Bold leap into retirement

Ocelot

I was made redundant last March (2025) for the sixth successive time, but this time it was after 17 years, 3 months shy of my 60th birthday. The whole team went. I always said at the next redundancy I would retire (have been planning it financially for 10 years). Initially, I wasn't sure, but I always found a way of not bothering to respond to LinkedIn agents (who never read my details properly anyway). I am fully onboard now, especially as none are likely to employ me when they know my age anyway!

I must admit my activity has slowed down over autumn and winter, so hopefully I'll do more when it gets warmer. I'm single, no kids, mortgage long paid off, just one oldish cat left, who is the reason I don't go anywhere much.

I don't have that much in the way of pensions, and the redundancy paid for last year, but have been saving for almost 40 years, and the income more or less covers living expenses at the moment, without digging into the capital sum.

I'll probably get back into my side-hustle this year at my convenience!

Smudgeismydog

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81923238#Comment_81923238

Thanks for posting, six redundancies is a lot! Well done for continually to dust yourself off

Have you checked your State Pension forecast? Are you on track for a full pension?
You mentioned the income from your savings ‘more or less’ covers your expenditure, without needing to touch your capital. Can I ask what your plans are for the capital you have saved?

Ocelot

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81923400#Comment_81923400

Hi, yes, state pension is full (41 years earned, never contracted out, full SERPS up until it was abolished).

My intention is to gradually draw down on the capital sum to supplement income.

bjorn_toby_wilde

Saw this interesting link on Google today and I thought it would be perfect for this thread. It explains why I got so much enjoyment from designing and making a hedgehog feeder last year, whilst my still working friend suggested I had “too much time on my hands” 😂

https://geediting.com/gen-nobody-talks-about-why-so-many-retired-people-suddenly-care-deeply-about-things-that-seem-trivial-the-garden-the-bird-feeder-the-perfect-sourdough-but-psychologists-say-these-arent-hobb/

Bostonerimus1

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81923861#Comment_81923861

At first glance I thought a "hedgehog feeder" was some sophisticated financial cash flow mechanism, then I realized is was just an actual hedgehog feeder. 😀

pterri

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81923861#Comment_81923861

time ‘wasted’ vs work8ng on some god awful bit of work nonsense that, while probably being necessary, makes you want to hammer nails into your knees and could be done by any other person with a bit of training. A task t(at will be appreciated no doubt but instantly forgotten after a day or two. As you can tell, I feel no guilt about pottering around. That said, I had to scale back on the cake baking as I was in danger of having to buy a new wardrobe. I’ve manged to get on top of that and now weight less than before I binned work.

Anyone else have that issue? Don’t want to turn this into a weight management page but filling time with snacking must be an issue I’m sure?

Nebulous2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81923861#Comment_81923861

That certainly makes very interesting reading.

I've told my tale often here of retiring, not liking it, and taking a part-time job. I'm now planning to stop that at the end of the month, so a second attempt at finding a new identity.

One of the regulars on the over 50s forum often talks about small pleasures in life. I've discovered some of these as well.

Wild birds have been ever present all of my life, I've always been near green spaces and mixed habitats, but its only in the last couple of years that I've taken an interest in them. The Merlin app helped, as did my attempts at photography, but its surprising how interested I am in the birds reappearing, putting on their best plumage and calling for mates, as we approach the breeding season.

Wild flowers as well, again possibly prompted partly by photography, but woods full of snowdrops, the appearance of crocuses, and particularly bluebell woods bring me far more pleasure than the 20 or 40 year old me would ever have believed.

Maybe I'm better equipped for round 2.

MallyGirl

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81923975#Comment_81923975

I went the other way - I used to snack while working due to sheer boredom. I would be eating crisps by 10am. Now I exercise 6 days a week and walk when I would previously have got the bus due to time constraints.
I am now a dab hand at sourdough so I am eating more bread (because it tastes good and isn't full of rubbish) but not sitting at a desk has been very positive for my health and weight.

katejo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81923975#Comment_81923975

When much younger, I often made cake. I would still like to do it occasionally but I would get far too fat! Only looking at it increases my weight.

pterri

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81924222#Comment_81924222

I’m mangaging to get back into shirts I thought were destined for the charity shop, I’ve been doing loads more excercise but yes unless I’m very strict and consciously make my self eat less then i pack it on. I did consider weight loss drugs but I wasn’t at an NHS threshold and didn’t fancy the expense of private - no judgement from me if anyone does use them by the way. Will be interesting to see what the research is for long term use and if the possible side effects are less than the known risk factors of being significantly overweight. I didn’t FEEL less healthy but I know that cycling up hills was harder because physics! Time will tell if I keep it off, if not then I may consider medication.