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54, had enough of the daily slog so I'm not going to do it anymore....

507 replies

erikbloodaxe · 25/05/2023 07:06

Well I have plan at least.

  1. Sell this house
  2. Buy little house
  3. Give notice at current job.
  4. Find remote PT job
  5. Earn enough to cover outgoings (no mortgage thankfully)
  6. Spend my time doing what makes me happy.

I'm not spending what time I have left bloody working full time. The time between now and retirement will just be wasted years.

Wish me luck! Adventures here I come Grin

OP posts:
Thread gallery
13
Crikeyalmighty · 26/05/2023 17:13

There are some people on here who induce the feeling of complete doom and panic in being older. Yes, I'm afraid lots of people will have to rely on the state - sorry about that- which is maybe why some of you might have showed a bit more concern in ever upward house prices and rents and a lack of social housing-.forcing a lot of people on average earnings into positions where they simply cannot buy in vast swathes of the country and struggle with huge rents too. Maybe if we had all had lower rents and mortgages we could have paid more into pensions and savings etc.

Crikeyalmighty · 26/05/2023 17:14

Oh and good on you OP!

yphtutor · 26/05/2023 17:54

Go girl! 👏

Zippedydoo123 · 26/05/2023 17:55

erikbloodaxe · 26/05/2023 10:46

If I need care I'll top myself..... save anyone being troubled..... does that make you feel better now Confused

My mum used to say that she would jump off Beachey Head rather than go in a nursing home but when it came down to it she had a major stroke so she had to be taken care of. Unfortunately we often have very little say as to our end of life care.

LolaLu1980 · 26/05/2023 18:05

Absolutely love this….❤️

Mercyovermerit · 26/05/2023 18:06

Love eeeeet !!!!! 🙌🙌🙌🙌

TheMousePipes · 26/05/2023 18:11

yepgoingforarun · 26/05/2023 16:46

Would you ever consider reducing from 5 days?

I also love my job but having days off during the week - absolute game changer to overall quality of life.

I’ve only gone back up to 5 days a week this year (previously 3.5). I have a lot of new students and I don’t like to turn enthusiastic kids down so I decided to fill my week back up. Now dd is older I’m happy to have more to do during the week. As I say, I love my job!

user1485851222 · 26/05/2023 18:15

Do it, I have.. left my full time job at 59, moved from inner city, to coastal resort. I'm now 60, I've taken on a PT role, 15 hrs per week, not for the money, but to get to know the people in my community. Leaves me plenty of time for me & hubby to do what we want & if I don't like the role, I will leave. You are right, life is too short, enjoy...

Amboseli · 26/05/2023 18:25

@yepgoingforarun I have a great life now, I love my job, DCs are happy and doing well at school and uni. Lovely friends and family and extremely fortunate to have enough income to go on multiple holidays, eat out etc. despite COL crisis.

We're not wishing a decade away, just thinking about and planning for the exciting next chapter in our lives and making sure we're financially on track which fortunately we are.

Amboseli · 26/05/2023 18:30

@TheMousePipes absolutely see you at Heathrow!

We're buying a one way ticket to our first destination and will make our way around the world with no set plan, going wherever we feel like by plane, train, bus, car and staying for as long or as little as we want. A retirement gap year.

SerendipityJane · 26/05/2023 18:34

FreeFink · 26/05/2023 16:54

Go for it, OP. Have fun!

@SerendipityJane I'm interested in what you said... why will early retirees be the next focus of the nudge unit? I tend to think that any group who are less easy to manipulate may get slammed - is this what you mean? Because getting out of wage slavery often means more time to genuinely think??

The current political messaging of all parties doesn't really work on people who don't claim benefits and don't need to work. They are - as I heard recently "a pain in the arse".

Luckily the UK has the "nudge unit" for such cases. When all else has failed. When you have nowhere else to turn to. They will save your skin.

Never forget how classist the UK is. The ability to not have to work and do what you what, rather than what you need to has up until now been the preserve of the landed gentry.

Everyone was faux shocked when Susan Hussey was apparently racist recently. rather overlooking the fact that it was much more a class than a race thing going on (with a touch of that world famous English misogyny baked into the class system).

