Judy, I worked shift work for 37 years. The first two years I was laid off a lot and was called in, often at less than an hour's notice to report to any shift where I was needed.
I work the next 22 years strictly on the 11pm to 7am shift, but 20 of those years included a lot of 12 hour shifts. ( either 7pm to 7am or 11pm to 11am ) The last 15 years included quite a few 16 hour shifts with either 1 day a month off or 2 days a month off, depending on whether inventory was being taken or a special order needed to be filled. I did have vacation time off though. We got some holidays off, but not a lot of them. This July 4th was the first time in over 20 years that I could actually make plans because I knew I would be off, since I retired last December. I did get overtime pay on the holidays and weekends that I worked, but I gave up a lot too. I had to give up almost all hobbies that I really loved, family get togethers, school meetings etc. I'm so happy to be able to do all that as soon as I catch up on my honey do list that was ignored for a lot of years. I've been working on it for 7 months and it is getting smaller and smaller.

I hope the next 7 years goes by fast for you and your dh, at least at work. I didn't like it either, but I needed a job and the pay was good as well as the benefits.
Linda

"My DH has worked them for 29 years"
"He works every holiday(they always fall on his scheduled time to work)"

Isn't there anyone else working there with less seniority than your husband? I would think that 29 years with the company would merit some holidays off.

DH is top in seniority, but they all work shift work. He works for the city. Three of the five have to work every holiday. If it falls on you day to work, you work. I guess I should clarify, certainly in the last 29 years he has had some holidays off but he works 90% of them.
Judy

BIL has been working shifts in a factory since he graduated high school, and he's 48 years old, that makes 30 years. He was having a lot of health problems,mostly due to lack of sleep. He was hospitalized, got a letter from the doctor and was allowed to permanently change to one shift. He's doing much better, and he and my sister are very happy.

good36 - my DH also worked at a wastewater plant - he's retired now, and so thankful for that! Toward the end they were kinda experimenting with shifts, I think, and what the men would tolerate - changing from days to nights to evenings all in the same week. I think they were short-handed. He was there almost 25 years. I also am retired - 25+ years as a nurse. I think I've worked every shift and every combination of shifts you can think of. Work 11p.m to 7 a.m., say on Monday for instance, then scheduled to be back Wednesday morning at 7! (We called Tuesday a "sleep day" cause that's about all you got done - it was one of your two days off a week, and you HAD to sleep some after working all night - - but not too long, as you also had to sleep that night so you could work on Wednesday.) SO glad to be able to retire when I did!! I'd heard that working nights took about 5 years off your life expectancy. - oh, also the toll it takes on your health - and family life - and hobbies, etc. I could go on and on.

MY DH used to work shift work,i hated it!! He worked for our Edison Co.I could never keep it straight in my head which shift he would be on which week,and they also worked 10 and 12 hour days.I was sooooooooooooooooooooo glad when he retired from that.

Kathi

Good, I have all kinds of respect for your husband. I guess he's used to it after so many years, but that constant change would be a killer. I used to work the midnight shift at times and it liked to killed me. LOL

Start making money management plans early.

Then start implementing them.

Work with a sharp personal financial advisor ... who doesn't sell financial stuff ... who works only for you ... and is willing to teach you how to play the money management/investment game.

Payoff: retire early! That's the best way to be "shiftless"!

ole joyful