Early-retirement wannabe

atush

that is a very good summary and brings to me a point my OH hasn't thought of- how to fill his time.

At the moment, if he has a day off he fills it with normal WE chores like the garden (this WE was spent chopping up 4 tons of oak tree in our garden fell down in storm a few weeks back) and watching sport. But when he is bored, rather than picking up a book, he bothers me and critiques either what I am doing or watching if TV.

So we will need to discuss his 'plan' well before he goes, otherwise he might not last long lol.

ermine

Marine_life wrote: »

Well, it said to me that actually retirement should be the opportunity to get off autopilot and start to challenge what we want to be. It should be the ideal time as all of a sudden we become unencumbered from the pressures of making a living, performing the role of breadwinner, employee and so on. So, whilst I have some ideas about what I might do the challenge is developing an approach that helps me identify some of things that I don’t yet know are important to me.

Life is a journey, not a destination Simply be open and curious about the world. It will do the rest in partnership with you. Be open. Listen and look. Seek wonder and amazement.

Just as no plan of battle survives contact with the enemy so no retirement plan designed while working will be right for the retired you - because you will change.

And seriously. what the hell did working for 30/40 years do to all you guys who are fearful of 'what do I do to fill my time'? Wing it. I can't do all the travelling etc because having discharged my mortgage while working I have an income suckout until I draw my pension. Am I bothered? No - there's more than enough to learn and find out about that doesn't involve spending loads of money. When I do draw it I may do more of that. Or not. That's one of the great wonders about being retired. You can be an opportunist. My holidays are cheaper now, because I can choose the time, I can tag along with others, I've done the driving in return for free travel. When you don't have to fit in with work a lot of things become possible that just weren't before.

If there's one regret I have it is that I quit because I began to hate The Man and his stupid corporate ways. I failed to live intentionally - I should have thought about earlier, iced some of the stupid spending on crap that didn't give me value and cleared off about five years earlier.

Oh yeah, and those aches and pains - they may go. Some is probably stress, and for those of you that work in an office hunched over a screen, well, that wasn't what humans were designed to do.

Marine_life

ermine wrote: »

If there's one regret I have it is that I quit because I began to hate The Man and his stupid corporate ways. I failed to live intentionally - I should have thought about earlier, iced some of the stupid spending on crap that didn't give me value and cleared off about five years earlier.

I have thought about that as well, although more in the context of money we have lost or wasted through bad decisions. But on the other hand the money we "wasted" bought us out of situations we no longer wanted to be in where others wouldn't have had the option. On the other hand we tend to remember the bad stuff but the single best decision we ever made was to move out of the UK. I also would not say I hate The Man - I can't because he has been good to me financially.

My only (minor) regret is that we did not move to Australia (yes i do mean Australia not Austria) earlier in our life. We love Australia but we moved at the wrong time. I'm sure we would have stayed had we moved there in our 20's but now its too late. Still now we can enjoy it even more with small doses of holiday.

ermine wrote: »

Oh yeah, and those aches and pains - they may go. Some is probably stress.

I am sure it is - but most of it is due to a lifetime of running (on and off). They can produce as many studies as they like to say running is not bad for your joints.....but it so is! But I'm pragmatic - I know in retirement I'll have the time to find soft ground to run on and the patience / time to stretch and warm up properly.

Eight working days left to holiday....just eight :eek:

atush

and happy birthday I meant to say.

I also meant to say you aren't 49 if your b'day is this week- you are 50 now in all but name lol

mgdavid

happy birthday

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5i1cJIwE7M

Marine_life

atush wrote: »

and happy birthday I meant to say.

I also meant to say you aren't 49 if your b'day is this week- you are 50 now in all but name lol

In my head I have been 50 for a some time...;)

Broadsword

I have been following this thread because it had some useful advice on financial planning. ML struck a thread though about how your fitness might affect you, how you might not want to backpack when you are older when you finally retire.

I did not retire early, but at 65.5, so now over a year later have some perspective. I still work part time for my former employer on a self employed basis for some 5 days a month , and largely from home. This is time limited and will only last until next year. So, there was no wrench on leaving work, I was ready and took a redundancy offer. I am still in touch with former colleagues in my new role.

