What do you enjoy/hate about retirement

Sofa_Sogood

hermit-crab wrote:

In the beginning I hated time. Now there is not enough of it. It takes some adjusting to but when you get used to it retirement can give you oportunities to do things you thought you never would. I do wish my wife was here to share it with me.

I'm sorry your wife isn't there to share it hermit, but although my husband is only in his early 50's, but working too hard, is there anything you, or anyone, can tell me what to say to him to make him semi-retired at least? He seems to think that work will stop if he's not there, but if that's so, it'll stop anyway won't it?

I just want him to live longer, and happier, and have a rest. Neither of us know what holidays are really ....

He can afford to retire a bit earlier than some people, but he's just going on and on and on ...

Sofa_Sogood

KMK wrote:

People said that I would be bored but they were wrong. I am "time rich" for the first time in my life.

That's what I want, for my husband and myself. And even though people of his age are dying, and he'd promised me he'd retire around about now, he's still making plans ... about work

You, and others in this thread, have already given me loads of examples about why he should, or could, but he backtracks a lot.

How can I make him see that time is so precious? Or do you, or others, think he's happier being a workaholic? (Although he moans about it everyday?)

BertieMeldrew

Sofa_Sogood wrote:

I'm sorry your wife isn't there to share it hermit, but although my husband is only in his early 50's, but working too hard, is there anything you, or anyone, can tell me what to say to him to make him semi-retired at least? He seems to think that work will stop if he's not there, but if that's so, it'll stop anyway won't it?

I just want him to live longer, and happier, and have a rest. Neither of us know what holidays are really ....

He can afford to retire a bit earlier than some people, but he's just going on and on and on ...

I obviously don't know your personal situation but I took a bit of a gamble in retiring early at age 56 (6 months ago today ) and have absolutely no regrets! We're not as "rich" financially as we were but we are far, far richer from a personal/happiness perspective.

I lost my first wife to the big C when she was 35 and I was 37. Last year I lost a dear friend of 45 years at the same age as me and another very dear friend is fighting terminal C (but hoping...). These things have helped shape my perspective on life. I want to spend as much time as I can with my wife and our family. I would never wish for your OH to experience any of these things but, please, tell him that there is MUCH MUCH MUCH more to life than working your whatsits off for some anonymous employer who, in truth, would probably not worry if you left!

I wish you success... get him sorted :beer:

[Deleted User]

sofa sogood. It isn`t that easy for a man when work has been such a big part of their lives. I think some of them find it scary. He needs to be weaned away. Personally this is working, by me taking up a hobby that my DH really enjoys. It involves exercise outdoors and we go together whenever he has a day off. He really looks forward to it. Next step is booking a cottage for a week and continuing with the subtle weaning. It is definitely working and we bring in pub lunches etc. Many men think retirement is being doomed to a housebound/shopping existence and we wives have to teach them that this is not the case

tootles_2

Its great not having to get up early to go to work.....not having to race round doing housework ,gardening etc, being able to go out when its fine and stay in if its wet or cold........being able to do the washing when I know I can get it dry......

What do I hate??????.......well actaully nothing, we certainly do not have the disposable income we once had, but we get by, just........we enjoy ourselves, still manage a couple of trips away each year, nothing fancy, but a break........out of season is so much cheaper and holiday resorts quieter.

No racing to do the shopping but an easy stroll around the supermarket, and rifle through the cheapie shelves for bargaiins, see friends for coffee and a chat, days out when you feel like it, the list is endless..............

Sofa_Sogood

BertieMeldrew wrote:

I obviously don't know your personal situation but I took a bit of a gamble in retiring early at age 56 (6 months ago today ) and have absolutely no regrets! We're not as "rich" financially as we were but we are far, far richer from a personal/happiness perspective.

I lost my first wife to the big C when she was 35 and I was 37. Last year I lost a dear friend of 45 years at the same age as me and another very dear friend is fighting terminal C (but hoping...). These things have helped shape my perspective on life. I want to spend as much time as I can with my wife and our family. I would never wish for your OH to experience any of these things but, please, tell him that there is MUCH MUCH MUCH more to life than working your whatsits off for some anonymous employer who, in truth, would probably not worry if you left!

I wish you success... get him sorted :beer:

Sorry to hear about your losses Bertie

But it's because he's been attending so many funerals, or visiting so many people in hospital, that led me to the subject.

He runs his own business btw, and it's prospering (touch wood , so much so that he could employ someone to run it, and still be in profit. Maybe it's because it was his 'baby' he's reluctant to let go of it, added to that there's aways the worry about retiring too early I suppose, and worrying about getting too old with no savings left

I won't say what he does for a living, but it's quite high-risk and he just doesn't seem to think anyone can do the job as well as he can ... but I guess we all think that about our jobs

But when he's out in all weather, especially the bad type we've had lately ... I can't understand him

It's probably time to see a financial advisor, but I'd rather he was happy with less money, than unhappy with his work. I mean, how many people hate Sundays because they know it's work the next day as he does ....?

Congratulations on taking that gamble though

Sofa_Sogood

kittie wrote:

sofa sogood. It isn`t that easy for a man when work has been such a big part of their lives. I think some of them find it scary. He needs to be weaned away. Personally this is working, by me taking up a hobby that my DH really enjoys. It involves exercise outdoors and we go together whenever he has a day off. He really looks forward to it. Next step is booking a cottage for a week and continuing with the subtle weaning. It is definitely working and we bring in pub lunches etc. Many men think retirement is being doomed to a housebound/shopping existence and we wives have to teach them that this is not the case

Thanks kittie.

He doesn't have a hobby as such, but he did enjoy iy when we had a caravan a few years ago. (He'd never have a tourer again though, it was just too much hassle ... and we were 'young' then )

He'd definitely like a motor home of some sort though, or even spending days away in cottages as you mentioned, just touring the country really, visiting museums, seeing a show or a play for instance. But he actually likes spending time just relaxing at home, and he doesn't mind doing the shopping etc. If I protest enough, he'll take a day off here and there, but I don't know what it's like to have him off work for longer than 4 or 5 days ... maybe he needs weaning off with a bit of help from me?

I hope I don't appear as a nagging cow Despite what I say about him in the Arms sometimes, I realise I'm lucky in a lot of respects

kenshaz

I enjoy having a seven day week-end best of all

KMK

One of the many joys of being retired is not getting that sinking feeling at about 6pm on a Sunday night as the working week approaches. It is only now that I have time to myself that I realize how much stress I experienced in my job. Weekends were all about catching up with shopping, chores etc whereas now I can choose when to do things in my own time.

This week when the weather was bad here, I just stayed indoors. I used to have to travel in to work in terrible conditions and it was so stressful!

Tomorrow I am off to France for a week to see my pen friend for the first time in 30 years! I would never have had the time to do this when working.

For me there is no downside to retirement. I love it.

Dora_the_Explorer_5

One of the good things about not working is not having to scrape the ice off the car at 7.30 in the morning and again at going home time, and being able to sit in the warmth and enjoy the snowflakes drifting down for as long as one likes.
KMK - Hope you have a lovely time in France, sounds like a real treat.