If in retirement what do you wish you’d known before taking retirement

barnstar2077

ex-pat_scot said:

barnstar2077 said:

I don't have a dog, but have wanted one for a few years now.  Current plan (once retired, and in my fifties) is to enjoy a few years of doing whatever I like before getting an older rescue dog.  I figure this is the best of both worlds, and is giving a dog a home that wouldn't have had one otherwise.

Suggest you "try before you commit" - fostering or borrowing perhaps?
It's a big commitment and has certainly curtailed a lot of our flexibility

I know they are a lot of work, hence why I want to wait.  I am under no illusions, but also know I would regret never getting one if I chose not to.

Lifematters

I agree fostering a dog is a great alternative to adopting one full time as you are not restricted on holidays etc. Also, you don’t necessarily have the costs when you foster as the shelter usually provides all food, bedding and vet care. Due to my current work commitments I can only foster over a weekend so I have a greyhound stay with me each weekend from the local shelter. I look forward to spending time with him and it also gives him a nice break as he has previously spent his life in kennels. 

GrubbyGirl_2

I retired 3 years ago on a good NHS Pension.  The biggest thing for me has been the fact that you don't realise how much money you spend when working.  Travel to and from and during work, coffees, lunches, staff birthdays, leaving presents, buying work clothes etc etc.  I was really surprised as to how much less you actually spend when you don't work.  So keep a tally of what you actually spend your money on and what you won't be spending when you retire.  This may help you decide when to retire.  

I loved my job, but I love not working more.  I have started a few hobbies, I walk more and have become a "lady that lunches" (you'd be surprised how busy lunch times are in pubs and cafes with silver haired folk).  I also do a little volunteering.  I love every day, and I'm shocked how quickly the days go by, much more quickly than when I went to work.

SarahB16

GrubbyGirl_2 said:

I retired 3 years ago on a good NHS Pension.  The biggest thing for me has been the fact that you don't realise how much money you spend when working.  Travel to and from and during work, coffees, lunches, staff birthdays, leaving presents, buying work clothes etc etc.  I was really surprised as to how much less you actually spend when you don't work.  So keep a tally of what you actually spend your money on and what you won't be spending when you retire.  This may help you decide when to retire.  

I loved my job, but I love not working more.  I have started a few hobbies, I walk more and have become a "lady that lunches" (you'd be surprised how busy lunch times are in pubs and cafes with silver haired folk).  I also do a little volunteering.  I love every day, and I'm shocked how quickly the days go by, much more quickly than when I went to work.

Thank you so much for sharing this which I really enjoyed reading.

In March last year I started keeping a tally [Excel spreadsheet] of my spending for exactly this reason so that I can see what I actually spend my money on and yes, that's good advice, in time it may help me to decide when to retire.    

I already volunteer in my local community as I know what I contribute really does help however as I get older I know I will benefit from those extra connections/friendly faces (especially as they will be near to where I live). I too enjoy walking and it’s interesting hearing my friends talk about how when we retire we’ll have more time for walks, days out, holidays, etc.  We all work full time and have elderly parents that depend on us and don’t currently have as much free time as we would like. 

sgx2000

Great thread....

You cant beat advice from someone who has already done it.....

jim8888

I'm in my second year of retirement, aged 59. I'd admit that I sometimes struggle filling the days, especially the winter ones, and that I miss the social side of work. What have I done to address this? I play golf, but when working I never joined any societies or club hosted events, so I took the plunge and started "golfing with strangers". Many of them are now friends and I now always have someone to contact for a game. Same at the gym. After ten years of going and doing my own thing, I joined classes and now meet up with people from there for socialising instead of sweating. My wife does the same, but we have slightly different networks which I feel is healthy for both of us. I "force myself" to the pub on a weekly basis and now know some of the regulars who previously I only nodded a "hello" to because I make an effort to chat to them.  I have improved on lots of other hobbies too, cooking, reading, writing, investing, cycling, walking - and I know of groups that meet to enjoy these activities. I haven't joined them yet, but I intend to. So, for me, the big thing I've done differently is to actively participate in things that widen your social circle. Meeting new people leads to meeting new people and I've been really impressed generally by how friendly folks are. It's difficult in that you often have to "make the first move" to establish connections, but for me it's been really worthwhile doing so.

