A huge leap of faith.

flook said:
Worked contract for 33 years, never out more than a week in that time and had some contracts that ran for 7+ years, no idea why everyone doesn't do it, the extra pay helped me retire (or become economically inactive as HMG like to group me) 9 years early. As you say, leaving office politics behind is a massive bonus
Click to expand...
IR35 has caused a lot of contractors, particularly in the tech/engineering industry to have to go zero hours unfortunately. I know most large companies are petrified of the potential fines.
 
I have revisited this thread as I heard some sad news about the death of an old boss of mine from when I worked onboard the ships. John could be quite abrasive, in fairness it was a tough environment and often you had to be to get results. We got along fine as I was one of the few who couldn't be bribed for an easier life or promotion. This baffled him but he admired my principles and how I'd stand my ground. Many times I told him he took the job too seriously, that life was too short, to enjoy it more, retire early. He had a quick wit and sense of humour and underneath his gruff exterior he had a heart of gold.

We stopped working together and I lived in Manchester and him in Kent so our paths never crossed. Recently we reconnected on social media but he wasn't very active on it. He sent me a long message on hearing my PSA levels had risen and I was undergoing tests for prostate cancer. He had actually had it and been cured and he was telling me about a new treatment he received and advised me to ask for it if I had the worst case scenario. Thankfully I didn't. We reminisced and had a laugh about old times. That was in November. This week one of his daughters posted this.

"It is with great sadness that our Dad unexpectedly passed away on Monday 18th March aged just 66. I know this has come as a massive shock to everyone. He had only just recently retired and was very much looking forward to embarking on his 3 month trip around Europe in his camper van, followed by a summer of humouring his beloved grandchildren . We are absolutely heartbroken and we would like to thank everyone who has supported us through the past two very difficult weeks.
Funeral details to follow.
Ami and Harriet."

I post this as yet another nudge to get out early if you can and enjoy the things you love doing and don't put it off. Sadly John did and never got to.live his dream of touring Europe in his beloved Winnibago. Rest in peace big John.
 
Last edited:
abu13 said:
I spoke with a close friend of mine today, he is 55 years old and I know he has been stressed with work for a good while.

He told me a few weeks ago that had made the decision that his mental health is more important than anything else, and he wanted to pack in working. He is in a well paid job, mortgage free, no debt and his kids have left home. He told me that he has around £50k in savings and over £250k in his pension pot, he just thought that he isn't prepared to deal with the daily grind anymore. At the time I thought he was just sounding off, jump back to today and he has only gone and done it, given his notice and not looking back.

He is taking 12 months out to chill out and "find himself", going to take a few holidays and go to the gym each day to get himself fit. He is going to see where things take him and enjoy life for a while. I should mention that his wife is doing the same, it seems she is fully on board with it and was just waiting for him to pull the trigger.

But it got me thinking, would I be prepared to do the same? It just seems like a huge risk to take at a time when he is doing so well financially, then again his mental health is more important. I'm not sure that I could.
There would be the worry about getting back into work in 12 months time, would I even want to go back to work? I doubt it. And the fear of eating into the savings each month and the dread of any major unexpected expense.

On the other hand I think he has just become my new hero, he hasn't ever been the impulsive type but seems to have gone all in this time. He got me thinking when he said, at 70 years old is he ever going to regret having a year out to do the things we wanted to do while still healthy enough to do so.

Anyone else have made a leap of faith like this and how did it work out?
Click to expand...
I took 24 years out and had a ball.
Do it while you can, your life can change in an instant.
 
5 Hit Gibbon said:
I dug this thread out, read through it and found it helpful. I'm probably going to put my notice in at work tomorrow. I just need to try and negotiate my way out of my three months notice period as I can't stand the thought of spending another three months there.
Click to expand...
Regularly call in sick
 
5 Hit Gibbon said:
I dug this thread out, read through it and found it helpful. I'm probably going to put my notice in at work tomorrow. I just need to try and negotiate my way out of my three months notice period as I can't stand the thought of spending another three months there.
Click to expand...
Get a sick note mate!

