The Retirement Thread

[Tenkaykev]

Good morning folks, Mrs Tenkaykev is feeling unwell, she suspects Covid but last nights test proved negative ( she caught Covid in Scotland earlier in the year, she initially tested negative )

 

[Paulus]

Good morning all.
It's a bright sunny start to the day here.
MrsP is off with MissP to a wedding fair in St. Albans today. Now that MissP's boyfriend popped the question, MrsP is getting all excited. There is no date yet for the big day.
Dog walking, bike riding and some cooking are the order of the day.
American style pancakes with blueberries, sliced banana, maple syrup and squirty cream for breakfast.
Today's tea is marinated chicken thighs, in the fridge marinating in the fridge at the moment. They will be coated in a herby, spicey flour mixture KFS style, and baked in a hot oven..

 

[Deleted member 1258]

From my Facebook page this morning, lol.

 

[steveindenmark]

I have been dithering on the retirement fence for a couple of years now. I am financially sound and have been for ages. I find it ironic that just at the point you become financially sound. You also get to the age where you have got everything you want and find it hard to find things to spend money on. Iam a sailmaker and enjoy my job, I like my collegues and work for a great company who look after me. I reduced my hours to 5 hours a day, 2 years ago and usually finish work by 11am. My bike commute is 40km most days and I often extend it on the way home.

I am 64 now and part of me is thinking I should be thinking about retiring. Part of me is thinking, why should I? Part of me is thinking is thinking, retire, go on some long cycle tours and write a book to encourage other over 60s to do it. Do some gardening, get a dog.

I am in a great position. I realise that. I have my health, finances are secure, mortgage is paid, great relationship with a woman who loves cycling, lots of great bikes.

Cons... I cannot make a decision.

How do you make the big leap and did anyone regret it?

 

[Mo1959]

I have been dithering on the retirement fence for a couple of years now. I am financially sound and have been for ages. I find it ironic that just at the point you become financially sound. You also get to the age where you have got everything you want and find it hard to find things to spend money on. Iam a sailmaker and enjoy my job, I like my collegues and work for a great company who look after me. I reduced my hours to 5 hours a day, 2 years ago and usually finish work by 11am. My bike commute is 40km most days and I often extend it on the way home.

I am 64 now and part of me is thinking I should be thinking about retiring. Part of me is thinking, why should I? Part of me is thinking is thinking, retire, go on some long cycle tours and write a book to encourage other over 60s to do it. Do some gardening, get a dog.

I am in a great position. I realise that. I have my health, finances are secure, mortgage is paid, great relationship with a woman who loves cycling, lots of great bikes.

Cons... I cannot make a decision.

How do you make the big leap and did anyone regret it?

Hopefully you'll get a more balanced reasoning from others who, like you, actually enjoyed their job. Sadly, I hated mine by the end and couldn't wait to get away. Absolutely no regrets, although I have to admit I don't fill my time nearly as well as I could being a lazy person by nature.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I have been dithering on the retirement fence for a couple of years now. I am financially sound and have been for ages. I find it ironic that just at the point you become financially sound. You also get to the age where you have got everything you want and find it hard to find things to spend money on. Iam a sailmaker and enjoy my job, I like my collegues and work for a great company who look after me. I reduced my hours to 5 hours a day, 2 years ago and usually finish work by 11am. My bike commute is 40km most days and I often extend it on the way home.

I am 64 now and part of me is thinking I should be thinking about retiring. Part of me is thinking, why should I? Part of me is thinking is thinking, retire, go on some long cycle tours and write a book to encourage other over 60s to do it. Do some gardening, get a dog.

I am in a great position. I realise that. I have my health, finances are secure, mortgage is paid, great relationship with a woman who loves cycling, lots of great bikes.

Cons... I cannot make a decision.

How do you make the big leap and did anyone regret it?

For me it wasn't a hard decision to make, I was tired of working and have no regrets, I've been retired since 2015, one thing to think about is your health, good health isn't guaranteed as you grow older, I'm now carer to my Good Lady, so go and enjoy your retirement whilst you're still healthy

 

[welsh dragon]

I have been dithering on the retirement fence for a couple of years now. I am financially sound and have been for ages. I find it ironic that just at the point you become financially sound. You also get to the age where you have got everything you want and find it hard to find things to spend money on. Iam a sailmaker and enjoy my job, I like my collegues and work for a great company who look after me. I reduced my hours to 5 hours a day, 2 years ago and usually finish work by 11am. My bike commute is 40km most days and I often extend it on the way home.

I am 64 now and part of me is thinking I should be thinking about retiring. Part of me is thinking, why should I? Part of me is thinking is thinking, retire, go on some long cycle tours and write a book to encourage other over 60s to do it. Do some gardening, get a dog.

I am in a great position. I realise that. I have my health, finances are secure, mortgage is paid, great relationship with a woman who loves cycling, lots of great bikes.

Cons... I cannot make a decision.

How do you make the big leap and did anyone regret it?

My mum often wondered what she would do with herself when she retired, then after it happened she wondered how the hell she ever found the time to go to work.

 

[PaulSB]

Good morning all.
It's a bright sunny start to the day here.
MrsP is off with MissP to a wedding fair in St. Albans today. Now that MissP's boyfriend popped the question, MrsP is getting all excited. There is no date yet for the big day.
Dog walking, bike riding and some cooking are the order of the day.
American style pancakes with blueberries, sliced banana, maple syrup and squirty cream for breakfast.
Today's tea is marinated chicken thighs, in the fridge marinating in the fridge at the moment. They will be coated in a herby, spicey flour mixture KFS style, and baked in a hot oven..

Ah, yes, similar is happening in our house. End date is October 15th .............................................2023

 

[Deleted member 1258]

My mum often wondered what she would do with herself when she retired, then after it happened she wondered how the hell she ever found the time to go to work.

