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

On a day to day basis yes. I certainly don't need to arrange my life round them these days. Same as my friends

Are people really ever 'free' of their children?

I'm kind of like that at the moment but I'm ill a lot so I'm not happy. I'm in limbo at the moment though because I'm about to move house unless it falls through at the last minute.

I'm planning to do dog boarding when I move so that I will be able to continue my life of pottering and I'm hoping my health will improve. So I'll be taking the dogs on days out, painting, gardening etc. I'm also planning to start going to church and hopefully being involved with that community. I sound like an old lady!

I don't feel ashamed about not contributing to society by paying tax. I've lived most of my life with undiagnosed autism and not received any help...hence the stress-induced illness. I've raised two autistic DS's, one of whom is a high achiever. But that's by-the-by... I don't feel I owe society anything. If I lived in a Scandinavian country or Bhutan I would probably feel differently. Anyway, I don't believe people's primary motivation for working is the contribute to society - they're working for money for themselves and just pretending to be altruistic.

I don't know why people who are working are talking about what they do with their free time.

That's not what the thread is about.

Yep.
55 semi retired... plenty of time and money to fulfil my hobbies or generally toss it off.
Its fucking brilliant.
ETA... still paying 40% tax so Im not worrying about potholes....

I’m ashamed of the government that gives all the multi million and billion pound companies and individuals massive tax breaks.

If it's in your ISA it's not taxable.

So you'll have a monthly income of less than £1047.50 then? Anymore than that would be taxable

@Loopylalalou But you have worked - very hard. I think this poster was referring to people who have never worked or barely at all?

That's very sad

@Wellyoudidaskaboutit That sounds nice but how do you pay your bills?

Not picking on the poster in particular. On the opposite scale, I feel really sorry for people who think their purpose is to contribute to the tax system or that the only way of contributing to society is financial. I feel genuine pity for this thought process.

This attitude pees me off.
I paid tax for 51 years of working, and still pay tax now on my pension. Moreover, I now volunteer in four different roles - active parish councillor, volunteer steward at a heritage centre, member of a community land trust, and social coordinator at a sports club. All work done for free enabling current tax payers to feel so superior.
Grow up.

I have a few days a week like this, as I dropped my hours at work, mid fifties hope to retire at 60.
I totally relax and do things I have chosen to do on my days off, and find I am more refreshed when at work now, so it has improved my work life as well.
We have lots planned for retirement and I plan on winding down from work slowly so it isn't a shock.
As for not paying tax any more, there are plenty of people waiting in the wings for my job, and I will probably pay tax on my pension.
We aren't as needed or important at work as we think. It's important to have things you enjoy outside of work, and to embrace simply existing and making your own meaning in life.

Me! Retired at 55... I'm now 61.. my son is grown & lives in Australia My husband has just retired at 63. I love not working... go to the gym & Pilates 2-3 times a week, meet friends for lunch, take my 84 year old mum out one day a week for shopping & lunch. Go into London to the theatre, music events, concerts, etc. I walk, read, have just finished doing a finance course online so I can manage our private pensions & investments. Every day is busy. We are going to Thailand & Australia in December to see our son & other family for 6 weeks (oh and have tickets for the Ashes). Life is good :-)

Me.

I have a one day a week employed job, I do a few bits outside that day (that they pay me for), I then have freelance work that I can either do or not do. And I do a bit of fettling around for my business which is where my freelance work is, to keep literature up to date etc.

But I have full days doing nothing. Today I've not bothered to get dressed, am catching up on The Traitors. Might do an hour or so if work and I have to type up some minutes fur my volunteer role.

I meet friends for coffee, go for walks, shop etc. I'm not interested in housework so do very little of that. I don't have kids and am not married, have a bf but he doesn't live with me.

Absolutely this. The contribution volunteers make to society is worth billions a year - they fill hugely important roles, and often do them better than a paid person would, as they are doing it out of a passion to help others/their area/the environment etc. This is extra true in rural areas - I don't think I have ever seen a police person, street sweeper or any 'officials' in our village - these roles are mainly filled by volunteers who litter pick,run children's groups, food banks, tackle low level anti social behaviour, maintain our parks, bus stops etc.

I would love to be able to do more - I have to work to pay the bills, but if I didn't I wouldn't, I would fill my days with lots of local initiatives - already do girl guides and a school governor, but that's a stretch with 2 young children and a part time job.

That's really quite sad, honestly

I’m a couple years shy of 50 and have just stopped working. I don’t have children, my husband works away every two weeks. The people who really know me definitely haven’t judged and have supported me. Some had even pushed me years ago to quit. Those who do judge - I honestly do not care. The break may or not be temporary but if I do go back to work it won’t be what I was doing (child psychologist).

As for what do I do all day - sometimes read but most exploring London. I grew up in Mile End and now live in Southwark but it’s amazing how much of London I’ve haven’t seen or been to. I’m falling in love with the city and it’s been healing for me.

I'm 50 and lucky enough financially to have given up work.

I love it, am never bored, spend days doing hobbies, going for walks, sitting watching tv, exercising, reading, travel.

I never struggle to fill my days and appreciate how fortunate I am.

Luckily my parents who are both still in their 50s and retired together at 52 and 55 had filled their pension pots so they are both higher rate tax payers…

they also both worked as Drs from age 23 when they qualified (actually 21y11m for my mum who was moved up a year at school and has a July birthday) so they contributed plenty to society.

I retired five years ago aged 55 due to having a SAH (severe brain haemorrhage) I've recovered quite well but after working all my adult life I'm enjoying the finer things in life whilst I can, it's absolute bliss!

A significant proportion of the 50-64 yr olds out of work now is due to illness or disability.

"being sick, injured or disabled continues to be the main reason why people aged 50 to 64 years are economically inactive in the labour market, with 44.9% of individuals giving this as the main reason"

Obviously as the pension age increases more of the working population will have illness & disability but the narrative on MNs that every 50 something who has retired early is a higher rate tax payer with a stonking private pension is not representative at all.

Yes me. Retired. Husband retired. Oldest son bought his own place a few years ago and now lives there with gf and a new baby. Youngest son at home. I can do what I like all day every day. Obviously I go to the supermarket a few times a week, do housework and see oldest son when he’s not working. Its bliss

A good idea, but no charity remotely connected to children will want him as a patron.will they?
That cuts his options down a bit !