All this talk about cars!
You've got a bicycle haven't you?
Thing is, they are a massive financial drain, and many folk need the biggest and latest car. If you keep it, look after it, even a big maintenance bill is only one or two month's loan/lease payments.
As I'm starting to plan retirement I've changed my outlook now - i.e. no debt, mortgage free, keep the cars (not intending to move and get another mortgage) and I am now the only working adult in the house - wife has packed in work (recent poor employers with bad HR) and daughter just finishing Uni we manage OK on one wage.
I'm not intending on getting another bike - I do keep looking, but looking at it sensibly, I'd not ride it enough - out of the five I have, two see regular use and they cover my needs. That might change when I retire though.
Plan is to stay debt free, get a rainy day pot saved up, possibly work another 5 years to get my pension where it looks good enough to go early, and manage on it until state pension kicks in, where we'd be very comfortable. If someone waved redundancy at me, I'd consider going early, and getting a part time job ! Even if I went early I may find a part time job to keep my mind active.
Having seen too many people retire 'later' then see their plans ruined through some bad health, I'm now planning to go early. That said, my folks are in their 80's and although slowing down quite a bit, are still out and about. BIL is knackered and hasn't retired yet, and can't do much with his dodgy ticker. Seen mates drop dead.
