Warning: this post may cause a little envy… but only a tiny bit 😏

I have not worked in a full time job since my 20s- and the work I did then would not seem like full time work to most of you. I have had many years of caring, and I have also had circumstances that made pursuing the work I really wanted and trained for almost impossible. Most people would see my life as kind of pathetic, and I see it that way sometimes too.

So, to answer the question, on days that I do nothing- yes I feel useless and boring. But on days that I manage to create a life that feels like I am part of something wonderful, contributing to the world, active, creating something beautiful- then my freedom is a great joy to me.

I don't think that earning money is the only way that people do something valuable.

I pay plenty of tax.

Anyone who can afford to retire in their fifties will have already contributed huge amounts of tax.

I’m a bit past my fifties but have retired so have no demands on my time. I do as I please and live a very nice life, going to the theatre/cinema, meeting up with friends, travelling whenever I want to. I contributed significantly to both society and the tax system continuously for forty- eight years so forgive me if I feel not even the tiniest bit of guilt.

I don’t care what others think. Nor should you.

Their judgement has nothing to do with you.

I’ve had friends who have ghosted me after finding out I don’t work. Their loss.

I don’t worry about it. Why would you want to be friends with people who can’t accept that not everyone’s lives turn out exactly like theirs? The thing is, people - all people - have much less control over their life’s trajectory than they think.

And claim benefits.

This is what they're there for.

You are worth claiming what you contributed toward.

You might accidentally discover a biodegradable plastic made from leftover cabbage tomorrow. Are you going to become Elon musk about it or take the benefits now and share your wealth TM?

Take the help when you can and offer the help whern you can.

Dont let others make you feel judged.
It says more about them than it dose you.
You dont need to explain to anyone if you feel you need to say something tell them you will go back when the doctor says so.
I know what its like to be judged i had a baby young thats a right look down the nose to some.

My mother retired at 60. Lies on the sofa all day.

Travels out the country couple times a year. It seems like a depressing lot tbh. But that's probably more about the way she chooses to live it.

I only work because we live in a capitalist system and otherwise i would starve, be homeless and even unhappier. I would love not to work or to be able to do my dream job which would not feel like working as I'd love it.

Money is shit

If I decide not to go back to work though
There will be a lot of resentment, I imagine

People will assume I can pay for their lunch and stuff! But also, there'll be a lot of resentment among people having a hard time. It just doesn't seem to be normal to retire in 50s anymore.

One of my siblings suggested lying about it - I can see why.

Im 39 my son is 23 has his own life.
I live a lone have a job and i love my free time i really do.
Come home just me coffee pjs book mn bliss.
Weekends doing nothing holidays do what i want with them.
Do i get bored nope not one bit.

Had all the hussle and bustle years ago school runs teen years partys chit chat to school mums talking to teachers.
Doing this doing that.
Cooking cleaning washing, up and down, baths and showers, being mum working homework etc.
Now it just me and i love it.
Im not well off i dont have a bank full but im bloody happy with what i have and i value my peace and quiet and lone time.

Im quite the introvert i dont need a crowd to feel needed.

I think ‘enough’ is a very varied and individual thing.

Dont fear judgement.

Your opinion matters more when it comes to you.

If you need the time take the time x

This.

People are mad.

I completely object to a system that enables this wealth, but I absolutely support anyone that takes advantage of it. Fair play.

@ThisTicklishFatball You must have earned incredibly well to still be living off your earnings if you gave up work so long ago?

Posters who aren't working

Do you fear judgement if others know? At the moment it's known that I've been unwell, but I'm constantly being asked when I'm going back to work. And also I'm asked if I'm bored. No, I'm not bored. I have to limit what I do to avoid becoming ill again. But even then, I'm not bored.

I have never claimed benefits by the way

Typically, those who rely on benefits to get by are the ones who don't pay taxes.

