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?

As far as I can tell, all these over 50s they want back working, are actually still working. I’m 58, DH is 60, we’ll be working another decade for sure. All of our peer group are still working full time.

What are you currently doing career wise and what are your future career plans?

I work full time now, and have done for a year, trying to pay off debt and save some money for emergencies etc. I need to feel like I haven't run out of life, it's really hard to feel positive sometimes, which is why I posted - I was just thinking out loud as it was all a bit demoralising.

Don’t wander down that road OP. These people with big houses and no debt and massive pensions and perfect grandchildren, etc...well, yes, some of them are for real, but plenty of them are hiding miserable personal lives. Sure, X lives in a detached house and is retired at 55. But what you don’t know is that her husband is a bully and control freak who makes her life a misery. OK, Y seems to have it all, but in reality her husband has been having an affair and doesn’t even bother to hide the fact.

Sometimes the grass is greener. Usually, it isn’t. And even when it IS greener the wheel of fortune turns and somebody develops cancer or MS or depression, or whatever.

As for your age, if the tech guys in Silicon Valley get their way, we might soon have drugs that slow or reverse ageing. Maybe 50 will be the new 20. You might be only a quarter of the way through your life.

Me and DH are early 50s. Have 4 DC aged between 15-23 who are dependents, mortgage won't be paid off until we are 70, unless we have a windfall/ inheritance, and our pensions won't kick in until we are 67 at the earliest.
So I know how you feel OP , its like we should all be wealthy enough to retire and living the life of riley without a care in the world.
No way we will be retiring anytime soon!
I only know 2 people who retired in their 50s, a policeman who had done their 30 years service so got full police pension and a ( relatively wealthy) accountant who retired on health grounds.
Another friend semi retired late 50s ( was made redundant) but is doing a part time job to top up her pension.
I think it was more common to retire in your 50s during the 1990s due to better pensions. When I started work there were a lot of older colleagues who took redundancy and early retirement on really good packages, I think that's rarer now or maybe I'm moving in the wrong circles!

@AnyFucker We have been on some of the same threads when ive been under previous usernames. Just wanted to wish you a happy retirement

Agree with @UserNameSameGame that very likely this radio phone in hasn't really looked into the issue. Radio hosts are pretty well paid in general and if they've had a (say) 25 year broadcasting career they likely don't need to work for money. Maybe they think that's how it is for other people too.

@LindorDoubleChoc

Who has mentioned public sector jobs?

I've worked in various parts of the public sector all my life. After 35 years service my pension will be approx £14k. Not quite luxury cruises round the world territory but will be sufficient for my needs.
I'm 57, my mortgage is paid off, I have no particular financial worries, I've always had a modest life style. I do have a son going to university the year.
The only one of my friends who has retired is 60. I will be leaving my job in the next couple of months, I will be working but as a full time foster carer so a very different life to the office grind.

You'd need a pension pot of over quarter of a million to get £14k a year though, on regular pensions. Some 57 year olds might have that but statistically it's unusual. Good luck with the foster caring!

I'm 59 and my ds is 14 so I won't be retiring for at least three more years. My mortgage finishes the same month he'll finish his a-levels. I'll be 62.

I don't know anyone who retired in their 50s.

Life is how you make it. Once upon a time I thought 20 was old, 50 now is prime. Women in 40s are having babies, getting married, changing careers going to university,. Everyone has a different life tou have to be happy and make the most of it: and at least be better than being 50 and miserable becaue the radio makes you hate your life

Sadly, as my body tells me every day, I am anything but in my prime at age 50. I wish it were true, but it's not. Your body starts to deteriorate from your thirties.

I am planning on retiring within 3 years and will be early 50s. I guess this could be aimed at me but I have worked FT since I turned 16 apart from part time through a degree as a mature student. So yes it does happen but in my circle it's women who have chosen not to have children or children early and went straight back to work into a career that retire early.

If you did it differently then looking to work beyond 50/60 is naturally a different but not unusual path.

