Does anybody work but not need to?

If you cam afford not to then the only question is whether you want to.

Do you want to?

I work and don't need to but I need the routine and structure in my life. I work part time

I have the dream job. Doesn’t pay great but I love it. I work Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm so 12 hours a week.
Ive been there six years and am planning to work there until I’m 67, five more years. We do not use it to pay bills, but we did use it when I had to buy a new car, and it will fund half our son’s car since he got a job and will need one to get around.
Our organization is a non profit, we give food and clothing and hygiene items to students in our school system that our social workers flag as needing support. Everything is new for student dignity, many times it is the first new item a student has ever had. I work year round and I could work up to 20 hours a week but i would probably run out of my own work to do so I’d have to do heavier work (I.e. food) that I’m not really interested in. I feel they get a bargain for their money, so in turn that helps the kids too.

I do, actually work FT, technically don’t need to. But I love what I do and the fact that I am more than just mum.

I could get away with not working (DH is retired with a good pension and would happily let me live off him) but I work P/T just because I prefer having some structure to my week. I don’t love the job tbh, but it also flexible so I can just pick it up and drop it when it suits.

I work 5 days a week part time (school based role so holidays off). I don't need to work financially but do need to work for mental health and self esteem. I was a SAHM for years which I did enjoy, but I'm so much happier working. The structure and routine, the social aspect, the satisfaction of feeling I'm doing a decent job. What I do is hardly rocket science, but doing it well has a really positive impact, and I love that.

Two, from home.

I assumed she was speaking for herself. But the spin you are putting on it I tend to agree. Not if you are genuinely unable to of course. People need to contribute to society in some way if they are able. Now the question is how long you need to do that for I suppose as that could mean you have to work til you drop dead! And that also assumes you aren’t taking from society irresponsibly and cancelling out the good.

when I worked in law I was surprised by the number of capable adults who did not work as that’s what had been modelled to them by parents or caregivers. Well no I wasn’t surprised.

I always feel if you undertake an activity that you don’t need to do financially and are doing purely because you love doing so I cannot relate to it as ‘work’.
It is something else.
Many people continue doing work but don’t need to financially and they clearly enjoy it eg. Those who are financially well off and famous eg. Celebrity chefs but they still do it. I think it stops being work at some point. And is so part of who they are it isn’t work in the sense work is for other people.

There is NO WAY I would work if I did not need to. I have so many hobbies and interests that I could never fulfil them all even if I did not work.

King Charles does need to work. Furthermore, he is unusual in that he never had a choice about what job he would have when he grew up.

I work but only 2 short days a week. I don’t need the money but find it gives structure to my life , and I like the people I work with. It’s worthwhile too.

So you want to do it why?
You'd enjoy it
It would give you structure, and purpose.
You know it would be of benefit to someone else (that's why people volunteer, but it's also why people do relatively low paid jobs sometimes)
It would keep your CV current
You may not need the money now, but circumstances may change in the future.
It will stop you going doolally stuck at home with only the housework and the kids to think about
The question is really, why WOULDN'T you do it?

There's no real moral dimension for me as I could be doing worthwhile unpaid things too including enjoying myself!

I work and don't need to financially, I just find the work interesting, it's a part time academic role. I say go for it

Do you have anything to lose by giving it a try? If not, go for it. You can always stop again if it doesn't work.

Sharing the skills you have
Setting an example
Good work ethic

(these can also be done via voluntary work if you really don’t want or need payment)

Obviously don’t count retired people - they have done their bit!

Where the heck do ‘morals’ come into the equation of working if there is no economic need?

OP if you’re not doing it for the money then isn’t it just of a question of whether you want to do it and can do it (i.e. can get to the job and back, can make it work with your family’s schedule, etc). Only you can answer these questions. Whether other people “work but not need to” is irrelevant. Are you not sure whether it’s okay to work by choice?

I don’t need to work.

We could keep a roof over our heads and our bills if either DH or I stopped working.

But if either of us did our standard and quality of life would be massively affected and that’s a choice we don’t want to make.

And I’d be really bored not working and would probably end up doing more volunteering in order to be fulfilled.

There’s only so many hours I can spend in the gym.

I used to and my salary just went straight into savings. I then took early retirement and now do voluntary work.

My OH does a couple of days a week when he doesn't need to work at all.

I retired at 57 and my OH (who is 3yrs younger) decided to stop FT work and take a PT min-wage job just so he was doing "something" but without the stress or headaches.
He will probably stop completely next year as sometimes, even just 2days/week gets in the way.

I work full time in a very demanding role for less than half of what DH earns. We have no mortgage, no DC to support, we are 58/61 and can both afford to retire, but we are still working.

In which case I reckon I'd go for it!