The Retirement Thread

[Stevo 666]

IMHO, Smokey's advice is sound. Especially the bit about staying healthy and maximising time with partner (assuming you have one). We retired at 60, had 15 years of fun, but, brought to a halt by Covid, then, once Covid was over, Mrs @BoldonLad's health has curtailed our activities.

Yep, I have another half who hasn't had a paid job since our daughter was born, but is clearly a bit of an expert at filling up her days in the absence of paid work and while I'm at work. Point noted!

 

[Stevo 666]

Long story short, I went to work a happily married man, came home six months later by ambulance aged 38.
Never worked again lost everything and had to start all over again, including being single.
Money wise.....thank God we have a welfare system or I wouldn't be here today.
Advice - live for today, tomorrow will take care of it's self.

I guess you can never anticipate some of the stuff that life throws at you. A fellow forumite and ex Bike Radar refugee died this week from MND - looking at the posts from only a year ago, he was fine... I guess that I can only plan on the basis that those sorts things won't happen, but be ready to react if they do.

 

[Stevo 666]

Firstly you have to look at your financial situation. Do the numbers add up with pensions savings so that you can live on what you have taking into account bills and other outgoings.
Do you have interests and hobbies that can keep you busy without having to resort to sitting in front of the telly box watching rubbish daytime telly.
Always have a plan for the day when you wake, no matter what it is.
If the answer to the above is yes then go for it.
I retired 8 years ago at 60 after 45 years on the railway, never had a dull boring day as yet.

Sound advice. I'm an accountant by training so am comfortable with handling numbers and pretty sure that part won't be an issue, but want to build up a buffer now that the bigger stuff is out the way (mortgage paid off, daughter paid through uni etc).

I'm working on the hobby stuff but not sure whether I'm there yet, but as others on here have said the days tend to fill themselves up anyway. Although like you, I prefer to have a plan and I'm a bit of a fidget and not one to sit on my backside for long periods.

I'm keeping it under continuous review...