Are you retired ?? (1 Viewer)

[Minxy]

Hubby retired nearly 5 years ago at 51 and me 2 years later at 48, saved and planned for a long time before hand to make it happen, no current pension income, just using our savings until hubby's work pension kicks in at 60 (not a full pension but still sufficient for our needs). Best thing we ever did!

 

[irnbru]

I have no pension to retire to but get by with 3 days work each week so can enjoy long weekends away but boy oh boy wish now that I had stuck in at school, never saw it then though.

 

[GWAYGWAY]

I reach the State pension age in 3 weeks but I gave up the NHS early as I found I could not cope with the crap anymore, I went part time at first and then gave that up as the clinic/workload had just been concentrated into the three days I was there instead. OH packed in earlier as intensive care is very hard as well. Financially is is a bit tight but will improve by the State pension kicks in. I also sold some of my garden and that made the cash flow a lot better and I bought Gerty Great Van with some of it. The only thing is I am still scared to go abroad even living in Dover, breakdown or sudden illness is the worry. Also the cat was not impressed with MH travel when I took her on a short trip.

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[Tackle man]

My accountant assessed my self employed books last March.
Prior to his appointment to visit me with his findings I got an illustration of my private pension I had paid into since 1975. after him passing on the business news I gave him my pension figures and asked what he thought about my retirement options. His broad grin was enough!

 

[TUCANO]

Well there's a question. My wife and I had a plan to retire and buy a van, she developed MND so we quickly bought a van and went, best thing we ever did.
When she died in 2008 I sold the van, but I have bought a couple of others since then.
Three years later I meet a lady who is already retired, I retired in April aged 67 and we bought a house together in May, then spent all of September in Belgium and France, am now waiting for the company to re-employ me after submitting my CV last week.
So the slightly arthritic hands and body will feel the cold as I crawl on the hangar floor and the tools and the aircraft will be bloody freezing but can't wait to get back
I didn't earn a brilliant wage, I have a little put away but I miss the guys, the working environment, and just the sheer pleasure of working on aircraft and getting paid for it
So where do I sign, the retired or not retired
There's more to life than money
Norman.

 

[joncris]

I retired in 2004 due to ill health but my BH still works and is now the bread winner AND we use our MH for part of every week

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[Cal54]

Retired early from local government over 3 years ago. Offer of vol redundancy and being able to draw my superannuation made it an easy decision. Not rich but got enough to get by on.

 

[sdc77]

Retire in 10 months.. But intent to get another slower job... OH doesn't retire for some time yet but once I've retired getting away will be much easier

 

[Snowbird]

I started work soon after I could walk, didnt start getting paid till I was around 11. Retired on my 50th birthday in 2000 through nothing but hard graft, blood, sweat, and tears a plenty. Earned loads a dosh by getting off my backside and chasing the big apple, doing work no one else wanted, spent nothing until I retired. Its been my time since retirement and I have enjoyed every minute of it. Everyone said I was to young to retire and would be bored within a year. Fifteen years later I still have no time to be bored and wonder where the last 15 years have gone. I always worried before retirement that there would not be enough in the pot to last. What I did not realise was that once retired it costs very little if sitting in the sun with good friends is all you want from life, with the occasional beer. Am retired from work, but not from life .

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[Tackle man]

I started work soon after I could walk, didnt start getting paid till I was around 11. Retired on my 50th birthday in 2000 through nothing but hard graft, blood, sweat, and tears a plenty. Earned loads a dosh by getting off my backside and chasing the big apple, doing work no one else wanted, spent nothing until I retired. Its been my time since retirement and I have enjoyed every minute of it. Everyone said I was to young to retire and would be bored within a year. Fifteen years later I still have no time to be bored and wonder where the last 15 years have gone. I always worried before retirement that there would not be enough in the pot to last. What I did not realise was that once retired it costs very little if sitting in the sun with good friends is all you want from life, with the occasional beer. Am retired from work, but not from life .

Just to add to my earlier post, I worked my socks off for over 50 years too, manual work. I know of some who didn't plan their future at the time I was planning mine in the 60's. Ive met one or two since I retired and they are still having to work. I have not had a single day of boredom since, I'm loving every minute of it. As you say, it's my time now.

 

[Bobndebs McKay]

I worked from the age of 16, full time on a farm for the best part of 12 years, got made redundant at the age of 28 and luckily for me The RAF accepted me at that age!! Did 26 years, am now 55 and have a full pension. We paid for a private pension for Debs (still are) and we paid the biggest amount we could whilst we had the income off our mortgage, hence we now have an income from renting out the house and no mortgage!! Under the new laws, Debs can draw her pension as a lump in April, hence we plan on retiring, in April and MH-ing to our hearts contenet. I too have many colleagues and friends of similar age, fit men for the most part, who have developed various ailments and serious conditions. I want to live, and enjoy my life, not work till 66 and then die shortly afterwards. Life is a beach, Debs and I are about to surf it (proverbially speaking)

 

[Jaws]

Retired.. .... 3 days ago..
Now totally knackered as I have not worked so hard for MANY a year

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[Taran_Las]

Yes​

 

[Jimbo99]

In our first year of retirement only ever done short breaks now its were why and when just hope the health lasts to enjoy it
Jim & Carol rvoc

 

[chrisboyo]

It took me 18 months longer than I had to before taking the final step into retirement .
As someone that has worked since the age of 10 I just could not let go.
It took me a while to get into the swing of having a whole week of weekends, but now I wake up and think,
What the heck was I thinking of !
I could have and should have done it years ago !!
If you are able to do it, and remember, you don't need to be a millionaire, as long as you have enough to get by on, thats enough
DO IT NOW

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[Wildman]

Officially classed as retired, yet still running the campsite and keeping cattle, so part time maybe, at least my hours are my own.