Albermarle

barnstar2077 said:

I don't have a dog, but have wanted one for a few years now.  Current plan (once retired, and in my fifties) is to enjoy a few years of doing whatever I like before getting an older rescue dog.  I figure this is the best of both worlds, and is giving a dog a home that wouldn't have had one otherwise.

Apart from the other comments, I have to be a bit miserable and add the dreaded 'Vets Bills'. Even with some insurance in place, they can still be pretty big.
Routine things and things not covered by insurance/policy excess, can be £500 pa + similar for insurance premiums for an older dog.
Then you may well have a one off major thing costing a couple of grand.
With advances in vet medicine and a shortage of vets, costs will only go up.

Dizee123

I would second Albermarle's post about vets bills.  Our eldest dog (now sadly deceased) cost us well over £1000 per year in her last few years.   We had her insured, but once a condition was treated and claimed for it was then excluded.  We could have paid more for better insurance cover in hindsight, but it is difficult to move insurer when a dog reaches a certain age.  She developed allergies and arthritis, was prone to eye ulcers and towards the end developed pancreatitis and eventually had to be put to sleep with kidney failure after that dreaded conversation with the vet on what is best for the dog....

However, she gave us so much more in the 14 years we had her that I do not grudge a penny of that and we were lucky that we could afford it as during most of her time with us we were both working.  Unconditional love and companionship and memories of lots of walks over the years - you can't really put a price on that.

However, I would think very carefully about getting more than one dog again, especially on a retirement income.  Routine parasite treatment, worming, healthchecks and vaccinations don't come cheap either.  As mentioned in a previous post, I may consider fostering as an option.

thriftytracey

Our two small dogs are 7 and 8 and we love them to bits.  They are great for forcing you out for a walk - so good for mental health and give so much pleasure and affection - they are so funny and have such different personalities.  We have a caravan so they accompany us to France and the UK on holidays.  However, this winter I really wanted to go on a two week winter sun break as I get SAD.  Kennels are expensive - even the two of them sharing a kennel it would cost £315 for two weeks.  In any case they have never been to kennels and I know they would hate it.  Getting someone to look after them is even more expensive.  So, if you don't have relatives that will look after them when you are away - think carefully.  I left it too late this winter to register with Trusted Homesitters who will live in your home for free and provide pet care if you are happy to do this.  Next winter we plan to rent an apartment in Spain for 6 weeks, taking the ferry to Santandar, but having dogs you have to book the day the sailings are released in order to obtain a dog cabin.

Another consideration when we stay in a hotel they charge £30 a dog so that is £60 for us on top of the room rate.  I wouldn't mind but they don't moult and house trained, we always take a blanket to cover the bed, so the room doesn't really need an "extra clean".  Bit of a rip off in my opinion.

We find we don't need flea treatments as we keep them groomed and they never seem afflicted with fleas.  Again, another cost is grooming which is £40 a visit.  We do one dog ourselves which saves costs.

Fortunately, they have never been ill other than a grass seed which required an operation to remove and the insurance "mostly" covered.  Having said that the current excess is £85 and will probably go up on renewal - as do the premiums.

I would recommend the U3A.  In my area we have about 20 special interest groups such as book groups, music theory, crafts, history, philosophy, poetry and many others.  It is only £20 a year and there is also a monthly talk.

Volunteering can be very fulfilling.  We volunteer at our Community Cafe/Warm Space and also at local woods to do litter picks, maintenance etc.  My husband also joined "Men's Sheds" which he enjoys.  They do a lot of community repairs free of charge.  

MarkCarnage

If possible, try a gradual 'glidepath' to retirement. I started this at 55 and am still on it 7 years later! Moving from full on full time work to nothing can be a real shock for some people, and not a good one often. I am a Trustee of two large pension funds, chair a couple of sports related organisations (though giving at least one up now), have an allotment, help with local cricket club ground and do some schools coaching too. Pretty full on in the summer, winter a little quieter.....