But life has changed. As you age fitness levels do change. Some will have chronic conditions that limit activities, not dreamt about in your 40's and 50's. I had a condition that limited me for about 2 years, while I was at work and until recently. Good treatment ensured I am now as fit as I shall ever be. In my 40's and 50's I would not have expected that and was very fit with enormous energy.

Your energy levels will drop by the time you are in your sixties even if you keep reasonably fit. What used to be done quickly will take longer. I have a big garden nearly 2 acres and this takes more time to do what I did 10 years ago. Maybe too there is a psychological effect. I can take longer because there is more time available and can have the luxury of extra tea breaks.

Interest in doing my own car repairs, I used to love that, and in DIY ditto, has diminished. Your hobbies may therefore change completely. You may find yourself taking up whole new interests not envisaged in earlier decades.

We moved totally unexpectedly in our mid 50's which totally changed so many things. I would not have foreseen that in our planning in our 40s.

You will need to factor in time for hospital/ doctor appointments if you are to keep on top of ailments. I have spoken to retired people who say that instead of work, they spend all their time at medical appointments.

I keep busy with community work where I meet sick people often in their sixties. I see photos of their former energetic lives and see a shell of the former lives so do not think it will definitely not happen to you. It might not if you are both lucky and look after yourself, in all the obvious ways. Those extra drinks when you are young are just pleasure, when you are older they will have had cumulative effects, much like too many pies will have.

You will waste time not getting up quite as early as during your business life or going to bed as late. This will pleasurably waste a few hours a week.

In my business and domestic life I always travelled economy but with passing years, and a few sizes larger, and a few aches and pains I find business class is needed. So instead of trading downwards, I have traded up. You might no longer want to back pack but you might not think you need even greater luxury if you have the money.

The moral of this is that everyone is different but life has a habit of throwing up many unknowns. For example the divorce rate in the 60's age group is on the way up. Not something you are likely to factor into your plans in your 40's and 50's retirement planning. If you are fit now, you will not factor in disabilities and illness. So, make your plans on your best intents and estimates but leave room for plenty of flexibility as you might need it.

My belief is that you will plan on the best basis in your 40's and 50's for a world that will seem as though it will belong to someone else. Embrace those changes and build variables into your plans.

Of course many on this forum are retiring very early, while still fit and healthy and the closer you are to that retirement, at whatever age, the more realistic will be your aspirations and dreams. Even then the unexpected will occur.

Marine_life

Broadsword wrote: »

You will need to factor in time for hospital/ doctor appointments if you are to keep on top of ailments. I have spoken to retired people who say that instead of work, they spend all their time at medical appointments.

Well....tell me about that! I like the phrase "keeping on top of your ailments". I have 2-3 things for which I am regularly at the doctors (or rather dentist!). I have just finished a course of five treatments of ACP (autologous conditioned plasma) which is a knee treatment for sporting injuries and have a couple of other things that keep me occupied. I would also say that as I have aged then a few people around me have died (and of course this trend will continue) which creates a certain degree of hypochodria.

But actually I am used to in now and I see myself as something likey a used car. Still perfectly servicable but with a couple of peculiarites that require certain workarounds.

In my late 20's and 30's I ran a lot - competing almost every week and running is like a drug for me (I love it and hate it in equal meausre) but I am taking a balanced aprroach whereby I expect (and am happy) to do less and less as I get older. Actually for me its not the fear of injury but rather the recovery times that are the most difficult but I think the old adage "listen to your body" is one that becomes more relevant as we get older.

gfplux

I think Broadswords post is perfect and should be read over and over by those in the final planning stages. However his/her perspective is still (if he or she will forgive me) only from being retired for a year.
I retired 16 years ago at 53 and am only a few weeks away from the "three score years and ten"
Ermine also has for me the perfect quote, which once again should be read and remembered.
"Just as no plan of battle survives contact with the enemy so no retirement plan designed while working will be right for the retired you - because you will change"
Thanks also to Helmuth Von Moltke
This is a wonderful thread full of information, but remember to find the clues in it for you as we are all so different.

gallygirl

Marine_life wrote: »

But actually I am used to in now and I see myself as something likey a used car. Still perfectly servicable but with a couple of peculiarites that require certain workarounds.

:T love that - will use it if I may :T