Early-retirement wannabe

atush

gadgetmind wrote: »

Well, that's 1st week of not working under my belt, and boy have I been busy! We've got nine people staying this weekend and I seem to have spent the whole week cooking and cleaning to get ready.

I have no idea how I ever found time for work.

9 people? What have you done, opened a bed and breakfast:eek::eek:

westv

atush wrote: »

9 people? What have you done, opened a bed and breakfast:eek::eek:

I was thinking the same.

gadgetmind

atush wrote: »

9 people? What have you done, opened a bed and breakfast:eek::eek:

Relatives, lots of them. Our 8 seater table wasn't big enough, and the other one we had was the right shape to go on the end but the wrong height, so I've 3D printed it some leg extensions.

I also seem to have a couple of sous vide baths going, multi-kg of meat bathing, a barbecue on standby, 'fridges packed with pre-prepared stuff, multiple pages of A4 checklists with (now) most things crossed off, and other assorted mayhem.

The champagne is now chilling, and a massive fish pie about to go in the oven, so we're nearly ready for four cars and one Easy Jet to arrive.

Oh, and a house sale exchanged today! Not ours, but we did provide a bridging loan for it, so that's one less thing to worry about.

gallygirl

gadgetmind wrote: »

I have no idea how I ever found time for work.

You wait till you find out that house/car insurance and other internet stuff has to be done IN YOUR OWN TIME :eek:. No-one tells you that when they advise you to retire early .

gadgetmind wrote: »

The champagne is now chilling, and a massive fish pie about to go in the oven, so we're nearly ready for four cars and one Easy Jet to arrive.

That's some driveway you've got there GM .

jamesperrett

jerrysimon wrote: »

Just a heads up that if you are like me you may find yourself replaying your working life in your head a bit which was pleaseant but also kinda saying goodbye to a chapter in my life.

I'm only about 5 months in but I still have dreams about certain aspects of work - usually the more enjoyable expeditions to somewhere interesting. However, just to confuse things, I've got a short consultancy contract for another organisation which saw me going back to my old place of work for an afternoon a couple of weeks ago. It felt like I hadn't been away.

Stubod

We have now been "gone" for just over a year....and both of use have gone back to short term "bank" work, (only for a couple of days a week though, would never go back to full time).

Its actually quite nice to work without any real pressure and knowing you can leave anytime if you feel you have had enough. (If my last job had felt like this I may have stayed on!!).

Also as this is "unplanned / unexpected" income we are going to make sure we spend it. (When we were at work we just saved and saved for early retirement, but we are now in "spend" mode).

My spreadsheet has been "deployed", (love that term), and so far is holding up. We decided to defer our (private) pensions for another year and we are still a few years away from the SP.

gadgetmind

gallygirl wrote: »

That's some driveway you've got there GM .

Arf!

Sleazy Jet wouldn't let us keep it and mithered on about needing to fly it back to Malaga.

atush

I also seem to have a couple of sous vide baths going, multi-kg of meat bathing, a barbecue on standby, 'fridges packed with pre-prepared stuff, multiple pages of A4 checklists with (now) most things crossed off, and other assorted mayhem.

That sounds like a delayed Christmas lol.

I got a sous Vide for xmas. Have done all sorts with it, but really like how it cooks fish.

Thrugelmir

GreatEscaper wrote: »

We owe £360K on the mortgage

Sounds like you are putting pressure on yourselves. To me everything should be a balance. Work hard yet maintain an equilbrium that allows one to enjoy life. Over the years seem many people with big houses, important job titles, new cars, latest gadgets etc. Who beneath the surface aren't really happy. Once they stop and think. Rather than chasing a dream that is entirely focussed on £.

inflationbuster

Can l retire at 49? I'm 43 single no kids (and not wanting the latter).

Details:
- £4K per month salary

- £400K cash (£80K in NS&I products, £155K investment ISA averaging 9% per annum since 2009, rest in equities occasionally paying CGT). Medium risk investing FTSE100/FTSE250 only. Roughly £4K in dividends per annum.

- £210K pensions (one is a work pension 4% contribution with 8% employee contribution and one currently paid up but still growing)

- £135K commercial property £10K per annum rent.

I'm 100% debt free.

Honestly i'd love to retire earlier but l think I've got too much tied up in equities. I think if l had £150K instead of £80K in NS&I products, i.e., cash l can access without losing money i'd be more tempted.