Retirement....is it all it's cracked up to be ?

I'm 73.
This year we went to Barbados, Rome, Kos, Venice, Nice, the Amalfi coast, Kendal, York, Whitby, Edinburgh for the fringe, Buxton for the festival, Manchester jazz festival, Ronnie Scott's in London, seen every national theatre production shown in cinemas and likewise every Met opera production. I go to many rock gigs and classical concerts a year. I play golf once a week, though the weather has curtailed that recently, I did a MoMA course on post war modern American abstract impressionism and daub a bit myself. I have written travel articles for magazines and am just about finishing writing a book I started twenty years ago about my experiences in France. I read voraciously and love cooking.

Retirement has been an absolute ball so far.
Never missed my job in the slightest.

I admit it gets a little harder each year which is why I am cramming as much in as I can while I still can.
Presumably you and your OH have a lot in common?

That’s the bit that concerns me. We don’t seem to have much in common ! We certainly have no common interests or hobbies etc.
 
Two weeks ago, I was just walking down the street when a car smashed into a shop front about a 1 yard behind me. It was only an iron bollard that the car also demolished that prevented me being pinned to the shop.
Your missus needs to get hire better quality assassins. Has she recently taken out an insurance policy on you ?
 
Checked the cemetery and couldn't find a single headstone with "he wished he could have worked longer" or "here lies xxxxxx father, grandfather, husband, manager, colleague, worker".

Retirement does not mean stop and wait to die.

If you have the money then wind down quickly and do something that makes you want to get out of bed.
If you don't have the money then wind down slowly doing something you need to build up the money while starting something else that makes you want to get out of bed but doesn't cost much, eg enjoy walking, take up reading, learn to play an instrument, etc.
 
I worked shifts for 43 years, so a couple of years ago decided that I'd had enough of doing lates, nights, early starts, weekends, bank holidays etc!

Best decision I ever made - still see former workmates socially, so don't feel like I'm missing out. In fact, 5 of them have now done the same after seeing how happy it made me!
 
Scaring me how comfortable and young people on here can retire - I’m 40, have a below average pension pot, average salary, Mrs doesn’t work , 2 kids and a big mortgage . Can not fathom retiring late 50’s, but guess never know and all that.
After our daughter was born my wife didn't work. You can retire early, but you have to live your life with that in mind, it doesn't happen by chance. Set a date, work out how much you'll need, don't believe the bollox about needing 40k as a single person and whatever todays fantasy figure is for couples, you don't.

Then you need to sit down and work out how you're going to get it.

My target was to retire 10 years prior to state pension age, I missed by a year. Nearly 3 years down the line I could have made the 10, but things might be a little tighter than they are.
 
You’ve done your time and we never know what’s round the corner I retired 4 years ago at 68 and never missed it apart from missing the crack and the gossip. Be prepared for not knowing what time or day it is and also doing things at your own leisure without having to get things done in a certain time.
 
For the last year or so I've been toying with the idea, I'm coming up to 66 and the world is a big place......I've not had a holiday for years and get bored very easily and really enjoy my job, the people, obviously the money and the hours are more part time than full. I'm finacially stable and my state pension kicks in next year. So what's the problem....I mentioned this to one of my clients who runs a similar business, joking apart he picked up on the idea and ran with it, so I ran with him so to speak....figures, turnover, costs, profits, I even spoke to my accountant. Now he's seeing his bank manager on monday to sort out his finances and quite frankly the penny has just dropped and I'm quietly crapping myself....what am I going to do, I'll miss so much customer, suppliers and clients interaction and dont fancy sitting around the house watching Lorraine Kelly and listening to the wife. I know folks on here have done it but would be interested to hear how it's gone.
I think it is all down to the person and whether you can be happy just plodding around. One of my Managing QSs has just turned 70 and really does not want to retire, yet his younger brother took early retirement at 61 and is plodding around doing what he wants to do. My Dad has been able to take earlier retirement at 65 and is more than happy plodding around doing his own thing whilst my Mum has taken early retirement at 59 and is going bat shit crazy because she does not have enough to do. Whilst I am not yet qualified to answer the question, I know I can keep myself busy from retirement but I suppose it all comes down to the individual. And of course financial responsibilities and securities!
 
Scaring me how comfortable and young people on here can retire - I’m 40, have a below average pension pot, average salary, Mrs doesn’t work , 2 kids and a big mortgage . Can not fathom retiring late 50’s, but guess never know and all that.
Our place are going through some restructuring and are offering VR. I seriously considered it - an amazing offer that amounts to more than double my salary, but after a week or so of analysis, I decided that I didn’t want to scrape by for the rest of my life. In truth, I might not have been accepted anyway as they are trying to thin out the management jobs.

Instead, I’ve used this analysis to make the decision to drop down to 4 days. I sent the e-mail today. It’s something I knew I’d do at some point but must admit I’ve moved up the schedule by 2 or 3 years. Although I should be OK, the treatment for prostate cancer is leaving me very tired.

… or maybe it’s that and all the travel. With the cut in money, our 10 foreign holidays a year will have to drop down to 6 :)
 
I'm 63 (64 in March) and been seriously considering it for while. Just not sure I've enough to keep me going as I have good life and earn decent money. I'm pretty sure I could put time in as I like running, walking, reading.

Living in south London plenty to see and do it's just the cost

Just think if I stop then may need to curtail some things.

In new year going to ask can I cut my hours.
 

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