The Retirement Thread

[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...

 

[Dave7]

@Stevo 666. 2 points i want to make.
You cant just join this section at will. There are 2 women who control it. There is @welshdragon. and @Mo1959 .....they are formidable.
As @numbnuts and others have said you have no idea what tomorrow will bring.
I went to the pub yesterday and met a 55 year old lady with advanced dementia.
I am 79 and say ....GO FOR IT while you can.

 

[Stevo 666]

@Stevo 666. 2 points i want to make.
You cant just join this section at will. There are 2 women who control it. There is @welshdragon. and @Mo1959 .....they are formidable.
As @numbnuts and others have said you have no idea what tomorrow will bring.
I went to the pub yesterday and met a 55 year old lady with advanced dementia.
I am 79 and say ....GO FOR IT while you can.

I'll fill in the application form pronto

 

[numbnuts]

I've got church tonight, The Ascension at 19:00, wish it wasn't so late,
but it for the people who go to work so they can attend mass too.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I suppose the possible overthinking comes from the realisation that once you've quit, then at our age it can be very difficult to get back into work if you subsequently realise you made a mistake/went too early etc. Maybe I'm just being over cautious.

I think most people think a lot about retirement - fools if they don't. I don't think it is possible to overthink it.

One other mistake I have seen people make is with their financial projections by assuming that they will die together like Thelma & Louise. As a couple (no idea if you are) could both parties manage financially on their own?

 

[Stevo 666]

I think most people think a lot about retirement - fools if they don't. I don't think it is possible to overthink it.

One other mistake I have seen people make is with their financial projections by assuming that they will die together like Thelma & Louise. As a couple (no idea if you are) could both parties manage financially on their own?

I've got the financial planning and will stuff fairly well sorted so I reckon I can say yes to that (no excuse given my profession). My OH should be fairly well catered for, but she might have to cut back a bit on her shopping habits

 

[Mike Ayling]

I've got church tonight, The Ascension at 19:00, wish it wasn't so late,
but it for the people who go to work so they can attend mass too.

We are in Austria atm, a Catholic country and today is a public holiday.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

You need to work out what - if anything - you will do

A bloke I used to work with said if he won lots of money then he would quit work and spend everyday fishing

But he was the sort that was never happy on his own
always went fishign witha group of friends

His concept collapsed when we pointed out that his friends would all be at work so he would be fishing alone

personally that would be the point in fishing to me
but he was different

and you need to work out how and who you are

 

[DRM]

Wandered up the trailway to Wimborne earlier today and found a bra hanging from the branch of a tree 🤔
View attachment 808139

I wonder if she fell off her bike when it got snagged in the tree

 

[Dave7]

I wonder if she fell off her bike when it got snagged in the tree

I honestly misread that .
I won't type what I read it as

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I honestly misread that .
I won't type what I read it as

One letter slightly extended upwards????

 

[Dave7]

One letter slightly extended upwards????

Indeed. IMO the way I read it was better.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Indeed. IMO the way I read it was better.

But what was her bike doing in the tree???

 

[Stevo 666]

You need to work out what - if anything - you will do

A bloke I used to work with said if he won lots of money then he would quit work and spend everyday fishing

But he was the sort that was never happy on his own
always went fishign witha group of friends

His concept collapsed when we pointed out that his friends would all be at work so he would be fishing alone

personally that would be the point in fishing to me
but he was different

and you need to work out how and who you are

I think I have a pretty good handle on those things and am thinking about post retirement activities with them in mind. That said, I have time to make my plans as I won't be retiring for a few years yet.