How do you plan to spend retirement?

[Bluemooninmyeyes1]

Ok I’m only in my 30s but it’s a Monday morning and I’m daydreaming about retirement and the things I plan to do lol. I’m not in a particularly well paying job so my pension won’t be much but I’d love to move into a quant little bungalow and buy a caravan near the coast. I would also get a dog to take on lots of walks near the sea, cook nice healthy meals from scratch every day and also enjoy a nice holiday now and again.

How does everyone else envisage retirement?

[TrickyD]

Every day we say thank God for decent public service pensions, even if the index linking is likely to be reduced. What with lump sums on retirement and inheritance we also have income from rented properties.
We normally take the DSs and their kids away in the summer and skiing in the winter but this year no summer trips and January skiing is looking very unlikely.
However we are very happy relishing not being compelled to do things we do not enjoy.
DH is enjoying his 'hobbies'. Mumsnet rules say these should be shrouded in mystery, but actually are the same as every other DH, cycling swimming and gardening,
Because we are fairly ancient, we are avoiding activities which involve mixing with others, and this has obviously curtailed our contact with DSs and DGCs.
If you are comfortably off and in decent health, retirement is wonderful.

[Parkandride]

I want to retire before 50, maybe still doing some paid work - would love to work a summer season in a Scottish highland Hotel, ski seasons etc. Or front of house in an amazing restaurant very part time.
But otherwise charity work with animals, walking, slow travel, puppy walking assistance dogs. Also can't comprehending those who say they'd be bored without work and I love my job.

Trying hard to focus on the finances to facilitate this, but without jeopardising enjoyment of life now. There's definitely a balance to be struck and that way if life changes then you can adapt without regrets. But I'm not scared of popping my clogs before spending all my money, it'll benefit my dependants at least

[gettingolderbutcooler]

@Noshowlomo

Straight up chilling and sipping on gin and juice

Snoop it up!

[MaudTheInvincible]

Touring around the world watching the cricket

[Mumbum2011]

Travelling
Looking after grandchildren (if I'm lucky enough to have any)
Reading
Seeing friends and family

[Noshowlomo]

Straight up chilling and sipping on gin and juice

[AlsDiner]

Reading, writing, volunteering at animal shelters and food banks, doing outdoor conversation work, running, walking with my dogs, joining various special-interest groups, painting and drawing, taking classes, knitting and sewing, cooking and baking, gardening, growing my own fruits and vegetables, visiting national trust properties and museums, exploring the UK's coast and towns I've never visited, holidays abroad, learning languages, seeing friends, reading newspapers and magazines, watching films.

I honestly don't understand it when people say they'd be bored if they didn't work!

[Miljea]

The plan was a villa in Spain, but the 90 day Schengen thing scuppered that!

Plan B involves a bungalow near the sea in Devon and a motor home.

Almost 3 years left here, seeing final DS through uni.

[nosswith]

I plan to do some long distance travel in the first few years. Plan to stay put where I live now, as I like the area. Learn Spanish as well, so when I visit I can do as I do in most other countries I go to, and get past a few words.

[Egghead68]

@PersonaNonGarter

My retirement will be very short. I really hope to work til the very last opportunity.

I guess I will spend it going to medical appointments and reading.

Ditto. I hope to also do some online courses.

It all depends on your health, which you often can’t predict in your thirties.

[Ragwort]

I think retirement is going to be a long way off for many of us, both DH &
are over 60 but with the recent fall in pension finds etc it isn't going to be easy living on a pension.

Having had time off on furlough it also made me realise how much I enjoy working , I am fortunate in that I work locally, part time hours, plenty of autonomy and a job where I feel I really make a difference (third sector). So I plan to carry on as long as possible! My DH Is much keener to retire and he has plenty of outdoor hobbies, he loves hiking, cycling, golf etc. We had also planned to three-six months travelling. In the USA but who knows if that will be possible.

I still care for my elderly parents so no idea how long that will carry on for ....

[unmarkedbythat]

Retirement?