 

[Shandyman]

Yes I retired 7 months ago from local gov at the age of 55 took vol package so had full pension etc. In December 2011 I had a heart attack and under went surgery and had 5 by passes which kind of put things in order so had a little taste of retierment then since I have retired we bought our first MH and I know wonder where I had time to work so my advice is if you can do it.

Richard

 

[Volusia]

Sadly, it appears leisure activities, motorhome, boat ownership and the like are all nowadays populated by we of the older generation.
In the 70s and 80s boating on the British waterways for instance was, in the main, enjoyed by a younger generation. Can't comment on the 'then' motorhome scene though.
We had it good back then and, in the main, despite Gordon Brown and his raid on our pension pots, still do.
Having said that, our savings earn no interest anymore which the wiser youngsters will have noted.
Maybe the young, those who are able, are too busy investing in property for their old age rather than just enjoying life motor-homing, boating etc. as we were fortunate enough to do.
Take a look at places like Benidorm in the winter months. If you are in your late 60's, you will be among the youngest there!

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[FIDGET]

Just a thought ,When we are retired we dont get weekends or bank holidays anymore , Nt fair !!!

 

[joner8888]

Tried semi retirement at age 43 , found it boring and ended up sitting around in Debenham type of restaurants surrounded by grey and beige fully retired folk.
I scurried back and sooner be working full time with as many MH breaks as i want.

 

[Volusia]

Tried semi retirement at age 43 , found it boring and ended up sitting around in Debenham type of restaurants surrounded by grey and beige fully retired folk.
I scurried back and sooner be working full time with as many MH breaks as i want.

It's like everything else, you have to work full time at retirement. It really isn't a cliche, done right, you really don't know how you managed to find the hours to put into all the things you did prior to it. All you need is imagination, a reasonable bank account, and the world's your proverbial!

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[Judge Mental]

8:20am?
An ungodly hour.
My lazy retired arse is still lying in bed at that time!

he needs an Ipad

 

[GJH]

he needs an Ipad

Need and iPad in the same sentence? Isn't that a non-sequitur?

 

[Flyingscotsman2]

I would say I am retired not bad at 46

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[Judge Mental]

Need and iPad in the same sentence? Isn't that a non-sequitur?

should have pressed multi-quote..I am learning honestly..albeit slowly

 

[panda]

We've been retired 22years now and we still can't seem to find time to fit everything in. We have and are still motorhoming,weight training,golfing,cycling,walking,
dancing,gardening,refurbishing an old bungalow,and we are 77 and74 years old!

 

[camocam1]

Anne had to take I'll health retirement 5 years ago and that was a major blow to income and retirement plans
My business has now gone to the wall so at 59 been forced into retirement
Not got as much free cash as we would like but seen 2 friends pass away at 55 and Anne's mum worked on for 3 years after her husband retireded then only got 6 months together so now plan to just live life 1 day at a time and hopefully we can both enjoy a few more years together
I always worked on needing cash to survive for 25 years now taken that back 15 fun filled years and will worry about the other 10 if we live that long !!!!!

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[magicsurfbus]

Not long ago my otherwise healthy Step Dad was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour that took him within six months. About 3 weeks before he died my otherwise healthy Mum was diagnosed with exactly the same condition and went 7 months later. They'd been married barely a year before his diagnosis. Last year at age 54 I had to write my first condolence letter to a school friend who'd lost their long-term partner.

It sort of puts things into perspective, and makes me grateful for every day I have since departing from the fun factory. When I decided to take early retirement on a reduced pension I worked out that the financial benefit of staying on until 60 would only have become apparent in my mid 70s. None of the previous generation in our family made it to 80, so stuff that. I say take it as soon as you can get it.

We're going to keep working at our own enterprises for the foreseeable future because we like the mental challenge, but only working at things we want to do, and not because we'd starve without it. I'm hoping to manouevre the pensions and savings to provide enough to pay the basic bills if either of us got ill, so any other income is a bonus, not a necessity. It's a good feeling to have things that way, but we've worked hard for it and prepared for it by saving.

This is the good bit now, between the daily workplace grind ending and the day the doctor tells you not to buy any large boxes of Corn Flakes. It's worth making something of it.

 

[Peter & Elaine]

Elaine retired in April this year I semi retired in august this year
And so far it's been great she still get a little bored when we are at home
And looks after grandkids 2 days a week
Me well I love it I have so far managed to work half of that time and very nearly matched my old salary plan is to continue picking up work untill late June then who knows but it will be a ferry crossing somewhere measured in months not weeks
I just don't understand why we did not do it 5 years ago

 

[mpdcymru]

Down to a three day week and looking to go completely (from work that is and not this mortal coil) next September.

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