Retirees what is your typical day

sgx2000

Wierd....
I am really looking forward to the, probably very boring, freedom.....

Now i just have to convince myself that my finances are ok.....
And finally pull the trigger....
64 next month.... about time i made my mind up....

SouthCoastBoy

I think the freedom to do what you want when you want is the reason retirement is appealing to me. However the other side of that coin is the concern I have on what to do during the long winter days when it is continually raining. 

I am slowly moving towards thinking I will work for longer.

Cloth_of_Gold

sgx2000 said:

Wierd....
I am really looking forward to the, probably very boring, freedom.....

Now i just have to convince myself that my finances are ok.....
And finally pull the trigger....
64 next month.... about time i made my mind up....

It's what you make of it. As long as you are reasonably healthy you can do all sorts of things (and should). You should go to exhibitions, visit areas of where you live that you've never been to, learn a new skill (bridge, tennis, painting, whatever) volunteer, take the opportunity to do all that reading you wanted to do. The most important thing is to do things to fill the void that not working will bring. 

You will have a loss of status (we are to a large extent defined, by other people at least, by what we do). Just accept that and don't let it bother you. Just ensure that you keep busy and don't sit around watching day time TV. Keep active (go for walks, take up a sport etc.) as this will help excess weight creeping on and also be good for your mental health. Very important too is to do things that mean you socialise with others. Retirement can mean that you meet far fewer people, so you have to work at not letting that happen. 

Cloth_of_Gold

SouthCoastBoy said:

I think the freedom to do what you want when you want is the reason retirement is appealing to me. However the other side of that coin is the concern I have on what to do during the long winter days when it is continually raining. 

I am slowly moving towards thinking I will work for longer.

Could you go part-time?

'the freedom to do what you want'. The thing is, you need to be sure that you know what it is you want to do and that you will be able to do that.

SouthCoastBoy

Cloth_of_Gold said:

SouthCoastBoy said:

I think the freedom to do what you want when you want is the reason retirement is appealing to me. However the other side of that coin is the concern I have on what to do during the long winter days when it is continually raining. 

I am slowly moving towards thinking I will work for longer.

Could you go part-time?

'the freedom to do what you want'. The thing is, you need to be sure that you know what it is you want to do and that you will be able to do that.

I have lots of interests but the vast majority are outdoor based therefore would be restricted in the long winter months. It's a tricky one.

I don't like the idea of part time with me it is all or nothing.

sgx2000

Cloth_of_Gold said:

SouthCoastBoy said:

I think the freedom to do what you want when you want is the reason retirement is appealing to me. However the other side of that coin is the concern I have on what to do during the long winter days when it is continually raining. 

I am slowly moving towards thinking I will work for longer.

Could you go part-time?

'the freedom to do what you want'. The thing is, you need to be sure that you know what it is you want to do and that you will be able to do that.

Droped a day in january....
Already enjoying the extra day....

Probably drop another day in 6 months

But no matter how many spreadsheets i have running 
I just always have that doubt that it wont be enough..

GrubbyGirl_2

Apart from being able to to absolutely anything you want on any day you want to do it I found that no longer needing an alarm every morning was by far the best thing.  Now I go to sleep when I'm tired and get up when I wake.  My body clock has totally changed as a result.  I tended to stay up later when I worked so as to have some relaxation after work but because of that I always needed an alarm in the morning.  Now I go to bed around 10.30 and I wake up naturally any time between 6.30 and 8am,

I have taken up painting and attend a group and now have a group of arty friends where we meet regularly to visit exhibitions, paint, have day trips or just have coffee and cake.  I also love my garden.

The biggest thing I have noticed is how time flies, the weeks go by so quickly and the weekends approach quickly.  The weekends are now my least favourite time of the week because everywhere is too busy so I stay home and those have become my gardening days.

I am so glad I have a good pension and was able to retire at 60, but another thing I've noticed is that I actually don't spend so much money - you really don't realise how much it costs to actually go to work

barnstar2077

GrubbyGirl_2 said:

Apart from being able to to absolutely anything you want on any day you want to do it I found that no longer needing an alarm every morning was by far the best thing.  Now I go to sleep when I'm tired and get up when I wake.  My body clock has totally changed as a result.  I tended to stay up later when I worked so as to have some relaxation after work but because of that I always needed an alarm in the morning.  Now I go to bed around 10.30 and I wake up naturally any time between 6.30 and 8am,

I have taken up painting and attend a group and now have a group of arty friends where we meet regularly to visit exhibitions, paint, have day trips or just have coffee and cake.  I also love my garden.

The biggest thing I have noticed is how time flies, the weeks go by so quickly and the weekends approach quickly.  The weekends are now my least favourite time of the week because everywhere is too busy so I stay home and those have become my gardening days.

I am so glad I have a good pension and was able to retire at 60, but another thing I've noticed is that I actually don't spend so much money - you really don't realise how much it costs to actually go to work

You are living my dream retirement!  I can't put into words just how annoyed I get every time the clocks go forward or back and I have to change my sleeping pattern again! : ) 

enthusiasticsaver

I am 64 and have been retired 6 years now and don't really have a typical day but I do have interests which take place on certain days of the week.  I took up hiking when I retired in particular coastal hiking as we live in the West Country.  I could hardly walk a few miles on the coast path initially but I now regularly hike 10-15 miles in a day on hilly terrain.  I joined the Ramblers and U3a and walk with them most weeks.  Which days I walk depends on weather and where the walks take place and I am a volunteer walk leader now with both organisations. I usually walk at least twice a week.  I also do excercise classes at our local country club or do a swim and spa or gym session.  My husband and I both have ebikes and cycle when the weather is decent or visit a national trust property.  

I also do volunteer reading with my granddaughters school for struggling readers one afternoon a week and pick our granddaughters up from school one day a week and help out with childcare in school holidays. We travel, go out for lunch with friends, cinema and theatre trips plus gardening and book club plus I play the piano and volunteer as an ambassador on MSE so often find I am busier than when I worked. I get to choose what I want to do which is key for me though.  My husband is also a retired engineer so he always has lots of projects on the go.  

I would say that our financial situation is comfortable and we do not need to worry about money so that helps.  If we were retired on a shoestring I am not sure that would suit us but lots of people do manage a frugal retirement. Travel is our biggest outlay. 

garyelder

I’m nearly 63 been retired 3 years wife works at a private school 3 hours a day

Got 5 gardening jobs don’t want anymore 
got 3 cruises booked this year
look after a block of flats maintenance ect
also have a flat in the block which I did rent out but my daughter now has it 
book curry nights out for 2 groups of guys one lot old school mates plus other occasions 
have caravan in Norfolk that opens up in March so will spend time up there
Got 2 bikes one e-bike one racer
always eat out once a week and I have a good local pub 
so no time for sitting around roll on the warmer lighter days 
don’t need to worry about money as sold a flat I rented out to fund retirement at present that brings in 11k interest alone and wife has a Lloyds bank pension
pension pot won’t need to touch for a few years yet