Retire at 55

[Zighy1]

Hoping to retire next year at 55. I will have worked 39 years by then. Fellow early retirees what are your lessons learned? Any regrets? I am looking forward to being able to exercise, explore, and slow down but am realistic that I will miss the money. How soon do you adapt?

[Shehasadiamondinthesky]

I'm 60 and work full time in the NHS. I cannot bear the thought of retiring and giving up work, I want to work until 70 if possible.
i just love the cut and thrust and problem solving and just generally being busy.
I have friends and do things out of work and a loving DS and Dil but just love my job, even more so during coronavirus because I felt much more useful.
I think part of me would shrivel up and die if I gave up work.
Still everyones different.

[RampantIvy]

I'm 63 and work part time. I love my job and am nowhere near ready to retire. DH is very unsociable and doesn't like doing anything interesting much other than walking or going to the pub, so I would find retirement rather dull.

[Onandoff]

[quote AnyFucker]@Onandoff I get virtually the same income from working 2 days + my pension as I did before I retired

It’s a no-brainer really. But I am very lucky.[/quote]
That’s interesting. How many years had you worked in the NHS? Am tempted to do the same…

[AnyFucker]

34

[AnyFucker]

Am going to pm you

[lentilsforever]

[quote Zighy1]@secretbookcase This is how I hope my week will be post retirement. I will take 6 months or so to reset then get a part time job for a small income and just make the most of my days. I won't be cash rich but time rich. After years of full time work, children's demands, parents getting older etc I want "me" time. I also want to travel a little while I am younger. Time is relentless and before you know it another year has gone.[/quote]
I think rather unrealistic to think that after six months “reset” you’ll easily be able to pick up a perfect part time work in your late fifties. Just like that.
I suspect that poster reduced her hours with her existing employer
Is that an option?

[LucentBlade]

coogee thanks for the link, both DH and I are old enough so it won’t affect us.

[Annabelle69]

@LaurenKelsey You've got the retirement I want, the only difference to our lives is you play piano, I ride my mountain bike. Another 3ish years until I'm 55, snd counting...

[DaphneduM]

We retired seven years ago, husband at 57, me 61. For the first five years we did all the usual things - husband volunteering and walking, me zumba, pilates, meeting friends for coffee and lunch, days out etc and lots of reading and gardening. Absolutely lovely after a lifetime of stressful jobs. Two years ago decided to move nearer our daughter and it's great - but slightly different. My husband still volunteers and walks, I've now got to spend time with my daughter and we look after our little grandson two days a week. Have so loved laying out a new, smaller garden. And the novelty of furnishing a much more modern house, compared to our old cottage. We feel lucky that we've had seven years so far, we don't have a massive retirement income and husband still hasn't got his state pension yet, but have savings. Life is short, so important to do what suits you. It does take effort to scaffold life post retirement, but there's so much out there to do.

[BeyondMyWits]

I took early retirement (civil service "gold plated" pension.... not a huge amount after only 15 years but it pays some bills) at 55 after some health scares. I picked up a 12hr a week part time retail job which keeps me social and pays for half of the uni accomodation for both dds.