Retirement

[CUSSIE01]

I added a comment to a thread yesterday asking if people on here were retired and living the high life alluding to the amount of time and commitment some people put in to the site. Got a good few replies and as I’m thinking of pulling the plug after 44 years of doing the same job I wondered if anyone had any tips on how to stay sane, married ( or not ) and out of the poor house. ???

[Jaydog]

Not sure I’ve got any advice Cussie as I’m hovering around the same decision myself atm. I think you need hobbies etc as opposed to some people who just slump down and do nothing.
Get rid of the wife, buy a fast car, drink heavily & gamble is my plan

[CUSSIE01]

I’m half way there then

[Jaydog]

I’m half way there then

Mmmmm
I’m guessing you bought a Porsche and love a pint of Guinness. Am I right?

[Barlow Boy]

Retired at 45 years old, best decision I ever made apart from getting our dog.

Honestly, it’s absolutely brilliant, never once regretted it.

[Jaydog]

Retired at 45 years old, best decision I ever made apart from getting our dog.

Honestly, it’s absolutely brilliant, never once regretted it.

It also probably helps if you have a decent personal pension.

[Barlow Boy]

It also probably helps if you have a decent personal pension.

Don’t know JD, can’t touch mine until I’m 55 (I’m 53 now)

[mentalcase]

I added a comment to a thread yesterday asking if people on here were retired and living the high life alluding to the amount of time and commitment some people put in to the site. Got a good few replies and as I’m thinking of pulling the plug after 44 years of doing the same job I wondered if anyone had any tips on how to stay sane, married ( or not ) and out of the poor house. ???

If you can afford to, then do it cussie.
Always up to the individual, you won't regret it I'm sure.
Get theesen a hobby to begin with, well, after your few weeks rest / blowout.
Join a gym, swimming club etc, but take time to get some excercise as much as possible.
If the mrs is also retiring, get out and about together, city breaks etc, although it's equally important to do your'e own things as well.

[hector]

I invested my army pension on the advice of a financial advisor........ 6 tyears ago at 55 I got a cheque for £1500, my share of bankrupcy payout....
I am now working until 66 or 67 or 68 however old it is when I get there....

[Orange Box]

I started my retirement by building my own house, fortunately I still have my health, that’s the most important thing to a good retirement, I built a gym in my man shed. And I bought a fast car, as well. Very late mid-life crisis. Fortunately, because of my job I was trained to drive it

Oh , and a decent pension helps.

[CUSSIE01]

Mmmmm
I’m guessing you bought a Porsche and love a pint of Guinness. Am I right?

Half right again, still driving the work van though. Like a small flutter on the footie but hardly class myself as a gambler. So far we have Barlow Boy & Orange Box retired, Kenny & 64 retiring this year, Andrew & Ash still working & Jaydog and myself thinking about it. It’s a big decision, always said I wanted to retire on my own terms rather than having to retire so I’m def going all in soon. There’s probably loads on here around the same age, supporters in their late 50’s/ 60’s going over the same questions, just like to hear the different perspectives & experiences.

[CUSSIE01]

If you can afford to, then do it cussie.
Always up to the individual, you won't regret it I'm sure.
Get theesen a hobby to begin with, well, after your few weeks rest / blowout.
Join a gym, swimming club etc, but take time to get some excercise as much as possible.
If the mrs is also retiring, get out and about together, city breaks etc, although it's equally important to do your'e own things as well.

The Mrs is actually officially retiring this month but will go back and work a couple of days a week to start, we’re pretty active and love our holidays so no doubt all will be good. Men are notoriously bad at socialising unless it’s getting blootered in the pub watching football whereas women are great at all that stuff. Are you retired ?

[Finnatic]

I went down to a three day week two years ago so I regard myself as semi retired rather than part time, if you let yourself think that, then that’s what it is.
I could have drawn my work pension at 55 but would be taxed on it - but if I wait until I’m 60 then it’s tax free, so killing time until then.
I may take it before if I get pissed off or move house.