Thats the same for me and a common thing when people retire

 

[gavroche]

I have no regrets about being retired either although I still do a few weeks a year as an exam invigilator to help with the finances because I only have the state pension, a small private pension and times are getting harder due to extortionate profiteering by the big multi-nationals.
I too , am a bit lazy by nature so quite happy to do nothing when I want to so retirement suits me well.

 

[PaulSB]

I have been dithering on the retirement fence for a couple of years now. I am financially sound and have been for ages. I find it ironic that just at the point you become financially sound. You also get to the age where you have got everything you want and find it hard to find things to spend money on. Iam a sailmaker and enjoy my job, I like my collegues and work for a great company who look after me. I reduced my hours to 5 hours a day, 2 years ago and usually finish work by 11am. My bike commute is 40km most days and I often extend it on the way home.

I am 64 now and part of me is thinking I should be thinking about retiring. Part of me is thinking, why should I? Part of me is thinking is thinking, retire, go on some long cycle tours and write a book to encourage other over 60s to do it. Do some gardening, get a dog.

I am in a great position. I realise that. I have my health, finances are secure, mortgage is paid, great relationship with a woman who loves cycling, lots of great bikes.

Cons... I cannot make a decision.

How do you make the big leap and did anyone regret it?

To my mind you are in a great position. If you really cannot decide how about this. You appear to be working 25 hours a week. Have you consider doing three 8 hour days? This might allow you to gauge how you feel when faced with four days each week when you don't have to do anything.

Prior to retiring I took professional financial advice which showed provided we are sensible we can live to 100+ without running out of cash. Not a grand lifestyle but a good, comfy one. For example we head off to California for a month on Tuesday, though the £/$ is a bit of an issue!!

How to decide? I guess it is a leap of faith, belief in yourself but if you have financial security and plenty of interests, you appear to have, it really is a no brainer. The one difficulty I had was money, it took me 12-15 months to become comfortable with the idea of a very reduced monthly income and savings slowly declining. I'm cool with it now especially since Mrs P took her state pension. When we retired our income dropped to 40% of working income, tough for me to adjust to, but it's now 60% and savings are beginning to grow again.

Of all the retired people I know, pretty much my entire social circle of maybe 300+, I know two who found it difficult. Both returned to part-time work. One found he sat at home drinking too often, the other struggled to fill his days. Sensibly both took jobs to regain the structure their lives needed.

As everyone says "How did I find time to work?" Most of the time I'm so busy my feet don't touch the ground. You will not regret it.

 

[mikeIow]

Good morning folks, Mrs Tenkaykev is feeling unwell, she suspects Covid but last nights test proved negative ( she caught Covid in Scotland earlier in the year, she initially tested negative )

Bah….MrsMikeIOW tested +ive last Saturday: we quarantined her, banished to the tower.
First time she has had it - speaking with neighbours, it feels like this one is mopping up many who have thus far escaped.
She was a little rough some of the week but mostly okay. Still a feint line yesterday morning: hoping to be clear by tomorrow.
Most upsetting was that we had LOTS on this week she had to miss (luckily for me, both offspring were home to act as her replacements).

Hope your wife is either wrong or gets over it fast.

Off this morning for a little local protest over the City Council plans to wipeout a huge local habitat of wildlife (old golf course, unused for many years) - Western Golf Course

 

[Dirk]

I have been dithering on the retirement fence for a couple of years now. I am financially sound and have been for ages. I find it ironic that just at the point you become financially sound. You also get to the age where you have got everything you want and find it hard to find things to spend money on. Iam a sailmaker and enjoy my job, I like my collegues and work for a great company who look after me. I reduced my hours to 5 hours a day, 2 years ago and usually finish work by 11am. My bike commute is 40km most days and I often extend it on the way home.

I am 64 now and part of me is thinking I should be thinking about retiring. Part of me is thinking, why should I? Part of me is thinking is thinking, retire, go on some long cycle tours and write a book to encourage other over 60s to do it. Do some gardening, get a dog.

I am in a great position. I realise that. I have my health, finances are secure, mortgage is paid, great relationship with a woman who loves cycling, lots of great bikes.

Cons... I cannot make a decision.

How do you make the big leap and did anyone regret it?

You can't buy time........

 

[Tenkaykev]

Bah….MrsMikeIOW tested +ive last Saturday: we quarantined her, banished to the tower.
First time she has had it - speaking with neighbours, it feels like this one is mopping up many who have thus far escaped.
She was a little rough some of the week but mostly okay. Still a feint line yesterday morning: hoping to be clear by tomorrow.
Most upsetting was that we had LOTS on this week she had to miss (luckily for me, both offspring were home to act as her replacements).

Hope your wife is either wrong or gets over it fast.

Off this morning for a little local protest over the City Council plans to wipeout a huge local habitat of wildlife (old golf course, unused for many years) - Western Golf Course

This mornings test is still negative so it may just be a heavy seasonal cold. She’ll test again this evening🤞

 

[PaulSB]

Good morning folks. It is a glorious autumn day in Lancashire. I would like to ride my bike but there is stuff to do. I've cleaned the fridge, may do a white wash as it's a good drying day and will clean out the garage and the asparagus bed - diverse what? The CH kicked in at 7.45, well the programme does, grabbed the thermostat in double-quick time and then lit the burner.

Garage clean out you ask? Well nominally we own a double garage. I built it with a friend and it extends to 6" from each boundary, as big as possible. If I reverse my Hyundai i30 in tight to one wall and then drive Mrs P's Fiat 500 in forwards the cars fit. I then climb through the back of Mrs P's car and out of the boot........................it's a bit of a squeeze. The BIG plus to this is anyone wanting to get at my bikes would need to be a mountain goat!!