Four working days to go before early retirement! How did you feel at this stage?

barnaclebill

Hi, At 68 I resigned, the company still wanted me but the job was away from home for 3 months at a time and my wife was sick of it, I was thinking of the money as I had a bad time early 2000 and I lost a lot of money and had just got back to the point when I did not have to think how much things cost.
At present I am still on leave and getting full pay plus pensions but that's ending soon so I keep worrying how I am going to survive a big drop in income, only pensions but I must admit I feel free, at this point in a normal leave I would be thinking of going back and counting the days to go but now I am just relaxing. I must admit I have looked at some job adverts but my work was quite specialised so not applicable to most.
Just to see how well off I will be I have equated my pensions and my wifes small pension to hourly rate and it is about £12 per hour before tax so £480 a week and I know lots of people have to exist on much less than this but I still worry,
I took my company pension at 61 and the full 25% cash, mainly because my uncle retired at 60, had a party and died on the sunday so never got to enjoy a penny of his pension and I thought not me but here I am at 68 still fit and well and regretting wasting the lump sum on unimportant things but reading the positive thoughts here I feel happier about the future

kidmugsy

barnaclebill wrote: »

my wifes small pension
…...
I took my company pension at 61 and the full 25% ….regretting wasting the lump sum on unimportant things

The second could have corrected the first.

melanzana

barnaclebill wrote: »

Hi, At 68 I resigned, the company still wanted me but the job was away from home for 3 months at a time and my wife was sick of it, I was thinking of the money as I had a bad time early 2000 and I lost a lot of money and had just got back to the point when I did not have to think how much things cost.
At present I am still on leave and getting full pay plus pensions but that's ending soon so I keep worrying how I am going to survive a big drop in income, only pensions but I must admit I feel free, at this point in a normal leave I would be thinking of going back and counting the days to go but now I am just relaxing. I must admit I have looked at some job adverts but my work was quite specialised so not applicable to most.
Just to see how well off I will be I have equated my pensions and my wifes small pension to hourly rate and it is about £12 per hour before tax so £480 a week and I know lots of people have to exist on much less than this but I still worry,
I took my company pension at 61 and the full 25% cash, mainly because my uncle retired at 60, had a party and died on the sunday so never got to enjoy a penny of his pension and I thought not me but here I am at 68 still fit and well and regretting wasting the lump sum on unimportant things but reading the positive thoughts here I feel happier about the future

Hi bill,
I know it's late....but that's the joy of retirement. No set times for anything anymore, and I'm only a few weeks in!

Loving it. Really. Staying up late, doing what I want. It's great.

But I am not stupid. I know the initial rush of relief/relaxation will pass, and I will do something else in time. But for now, I am totally enjoying the feeling of getting my career out of my system. It's a good feeling. We all have to move forward!

As for finances. I'm sure you will be fine. I haven't even thought about a one third or so drop in take home. Not for a minute. I will be fine.

I retired early, so I am paying for the privilege!

We spend too much when we have it. When we don't have it, we might just realise that a lot of our expenditure was on JUNK and unnecessary stuff. And TBH I am looking forward to living realistically, only getting what I need, not what I want anymore.

Best wishes to you.

melanzana

MiserlyMartin wrote: »

I haven't taken retirement, if I retire at 55 I have 14 years left to go and that feels like a prison sentence as it is!. I absolutely hate my job, the management are idiots - I only stay there for the money and to build up my pension pot. Going to work is a major inconvenience in my daily life and I wish I could give it up tomorrow to concentrate on all my interests and hobbies. I can't imagine how I would ever be bored not working. I wish you luck, good health and happiness in your retirement. You lucky sod LOL!

Hi MM.

Thanks so much for your good wishes.

I can only say that your day will come too.

I am very fortunate I know. I will never deny that. But a lot of saving and frugality over the years has allowed me to do this now.

Like you, boredom was never in my radar in retirement ever! I have so much to do. But I am taking it easy for now. Winter is the time to sort things out I think.

So For once, indolence is bliss!

gallygirl

melanzana wrote: »

indolence is bliss!

Ooooh, what a great word :T.

Indolence. My new career inspiration .

melanzana

Evening all, I don't want to be smug, but what the heck!

No work in the morning for me. It's a wonderful feeling. I have absolutely no regrets. It's all good.

I have had one week (after hols) with no work schedule. No problem. At all.

Met my sister for lunch, did the garden, walked with a friend on Thursday, followed by a glass of vino!

Not one bit bored or worried. It's great.

I know it's early days though.....but I am living in the moment.

Mossfarr

I took early retirement/redundancy five years ago aged 50.
I have never regretted it for one moment, I've never been bored and i'm never short of things to fill my time.
I was quite apprehensive about this unexpected retirement and worried that I would find it difficult to manage financially but honestly you adjust your lifestyle and manage just fine.
I too felt a bit aggrieved that I was 'cast aside' so easily after long loyal service, but that soon passed and I no longer care a jot about my former employer or the majority of my former colleagues.
The true friends I made in work are still my friends and we regularly meet up for long lunches or days out.
I go to a gym every weekday morning and I am now much fitter and healthier than I ever was when I worked.
My advice to you would be - write yourself a list of things that you want to do from travelling to growing your own veg. That helps if you start to feel you are not doing anything with your time.
I always wanted to attend a property auction and now I go fairly often - not necessarily to buy anything, just because I find it really interesting!
Good Luck to you
Mossfarr

mollycat

MiserlyMartin wrote: »

I haven't taken retirement, if I retire at 55 I have 14 years left to go and that feels like a prison sentence as it is!. I absolutely hate my job, the management are idiots - I only stay there for the money and to build up my pension pot. Going to work is a major inconvenience in my daily life and I wish I could give it up tomorrow to concentrate on all my interests and hobbies. I can't imagine how I would ever be bored not working. I wish you luck, good health and happiness in your retirement. You lucky sod LOL!

This^^^is exactly how I feel, couldn't have written it better myself.

3 and a half years to go in the NHS; first thing to do is to try and forget that I ever DID work, and then just get on with the numerous activities work is keeping me from.:)

Good luck to the OP, everyone who has retired well, those about to, and those not fortunate to go just yet.

Life truly is too short!

kidmugsy

melanzana wrote: »

I know it's early days though.....but I am living in the moment.

Yes, and the football season about to begin too. Bet you can hardly wait.

paparossco

mollycat wrote: »

3 and a half years to go in the NHS

They say the first 37 years are the worst so look on the bright side; only 40 pay slips to go for you and 35 for me:j