Retirement is great!

Robin9

fly-catchers said:

.............................I lost my beloved cat last year and really must give another a good home…
 

Even better -  two cats

older_and_no_wiser

I'm stuck in between the two camps; I'm planning on retiring in around 3 years time (age 57-58) but I do actually enjoy work. I work from home and have a lot of flexibility. I also have a good active sporting social life playing tennis and squash and would love more flexibility in arranging games. The clubs I belong to have a lot of retired folk so I could probably organise that. I would also increase my walking and join a local walking group.

I'm definitely going to reduce my hours (maybe Tue-Thu) as others here have done. That should help me assess if I'll enjoy the lifestyle.

Eldi_Dos

Been surprised how many posters seem to dislike their jobs and are counting down days till retirement, cannot help compare it with the last line of Ivan Denisovich : The three extra days were for leap years.

katejo

I am moving towards retirement and have just secured a drop down to 4 days a week from September. I have a decent superannuation pension with AVC's paid up to my 60th birthday earlier this year. Part of me wants to stop completely before 65 (and this won't affect my original final salary pension which came to an end in 2008) but I don't want to risk reducing my current pension too much by leaving before 66. I don't want to find myself with lots of free time but not enough money to benefit from it. 

Thumbs_Up

Eldi_Dos said:

Been surprised how many posters seem to dislike their jobs and are counting down days till retirement, cannot help compare it with the last line of Ivan Denisovich : The three extra days were for leap years.

I liked my job was never bored with it and didn’t mind Monday morning. It was the commuting that got me down particularly on public transport. Thinking back now even as a foot pedestrian it could be bloody awful. People here who haven’t worked in London wouldn’t understand. Lar-lar land and all that. Why do you think most people still want to work from home, it’s not rocket science.    

katejo

handful said:

Just turned 61 and seriously contemplating retirement next year. I will try and reduce days first if I can just to ease into it!

I reached 60 in March and requested a drop down to 4 days initially. That starts in September, I can later drop down to 3 if I want to. Just trying to find out how my leave is affected. As soon as someone isn't full time, leave is calculated in hours and leave for bank holidays is affected as well. 

katejo

Ebeneezer9 said:

Johnnyy_Boy said:

I am coming up to 68, got more than enough money and still go to work because I enjoy it. At the moment it would seem very strange not working. Just thought I would give the other side 😉

I’m due to retire March2027 but concerned about the impact on my mental health.  I love every aspect of my job, get a massive kick from passing on my knowledge and skills to apprentices and even enjoy my hour commute on various TFL transport networks.  If my health is good enough I would like to carry on working ( arthritis  ) but if I have to retire I will miss good people, and the challenge of delivering results.  I can’t bear the thought of doing relatively nothing all day, just having a weekend off work drives me insane with boredom leading to depression. My OH is eight years younger and will not retire till 2035, by which time I will be 75 (if I’m still about) and probably a miserable curmudgeonly pain in the rear.

Two of my colleagues carried on working until they were roughly mid 70's and early to mid 80's. They were reduced to part time (not their choice) and eventually immediately released after the Covid lockdown period. I think they are both quite happy now and have found things to keep them busy. Personally I like some parts of my job but not all and want to retire while still healthy enough to try other things and go on holidays not restricted by the need to book leave. I currently want 1 day off during the week to 'test the water' and do things which I don't have time to do at the weekend (when I am food shopping/washing clothes etc.).

katejo

Thumbs_Up said:

Eldi_Dos said:

Been surprised how many posters seem to dislike their jobs and are counting down days till retirement, cannot help compare it with the last line of Ivan Denisovich : The three extra days were for leap years.

I liked my job was never bored with it and didn’t mind Monday morning. It was the commuting that got me down particularly on public transport. Thinking back now even as a foot pedestrian it could be bloody awful. People here who haven’t worked in London wouldn’t understand. Lar-lar land and all that. Why do you think most people still want to work from home, it’s not rocket science.    

I work in London but now on a hybrid basis of 3 days on and 2 days at home. Glad I haven't been forced back to 5 days on site. that would speed up my retirement. I know someone who  works in the City and has had to return to the office full time. She currently has an injury and can't commute. Even though she can access her work online from home, they won't let her do so so she is on enforced sick leave. 

33scott

I don't dislike my job, I just fell out of love with it.

Albermarle

Eldi_Dos said:

Been surprised how many posters seem to dislike their jobs and are counting down days till retirement, cannot help compare it with the last line of Ivan Denisovich : The three extra days were for leap years.

You have to remember this is a forum about pensions, so you are not seeing a normal cross section of society.
Probably people who dislike their jobs/working/commuting are more likely to research and have an understanding about personal finance, so they can plan to retire early and spend time on a pensions forum !