Early-retirement wannabe

gadgetmind

Marine_life wrote: »

Anyway all changed over the years as I became more successful.

Nice!

Mind you, I've seen it in our family when someone married someone of the wrong colour. People can have views built up over decades that it takes more than just a few years to change.

Marine_life

gadgetmind wrote: »

Nice!

Mind you, I've seen it in our family when someone married someone of the wrong colour. People can have views built up over decades that it takes more than just a few years to change.

Indeed it does.

I come from a family with very little money (mainly because my dad was irresponsible with the stuff) and was brought up in Liverpool. So as well as having no money I also had the wrong accent.

I remember one of the first things my MIL said to me was "how do you expect to keep my daughter in the fashion to which she is accustomed"......seriosly.....she said that. Our early years together were like one of those comedies where all the wedding photo's in my MILs house are of my wife and none of me. I think if she could have had the wedding without me there it would have been the perfect day!

Anyway, I don't bear grudges but it was interesting to be on the other side of a completely unjustified "prejudice".

However I don't think we will ever be on casual c**ting terms! (see Micky Flanagan if you don't know what I mean!).

Hopelessly_Hopeful

Marine_life wrote: »

Indeed it does.

I come from a family with very little money (mainly because my dad was irresponsible with the stuff) and was brought up in Liverpool. So as well as having no money I also had the wrong accent.

I remember one of the first things my MIL said to me was "how do you expect to keep my daughter in the fashion to which she is accustomed"......seriosly.....she said that. Our early years together were like one of those comedies where all the wedding photo's in my MILs house are of my wife and none of me. I think if she could have had the wedding without me there it would have been the perfect day!

Anyway, I don't bear grudges but it was interesting to be on the other side of a completely unjustified "prejudice".

However I don't think we will ever be on casual c**ting terms! (see Micky Flanagan if you don't know what I mean!).

:rotfl::rotfl:

I learn something new most times I read this thread. Keep up the good work!:)

HHx

gadgetmind

Marine_life wrote: »

I remember one of the first things my MIL said to me was "how do you expect to keep my daughter in the fashion to which she is accustomed"......seriosly.....she said that.

My answer would have been "to be honest, I haven't thought much further than rodgering her senseless at every available opportunity."

I'm a right charmer.

AlwaysLearnin

Marine_life wrote: »

I remember one of the first things my MIL said to me was "how do you expect to keep my daughter in the fashion to which she is accustomed"......seriosly.....she said that.

Quite ironic now then that you find yourself in a position where you may be looking after her too...

atush

You can even stop your self being run over by a bus if you look both ways before crossing (rather than texting while you walk lol).

Marine_life

Today was an interesting day for an early-retirement wannabe and it illustrates part of the dilemma when it comes to thinking about early retirement.

I had to get up at 4:45 to take a 5:55 three hour train ride, work a full day and then get a 19:30 train home arriving back at 23:00. So around about an 18 hour day door to door. But..and here is the but...lots of interesting stuff in between and actually feels like a good day. My work life has a great deal of unpredictability and I have a lot of control over what I do.

Contrast that with the weekend when I generally pottered about, watched a bit a telly, took the dog for a walk, did a few jobs around the house etc. etc.

The contrast between my work life and my non-work life is quite stark and one of the things i really worry about is the day when I finally walk away from the job....and potentially regretting it. Sure I have a plan for the early retirement years (when I expect to be reasonably healthy) involving travel, sport and lots of activity. But what about when i am in my 70's or 80's (if I last that long)...will I regret leaving a job that I like (sometimes at least!)?

I am not one of those people who has a great passion to do anything - some of you may have read earlier in this thread that about 18 months ago I had cancer (now effectively cured through an operatuion) but even being faced albeit briefly with my own mortality, there was no real feeling of "I wish I had done this...or that!"

So where does that leave me? Am I destined for a retirement of pottering? How do i find inspiration for those early retirement years?

AlwaysLearnin

Just to play devils advocate, you obviously started this thread for a reason. Has that changed significantly? Also, if you retire later you'll be that bit older, and will you be able to do all of the activites you had planned to do in retirement at an older age?

That said, you're still pretty young (~50?) so do have plenty of time.

Is there any potential for scaling work hours down and/or moving to a consultancy type role? Also, you don't necessarily need to stop work, you could change to something else - possibly part time, and/or charity work, etc

It sounds like there's a bit of a fear of the unknown, which is understandable. It may be helpful for you to seek out the views of people that have made the break - the link in post 506 was one I enjoyed but there are a number of retirement blogs out there.

Marine_life

AlwaysLearnin wrote: »

Just to play devils advocate, you obviously started this thread for a reason. Has that changed significantly? Also, if you retire later you'll be that bit older, and will you be able to do all of the activites you had planned to do in retirement at an older age?

That said, you're still pretty young (~50?) so do have plenty of time.

Is there any potential for scaling work hours down and/or moving to a consultancy type role? Also, you don't necessarily need to stop work, you could change to something else - possibly part time, and/or charity work, etc

It sounds like there's a bit of a fear of the unknown, which is understandable. It may be helpful for you to seek out the views of people that have made the break - the link in post 506 was one I enjoyed but there are a number of retirement blogs out there.

Yes, you're right - I started the thread as while the job has it's high points, it is somewhat stressful and the stress levels are increasing (as I am sure they are for many). The thought to retire early was driven by the desire to have options where there was no longer a need to work and then make the plan from there. Now that the point is coming closer I need to actually put some thought into whatever those other options really are!

I have set the date at 50 (in October 2014) as the date, mainly for the reason that I have a pension plan which requires me to work to 50 to get the full benefit. In actual fact I will probably be in a position at the end of this year when I could go. I also have a contract which means leaving is six months from the end of the quarter in which you hand your notice in. So technically that could be 1 April 2014 or one year :eek:

I think scaling back on hours isn't an option - I have never seen anyone do that in our organization (or at least not remotely successfully) but changing roles is perhaps something that might be available and that's something I will certainly think about. There's also the possibility of going and doing something completely different - although that's really difficult especially as having the golden handcuffs (of a relatively well paid job) mean i would probably earn somewhere around one-quarter elsewhere of what I make here.

As I sit here today I suspect the most likely outcome is that I will wait to 52 but that depends whether anyone shouts at me at work!

Thanks for the link - I looked at that when when you originally posted the link. It is a very interesting read.

AlwaysLearnin

Marine_life wrote: »

There's also the possibility of going and doing something completely different - although that's really difficult especially as having the golden handcuffs (of a relatively well paid job) mean i would probably earn somewhere around one-quarter elsewhere of what I make here.

As I sit here today I suspect the most likely outcome is that I will wait to 52 but that depends whether anyone shouts at me at work!

I can see how the income comparison could be a mental hurdle, however you've got yourself in a great position where it no longer needs to be about the money. Enjoyment and/or fulfilment can be equally valuable, if not more so.

However, if you're enjoying your job and aren't really ready to go, there's no reason not to stay on (and earn a nice amount in the mean time!). The worst that can happen is that you have to grit your teeth & bear it for a maximum of 9 months if you decide it isn't for you any more.

These are the options that you aimed to give yourself:

Marine_life wrote:

The thought to retire early was driven by the desire to have options where there was no longer a need to work...

The world (literally) is your oyster. Enjoy!