Bold leap into retirement

nicknameless

cfw1994 said:

nicknameless said:

Does anybody else who has taken the retirement plunge, like me, not quite believe it is true?  I left work for the last time approx. 7 weeks ago and it is still somewhat surreal.  Is this usual?  Takes a little while to sink in?  54 at the end of the month and no work to do!  Not saying I am missing it in the slightest and wouldn't change a thing right now, but this is very strange indeed

Heh heh!
It could take a while, I guess.

In contrast: after a lifetime of work in technology, I was almost ashamed at how rapidly I embraced it 🫣

I did set off on a 19 day LEJoG bike adventure almost as soon as I stopped.  Solo, but with over a dozen pals either joining me for a bit of the ride, or meeting for a meal in the evenings.  Astonishing how fast I forgot about the day to day work life 👀
 
Now over 4 years in, I absolutely love the almost total flexibility to do things.   Sunny tomorrow? Maybe have a bike ride.  Want to lay in until lunchtime?  Sure!   

I do still “worry” about the money side.  Maybe worry is the wrong word: focus on it a bit much 🤷‍♂️  That said, we are in a fortunate position, and besides, I now feed my techie needs by being rather too fastidious with spreadsheets 🤣 Usually wake early, so I get my fix of reading various forums and news whilst lying in bed (hence this post!).


Relax and enjoy: this is your time 😎

Appreciate the response.  I am actually missing the financial planning a bit.  Had all sorts of spreadsheets and models and now just enacting the plan.  I want something to tinker with and to test out scenarios.  One of the things I actually loved in the preparation for retirement.  Not a single sole around me shares that interest and they simply look blankly if I try to engage them on anything financial planning / strategy related.  We should start of FP anonymous or something?

QrizB

nicknameless said:

I am actually missing the financial planning a bit.  Had all sorts of spreadsheets and models and now just enacting the plan.  I want something to tinker with and to test out scenarios.  One of the things I actually loved in the preparation for retirement.  Not a single sole around me shares that interest and they simply look blankly if I try to engage them on anything financial planning / strategy related.  We should start of FP anonymous or something?

That seems to be the role of a fair proportion of the threads on this board 😄

cloud_dog

nicknameless said:

Does anybody else who has taken the retirement plunge, like me, not quite believe it is true?  I left work for the last time approx. 7 weeks ago and it is still somewhat surreal.  Is this usual?  Takes a little while to sink in?  54 at the end of the month and no work to do!  Not saying I am missing it in the slightest and wouldn't change a thing right now, but this is very strange indeed

Just to comment that it took about 3 months after stopping for that 'Sunday evening feeling' to disappear.  The realisation that I no longer experienced it was one of those simple yet amazing moments 🥳

MetaPhysical

Handing in my notice in mid-September.  Boss has said he'll let me have a three month gardening leave period as long as I do some customer handovers to someone else in my team, which is fair enough.  So I should be done mid December.

Can't wait to get out!!

I'll keep you posted.

MetaPhysical

nicknameless said:

cfw1994 said:

nicknameless said:

Does anybody else who has taken the retirement plunge, like me, not quite believe it is true?  I left work for the last time approx. 7 weeks ago and it is still somewhat surreal.  Is this usual?  Takes a little while to sink in?  54 at the end of the month and no work to do!  Not saying I am missing it in the slightest and wouldn't change a thing right now, but this is very strange indeed

Heh heh!
It could take a while, I guess.

In contrast: after a lifetime of work in technology, I was almost ashamed at how rapidly I embraced it 🫣

I did set off on a 19 day LEJoG bike adventure almost as soon as I stopped.  Solo, but with over a dozen pals either joining me for a bit of the ride, or meeting for a meal in the evenings.  Astonishing how fast I forgot about the day to day work life 👀
 
Now over 4 years in, I absolutely love the almost total flexibility to do things.   Sunny tomorrow? Maybe have a bike ride.  Want to lay in until lunchtime?  Sure!   

I do still “worry” about the money side.  Maybe worry is the wrong word: focus on it a bit much 🤷‍♂️  That said, we are in a fortunate position, and besides, I now feed my techie needs by being rather too fastidious with spreadsheets 🤣 Usually wake early, so I get my fix of reading various forums and news whilst lying in bed (hence this post!).


Relax and enjoy: this is your time 😎

Appreciate the response.  I am actually missing the financial planning a bit.  Had all sorts of spreadsheets and models and now just enacting the plan.  I want something to tinker with and to test out scenarios.  One of the things I actually loved in the preparation for retirement.  Not a single sole around me shares that interest and they simply look blankly if I try to engage them on anything financial planning / strategy related.  We should start of FP anonymous or something?

Don't fall into the paralysis by analysis trap.  There'll ALWAYS be something else you coulda, shoulda, woulda done.  There'll always be more money you could have saved, invested differently etc.  As long as the numbers look reasonably OK then just do it is my counsel, as I just said on another thread.  Your remaining days are getting shorter on this mortal coil, not longer.  There are fewer and fewer days to be with your loved ones and no one is guaranteed tomorrow.  No one on their death bed says "I should have worked longer". Never lose sight of that fact.

