Early-retirement wannabe

greenglide

Why do you believe early retirement equals living like a hermit?

Because for many (most?) Of us it is the only way we can afford it?

For various reasons many people struggle to manage while working and therefore would find it difficult / impossible to retire early without really struggling.

ognum

greenglide wrote: »

Because for many (most?) Of us it is the only way we can afford it?

For various reasons many people struggle to manage while working and therefore would find it difficult / impossible to retire early without really struggling.

But Thrugelmir who I quoted said he prefers to work and travel in style, this does not equate to someone who is struggling.

We all manage what we have while working in order to fund retirement. We all live in different ways, some people do less living it up when working in order to do it in retirement.

Of course not everyone has great pensions but I was replying to someone who claimed they like to travel in style when working.

itm2

Interesting comments re. needing to live like a hermit in retirement. I actually found that we'd been spending very little in the last few years (less than half of what I was earning), which was one of the major factors in my decision to retire. This was by no means a consequence of living like hermits, it was just a reflection of the fact that we found pleasure in things that didn't cost the earth - in my case learning the guitar, playing a bit of tennis, learning how to write smartphone apps, walking the dogs and enjoying the sunshine. I regard my current lifestyle (in retirement) as being the height of luxury, but I suppose another man's luxury would be first class flights to 5 star hotels in far flung places. I did so much travelling in my 20s and 30s that frankly I try to avoid airports these days.
In this respect I suppose I have been truly lucky to retire - i.e. lucky to have interests and hobbies which don't cost a fortune to pursue.

cathybird

itm2 wrote: »

I did so much travelling in my 20s and 30s that frankly I try to avoid airports these days.

The kind of travel I'd really, really like to do in retirement also involves avoiding airports. I love the idea of cycling round Europe, or getting an old campervan and going in that, the idea being that I could stop off in places for as long as I liked, even live in other countries for six months to a year. I was reading yesterday about a couple who did up a bus so they could live in it and are driving round the US, taking all the time in the world. Trains, ferries, narrowboats - to use the cliche, all "slow" ways of travelling, all much pleasanter than planes. All this as opposed to the rushed city break that is all I can manage at the moment. Time is such a great luxury - the big luxury that retirement allows you to indulge in.

chucknorris

cathybird wrote: »

The kind of travel I'd really, really like to do in retirement also involves avoiding airports. I love the idea of cycling round Europe, or getting an old campervan and going in that, the idea being that I could stop off in places for as long as I liked, even live in other countries for six months to a year. I was reading yesterday about a couple who did up a bus so they could live in it and are driving round the US, taking all the time in the world. Trains, ferries, narrowboats - to use the cliche, all "slow" ways of travelling, all much pleasanter than planes. All this as opposed to the rushed city break that is all I can manage at the moment. Time is such a great luxury - the big luxury that retirement allows you to indulge in.

For years I thought people who went caravanning, probably couldn't afford a 'proper holiday'. But after having a dog, I have realised that it is a lifestyle thing, not a cost thing (caravans aren't that cheap anyway), and we'll be getting a caravan probably as early as next year or the year after. I want to be very near to lakes, forests/woods, beaches, cycle tracks etc. where I/we can enjoy walking, jogging and cycling with our dog. We also want the flexibility to go at short notice when the weather is good, not book up a cottage (probably compromising on quality because we have a dog in tow) months in advance, then find out the weather is awful.

BucksLady

greenglide wrote: »

Because for many (most?) Of us it is the only way we can afford it?

For various reasons many people struggle to manage while working and therefore would find it difficult / impossible to retire early without really struggling.

You make such a valid point, greenglide. I sometimes think an alien landing on this forum would imagine ''everyone'' to be flush with money and that just isn't the case. My husband has worked as a GP in very deprived parts of the country where putting food on the table is a challenge in itself. As for pensions.........

Goldiegirl

BucksLady wrote: »

You make such a valid point, greenglide. I sometimes think an alien landing on this forum would imagine ''everyone'' to be flush with money and that just isn't the case. My husband has worked as a GP in very deprived parts of the country where putting food on the table is a challenge in itself. As for pensions.........

Yet on other areas of the forum, an alien landing would think that the entire country is destitute and feed their large families on under £20 per week.


Depending on where I am on MSE, I feel concerned that I haven't got 'enough' money at all, or elsewhere, I feel that I'm rich and profligate in my spending.


I think the truth is that I'm fairly average, and have made the best provision that I can for my retirement. It's just that forum life shows both extremes.


PS After 3 days at home due to rain, I'm starting to feel quite hermit like, perhaps that's what Thrugelmir meant!:rotfl:

atush

Goldie, that is all so true.

Depending on where you are, you are poor or profligate.

ManofLeisure_2

BucksLady wrote: »

You make such a valid point, greenglide. I sometimes think an alien landing on this forum would imagine ''everyone'' to be flush with money and that just isn't the case. My husband has worked as a GP in very deprived parts of the country where putting food on the table is a challenge in itself. As for pensions.........

I would agree with you both

missyrichards

itm2 wrote: »

In this respect I suppose I have been truly lucky to retire - i.e. lucky to have interests and hobbies which don't cost a fortune to pursue.

I agree with this. I realised since my husband was ill and I was also ill a few years ago that the things in life that give us the most pleasure are actually very simple and often free.:) Watching a good film, playing with my dogs, making a nice meal with a new recipe etc... I hope that when we retire we can just decrease our spending even more as we won't have a mortgage at that point.

Goldiegirl wrote: »

Yet on other areas of the forum, an alien landing would think that the entire country is destitute and feed their large families on under £20 per week.


Depending on where I am on MSE, I feel concerned that I haven't got 'enough' money at all, or elsewhere, I feel that I'm rich and profligate in my spending.

I know we are decidedly frugal compared to a lot of people I know but when I go on the old style section I sometimes feel very extravagant as they are so clever with their money and stretch it so far.