To give a bit of balance to all the PPs saying that they spent their 20s at 'Uni', then travelling before settling down to start a career in their late 20s, 30 years ago most people didn't go to university, didn't go travelling and didn't build up huge debts which they had to pay off in their 30s.

A lot start work in their late teens, and spend their 20s marrying/partnering-up, starting a family, buying a house etc. By the time they hit their 50s they've been working for 40+ years, can quite easily be grandparents and be mortgage free. I know many people like this, are semi-retired, do child care for their children and do an awful lot of travelling.

The only people I know who have retired in their 50s childfree and had a long stable marriage, so far fewer expanses. Now both about 60, one does some voluntary work, but in general, they spend a lot of time pottering and travelling in their camper van. They also keep an eye on their parents who are aging and not very well.

I met my husband late, had children and bought a house in my late 30s. I will be working for as long as I can. My husband has no private pension at all and plans to work until physically/cognitively unable to, and he has a physically demanding job. Our mortgage will be paid when I am mid 60s..

Thanks @JenniferBooth I went back part time after taking my pension at 55 though.

Thankfully I love my job as we need the money.

'Sadly, as my body tells me every day, I am anything but in my prime at age 50. I wish it were true, but it's not. Your body starts to deteriorate from your thirties.'

But it doesn't need to. I'm 59, and run three times a week, practice martial arts to maintain suppleness, and am honestly fitter than I have ever been.

Yes it takes time & effort to maintain it now. I spend maybe 6 hours a week exercising, but I have more energy, more 'bounce' than when younger.

They are talking about people like me. Was made redundant during covid aged 49. Mortgage paid off, decent amount of savings and have very generous pensions to look forward to. I now do various jobs on my own terms and only earn around £6k a year, so don't pay any tax.

No way will I be returning to full time employment. The government only have themselves to blame. If they didn't enforce those draconian lockdowns, I would still be in full
time employment paying a ridiculous amount of tax!

That's great for you but not the case for many sadly. Health is your greatest asset to enjoy your pension. To say "it doesn't need to" is silly - you can't tell that to hip replacements or dementia or cancer.

Retirement is the quickest way to age if you don’t continue to move. I love working. I don’t expect to ever slow down. I’m also fit, active and healthy. All those things are intertwined.

'That's great for you but not the case for many sadly. Health is your greatest asset to enjoy your pension. To say "it doesn't need to" is silly - you can't tell that to hip replacements or dementia or cancer.'

I know that. I'm post-BC myself.

But you have to admit there are literally millions of people who drink too much. knowingly eat rubbish when they can afford to eat better, do zero exercise and are then unhappy when they struggle.

I don't necessarily agree with this. I think it depends on the work you do. I have had jobs where you work hard but leave the job when you clock off. I have also had jobs where the hours can be erratic and long and stressful and switching off is much harder. The latter means your health can suffer especially if exercising is harder to do. I have seen people much healthier after they retired as they have the time and mind space to exercise and eat healthier than they did at work.

@RudsyFarmer

I spend 8 hours a day sat on my butt looking at a computer screen.
At weekends I spend all day running around between allotment and gym and whatever else I have to do.
'Retirement' for me will be significantly more active.
I don't get this idea that retirement equals inactivity and loss of brain cells

He is responding to this report committees.parliament.uk/committee/175/economic-affairs-committee/news/175197/early-retirement-and-our-ageing-population-are-causing-labour-shortages-says-lords-report/

Discussed here www.theguardian.com/business/2022/nov/02/i-cant-work-in-the-office-safely-the-over-50s-leaving-the-uk-labour-force as you can see from the graph in that report, there has been a significant increase in over 50s who aren't working but the reasons are fairly complex and a good chunk of it seems linked to ill health.

Thanks for linking that Mia , gives it a bit more context

This is similar to me. Mid 50's with a DD who has a 2 and a 1/2 year old. We were both late 20's. I am retiring this year with my own pensions, investments and savings and like fuck am I going to be lured back to work. Give up possibly my last ten or so healthy years and go back to work instead of all the travel and other plans me and dh have? Nah I'll let the government try and figure the economic mess out.
Also I had visited about 30 countries before I had a dc.