Just tell the Dr you are experiencing debilitating anxiety at the thought of going to work. Ham it up a bit maybe! You should get a 2 month sick note then can extend it after 6 weeks for the last month
 
5 Hit Gibbon said:
I dug this thread out, read through it and found it helpful. I'm probably going to put my notice in at work tomorrow. I just need to try and negotiate my way out of my three months notice period as I can't stand the thought of spending another three months there.
Click to expand...

Congratulations on what will hopefully be a great decision. I'm 2 years in now and couldn't go back. With regards getting out of the notice period, the one time I had an issue like that I just became un-cooperative. I'd been screwed over so had no guilt. Simple things like not adhering to the office dress code, turning up in jeans to a client facing meeting, strolling around, coffee in hand, chatting to fellow workers, shit like that. We reached agreement for me to finish within a week. The dress code thing may not work these days as every fucker wears jeans to the office now :)
 
A few years ago I gave up my IT career in Service Management after 35 years. i was 51, now 56 and its been the best time of my life. I had enough pension through Barclays (Do your pensions guys) and took a job as a postman for fitness as I get older. Biggest benefots were : Less stress, less travel to work (15 hrs pw on average), more time for doing what I want to, more time to concentrate on those around me.... It changed my personality tbh.
 
abu13 said:
I spoke with a close friend of mine today, he is 55 years old and I know he has been stressed with work for a good while.

He told me a few weeks ago that had made the decision that his mental health is more important than anything else, and he wanted to pack in working. He is in a well paid job, mortgage free, no debt and his kids have left home. He told me that he has around £50k in savings and over £250k in his pension pot, he just thought that he isn't prepared to deal with the daily grind anymore. At the time I thought he was just sounding off, jump back to today and he has only gone and done it, given his notice and not looking back.

He is taking 12 months out to chill out and "find himself", going to take a few holidays and go to the gym each day to get himself fit. He is going to see where things take him and enjoy life for a while. I should mention that his wife is doing the same, it seems she is fully on board with it and was just waiting for him to pull the trigger.

But it got me thinking, would I be prepared to do the same? It just seems like a huge risk to take at a time when he is doing so well financially, then again his mental health is more important. I'm not sure that I could.
There would be the worry about getting back into work in 12 months time, would I even want to go back to work? I doubt it. And the fear of eating into the savings each month and the dread of any major unexpected expense.

On the other hand I think he has just become my new hero, he hasn't ever been the impulsive type but seems to have gone all in this time. He got me thinking when he said, at 70 years old is he ever going to regret having a year out to do the things we wanted to do while still healthy enough to do so.

Anyone else have made a leap of faith like this and how did it work out?
Click to expand...

Fair play to him, doubt I'll ever be in that position when I'm that age.

However, could he have asked on a nothing to lose basis to have 6 months off work to recharge battery's and mental health or take a easy part time position? either way, seems he made the right choice.
 
abu13 said:
I spoke with a close friend of mine today, he is 55 years old and I know he has been stressed with work for a good while.

He told me a few weeks ago that had made the decision that his mental health is more important than anything else, and he wanted to pack in working. He is in a well paid job, mortgage free, no debt and his kids have left home. He told me that he has around £50k in savings and over £250k in his pension pot, he just thought that he isn't prepared to deal with the daily grind anymore. At the time I thought he was just sounding off, jump back to today and he has only gone and done it, given his notice and not looking back.

He is taking 12 months out to chill out and "find himself", going to take a few holidays and go to the gym each day to get himself fit. He is going to see where things take him and enjoy life for a while. I should mention that his wife is doing the same, it seems she is fully on board with it and was just waiting for him to pull the trigger.

But it got me thinking, would I be prepared to do the same? It just seems like a huge risk to take at a time when he is doing so well financially, then again his mental health is more important. I'm not sure that I could.
There would be the worry about getting back into work in 12 months time, would I even want to go back to work? I doubt it. And the fear of eating into the savings each month and the dread of any major unexpected expense.

