Are you retired ?? (1 Viewer)

[Tincataylor]

Looks like there are multiple roads that have brought us all together in this wonderful place called Motorhome Fun. The important thing for the Tinca's is not what our chronological ages are (Mrs T is caught in a time warp in which she never ages apparently) but how old you feel inside is VERY important....................and since early retirement we both feel more like Benjamin Button every day we spend in our van.

The Tinca's

 

[StickyWicket]

I had little option but to retire in 2009 due to the company changing rules of pension scheme and Janet retired from Civil Service in 2010. We both now do a part time job as stewards at cricket(my love, not hers). Bought our first of 3 caravans in 2011 but never really enjoyed towing although loved the touring life. Changed to MH in June and just feel so more relaxed when driving. MH + Bus Pass + cycling + walking = great life. We also still go by air on bargain breaks abroad when we can. We lead a busy life looking after grandchildren at least one day a week and elderly mother. We hope to use the MH to go to Venice, Italian lakes in the spring.

 

[TUCANO]

An update to my previous post, as of 24th of this month I am unretired and back at work after getting my job back at interview today.
Strangely enough it has made me feel years younger, possibly due to the fact that young guys at work, early thirties, are pleased to see me return and we had a good chat.
Much better than the bus pass and the 'Senior Citizen Sir' approach of midweek shopping.
Each to their own

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[Ockerron]

I'm sad. All you folks saying 'do it' and don't wait. I sincerely wish I could! I love my job, but would leave in a heartbeat if I could. Ron has been retired now for over 18 months and starting to get a little bored! Mainly because he is alone so much - I still have to work to pay the mortgage and for the Moho. I cant retire for at least another 18 years...and that is a thought that depresses me greatly. By then Ron will be 85........
I reckon you should all have a whip round and collect enough for me to retire now!!!!

 

[davidbaldam]

I'm retired but not retired from life but I suppose that I'm lucky because non of my jobs have defined who I am. Your a long time died enjoy what little time you have. At 64 I only have about 20 years left on this mortal coil so I'm going to make the best of it.

 

[TUCANO]

Gerri,

Enjoy your youth, you wanna swap ages

Have fun whatever you do.

Norman.

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[Forester]

5 years ago at 55 I gave up chasing the rat and let him win.
Like so many have said I now have no idea where I found the time from to go to work! Have been living off savings but about to start drawing a modest pension from my fund so that I can use up my personal allowance and put some of the tax free lump sum into Isas etc .
Dont leave it too late trying to get funds out of your pension and get hammered with tax!

 

[Ockerron]

Gerri,

Enjoy your youth, you wanna swap ages

Have fun whatever you do.

Norman.

Thank you Norman! I really do try! Main reason for buying the Moho...and coming on here! Fun fun fun!

 

[chrisboyo]

You don,t have to be retired to enjoy life, make the very most of the life you have
Don,t waste one second of it cuz that second will never be here again

PS
I am feeling very profound today and I havn,t had a drink yet

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[Puddleduck]

I retired due to ill health and have had 3 years in and out of hospital as what had been diagnosed as minor turned out to be nothing of the sort.... hopefully nearly through that now but will not be able to work for an employer again so I have a small business which pays for "extras". I have a small pension at present and will get more in April then the main (private) pension in 2020. Hubby has been doing a 3 day week for almost a year and will hand in his notice in January and leave in early April - hopefully staying on good terms so that he can take free lance work if he wishes to and they need an extra pair of hands.

I sometimes think my disability is a big fraud and then get a reality check. Hey ho....

Enjoy every moment you can. Don't be left with pots of money and no time.... but make sure your affairs are in order - make your will and enduring power of attorney... take legal advice as the how the ownership of property is most efficient.

 

[Goshawk]

as with all the posts , i think there is something in all of us , a common thread, early , ill , and more, certainly one cant prepare for the unexpected
but deal with it when it arrives , joire de vivre, be happy

 

[deka]

I'm old decrepit and ill till I get a back of the wheel, Then I'm 21 and the best driver in the world

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[Fletton]

There's no "sort of" option... As i'm sort of...

Also - Do you mean - in receipt of a pension as opposed to being of pensionable age (Gov't) ?... The two are somewhat different

 

[maison]

Retired at 55, together with my wife.

Now share our time between homes in Wales and France, and motor homing.

Retirement is the best job I have ever had!

 

[JockandRita]

I used to work all the hours God sent to make ends meet, what with my Fire Service shift, and my HGV and PSV driving work, until I was forced into medical retirment at age 48 due to Asthma, but I would had to have have gone anyway, just after my 51st birthday (pension scheme rules).

I wanted to go away for weeks or months in the MH, but Rita who works part time wasn't ready to give up her job yet, so I pottered about for a couple of weeks before going back to see my part time boss in haulage who found me a couple of days a week (20-30 hours). I said I'd never go back to full time employment, unless financial circumstances dictated otherwise.

Unfortunately, when the recession came about, that haulage work dropped off like a stone, so I went back on the coaches doing school runs and the odd private hire job. It was a bit hit and miss, and when a friend asked me if I would job share with him on a little local courier job (week on/week off) I jumped at the chance, and have been doing that for the last 3-4 years now. Rita has reduced her working days to two a week now, and I'm just waiting for the big "nod and a wink" from her to get the travel ball rolling. In all fairness, being semi-retired, we do get about a fair bit in our MH.

The one thing that is really annoying, is the moving of the state pension goal posts for pensionable age, as like thousands of others, we now have to wait an extra six years (2023 for us) to be in receipt of that.................should it be actually worth anything by the time it comes around.

If you can afford to fully retire, but keep your mind and body active, then go for it.
I just wish someone else in our household would go for it too.

Cheers all,

Jock.

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[chaser]

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

And it gets no better but the pay gets worse

 

[Jaws]

Pay ?I get paid !!! Wahoo !!!!!

 

[English Springer]

Unfortunately I had to work to the bitter end and then retired one day after my 65th birthday, one of the best moves I have ever done. One of my other better moves was to buy a MH with some of my retirement money.

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[tjay]

We are both retired , me at 52 wife at 47 after a near fatal motorcycle accident. I had my first Vw camper when I was only 26 !! my father had a split screen in 1960 when I was 9 years old !!
Since our forced retirement we have had extended tours around Europe, Spain mainly but have also done most of the other European countries also Croatia,Slovenia and Slovakia.
Worked offshore most of my adult life, lost friends on the Piper platform and in some of the helicopter crashes.
Seeing all this happening to mostly younger friends makes you think differently about our daily lives, fortunately have good pensions (before the bubble burst and Gordon Browns theft of everyone's pension !)
Travel as long as you are fit, able and enjoying it,go to place that you always wanted to go to,meet and make lots of friends .
I have always wanted to go to Berlin and Dresden and today booked the ferry Newcastle to Ijmuiden to go there in June 2015 for 4-5 weeks, might stay longer if weather is nice.

My late father told me after our accident to do whatever we can while we can and ended with the saying,this is life not a rehersal.
Enjoy, we are !!

 

[TheBig1]

interesting question really. many years back I was forced to retire medically and hated it. so started again until I was physically killing myself. woke up one morning and realised that what i was doing was stupid and shortening my life every day i carried on. then sold the business and accepted retirement gratefully. sadly now we are back to working as unpaid carers for ancient relatives with dementure. It seems that retirement is bloody hard work, as we only got away 8 weeks this year 14 last year. next year will be different though and we will be in the van nearly every week to make amends