[dudsville]

That sounds to me like they found the plot that suits them!

[Oliversmumsarmy]

When you stop doing something constructive you start to die

I agree.

Friends who are only 1 year older than both Dp and myself retired at 45. We ended up having nothing to talk about with them as their life revolved around them sitting in their conservatory listening to the cricket and her knitting and him snoozing.
I have seen so many people lose the plot when they retire.

[FinallyFluid]

I am retiring in twenty two months, not that I am counting you understand....

We will be on exactly the same income as we are now, so we will probably toggle between here and Spain (for winter sun) and we will also have a largish savings pot behind us, and possibly some inherited wealth, (family home)

We potter around each other quite comfortably, DH will need to play golf every week in order to keep it like that, but he has a friend of a similar age who is also a golf nut, his partner is my oldest friend and we like bimbling around RHS Wisley and similar together, so all will be well, we are also members at the rugby club and in normal times that provides our winter entertainment, lunches, matches, internationals etc.

My family live in Ireland so we will nip there and back on a regular basis.

I would like to live by the sea again and it has always been my dream to release the equity in this house and move, but the closer it gets I find that I am not prepared to give up the friends and acquaintances I have here, so will rent a cottage with an open fire for long weekends in the winter and get my fix that way.

I have a heart condition and have had two different cancer primaries in five years, so I will be looking forward to my retirement.

We went without an awful lot down the years to get to this stage, my brother who lived high off the hog of the land is only now starting to realise that we weren't so boring after all.

[helpfulperson]

Take my tent round Europe each summer.

[TigerBrite]

When you stop doing something constructive you start to die. I don’t like the idea of sitting around doing nothing and waiting for death. If I’m healthy I plan to travel, potter around my garden and write poetry. I may have a grandchild to babysit. Perhaps I’ll still do a bit of work to keep my brain active.

[torquewench]

I started paying into a pension 26 years ago, so hopefully in comfort. Ive no mortgage or anyone dependent on me, so Id like a small motor home/camper van so I can travel to alk the places Ive wanted to go to after working ft for 40 odd years with no significant amounts time taken off.

[haba]

About to say the same! What's a retirement?

[Oliversmumsarmy]

What retirement?

Covid and cancer has wiped us all out.

Dp has no job and is 64 so won’t probably get another.
My business has gone, savings and pensions have gone, dds and ds’s businesses have gone.
It is looking quite bleak.

Atm it is looking like everything we have worked so hard for over the years was for nothing.
I would have been better off drawing benefits and letting the council house us.

[Drbrowns]

In a house by the sea on the French/Spanish border half the time and in a house by by the sea here the other half of the time. Living by the sea so I can walk on the beach every day and go swimming in it whenever I want is my ultimate dream so if the France /Spain thing doesn’t work out I’ll be happy as long as I have a house by the sea somewhere.

[LedaandtheSwan]

After decades of working in the big city I plan to cash in my tiny flat and find a house "back home" in the market town near where I grew up. Enough garden for a small allotment and for drinking beer in the sunshine .

[Joswis]

Not anymore they don't blue25. I'm a teacher in my 50s. I have had to move overseas to try to save money to retire on.

I hope to be able to retire at 60, home school my grandson (because frankly, UK schools are so starved of money and resources, I don't think they are fit for purpose anymore). I would like to move house, to be by the sea. Do some private tuition and a bit of supply teaching.

I hate the thought of having no work.

[Lonoxo]

Exploring SE Asia. My family are from that part and realistically with work and family, I won’t be able to do a gap year. I’m hoping the cheaper living cost will make my pension stretch out as much as possible. It would be nice to spend a few months getting to know a place rather than being a tourist for 2 weeks. Then when my husband and I get too old and we can’t travel anymore, we want to downsize and live near our children.

[blue25]

@Athrawes

Working as long as I can because I can't afford to retire! I am 50, always worked, but my pension will be tiny.
I am a teacher. I will be working at 70.

Teachers get a really good pension though?