The Work Less, Live More Workbook: Get Ready for Semi-Retirement (with CD-Rom) [Paperback]

Robert Clyatt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 2007

Millions of Americans still in the prime of life have the fiscal wearwithall to retire today, and live on interest from investments supplemented by enjoyable parttime work. The Work Less, Live More Workbook is a financial and practical resource for anyone interested perusing this novel lifestyle. New from Bob Clyatt, the author of Nolo’s bestselling Work Less, Live More, this detailed and insightful companion volume is an efficient and easytouse financial planning tool, whether read independently or in conjunction with the original. The book provides spreadsheets, calculators, exercises and instructions designed to help readers realize their financial goals and manage their savings effectively. The result for the readers will be a financial blueprint to the rest of their lives.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Provides readers with the forms, spreadsheets, calculators and detailed instructions they need to prepare for a long and active semi-retirement. (Jenny McKinney About.com, Guide to Retirement Planning )

About the Author

Bob Clyatt pursued a 20-year career in information services and the Internet before semi-retiring at age 42 in 2001. Since then, he and his family live principally off income from their savings in the manner described in his book, Work Less, Live More: The New Way to Retire Early. He continues to work on a part-time basis and is an avid cruising sailor, amateur sculptor and a serious student of yoga. This rich set of activities is only possible because of the large amounts of time freed by working less.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Nolo; Workbook w/ CD-Rom edition (September 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1413306950
• ISBN-13: 978-1413306958
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #853,207 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Bob Clyatt pursued a 20-year career in information services and the Internet before semi-retiring at age 42 in 2001. Since then, he and his family live principally off income from their savings in the manner described in his book, Work Less, Live More: The New Way to Retire Early. He continues to work on a part-time basis and is an avid cruising sailor, amateur sculptor and a serious student of yoga. This rich set of activities is only possible because of the large amounts of time freed by working less.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 2nd edition and a workbook-- excellent!, March 4, 2008

By 

Nords "http://www.early-retirement.org" (Hawaii) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Work Less, Live More Workbook: Get Ready for Semi-Retirement (with CD-Rom) (Paperback)

2nd edition and a workbook-- excellent! It's wonderful to see the whole cycle of a book being conceived, written, published, and continuing to do good for its readers.

I retired from the military at the age of 41 nearly six years ago and was disgruntled about having to find a "real job". During that time I struggled mightily to find the financial and lifestyle advice that would give me the confidence to relax and enjoy life without worrying about an uncertain economy or society's approval. I could have avoided all the angst if "Work Less Live More" had been in my hands.

Bob is one of the first writers to advocate "semi-early retirement". Some people are too burned-out to continue into their sixties while others just can't turn it off at retirement age but don't relish the long hours. He discovered the Early-Retirement.org discussion board and asked many of the same questions as hundreds of others. He engaged all of our practical knowledge and experience but went one step further and developed new financial analysis. Bob not only advises workable lifestyles for both groups but suggests many ways to adjust with employers, family, and friends to reduce work hours to your satisfaction. If you're willing to consider occasional work to support extra spending or to ride out a rough recession, then your financial worries are over.

The second edition, expanded and with extra software, moves everyone yet another step forward in the planning process. You don't just read about it-- Bob helps you do it. On the financial side Bob sorts out budgets, investor profiles, and autopilot asset allocations while providing "spreadsheets on CD" for users to experiment with and personalize. It's eye-opening to enter your holdings and see how many thousands of dollars you're paying in expenses, let alone to a financial "advisor". It's great to be able to listen to his interviews of actual early retirees. It's even better to be able to complete your "life wheel" exercise to see how you're doing.

The 2nd edition refines Bob's explanation of his variable-withdrawal system. The system is unique-- 90% of today's retirement calculators assume that retirees spend roughly the same amount every year for the rest of their lives. (The other 10% are extremely complicated or require detailed & tedious data entry.) Bob's 4% & 95% rules acknowledge that humans spend more money when times are good and cut back when times are bad. The "rules" are simple to grasp and the system is easy to follow.

Try your local library if you're reluctant to buy, but these belong on your retirement-planning bookshelf. They're worth every penny spent compared to the thousands you'll save on reducing your investment expenses. Those aren't just my opinions-- they're the most-borrowed and least-returned books in my library.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Concrete details to prepare for retirement, February 21, 2008

By 

S. F. M. "SFM" (SC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Work Less, Live More Workbook: Get Ready for Semi-Retirement (with CD-Rom) (Paperback)

Bob Clyatt is a writer who has actually done what he's written about in the Work Less, Live More books! As someone who is actively planning for early retirement, this book provides specific and concrete tools to get to where I'm going. Even if early retirement isn't in the cards for you, his advice on semi-retirement provides some suggestions for relief from the dread 9-5 job that makes you feel like a rat in a wheel. An easy read, with step-by-step instructions that will make you look hard at your own retirement plan and inspire you to work less, live more!