Also a bunch of folk with plenty of time on their hands might be inclined to look deeper into what happens around them. Not sure that's in the interests of any government.

Just a thought. Won't stop me though.

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 26/05/2023 18:34

This is a brilliant idea. Do it now and live while you still have health and energy. My parents had plans to travel the world when my Dad retired, and just before he retired he was diagnosed with kidney failure. They still travelled but could only go short-haul and to places where they had dialysis clinics that could treat him. Had they started on their travel plans a decade earlier they could have had a wonderful time.

Blueisthecolour1 · 26/05/2023 18:36

When I’m 54 my youngest will be 18.5 and I may well be inclined to do the same. My God that feels like a long way off

supersop60 · 26/05/2023 18:40

Stripedbag101 · 25/05/2023 15:22

Will you not be drawing a state pension?

Probably not until she's 68 or even older.

Happygirl79 · 26/05/2023 18:40

Good luck to you OP. Live your life to your own rules Be happy and grateful for everything you have. We shouldn't have to work till we drop

supersop60 · 26/05/2023 18:43

Great idea OP since you can afford it. My DM retired at 56 and had about 6 years of travelling and fun until she developed Alzheimers. Died from cancer at 66. I'm so glad she took early retirement.
I'm 63 and looking to reduce my days, but will probably have to work for ever.😕

willWillSmithsmith · 26/05/2023 18:50

Sounds perfect to me. Go for it and enjoy every second 👍

MrsCarson · 26/05/2023 18:50

Do it it sounds like a great plan.
Dh and I sold up and moved, and for the last 10 years I've worked part time 24 hours and he's stayed home and looked after that side of things. We love it. Now we are 60 and last Dd will go off to Uni in Sept, and the following year we will fully retire. I fancy another downsize but Dh says he's staying put we'll see

bobster31 · 26/05/2023 19:15

This is literally what I dream of nearly every day - it sounds bloody awesome! I have a real hankering for a very simple life and actually living a bit. I've had financial responsibilities since I was 21 and would love the freedom to do what I want, when I want and sod everyone else!

Densol57 · 26/05/2023 19:33

I retired at 48 - UK
will never work again
I spend most of my life on holiday - currently in Disney Florida x

DozyDelia · 26/05/2023 19:37

@SusanMaria Do you genuinely believe that the state pension alone is going to give anyone a comfortable retirement? In ten years' time it may have lost even its current value.

Depending on how much NI someone has paid, their pension at the moment could be as low as £8K a year (not an exact figure but close.)

This is why some old people have been freezing throughout the last cold spell, with potential utility bills of £3K pa.

I think you have got me wrong. I've worked p/t for the majority of my career, a decision taken by me and DH. If you think some people on this thread are jealous, I'm not one of them because I've put work-life balance at the top of my list for almost 40 years.

But as professionals (me and DH) we have accumulated a very substantial pot of savings as well as pensions that are very good.

It's because I know we are financially sound in our retirement (I still do some work) that I raised this issue with the OP.

As for your claim that state care homes are good where you are- well, that's great. But they weren't for my late MIL, or other people I know.

And as for @erikbloodaxe topping herself rather than go into care, most people in care have dementia, and no capacity to carry out their own euthanasia!

DozyDelia · 26/05/2023 19:38

Densol57 · 26/05/2023 19:33

I retired at 48 - UK
will never work again
I spend most of my life on holiday - currently in Disney Florida x

How do you pay for this?

Noangelbuthavingfun · 26/05/2023 19:40

erikbloodaxe · 25/05/2023 07:06

Well I have plan at least.

  1. Sell this house
  2. Buy little house
  3. Give notice at current job.
  4. Find remote PT job
  5. Earn enough to cover outgoings (no mortgage thankfully)
  6. Spend my time doing what makes me happy.

I'm not spending what time I have left bloody working full time. The time between now and retirement will just be wasted years.

Wish me luck! Adventures here I come Grin

I wish I had your courage! Amazing and well done. Keep us posted !

Restinggoddess · 26/05/2023 19:40

I did this last September

You will not regret it - life is for living

restingbitchface30 · 26/05/2023 19:44

Yes, yes, yes to all of this! This is what I plan on doing too! Good luck to you, go enjoy your life xx