To retire or not...

[Night Train]

Doing nothing is almost as bad as doing too much.

I could never 'do nothing' and that, for me is part of the problem. Right now I am supposed to do very little and rest a lot. It is driving me nuts as I know I will also have to get back to earning a living again sooner hopefully, or at least in my mind it should be sooner.
Take that 'need' away and I will quite happily bide my time and only do as much as I should or can instead of more then I should or can safely. There is so much I still want to do though.

I have known a few older men in my life who, on retirement to doing nothing passed away pretty quickly. Those who retired and were then too busy doing stuff seemed to go on and on and on.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Currently looking @ 67 for retirement age. Working in the private sectore means that my chances of raising anything near enough to support me beyond the state subsistence is bleak. I will realistically work until I end up in a nursing home - if I actually make it that far....

Same here!

 

[Linford]

Same here!

I was going to 'like' it, but what is there to like

 

[biggs682]

would love to retire but at the age of 50 , i dont have enough pension funds to live on due to various reasons .

what would i do well there is a load of work around the house and garden that would tie me up for a few months , after that i would like to be able to spend a few hours a week , doing basic bike repairs along with some sales all from home and the garage , but unsure if i could earn enough .

 

[cyberknight]

I goto work for a rest !
And i get chance to get some miles in, been off since last thursday and only been on the bike twice.

 

[slowmotion]

I can't retire. I don't play golf.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

I'd love to retire but I can't afford to buy taupe coloured clothes.

 

[lukesdad]

I could retire if I wanted to but like cyberknight I go to work for a rest ( and I love my work )

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Linford said: ↑

Currently looking @ 67 for retirement age. Working in the private sectore means that my chances of raising anything near enough to support me beyond the state subsistence is bleak. I will realistically work until I end up in a nursing home - if I actually make it that far....​

Same here!

I was going to 'like' it, but what is there to like

On the bright side: we will never grow old, because work keeps you young. Also we will be fit because we will cycle to work.
When/if we get to the nursing home, we'll be soooo glad to get a long lie in

 

[PaulB]

I've retired. Well, I'm working my notice period till the end of the month and then I'm gone. I'm 53 and hung on a year too long as I planned on going this time last year but a couple of unexpected financials came up so I stuck around.

The basis of this was a guy who taught me the ropes at work when I was a kid and he was always talking about his retirement and what he was going to do. At 65, he retired on the Friday, had the weekend to himself but didn't wake up on the Monday morning! He was cheated out of his entitlement when his heart gave up the ghost!

So from that moment on, I planned assiduously how I'd get out quicker so I could enjoy what health I've got left while I've still (just about) got it. We payed the mortgage off three/four years ago, kids finished their education and got settled down with partners and my wife is in a very senior vocational managerial position in the NHS. I realised I was finished dancing to someone else's tune, having no money requirements I lost any motivation to go out there and get it so brought my plans into fruition and took the plunge.

I am going to finish off the Munros (still got over 100 to do), do the Santiago Compostella and the Pennine Way. And then I might do some part-time or volunteer work over the winter and do something else I want to do next summer.

 

[Noodley]

At my tender years retirement is a far-off event which I have given no thought to...

 

[Trembler49]

I've retired. Well, I'm working my notice period till the end of the month and then I'm gone. I'm 53 and hung on a year too long as I planned on going this time last year but a couple of unexpected financials came up so I stuck around.

The basis of this was a guy who taught me the ropes at work when I was a kid and he was always talking about his retirement and what he was going to do. At 65, he retired on the Friday, had the weekend to himself but didn't wake up on the Monday morning! He was cheated out of his entitlement when his heart gave up the ghost!

So from that moment on, I planned assiduously how I'd get out quicker so I could enjoy what health I've got left while I've still (just about) got it. We payed the mortgage off three/four years ago, kids finished their education and got settled down with partners and my wife is in a very senior vocational managerial position in the NHS. I realised I was finished dancing to someone else's tune, having no money requirements I lost any motivation to go out there and get it so brought my plans into fruition and took the plunge.

I am going to finish off the Munros (still got over 100 to do), do the Santiago Compostella and the Pennine Way. And then I might do some part-time or volunteer work over the winter and do something else I want to do next summer.

I had a similar experience, a bloke I had worked with for over 10 years was winding down to retirement. The day before his leaving party he had a major stroke and died. Although he was only a work aquaintance I was not prepared for the physical pain the grief of his death caused me.

The only bright side was that his wife got a major death in service payout, if he had died two days later, she would not have got it.

 

[Red Light]

I tried twice but got bored after 6 months each time and went and found myself something to do.

 

[rollinstok]

I retired at 50 and keep busy with a home recording studio where I'm happy making a noise most days
Still put 8/10 hours a week in with my sons business which helps to buy my toys
The trick is to focus on doing something you enjoy and not worry too much about money if you can help it
My brother in law thinks he's had a bad year if he hasn't put 20k in the bank, has no intentions of retiring, has no kids or hobbies... different strokes/different folks thats all it is

 

[dandare]

I've just retired professionally as it were. For the last 5 years I worked a three day week but it was getting to the point when even a three day week was too long. I do miss some of the people I worked with but I don't miss going to work. I couldn't possibly find the time to even work one day a week now and the days and weeks just fly by.