Has anyone retired early and regretted it?

[50andup]

I'm in my 50s, have always saved into pensions/ISAs and am now in the very fortunate position of being able to afford to stop work if I want to.

I know lots of people would think - that's brilliant and be off! But I'm wondering if I'll regret retiring early? After all, if I live to 100 , that's 45ish years of effectively being on holiday!

I've got loads of friends, already volunteer and have interests I could invest more time into, but is that enough? No desire to travel the world (done that already) or any very significant plans, so wondering if I'll get bored after a bit...

Has anyone else retired early and then regretted it later?

What are you filling your days with @BertiesShoes?

All my local friends work. Our retired friends are scattered around the country and we have no family within 100 miles.

When I retire I will probably do a lot of volunteering. I do a bit now in between my work commitments.

I never ever worry about filling my days. I do lots of sewing, knitting, crochet, so it’s easy to fill my time.

Currently finishing a huge patchwork l started at age 11. Making a jumper for dd and about to start on a pair of fair isle gloves. I also love reading and gardening.

Never bored.

During my brief period as SAHM to school age children, I never had any trouble "filling my days", but that's exactly what it felt like , I was doing loads of stuff just to fill the time rather than with any real purpose.

I can't imagine whole days knitting doing that for me TBH.

I'm someone who likes to keep busy so in theory retiring could have been an issue. But my days just race by. I've recently taken up bee keeping, i have an allotment, a dog, i love reading and i've also joined the local leisure centre so go to classes most days - again doing more of something i started a few years before retiring. And going out with husband and lunching once a week.

I'm also thinking about taking up art, but havent found the right beginners class yet. I imagine learning a foreign language would be a good idea for some as it keeps the brain active, could be sociable in a group and would be helpful with the hopefully increased travelling

The University of the Third Age is something people also do round here.

Depends how much you enjoy it. I love my hobbies, they’re so soothing.

And l did used to be a knitwear designer. So did knit non stop for years on end😁

At home - I walk, read, do puzzles, starting family history research, we have an allotment. I do all the family admin, including investments for myself and both kids. I am not particularly arty, but do have some craft items to do through winter!

I have just joined a walking group so will do a midweek walk with them going forward. (I keep weekends free for spending with DH and kids at moment, so everything else is done in the week). I used to run and whilst I do a little now, I want to get back to 10k level. Have been waiting for cooler weather and a sprained ankle to fully heal.

We have a labrador, who keeps me busy, do a couple of longer walks with her each week. We won’t have another after her though, as it would be too tying when kids move on and we want to travel.

I meet friends (both local and further afield) for lunch/walk/day trips - some are retired, most work PT, I don’t have many friends who work FT.

I do day trips out alone - have always been fairly adventurous and happy to get train or drive to places by myself. Visits to NT houses and cathedrals/museums around country are on the agenda going forward. Did NT a lot when kids younger but it was always rushed, am looking forward to doing them properly.

Last week I was in S Yorkshire for 3 days visiting cousins & an old friend of my mums, and catching up with a uni friend for the day in Leeds. I have a trip to relatives in Ireland booked, and planning to see friends in Switzerland when restrictions have eased more. I do walking breaks, usually Mon- Fri.

We have a caravan so have time away in that.

I guess that a lot does depend on finances. We are lucky to have no money worries, plus DC got a significant inheritance a few years ago, which takes the pressure off us helping them.

I plan to get a lot more involved with volunteering for parkrun. At the minute I don't want to lose out on one of my exercise slots, but when I have more time during the week then I'll switch to a support position.

@dreamingofsun

Yes, I hope to do a French course at some point, maybe next Sept. Did O level and can get by when we take our caravan there, but would like to be better.

The OU also does a shed load of free courses, of varying duration, all sorts of topics. I might do a couple of those through winter. After hating history at school (too many kings and queens), I am now fascinated by family/social history and the world wars.

There is an active U3A in my small town, but I think I am too young yet 😂 My neighbour of 83 is an active member and I get the impression most are 70s upwards.

@CurlyhairedAssassin

We got the first dog 4 years ago and have just added a new pup to the family.

You can leave them for a few hours ( sadly many people leave them alone or crated for a whole working day) but it just means we plan life around this.

I'm off to a class this morning so DP has taken the dogs for a walk and will be home with them today. I'll be home with them whilst he is doing his own stuff another day. Mostly though they just come with us. I don't mind leaving them in the evenings as they are always tired out and asleep anyway.

For holidays they come with us if at all possible but otherwise they spend 2 weeks with a friend. I reciprocate by having her dog when she needs a dog sitter. If necessary DS will stay over for a weekend as well as house/dog sitter.

You just need to be a bit more organised but I wouldn't be without them for anything. I'm enjoying this phase of life so much.

Yes. I would do language courses and U3A and go to classes at the leisure centre., and join a walking group. Poor DH would just stay at home on his own or go for a walk.

