life. Many retired folks live great lives for a very long time. Many people die in their teens and twenties from all those things. God has no guarantees so just make the best of it and just keep on this side of the sod as best you can. Taking care of your body early on is good advice but no guarantee. Cheer up, Pal! My personal observation in 67 years is to avoid doctors and medicines as much as possible. They don't seem to be there to help us. My 2¢. Roger Huber Deer Creek Locomotive Works
maxman All those years working and looking forward to retirement. Then when you retire all you can look forward to is...well, I won't go there.
Retirement is like a toilet; what you get out of it depends entirely on what you put into it. I do not define my identity in terms of what I happen to do to earn money, so "retirement" is not "waiting around to die" for me.
Retiring and starting a model railroad type business really depends on the person. I have worked full and part time most of my life in hobby shops and been an active model railroader even longer. I have not experienced the problem of getting tired of modeling and working in the hobby too. I have known others that started hoby shops or custom painting businesses and eventually dumped their trains and gotten into various other different hobbies. One fellow got rid of a huge collection and bought streetrods. Another sold his stuff and bought a boat......which he greatly regretted!
Starting a model railroad business is pretty iffy any time and being retired many of us don't want to be hassled with schedules, demands and work.