All this talk of over 50s returning to work has made me so down

[OneFrenchEgg]

I'm just over 50. I've had kids who are still at home, and I've never got to a well paid career yet but I'm trying. I don't have a pension to speak of. I want to save up and get some treatment as I'm so embarrassed (my whole life) by one part of my face.
But all today the radio had a phone in about people being encouraged to leave the financial and emotional comfort of their 50s and go back to work, and how they are enjoying having no mortgage etc or looking after grandchildren and maybe they could do a little pocket money job now they are too old to chase a proper job again.

I feel like I'm suddenly too old and I didn't realise. Like I've been dealing with life and it's run out. I still have a huge amount left on the mortgage. I feel like I've done life wrong. I'm so surprised at how much this has knocked me - is anyone else feeling the same?

I'm 43 and my chances of being retired in my 50's are zero - not a chance In hell could we afford that!!!

I'll probably work until im 70-75 then die before I have a chance to retire I find that depressing.

However If people can afford to retire at 50, then good on them - if I come into any money I will be doing that!

If this were 'normal' the retirement age would be 50. I would think you'd need to be fairly wealthy to be able to retire at 50 and live comfortably (that or you live a very simple life)

It's not your fault, so don't apologise.

I am remarried and that marriage came with kids and that came with expenses. I just saw life differently once upon a lifetime ago and the old person in the mirror gets tired these days, so who knows how long I can keep working for, bit I have to keep trying. Oh well. C'est la vie and I guess it could be a lot worse.

Most people I know have paid off the mortgage by 50…we all bought ours houses in our early 20s ..so all done by our late 40s…very much the norm for my age group ( I’m 58)

This country had always relied on the unpaid or low paid labour of women. Usually what’s needed is grandparents doing free childcare and mums doing voluntary crap to fundraise for underfunded schools, while also working a minimum wage job that fits around school hrs. Right now apparently what’s needed is cheap workers to replace all the Europeans who stopped coming because of Brexit.

Meanwhile men get paid a fortune to do some pretty easy jobs that are impenetrable to anyone who needs to do a school run.

🤬

I may have had 12 yrs out of the job market but I’ve also got two degrees, had two successful careers in ‘City’ jobs and learned a lot since both from volunteer roles and from just getting older 🤣. If the government wants to disrupt my family’s life (and take away all the support I currently do to facilitate DH’s income) by tempting me back to work, they’ll have to do better than a ‘little job’ at minimum wage fruit picking or whatever.

Quite a few of our friends have retired. Very decent jobs but also all have had long marriages and no divorces to split assets. Also no more than 2 children each couple. Certainly have friends in their fifties who can’t even think of it, two women who allied themselves with men who lived off them for years sprung to mind.

I'm 55.. and a Grandparent. I had DD at 26 and she had my grandson at 27.
I've dropped to very part time because my DD and her DH are nurses and simply can't get childcare for their shift hours. I'm a lowly (and poorly paid) TA so my income is pants, my pension will be pathetic, but they need me right now more than School does.

A year left on the mortgage and at least we will be free of that. We are definitely not well off, but we manage, and for me, dropping to minimum hours to help my DD is the right thing to do.

I'm hoping to find a different p/t job as when my grandson goes to nursery just to keep earning a little. I scuppered my own chances of a real career by marrying someone in the Armed Forces and having too many children straight after University, but hindsight is a marvellous gift

But how would be monetise or financially compensate being a SAHM? How would that work?

I was the only one in my friendship group who didn’t join the civil service. The rest of my friends retired at 55- a couple have very part time jobs. They are all loving retirement.

I, on the other hand, will be working into my 60s at least ☹️.

But it was average age back then 🙄….we all had our kids in our early 20s….then became GRannies in our early 50s ….I’m 58 …became a granny at 50….very very normal in NW where I live

Eh, I just turned 60 and I still have a teenage DS. I'm going back to work.

Of all my friends in their 50s I only know 2 that have grand children and then its only one each so far. None of the rest of us seem likely to become grandparents any time soon.

I have 3 of my close circle of friends who have retired recently all on very good pensions. Funnily enough all 3 don't have kids which clearly makes a difference. I feel I am basically working at the moment to help my kids through Uni and help them a little towards buying a house when the time comes, although it won't be much as there are four of them. One of my friends who is retiring is civil service so huge pension and I am insanely jealous, one NHS with a decent pension and one an ex banker who is loaded. I'll probably be working unil I'm 70 but like my job and it's easy enough.