He is embarrassingly unsociable unfortunately. Fortunately I am happy to go to things on my own.

I'm with the pp who can't imagine filling my days sewing and knitting etc.

I’m not ‘filling’ my days!!! I love having the time to do what l enjoy!

Yep, I stopped work in about 2007, tho I've never really worked full time as I don't cope. My DH retired 3 years ago & is complaining that for retired people, we still seem to be very busy. We don't even socialise much, just lots to do. He's never bored. I am occasionally but it's good for me.

Once I’d retired, I didn’t regret it for one single minute. I did think long and hard about it beforehand though as I’d always worked and felt I always should. I have health issues which meant that working life just got harder and harder and more of a struggle. I did my sums and cut my cloth to suit, I realise not everyone is as lucky and that many people must continue to work. I just looked at it as taking a new and different direction in life and it’s been very far from being dull! The best bit is being able to manage my time and being able pace myself: so on good days I’m out and about as much as I like and on not so good days I can take it easier. All good.

No.
I'm 61 ,retired 4 years.
Dh still works.
I have a great life 😀

I am filling my days to the brim, but with stuff I genuinely enjoy doing. Some days I enjoy doing very little except drinking coffee and reading. Other days I enjoy meeting up with friends (luckily they no longer work either) and being sociable and busy. I love that I now have the freedom to follow my heart in what I want to do, rather than needing to do what I have to do.

It seems to me that the only people on this thread who don’t think early retirement is good are the ones not taking it.

Everyone who is retired seems to enjoy it immensely!

I agree.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow nobody was questioning the enjoyment side.

It seems to me that OP already has many of the advantages of retirement, as she only works 3 days a week. And she enjoys her job. I'd have thought that for a still far from old person that would be an ideal situation to be in.
I agree that many (certainly not all) of the retired people on this thread seem to be enjoying retirement. A number did not enjoy full retirement and have gone back into some kind of work, or have stayed retired and gone downhill. I love going for walks, reading, watching tv, popping into town, having relaxed breakfasts, etc, but I know that I'd be bored and would go downhill mentally if I did this kind of stuff full time.
I started a brand new career in middle age due to redundancy, and I love how it's stretched me mentally and socially and how I've discovered new skills. I wouldn't want to give that up in favour of more walks etc.

It seems to me that OP already has many of the advantages of retirement, as she only works 3 days a week.

Only someone who is not retired could say this!

I worked 3 days in a professional job for 23 years - it is incomparable with retirement! Totally incomparable - I might have only worked 3 days, but I was still up at 6, out of house 7-6ish, driving a minimum 70 mile commute, sometimes longer if visiting site or working out of other UK offices. My days off were taken up with family life, I had very little social life as was too shattered. Any walking that I did on my days off was limited to an hours drive away, as I was always aware of having long drives on my work days.

I was always a work to live person, didn’t hate it, but didn’t enjoy it at the end, so much politics and so little support from those higher up. Changing jobs wasn’t really an option, as I was in a quite specialised role, plus had a long service with my employer.

Far from going downhill mentally, I feel revitalised, as I am no longer exhausted by work and the associated commuting.

Retirement gives people freedoms that even those working PT don’t have - the choice of which days to go walking, of booking a last minute trip without considering work commitments or annual leave, of having a chilled day if feeling a little under the weather. The choice to do volunteering if they want (I haven’t felt the need yet, but may do in the future). Not having to fit a trip to see relatives into one day, but having the option to stay a few nights.

I have to agree with @ArseInTheCoOpWindow, in that the majority of people telling Op not to finish, are still working. I have had similar reactions from one particular ‘friend’, telling me that I am too young to retire. I have come to the conclusion that she is envious.

Interestingly, all those I know who have retired before 60, and there are quite a few, told me (when I was in the ‘considering it’ stage) that they had not one regret. Early days, but I feel the same so far.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

I’m not ‘filling’ my days!!! I love having the time to do what l enjoy!

Me too! I retired at 64, I had a nagging premonition that I wouldn’t live long enough to get my state pension and a year later because very seriously ill. This illness restricts me so I have learnt a whole new way of life and, 3 years later, I am happily doing my own thing much of the time. My illness is life-limiting so I am making the most of it!

I find it a bit sad that
So many people seem to think work is the be all and end all of life. Pottering around, drinking coffee, listening to the birds and going for walks are actually very enjoyable activities.

It seems to me that the only people on this thread who don’t think early retirement is good are the ones not taking it.

I agree. I love my job. I mainly WFH, and can do a lot when I finish at 2pm.

I think those who enjoy early retirement have either a DH who is sociable, local family, already have lots of hobbies and/or a large circle of local friends who are free do do stuff with them.

TBH when I retire I will be looking for things to fill my days, and I will.

I do think the retired fall into the "old before their time" or "finding things to do" crew, or "rich"

Oh and "still working"

I understand leaving a high stress well paid job for an easy job but it's not for me. I'd rather stay in my profession