Early-retirement wannabe

kidmugsy

Marine_life wrote: »

As of 1 July this year I was offered a new consulting contract to which I was quite attracted as it offered decent money and flexibility to the point where I was working in the office Tues, Wed, Thur and doing bits and pieces from home Monday and Friday but essentially those days also had plenty of free time and - the key point - I was only away from home two nights a week.

It's a situation that suited me/us well.

They've now said that flexible arrangement has to stop and they want me in the office. That does not seem to make any sense (as I can do all the things they want remotely) so I said no.
Its a deal breaker for them so they've now said they will terminate my contract. Caught me off-guard a bit as I didn't expect it. There does not appear any flexibility on their part hence my 'unintentional' comment.

So where does that leave me/us?

It leaves you to check that they honour the terms of the contract, including the terms for ending it. Then you wave good-bye.

If they show any weakness say you'll accept a new contract for working two days a week in the office so that you're away from home only one night a week.

mgdavid

sounds like a mini-Brexit to me;
they don't know what they want and keep changing their mind;
they don't like you doing things your way so they're going to be unreasonable even at their own expense.


You know what to do...

OldMusicGuy

Sounds like it is time to go, unless this whole exercise has taught you that you like work more than retirement. It throws into sharp relief the difference between doing what you want to do or being a wage slave.

I guess you could try to do a bit of consulting, but my colleagues that have tried this generally found it more bother than it was worth, unless something dropped into their laps entirely on their terms.

Marine_life wrote: »

However, I suspect she also looks at the prospect of me being at home full-time with some trepidation.

I worked from home when I wasn't travelling so had a different issue. I was always "at work" so I tended to treat the family as if they were clients, ie tell them what to do and expect them to do it! I was getting more and more like the "work me" at home. So my wife was keen for me to change my attitude (by not working). It's taken a little bit of adjustment and we have had to develop a new routine, but it's been a big positive change for us.

Spreadsheetman

Marine_life wrote: »

So where does that leave me/us?
...

Retired :beer:

Triumph13

Marine_life wrote: »

So where does that leave me/us?
1. I would like to do the work...
2. But only if I can do it on my terms
3. I like the person I'm working for...
4. But I don't like feeling like I'm being pushed around

The onus is on me to give ground...

The key point is that YOU DO NOT NEED THE MONEY so anything you do from here has to be a lifestyle decision. It sounds like you're not ready to stop working, but want to have more free time / less travelling. As you don't need the money, what actually is it you think you need that working gives you? Can you replace it in another way eg volunteer work, further education? Are you just as institutionalised as this guy?
https://livingafi.com/2016/04/01/early-retirement-bites/

Moneycat

Marine_life wrote: »

Sorry for dropping that one in and moving on!

...They've now said that flexible arrangement has to stop and they want me in the office. That does not seem to make any sense (as I can do all the things they want remotely) so I said no.
Its a deal breaker for them so they've now said they will terminate my contract. Caught me off-guard a bit as I didn't expect it. There does not appear any flexibility on their part hence my 'unintentional' comment.

So where does that leave me/us?
1. I would like to do the work...
2. But only if I can do it on my terms
3. I like the person I'm working for...
4. But I don't like feeling like I'm being pushed around

The onus is on me to give ground...

If this were me, I would wave good-bye. Accepting the assignment in the first place was on the understanding that it was on flexible terms - ie. would you have taken it on if it wasn't? Agreeing to this type of change would make me resent the employer and take the enjoyment out of task, no matter how much you would normally enjoy the work. You're worth more than that.

AnotherJoe

100% what Moneycat said.

Mnd

mgdavid wrote: »

sounds like a mini-Brexit to me;
they don't know what they want and keep changing their mind;
they don't like you doing things your way so they're going to be unreasonable even at their own expense.


You know what to do...

Let's have a referendum on it

kidmugsy

Mnd wrote: »

Let's have a referendum on it

Or a whole series of referendums until we return the right answer.

bugslet

Marine_life wrote: »

They've now said that flexible arrangement has to stop and they want me in the office. That does not seem to make any sense (as I can do all the things they want remotely) so I said no.
Its a deal breaker for them so they've now said they will terminate my contract. Caught me off-guard a bit as I didn't expect it. There does not appear any flexibility on their part hence my 'unintentional' comment.

So where does that leave me/us?
1. I would like to do the work...
2. But only if I can do it on my terms
3. I like the person I'm working for...
4. But I don't like feeling like I'm being pushed around

The onus is on me to give ground...

Well if you can't do it on your terms......

Spreadsheetman wrote: »

Retired :beer:

Spreadsheetman has nailed it.

As I'm in a sort of similar situation, but a little further behind, I can understand, but you have to decide your red lines.