Early-retirement wannabe

Triumph13

gfplux wrote: »

I retired 22 years ago.
For the first year I foolishly had a part time distraction.
Then I WOKE UP.
I properly retired 21 years ago and it has been a wonderful experience.
My only regret is the 21 years has just gone by far too quickly.

My recommendation........when you retire....retire.

It all comes down to finding what's right for you. 1 day a week suits me very well, for a while. After 29 years sitting at a desk I'm not yet fit enough to work on the house and garden 7 days a week! If I didn't still have kids at school though, I wouldn't even consider it.

JoeEngland

crv1963 wrote: »

I think that this is very admirable. I would advise be very disciplined though, have a definite finish date in mind if not made public.

I work additional hours in a hospital as a change from my day to day work. I sometimes work with a Nurse who decided to take retirement at the scheme NRA, then work on for "a few more years to settle patients in who had moved from their original Ward". She retired at 55 and is still working 22 hours a week at 72 years of age. Doesn't need the money, status or hassle but cannot let go of the role, works because it provides a break from the carer role at home and cannot think of something else she would rather do.

Nothing wrong with the plan but it seems to me sad that all the original patients have moved on but the Nurse still works there for the lack of finding an alternative role. She's happy, confident and competent, but says she is still looking for what she will retire too!

So please bugslet, find a plan B or even C, I work also with two in my Team now who have retired at our scheme age of 55 and are now "working on for a couple of years"- one is 63 the other is 59.

Whilst I also fall into this group of working past our NRA as I am 55, my own goals are clear to me - work until 58 on shifts to boost pension using additional earnings and length of service. However Mrs CRV told me last night she'd rather take a lesser pension and see more of me as time together is more important than eventual pension. Choices and time, oh dear I have some thinking to do!

I think it's easy to lose sight of more simple things in life that can give satisfaction like relationships, and these are ultimately far more important when you're on the proverbial death bed looking back at how you spent your one and only life. Maybe you should take your wife's advice!

justme111

crv1963 wrote: »

So you are not like them because you have a defined date in mind?

Mr_Costcutter

JoeEngland wrote: »

Maybe you should take your wife's advice!

I would echo these words. If I had listened to mine I most likely would not have ended up experiencing a series of strokes.

DairyQueen

crv1963 wrote: »

cannot think of something else she would rather do.

Nothing wrong with the plan but it seems to me sad that all the original patients have moved on but the Nurse still works there for the lack of finding an alternative role. She's happy, confident and competent, but says she is still looking for what she will retire too!

I am married to one of these personalities. His whole life revolves around work and (age 61) he has recently switched from part-time (3 days per week) employment to 15 days per month self-employed (consultancy). Add-in 'networking' and 'marketing' and he is now pretty much working full-time again.

He is energised but I see red lights flashing. He could retire next April at NRA for his DB pension but I know that he will defer as long as possible. Our cash reserves have been unexpectedly depleted in the last decade for various reasons but not so much that he needs to defer retirement. However, it's the perfect 'justification' for him continuing to invest 100% in his working life rather than planning retirement.

I read many threads on here that are focused on 'how do I retire as early as possible'?. However, there seems to be a larger problem for those who have spent so much of their lives invested in working/career that they are ill-equipped to live any other kind of life.

I was forced into retirement in my early 50s. Caring for elderly parents is a poor substitute for a fulfilling, working life (I am not that good a person) but, despite any niggling resentment that this responsibility should fall on my (female) shoulders by gender default, I feel that I have achieved a reasonable balance between the (frankly mind-numbing) caring role and those activities that would be denied me if I was still employed.

I am a community volunteer (highly recommended). I am able to indulge in long lunches with friends every week. I participate in regular leisure activities on week days. It has taken several years to reach retirement nirvana - i.e. "how did I ever find the time to work?" - but now I couldn't imagine having those kinds of time constraints imposed on my life other than for a few months at most.

Retirement, like death and taxes, is inevitable. There is is only so long you can defer. Market forces, or age, will catch-up with you eventually. Better to control when you take your nose off the grindstone than have it forced upon you. Just saying.

crv1963

JoeEngland wrote: »

I think it's easy to lose sight of more simple things in life that can give satisfaction like relationships, and these are ultimately far more important when you're on the proverbial death bed looking back at how you spent your one and only life. Maybe you should take your wife's advice!

Well I have made a few first steps in the direction of winding down to full retirement. Saw the old boss and she will explore how she can manage the budgets to create a part time role that I can apply for- so I can "retire and return". I had intended working full time to 58 then retire and return to age 60, now it looks like things will move a bit sooner. Swapping time with Mrs CRV for money? She wins hands down every time!

Marine_life

A quick update.

I am now solidly into my three days a week work and - to be fair - it feels like a good balance. Two nights per week away from home and five sleeping in my (our) own bed. Four day weekends. It was really tough to get to this place but finally got what I wanted. Not sure how long it will last but that's also ok.

A bit like Brexit, I've put a 'backstop' in my retirement planning by booking a 50-day vacation at the beginning of 2020. Plans are still firming up and I will share soon You'll believe it when you see it I know ;-)

mgdavid

Marine_life wrote: »

A quick update.

I am now solidly into my three days a week work and - to be fair - it feels like a good balance. Two nights per week away from home and five sleeping in my (our) own bed. Four day weekends. It was really tough to get to this place but finally got what I wanted. Not sure how long it will last but that's also ok.

A bit like Brexit, I've put a 'backstop' in my retirement planning by booking a 50-day vacation at the beginning of 2020. Plans are still firming up and I will share soon You'll believe it when you see it I know ;-)

good move; it feels like we're turning you at last !!!!

crv1963

Marine_life wrote: »

A quick update.

A bit like Brexit, I've put a 'backstop' in my retirement planning by booking a 50-day vacation at the beginning of 2020. Plans are still firming up and I will share soon You'll believe it when you see it I know ;-)

I might need to take a leaf out of your book Marine_life. I think that if I have something booked that means I have to stop work then I will go.

My indecision is not helped by Mrs CRV also changing her mind, on the one hand I get told she'd prefer me home each night and not staying away and on the other I get told "You really like this job and have a good plan for our long term future income, I think I can bear to have you away so we can do things together when you/ we retire in a couple of years!"

DairyQueen

crv1963 wrote: »

on the one hand I get told she'd prefer me home each night and not staying away and on the other I get told "You really like this job and have a good plan for our long term future income, I think I can bear to have you away so we can do things together when you/ we retire in a couple of years!"

Both statements are probably true. It's a battle between heart and head. She sounds like a good'un to me.