Someone who isn't working and doesn't use benefits can still contribute to taxes. I'm not currently working, but I still pay taxes. I also know others who aren't employed yet earn income in various ways and pay taxes. During my working years, I made significant contributions through my efforts. It's worth noting that pensioners also pay taxes.

By the time I turn 50, I hope I'll still be doing what I love most in life, just as I am now as a SAHM, ten years before that milestone. I've been a SAHM for quite a while. What do my days look like when I'm alone? Browsing the internet, watching documentaries, TV series, and films, enjoying YouTube videos, listening to music, learning new things, researching, gaming, going out when I feel like it, tackling house chores, and managing my sources of passive income. I also focus on minimizing the taxes on these sources of income as much as possible.

Many people who have a passive income still contribute income tax at higher rate but do not actively have a job.

@Flowerofdestiny I'll still be privately renting at 50 plus so will still need quite a lot of money! 😆
I'm 45 now and definitely happy, despite not being well-off.

My mum has always done this since I moved out at 18 and my brother three years later at 19. We both moved back for a brief period each in our 20s so I’ll count from after that, so a good 15 years, since she was 52. She is someone who let her husband handle all the money and financial matters and apart from a couple of school based jobs has been a lady of leisure most of the time.
She spends her days pottering, walking, listening to the radio, going out for coffees with my dad and drinks with her friends.
She doesn’t see much of us considering they live in the same village and they don’t see much of my DD (only grandchild) apart from 2 hours a week. They always told me after raising their kids they want to enjoy their lives while they are still healthy.
Sounds boring to me but they are perfectly happy.

@unsync I fail to see how you can pay taxes if you have never worked to earn an income?
Unless you mean inherited income?

There was a career I’d have liked (one that is almost impossible to get into) - I tried but it wasn’t on the cards for me even if I hadn’t stopped work at 30 - at that point I was working in a shop.

I use my education (a degree in design technology specialising in textiles and fashion) every day in private research and practical hobbies and its wonderful.

Not many years of earning… no. Not a problem and won’t be in the future.

So no - no regrets.

I'm 59 and I've been retired for 4 years. I took early retirement on ill health grounds and being ill has filled quite a lot of my time - I've had 6 operations in the last 5 years. Now things are more stable for me I do quite enjoy retirement and I have plenty to occupy my time. Obviously there's the dull stuff like housework and cooking (we eat far better than when I was working mind you!) and I've got pets to care for and some caring responsibilities for elderly relatives too. But I do go out quite frequently just to do things that interest me. Today I went to a new exhibition at a local museum which was much quieter than it will be at the weekend. Quite a few of my friends are either retired or work part time so I see them fairly often, and weather and health permitting I go for a walk or bike ride most days. I visit my adult DC regularly and I also volunteer. My volunteering takes up a lot of time in the Summer months - it's almost a full time job for part of the year - but over the Winter it's only once a week. I do sometimes get a bit bored in the Winter months when I've got less to do and the weather is poor so that I can't get outdoors as much. But overall it's ok and whilst it's not the route to retirement I would have chosen I don't miss working anywhere near as much as I thought I would. It was tough at first but a lot of that was due to the involuntary nature of my retirement. But once I accepted things I found plenty of positives. I'm looking forward to DH retiring too but he'll probably work for another 3-5 years I'd think.
Oh, and not working doesn't necessarily mean not contributing to the public purse. I'm still a higher rate tax payer so have zero guilt about using public services.

I’m a bit older but still in good shape and perfectly capable of working. I no longer NEED to work to live and certainly don’t want to live to work.

My purpose is to live a life full of things I enjoy like playing piano, napping during the day, projects around my house, meeting friends for a coffee, etc. I’m never bored and I quite enjoy my life, far more than I did while working.

Even if you've never worked because you have the funds to not do so, you still pay taxes. Income from trust funds are taxed. You would still be subject to all those other taxes too. There's an assumption that if you are wealthy, you don't contribute. If you are resident for tax purposes in the UK, you will be paying income tax, alongside all the other taxes. The wealthy are net contributors. For most people on here, this is an uncomfortable truth.