When Will or Did you Retire?

[growingvegetables]

At 61, working as a supply teacher, with the happy knack of drifting into long-term covers where my skills fit really well. Pretty well free of the petty drudgery that kills the pleasure of teaching in permanent posts.

I'll drift happily on as long as I'm good at the job, and as long as the job is good for me.

And bless my good fortune.

 

[Scotchlovingcylist]

Very basically - my mortgage will be paid off when I'm 45. I won't get my full NHS pension until I'm 65. I'm hoping to go part time somewhere in between depending on what life chucks my way. I tend to be appreciating the more expensive things in life these last few years though so will have to see.
I really love my job though and there is still plenty of scope to take it into other areas so at the minute I'm happy.

 

[delb0y]

Aiming for 60 (52 now) but fingers crossed for earlier. Always worked to live, but the demands of the job nowadays mean 9 hour days, three hours commuting, loads of stress and pressure, and no time to do any of the things I used to work to do (spending quality time with family and friends, cycling, fishing, motorcycling, playing the guitar in bands, writing, photography...). So looking forward to getting a life back.

 

[MissTillyFlop]

Never, I think I would get terribly bored. Also, I will never save enough to stop working, so, there you go. It all works out!

 

[MarkF]

65 I suppose, I like working, have good workmates and spend a lot of time laughing, don't want to leave it too late but at 53, 65 looks ok to me. Think I'd still do "something" though for a few days a week, voluntary work in a hospital maybe. I am like a hamster, sociable.

 

[Old jon]

16 of June this year, I was sixty five. About a dozen years ago Barbs asked me what I would do when I retired, I said 'play guitar.' The music has taken off in a satisfying way. The return to cycling was a much less long winded affair. Saw a properly appealing bike in a shop window in May, bought a similar from the same shop on the last day of June. Loads of fun !!

 

[Smokin Joe]

August 2006,lump sum and pension at 56.It was a no brainer.I was sick of the job,so were a load of my mates.If Leeds office is anything to go by all offices lost some good men and women.Were they bothered ,i don't think so.Word out on the streets is,the job is totally crap now.So going was a godsend.

I know a few postmen and women who share your views, all used to enjoy the job but have grown to hate it now because of all the changes brought in. Borne out by the number of new faces I see on the local rounds.

One of the guys I know is a retained firefighter, and apparently the Post Office is one of the few employers who will not allow them to down tools and rush off if they get a shout.

 

[Mrs M]

I'm just waiting on a date to go early next year, March or April just waiting on the twelve weeks notice letter. A nice VS package and company pension. We've just sold the house, buying a flat in Chichester which will do until we get a place in Spain next year. We'll rent out Chi which will also be somewhere if it doesn't work out in Spain I intend to do some walking, cycling the Brompton along the paseo and get a road bike out there as well. Mrs J also does a bit of walking and cycling. I will also get involved with an animal charity , learn Spanish and generally chill. I'll also find time for AA meetings and commitments as without this I wouldn't be around to retire now. I'll be 58 in March so hopefully a few fit years to go yet.

Sounds like a great plan, good luck .

 

[Dave 123]

A timely thread as we've mentioned retirement this weekend.
We are of the opinion that work gets in our way. Mrs Dave likes doing craft things and cookery and I would prefer to be on my bike, in the garden or playing the guitar. We both enjoy going to the gym and doing active stuff like walking.

I'd also like to learn another instrument or 2, but I can't really see the point just yet as its a struggle to fit in what I already do. ( cello, for some reason...)

Once you throw 40hrs each a week into the mix your time is tight, and you try and do as much as possible. I'm 46 and she's 44 so I reckon we have some way to go yet.

Luckily we both enjoy our jobs.

 

[ColinJ]

I am nearly 60 and am having to 'unretire'!

Strictly speaking, I haven't retired, rather I stopped work due to stress, but I have now run out of cash and I am still 7 years short of a state pension. A mere £550/year private pension that will be starting in the NY isn't going to go very far!

So ...I am working on a couple of ideas which I hope will come to fruition soon. If not, expect to find me stacking shelves in some West Yorkshire supermarket in the near future. (So much for my grammar school and university education, but I can't see any realistic chance of getting skilled employment again at my age, and even if I did, I would probably suffer from stress again. I got a thumping headache last night just trying to sort out a cock-up on eBay, and that was one which was in my favour! (A company sent me double what I ordered and then refunded the payment. ))

I actually like making myself useful ... organising bike rides on CycleChat, helping fix people's bikes, that sort of thing - I just don't make any money from it!

The stupid thing is that I only need to earn half what I was earning in 1993 to get by. Any more than that and I would be laughing!

 

[Yellow Fang]

I am not sure there is much point in me retiring. I would just be stuck inside on my own, getting bored and lonely and worrying about money. I just wonder what sort of work I could continue to do. It is still some way off because I am 48 now.

 

[ColinJ]

I am not sure there is much point in me retiring. I would just be stuck inside on my own, getting bored and lonely and worrying about money. I just wonder what sort of work I could continue to do. It is still some way off because I am 48 now.

Being stuck inside, bored and lonely are easily fixed by getting out on your bike and riding with other people.

The money though, yes, that is always a worry when you don't have enough of it!

 

[The Jogger]

I am not sure there is much point in me retiring. I would just be stuck inside on my own, getting bored and lonely and worrying about money. I just wonder what sort of work I could continue to do. It is still some way off because I am 48 now.

Why don't you try for a job on the railways, shift work, meet people and still time to build up a good company pension. Example, LU were recently recruiting new entrant Customer Service Assistants on 30k a cracking pension and ten weeks leave. You also get the chance to meet lots of new people.

 

[The Jogger]

I have a pension which I can take at 50 - but it won;t be enough to live on (in the style to which I have become accustomed) so I'll have to work until 65...

Oh dear, is there not a happy medium like 58

 

[The Jogger]

Sounds like a great plan, good luck .

Thanks, here's hoping.........