I'm 56 and have started claiming one pension but I'm still working. It's so my husband can step back from his stressful job. Mortgage will be paid off at 61 then I will go part time.

Interesting the divorced bit comes up - we've both been divorced before, definitely had an impact on saving/house buying.
I'm going to be encouraging my children to think far ahead, no one really told me to do that at 18.

I have been thinking the same as you, OP. I am reaching 54 and about to start a 'new career' but in a similar field to the one, I am already in. I own my own house and have made some pension provisions, but I cannot retire anytime soon.

However, even if I had the financial means, I wouldn't want to. While I could find things to do, I have lots of hobbies and interests; I think I would get bored eventually. Also, I really dislike the wintertime and going out to work gets me through those months. Especially since many of my hobbies involve the outdoors, and doing stuff outside in the cold and rain are not much fun.

I often wonder what people my age who have retired do all day, every day. I am not one for sitting around watching TV or reading books. I love travelling, but I have already travelled extensively worldwide (although there are plenty more places I want to visit).

I think the 50s is too early to retire. Bearing in mind you could live to be 90, that's 40 years of finding stuff to do, and I can imagine you would get through a lot of money in that time.

If someone has had a stressful job and worked long hours most of their working life, they may feel ready to retire in their 50s - that's not me, though. Plus, I still enjoy the social interaction of work and the new field I will be going into.

Each to their own, though.

If you're retired in your 50s it's either because you can afford to - you have enough income, savings and/or pension - or because you are unable to work because you have illness/responsibilities that preclude working. So I can't see many people who have already retired early going back to work, no matter how much Jeremy Hunt wants them to.

Well, I'm in my early 50s and I feel like I'm in my prime at work - I'm loving work, working on things I really love, feel creative and energetic and still learning new things. So I don't get the 'coming back to work' thing - but I resumed FT work ten years ago when ds started school.

Everything is different and has different life experiences and challenges to face. Don't compare yourself to others; be proud of what you have achieved.

And ask yourself what you want and need to do now. Not what the govt is advising!

eh? How is 25 not young biologically? I travelled all through my 20s built up my career in my 30s and had my kids late 30s. Having kids too young is definitely not for many.

It's some b.s. put out by the govt. Chances are if you retired early you will be paying tax. But why would you go back? If you retired from bèing a pilot or a Doctor or surveyor you aren't going to stack shelves. Someone I know in the oil industry retired in his 50s but was lured back when offered the job of moving an oil rig across the Indian ocean at some staggering daily rate. Spent most of his day sunning himself on the helipad

I 'retired' at 46 but i think this is because i never had the ambition for a long, well paying career. I was self- employed and managed to buy my ex husband out of our house when kids were youngish teens. I was fortunate to meet my 2nd DH at 40. He was same age but never been married, no kids and owned his house down south outright. He sold up and moved north and i also sold my house. We bought one together outright and married when we were 42. My kids dont live with us now and i have no grandchildren (yet!) DH works from home and is quite well paid but we live very simply. I potter around, read, watch tv, meet friends for coffee. Im just 50 now and i am happy to never work again although of course i would if i needed to. My parents say im an 'old soul', happy just to be and not be 'doing' all the while.

Most people I know in their 50s are renting, certainly nowhere near rich enough to retire, some have long term illnesses so cannot work and are struggling with the benefits system being hard for the ill or disabled.

oh come on - travelling in your 50s is nothing like traveling in your 20s. I intend to travel once dds off to uni but it will be nothing like the adventures I had in my younger days.

having and raising kids is a great life experience but I don’t see any need to do it so young. Certainly it wouldn’t have been right for me.

Because it’s 10 years or so into your fertile years. It isn’t biologically ‘young’. And 25 isn’t too young anyway - as long as it’s a properly planned decision and not a ‘surprise’ pregnancy with a loser boyfriend, it can be a very smart decision. It’s lovely to travel etc but the way I saw it, my kids would be paying the price for it with an older mum less likely to help out with their kids etc. I want to be a young granny and kept busy and have the energy to help them, as well as the luxury of time to have the family size and gaps between children that I want. I will most definitely be travelling when they’re adults and I’m late 40s 😊

I won’t be travelling in my 50s 😂 mid 40s all being well!