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

My DH and I worked very hard throughout our lives. The children are grown up and married. We have lots of time for our DGC. I knew when I was 13 that I was not going to work until retirement age. I made that decision. I do not draw my pension, my husband does, I am not on any benefits, I am in excellent health. I am mortgage free. We have inherited nothing. We do actually still pay tax, we have a partnership, which I manage and which generates an income.

There is so much to do in the day as PP said. Cooking, reading, knitting, gardening, walking the dog, swimming, relaxing, ironing, I could go on.
I am sure many would consider all of the above soul destroying, whereas to me they are nurturing and healing.

I have had worked full time, since the age of 17. I stopped full time work at 42. I am not lazy.

I compare my working life to my life now and without question my life is better now. Freedom!

Where are you getting ‘never contributing’ from? Most people have worked since their teens and people retire when they are financially able, if they’re lucky. I’m retired at 55 and just had a quarter of my pension tax free so am making hay while the sun shines. Am I wrong? Do you think we should all work until we die?

And who said I don’t contribute to society? You don’t know what I do or don’t do for others. I don’t understand your vitriol.

I retired at 57 and thanks to a good pension I pay a hefty amount of tax every month .. tax does not stop with work!

My ex. He was a bit parasitical, but he seemed to kinda love it! Didn't even do much housework. Walked the dog, did his hobbies, nurtured insane resentment towards me.

Strangely I (the harder working one, who also has a child she loved and did stuff for) was the happier one.). I think the purposelessness of his days made him bored and a little resentful.

I'd be interested to know how old you are. I always thought this too, well not the contributing to tax bit. But the not working bit.

Filled me with horror!!

But I've now just hit 60 and can't bloody wait to retire!! I've worked full time since I was 16. Including working full time and getting a degree as a single parent.

I'm done! 44 years working full time, with one 6 month maternity break. I've had it, I just want to spend my last couple of decades travelling and chilling out.

I'm not in exactly the position you describe but I am a sahm. I absolutely loved it, but now DC is at school I do find myself lacking in motivation, which I never did before. I don't think I'd be happy long-term with no obligations, but it's lovely to have complete freedom to choose what obligations I want to commit to.

My DM stopped work just before 60. A combination of some health issues and needing to organise care for family members tipped her into it. She doesn't "do nothing" though: she's looking after family, trustee of a couple of small local organisations, runs community events.

In many ways, I think women (and it's often women) who can give their time without pay keep the world going round.

How so? I will draw down the minimum from my pension and the rest tax free from my ISA. £50k a year tax free. Hardly a frugal life? Or is that frugal to you? 🤷‍♀️

If you’ve worked since you had a weekend job or left school, so from around age 16 paying NI and tax, by the time you’re in your 50s (now) you’ve made a hefty contribution to all of that. Nothing to feel guilty about if you’re able to not work f/t or at all these days. I’m p/t myself, in an industry which is mostly full time younger ones. No guilt or entitlement here.

I could, but I choose to work because my job is fun and isn't FT. I wouldn't want to do nothing , ever. But obviously that's just me !

Me. I also have a life limiting condition though.

No, I still have DC at home and I like my job. It has quieter periods and I enjoy those, but I'm not sure they'd be as enjoyable without the contrast. Could be wrong though!

I'd like to be able to wind back work efforts as I progress though my 60s🤞 towards proper retirement.

@BankfieldForever I'm guessing you don't have kids, or elderly family members, around to attend to?

You’ll be living a painfully frugal life if you’re planning to opt out of paying tax.

Retired at 57. Kids 30, 31,32 at the time. All with their own homes.

It's bliss having the time doing things you wished you could have done when spinning plates was the normal to pay the bills whilst doing your best for young dcs.
I retired at 58 and don't have a moment of regret.

I did it for a bit in my 30s but with school age DC (and FT help), year 1 & 2 were great but ultimately it wasn’t good for me.

Finish work EOY age 54. No kids no mortgage no debts. £1.2m in pension and ISA’s. Can’t wait to do whatever I want and contribute zero to the tax system for a good few years!

😭😭 retiring early or having been a housewife doesn't mean you haven't contributed

😄😄 its okay to relax and enjoy life, the wealthy do 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

Even after contributing full-time for 35 years?

I am early 60s, retired and therefore my days are mine to choose what I do with them but it’s not “ nothing”.
I provide childcare, volunteer, have many hobbies, go to the gym , travel a lot & meet up with friends frequently. It’s a lovely life & I’m very grateful for it

To the PP who said they’d feel guilty not contributing to society or paying taxes - absolutely no guilt here, I worked full time since the age of 16 and I more than contribute to society .
I have always volunteered even when working full time and
I still pay taxes on my pension (on top of the contributions that I made during my 40+ years of employment). I think I’ve earned my time off

I am so envious 🙂You are living my dream life that unfortunately will always remain a dream.

No. We all use roads, schools, hospitals, emergency services, parks, culture etc. I just can't imagine being the sort of person that feels entitled to use all these tax payer funded services but never contributing any tax. I'd be so ashamed.

Yes kind of similar at the moment

i'm glad you started this thread

I might go back to work, but calculation suggest I don't need to and I don't want to

I would be interested to know how much people would have to have in the bank to feel safe to do it

I was out of work for a long time due to illness and I don't want to go back and I think it would be awful to get sick again and die before retirement

I feel as if there were more early retirees in my Parents generation but now it would be so frowned upon I don't know how I'd explain it to anybody

glad you started this thread and interested to see the responses

I went to a professional event and people were talking about what they wanted to do at 70. I couldn't get my head around that at all.

If I had that life at 33 I would be so very happy omg

Girl

You cant think of anything worse than not contributing to the tax system? 😭😭