Cobbler_tone

nicknameless said:

cfw1994 said:

nicknameless said:

Does anybody else who has taken the retirement plunge, like me, not quite believe it is true?  I left work for the last time approx. 7 weeks ago and it is still somewhat surreal.  Is this usual?  Takes a little while to sink in?  54 at the end of the month and no work to do!  Not saying I am missing it in the slightest and wouldn't change a thing right now, but this is very strange indeed

Heh heh!
It could take a while, I guess.

In contrast: after a lifetime of work in technology, I was almost ashamed at how rapidly I embraced it 🫣

I did set off on a 19 day LEJoG bike adventure almost as soon as I stopped.  Solo, but with over a dozen pals either joining me for a bit of the ride, or meeting for a meal in the evenings.  Astonishing how fast I forgot about the day to day work life 👀
 
Now over 4 years in, I absolutely love the almost total flexibility to do things.   Sunny tomorrow? Maybe have a bike ride.  Want to lay in until lunchtime?  Sure!   

I do still “worry” about the money side.  Maybe worry is the wrong word: focus on it a bit much 🤷‍♂️  That said, we are in a fortunate position, and besides, I now feed my techie needs by being rather too fastidious with spreadsheets 🤣 Usually wake early, so I get my fix of reading various forums and news whilst lying in bed (hence this post!).


Relax and enjoy: this is your time 😎

Appreciate the response.  I am actually missing the financial planning a bit.  Had all sorts of spreadsheets and models and now just enacting the plan.  I want something to tinker with and to test out scenarios.  One of the things I actually loved in the preparation for retirement.  Not a single sole around me shares that interest and they simply look blankly if I try to engage them on anything financial planning / strategy related.  We should start of FP anonymous or something?

I think that is why I'll buy an annuity to compliment my DB. It can become an unhealthy obsession and I must have an addictive personality. Even though I rationally know that my plans are robust, it is that nagging feeling of FOMO and that I could do things in a better way. I guess I must also be risk adverse.
I know sticking 68% into my pension is currently a very good move.
People come to me for general information on shares and pensions because the average person has little interest or knowledge, until they need to get some! It's probably the most satisfying part of my day.
I had someone moaning yesterday that they were selling shares (as needed some cash) which were worth £300 less each than they were last week. I pointed out there was the facility to view what they had purchased the shares for, effectively costing £120 to receive £275 worth of shares. When we checked the system they could see the physical shares they were selling were matching company and dividend shares which cost them £0. They were a lot happier then. That's the stuff I'll miss.

pterri

nicknameless said:

Does anybody else who has taken the retirement plunge, like me, not quite believe it is true?  I left work for the last time approx. 7 weeks ago and it is still somewhat surreal.  Is this usual?  Takes a little while to sink in?  54 at the end of the month and no work to do!  Not saying I am missing it in the slightest and wouldn't change a thing right now, but this is very strange indeed

It’s been four months for me (57). It’s been fine but is starting to feel different now that it’s well beyond a holiday period, I do wonder what the winter will be like. I deliberately avoided foreign breaks so I could seek out some warmth over winter and possibly pick up som last minute breaks.  I don’t regret it for a moment, I’m sleeping way better and no more work dread over the weekend. One downside, I’ve (ad to spend my own actual money on a laptop

Moonwolf

pterri said:

nicknameless said:

Does anybody else who has taken the retirement plunge, like me, not quite believe it is true?  I left work for the last time approx. 7 weeks ago and it is still somewhat surreal.  Is this usual?  Takes a little while to sink in?  54 at the end of the month and no work to do!  Not saying I am missing it in the slightest and wouldn't change a thing right now, but this is very strange indeed

It’s been four months for me (57). It’s been fine but is starting to feel different now that it’s well beyond a holiday period, I do wonder what the winter will be like. I deliberately avoided foreign breaks so I could seek out some warmth over winter and possibly pick up som last minute breaks.  I don’t regret it for a moment, I’m sleeping way better and no more work dread over the weekend. One downside, I’ve (ad to spend my own actual money on a laptop

My stress is definitely less after nearly 5 months, I’m regularly getting fitbit sleep scores of 92 now and had one at 93, my last blood pressure reading was 107/74 (it isn’t me that the monitor is for or who is on tablets for blood pressure).

disgruntled1234

I guess I should provide an update on things from my perspective.  Including today, I have a total of 7 more working days.  I don't work Fridays and I've booked next week off as annual leave.  My final handover of work is scheduled for this afternoon and then after next week, I'll have 6 more days left, although the last day will be spent in the office having lunch with all of my team, before I then hand back my laptop!

Every crisis and issue at work no longer causes me stress any more as it won't be my problem soon!

Looking to book the first of many holidays for later in the year with my partner, and I can't want!

MallyGirl

7 weeks in for me but 2 weeks were on a family holiday in Canada that was planned long before I got the offer of VR. OH is going to carry on for another year to see daughter through her final (6th) year of uni and into employment - but has already started to muse on maybe not lasting that long. It's his choice as financially he could stop now. I am not yet into a routine as I am tackling one off jobs from a long list but also making time for the garden, more exercise and just chilling/reading.

Life is good apart from the dog being near the end of his life but at least I am here for him.