Front page of the NYT (online) 10-21-2016: Semi-retired and work-camping...

[bobechs]

Taking the FI out of FIRE, one day at a time.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/22/your-money/retirement-migrant-workers-recreational-vehicles.html?_r=0

ETA:  Well, really taking the RE out too, for that matter.  Taking a step back and looking at the larger frame it is, as the author suggests, trading traditional-work-and-pay arrangements for temporary-gigs-and-low-pay arrangements.

Kind of like Of Mice and Men, with RVs.  And no mice...

[sisca]

The article was very interesting, thanks for posting. Not sure what to think of it. Some were obviously doing hard manual labour at a low pay, not the ideal retirement perhaps? Others seems to have chosen the lifestyle. Like MMM says, work is better when you don't need the money.

[aperture]

Thanks for posting. The most interesting item for me was the person that said working the beet harvest was on her bucket list and she would be able to tell others in 20 years that she worked beets.  For me, it would be necessity driving me to work on the beet harvest. Knowing that some are doing this work in their 70s is a good reason for me to put in a little more time now, so I or my DW don't have to work beets unless its on our bucket list. -aperture

[bacchi]

I'd consider doing a beet harvest. It's certainly not on the bucket list but it's only 10-12 days and it'd be an interesting experience. Any longer than that and it'd be too back-breaking and soul-crushing.

At the moment, it beets doing website development.

[Metric Mouse]

I'd consider doing a beet harvest. It's certainly not on the bucket list but it's only 10-12 days and it'd be an interesting experience. Any longer than that and it'd be too back-breaking and soul-crushing.

At the moment, it beets doing website development.

Nothing wrong with trying new things. I think more people should experience American agriculture; it really can change perspectives on what hard work is, and how global agriculture affects the environment and the quality of American life in general.

But yeah, sort of like camping. Sleeping out in the open elements with no contact with other humans for a week is fun. Having to do it every day for years? Draining and stressful.

[Dicey]

Hmmm, not sure what to think of the article. I didn't find it all that desperate. I do think that it's a great caution to anyone who is not yet saving or investing for their future. People make choices that have long-term implications every day. Hopefully, those who participate in the forum discussions have a more financially secure future in store.

[ohsnap]

Interesting article.  It seems most of the folks they profiled purposefully chose the lifestyle and enjoy the travel and variety.  Good for them.

But it reminded me of a more depressing article from the LA Times earlier this year:
http://graphics.latimes.com/retirement-nomads/
This article profiles an 80yo who had no savings and $1200/mo in social security, so felt she had no choice but to live in a cheap RV and try to find seasonal work.  It's very thought-provoking - for me it was, at least - it made me ponder the series of decisions we make in our lives that could lead to such an outcome.