Now that the kids are back in school, isn’t it time you went back to school, too?

Hear me out.

One of the secrets to staying engaged and mentally sharp as you get older is to adopt a lifelong learner mindset. Are you curious about something? For quilters, is there a better technique to make multiple HSTs or FG? Do you want to learn how to knit, crochet, paint or even play pickle ball? Do you want to learn conversational Spanish? Signing up for a course is an option, but there are so many other ways to learn that might be a better fit for you (and cost less).

Join/visit a local group/organization that hosts a weekly/monthly craft night.

Visit a retail store that caters to the subject that interests you. Is there a demonstration available? Handouts or free project pages for beginners?

Explore resources available at your local public library. Check out books, read digital magazines and take free online classes (Craftsy/LinkedinLearning). Some libraries feature Maker Spaces with equipment you can use at designated times. Your local library may also offer meeting space for a crafting group.

If you meet the age requirements, your local senior center is often an excellent resource for classes, groups and social outings. The senior center near where my Friday sewing group meets has long arm machines available for use. I will definitely be looking into this!

Subscribe to a special interest group on Facebook. I have learned SO much about vintage sewing machines from my FB groups: tools and supplies that actually work, sources for vintage parts, downloadable machine and service manuals, plus who not to hire to repaint my Featherweight.

YouTube and Pinterest are digital tools that I find extremely helpful for adult learning. YouTube offers video content on most any subject out there. It will take an investment of your time to curate channels & content that meet your needs, but you can learn to DIY a lot of things using YouTube. You can follow and subscribe to channels you find helpful and create your own playlists of videos you want to bookmark for future reference. Pinterest offers a similar platform to locate and tag written and photographic content (e.g. tutorials) that is also very useful.

Once you’ve learned a new skill, be sure to share your knowledge with others – write a blog post, teach a session at your guild meeting, post on Instagram, share informally at a retreat or at craft night. Don’t keep it all to yourself!

Are you a teacher in Georgia who is vested in the TRS plan, but don’t think you can make to 30 years of service or age 60 – the magical time you can apply for retirement benefits?

Attend a TRS pre-retirement counseling session. Go to a group informational session and follow-up with a one-on-one session with a TRS counselor. You can do this more than once, if necessary. TRS is your best source for retirement planning information for non-traditional retirement scenarios – not necessarily your district’s HR office.

If you fall between 10-25 years of service and are still under 60, you have a decision to make:

Do you want to continue health insurance benefits into retirement? If so, do you have 5 years of service credit prior to January 1, 2012? If not, your premiums are going to be much higher because you’ll fall under a different retirement subsidy scheme. I bring this up because many folks who took a job with the school district in the late 2000’s as a second career with the promise of a pension and health insurance after a 10 year vesting schedule are now ready to retire and are learning that their health insurance premiums in retirement are way more than they expected.

If you elect to continue health insurance benefits into retirement, how will you cover the insurance gap to make sure you maintain continuous SHBP coverage between your last date of employment and your first pension check? COBRA and State Extended Coverage may be used to fill that gap. If you’re vested in TRS, then you qualify to keep your SHBP coverage in force as long as you are willing to pay the COBRA premiums. There’s some paperwork you have to complete at each stage and you have to stay on top of deadlines, but the option is available. We are utilizing this option and I would still be working if this option were not available.

Your retirement pension amount is calculated on the average of your highest salary over 24 consecutive months of service. If you quit, then go back for a year at a much higher salary, you’ll earn service credit, but that salary won’t count toward your pension calculation. Likewise, if you move to a part-time TRS covered position or one at a lower salary, you’ll earn service credit and your pension will still be calculated based on your highest salary over 24 consecutive months. Moving to a part-time position was my back-up plan in case we couldn’t figure out how to cover the insurance gap between last date of employment and official retiree status

Important dates to keep in mind:

Official retirement date: 1 day of month following your 60th birthday.

Application window: Anytime from 6 months prior to your 60th birthday up to your 60th birthday. Earlier is better.

First check: 15th of month following your 60th birthday. 1st of month every month thereafter.

Your first pension check will not include a deduction for health insurance, so you’ll have to cover that yourself if you’re keeping SHBP coverage in retirement. Make sure it is billed correctly at retiree rates! I’ll be on top of that! You have no idea how much we are looking forward to paying retiree rates after several months of COBRA payments.

Disclaimer: As stated earlier, your best source of information is directly from TRS. Each person’s situation is different. I would have never known about the option to use COBRA/SEC coverage had the TRS rep not told me about it in early 2020. My district’s HR office didn’t know anything about it.

Every month the Featherweight Shop hosts a Featherweight Faire where highly collectible machines are available for sale. Serious collectors have some deep pockets and the machines normally sell out fast – like within 5 minutes of going live. Prices have been steadily rising over the past couple of years and it hasn’t seemed to faze collectors. Today, there were still 3 machines available when I visited the site a couple of hours after the event began. Everything was sold when I checked back late this afternoon. Have prices finally reached the point where collectors are thinking twice before hitting the buy now button?

I belong to several vintage sewing machine groups on Facebook. If you want a rare or painted version, then yes, plan to pay handsomely for your item, whether you buy from the Featherweight Shop, Hipstitch ABQ or from a FB FW enthusiast group. If you want a regular plain old 221 Featherweight in decent condition that sews well, shop local or on FB Marketplace first. In my area, a black Featherweight in really good condition sells for about $450-$500 and a white one can be had for about $300 more. Tan Featherweights and free-arm versions (222) are a real rarity. $1200 for a tan and closer to $2000 for a 222 is not unusual. Featherweight Poppy in NC or Glenn Williams in Tampa, FL may be a resource for a decent machine at a reasonable price.

Thrift stores and estate sales are a fun way to hunt for Featherweights and accessories in the wild. You simply have to be knowledgeable about what you want to buy and be prepared to walk away if the item is way overpriced. I recently attended an estate sale specifically to view a hand-crank machine. The price was so far off the mark, it was ridiculous. Another buyer was also interested, but we both walked away because the seller refused to offer a price improvement. Yes, FW machines for $20 at a yard sale or Goodwill do exist, but that’s the exception rather than the rule. Do your research so you can be prepared to purchase if an opportunity presents itself and the price is right. That’s how I acquired my 222 and Penguin foot.