On the other hand I think he has just become my new hero, he hasn't ever been the impulsive type but seems to have gone all in this time. He got me thinking when he said, at 70 years old is he ever going to regret having a year out to do the things we wanted to do while still healthy enough to do so.

Anyone else have made a leap of faith like this and how did it work out?
Click to expand...
I did exactly the same. It was a bit scary at times but it worked out brilliantly for me. It helped that I had a large house with only a small mortgage left. We traded down and finished up in a decent place.
The family supported me and I got my mental health back. I did a great deal of walking which was very therapeutic.
We all found a good deal of happiness in our new situation and I would recommend it. That daily grind is just not worth it despite the fact that I really enjoyed my job until those final years.
I have a great relationship with my children and their families which I doubt would have survived my staying in work.
Just a pity that the body has fallen apart since!
C’est la vie.
PS MRS KS and I are still together after 50 years, so there is a downside. Oops.
 
Last edited:
5 Hit Gibbon said:
I dug this thread out, read through it and found it helpful. I'm probably going to put my notice in at work tomorrow. I just need to try and negotiate my way out of my three months notice period as I can't stand the thought of spending another three months there.
Click to expand...
I've just done the same at my work and similarly have a 3-month notice period. I'm hoping to negotiate something shorter, along with being paid in lieu of notice, plus I have something like 13.5 days holiday that will accrue by the end of the 3 months.

I'd like to start my new job in September so would like to do a month then get paid for the remaining two, plus my outstanding holiday entitlement. I've completed the first two phases of a long-term piece of work, plus am preparing the ground for the next phase, which will probably take about a year to complete, so I won't be around for that anyway and I should've tied everything up pretty well by the end of this month. I'm dreading the prospect of having to twiddle my thumbs for 2 months and will find it very stressful.
 
Retired at 62 after having what was for me a stressful under appreciated job and a **** of a boss, took a couple of years off and returned to a non stressful part time job before retiring 18 months ago……..wish I’d got out earlier……..nobody on their death bed says they’d wish they spent more time at work….
 
The UK working population, and I guess the rest of the world to a greater or lesser extent, is conditioned to work to continue to acquire "stuff". The stuff you acquire is updated and improved on a regular basis making your stuff obsolete, meaning the conditioning kicks in again and you need to acquire the new stuff, so you believe you need to carry on working. Repeat ad nauseum.

The secret to early retirement, leap of faith, lifestyle change or whatever else you want to call it is to recognise this conditioning for what it is and make a conscious decision to step away from it. Once you do that you realise you don't need as much money as you've spent your life convincing yourself you need, and you can live a happier and healthier life with far less stuff, in particular new stuff similar but shinier than your existing stuff.

It's not easy I'll grant you, buying shiny toys is for most akin to an addiction, particularly when those around you are still stuck in the loop. But if you make the effort it's genuinely a freeing moment.
 
My wife recently had a meeting with a pension/retirement company. I had to go along as well and provided details of my pensions. She is 63 and has had enough of work.
I hadn't considered retirement but the guy felt I too could retire immediately, more or less given the amount I have in my various pensions. About 2 years ago I cashed in 25% from the biggest pot. Used this to pay off my mortgage, bought us 2 new cars and paid the deposit on my sons house. When I cashed this in the guy did say within 3-4 years you will be back to prior to what were before.
Hadn't really thought about it but have another meeting next month and I hope to be able to retire
 
5 Hit Gibbon said:
I put my notice in and my work are trying to be a bit clever. They asked if I could leave straight away, which I said I could, but then the HR person sent me an email asking me to reply to say I'm resigning with immediate effect, which effectively means I'm breaking my contract and therefore not entitled to any notice pay. I've replied to say I'm not resigning with immediate effect and that I won't be breaking my contract and that I will work my notice if required.

Never trust HR people or bosses!
Click to expand...
I've come to an agreement that I'll work 2 of the 3 months, so give up 1 month, and take the 11 days I'll have accrued by the end of August before then. That suits me nicely as it means I can have two and a half weeks off before starting my new job in September.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top