If we move house then I’d need to use my savings to get a better house or area than we have currently, so I’d need to assess things further down the line.

[CUSSIE01]

I invested my army pension on the advice of a financial advisor........ 6 tyears ago at 55 I got a cheque for £1500, my share of bankrupcy payout....
I am now working until 66 or 67 or 68 however old it is when I get there....

You should get your pension at 67 same as me, they can’t change it if you have enough years of NI contributions .

[mentalcase]

The Mrs is actually officially retiring this month but will go back and work a couple of days a week to start, we’re pretty active and love our holidays so no doubt all will be good. Men are notoriously bad at socialising unless it’s getting blootered in the pub watching football whereas women are great at all that stuff. Are you retired ?

Aye, I was semi-retired at 45, old injuries finally caught up with me, but through therapy and counselling I got back to wanting to work.
I retrained and retired officially at 60, my best mate died suddenly in the pub, I looked at my finances and went for it.
I miss the camaderie and actually enjoyed my work, but didn't want to be one of those who worked and then died soon after reaching retirement age if I didn't need to.
Staying active is great for mental health issues, the dog will love all the extra attention, till they get older of course, then they just want to relax.
I've managed very well to normally only drink at the weekend, theres always diy or gardening to be done, the secret is, don't do it asap, plan it well and make even the smallest job drag on, there's always tomorrow as you'll soon see.
Good luck

[DDB220]

I retired at 51 and was kicking the can down the road within 3 months - bored stupid. Lots of Golf can only do so much. Went back to work and I am knocking it all on the head in 2 years. Glad I went back to work though, the kids Uni accommodation etc would have eaten into my nest egg.

[CUSSIE01]

Aye, I was semi-retired at 45, old injuries finally caught up with me, but through therapy and counselling I got back to wanting to work.
I retrained and retired officially at 60, my best mate died suddenly in the pub, I looked at my finances and went for it.
I miss the camaderie and actually enjoyed my work, but didn't want to be one of those who worked and then died soon after reaching retirement age if I didn't need to.
Staying active is great for mental health issues, the dog will love all the extra attention, till they get older of course, then they just want to relax.
I've managed very well to normally only drink at the weekend, theres always diy or gardening to be done, the secret is, don't do it asap, plan it well and make even the smallest job drag on, there's always tomorrow as you'll soon see.
Good luck

Thanks Mental, a death of friends or family is always a massive wake up call but at least you turned it into something positive. The dog is now nearly 13 and slower than me and wants to go everywhere just can’t do anything when he gets there

[Johnthewhite]

Retired last June after 39 years with one company, started straight from school. It was always the plan to go at 55 as the wife is a bit older than me and needs my support a little more now. A good tip is to go in the summer months while you have the daylight and weather to get out and about. As others have suggested, join the gym and enjoy doing the things you like. When people ask me what its like the way I describe it is, I am doing what I want to do at the pace I want to do it. If you can afford DO IT you won't regret it

[AcrossThePondAsh]

Not meaning to hijack the thread at all, but on a related topic (and only if people are comfortable sharing), what was/is everyone's occupation? I'd play "guess the former occupation" but that could end all kinds of badly

I'll go first--I'm a writer and online-only professor teaching composition, rhetoric, technical writing, creative writing, etc. Used to teach "traditional" face-to-face courses at uni but moved to online with the pandemic and preferred working from home. Hope to continue doing that as long as possible.

[Johnthewhite]

Not meaning to hijack the thread at all, but on a related topic (and only if people are comfortable sharing), what was/is everyone's occupation? I'd play "guess the former occupation" but that could end all kinds of badly

I'll go first--I'm a online-only professor teaching composition, rhetoric, technical writing, creative writing, etc.

Operations Director for a railway contractor in Doncaster, manufactured & supplied track parts to Network Rail.
Boys with big train sets