Offered a great job at nearly 60 and unsure whether to retire or take it, please come and tell me what you'd do, especially if you're in your 50s!

[Strawberriesandcaviar]

I'd love to know how others have handled this and would very much welcome some perspectives, so please post even if you disagree with me or have another POV, thank you.

I've been working for years and I'm good at my job but don't love it. Neither do I hate it and most days I enjoy it. I'm well paid and work remotely.

I'm 60 next year and my dilemma is this:

I've just been offered a well paid job and I'm torn between

1. Accepting it and working another few years, 5 maybe and
2. Saying "life's too short" and turning it down

If I turn it down I will stay up late, get up late, read loads, see films, spend more time with friends, visit my adult children who live a few hours away, maybe travel a bit. In other words, relax for the first time in 40+ years.

DH would be working though so I'd do it alone. We would also have a lot less money but we could cut back though and it would be fine.

If I turn it down I'll be unlikely to get another job (at 60+) so that will be it.

What did you feel about work in your late 50s?
What would you / did you do?
Did it work out?
Do you wish you'd retired earlier?

One friend said "you'd be a moron to turn it down" as it is loads of money and I like the people. So it's a WWYD.

Thanks for any and all views.

1. There is absolutely nothing stopping you from taking the job and trying it out for size. You can always quit if you realise that it’s not for you, it’s a job not something requiring a life long commitment.
2. Discuss this with your DH. He might bring up something you’ve not considered in your thoughts/plans. Plus your actions and decisions do have an impact either way on him.

fwiw. I’ve retired at 54. Yes I did try semi retirement and I did get offered what on paper, was essentially a custom made job for me. But, I’ve had enough. I have enough to keep a roof over my head and food on the table, other things have very suddenly and forcefully become my priority over the stress of working. i do think that you just somehow, deep inside, just know when you have had enough and can’t face it anymore. Plus there is the - no one knows their own expiry date conundrum. Personally, I’ve lost too many recently to both death and life changing ill health which was a factor in my own consideration as to wether to squeeze another 5 years out.

Dependent on a few things.

Whether I needed the money or not for a start. And also how much savings I have got, and how much is in my private pension pot.

Also...

I am nearly 60 and have worked since I was 16 - part time since around 30 when I had my DC, but still 25-ish hours a week. If I could retire at 60 no WAY would I choose to carry on working to 67!

If I hadn't worked very much over the years/didn't start til I was 45-50 because I had been a homemaker/stay-a-home mum, I would probably take it to boost my pension...

I must admit that I am surprised that a well-paid, really good job is being offered to someone who is so close to retirement age. (I don't mean to sound rude, it's just that a lot of employers tend to offer the better jobs to younger people!)

.

Why not take a job and see how it goes? You don’t have to commit for 5 years

I've just turned 60, and am currently negotiating my retirement. Financially it works, and I have plenty of retirement projects (biggest one is a big voluntary role for a charity type organisation that will keep me moderately busy for 3 years), can't wait now to not have to set the alarm every morning!

Don't take it. Do the leisure stuff instead.

I would take the job. You can always leave if you change your mind.

I would take it. I had a low income for a long time, have only had spare money for about six years, and I like that too much to cut back down yet. I would see if four days was an option, but even if it wasn’t I probably would take it. I’d have mental ‘break points’ built in though - two to three years being the big one.

Take it, if you don’t like it then leave.

If -

You are satisfied that you will be ok financially, emotionally, and in your headspace, then I'd retire now or asap. Life is just far too short and the pressures of a new job at 60 are a bit more stressful than when you are 30! Do you really need that for a few bob more - that you may not actually need?

I was in a similar situation. Once I knew that I could live a decent life without worrying about putting the heating on etc. and enjoying the simple pleasures in life with TIME to do them, like you after 38 years I legged it fast and took early retirement at 57. Best decision of my entire life, no regrets, none.

I'm at the same stage of life and you. And in a similar position work-wise. I'm also considering what to do with my remaining work years. My issue is although I have various interests, I just can't imagine how they fill up the days if I retire.. I'm not actively looking for a new job..I think you need to weigh up your energy levels for a new role - the responsibility involved, time to absorb the ethos and culture of the new place, your need for the additional income as against what you would do if you retire.

My husband retired a couple of months ago and he says there's never a dull moment..But what are your interests and how many of your friends are also retired or on the verge of it. I honestly couldn't encourage you one way or the other bit these would be what I'd be weighing up if it were me..Best wishes 😁

I'd take it, everyone I know that has retired before 60 has ended up going back to at least part time work. You don't have to stay till 67.

It sounds as though your pension isn't quite good enough yet to be really comfortable, you don't have plans for retirement and your DH isn't retiring yet. So I would take the job enjoy the extra cash and pension boost for a while.

If you hate it leave, if you like it stay until you stop liking it, you don't have to commit to a set period.

You can always go part time once you pass probation.

If it were me I would be planning a big trip to do together that you couldn't afford to do if you retired.

I've been weighing it up too, in the sense that financially I could retire too, I have lots of hobbies and interests, but when I have a day off during the week it makes me realise I'm not ready to spend all my days on those yet, nearly all my friends still work, it is really quiet in town on weekdays, never see anyone I know, it isn't like having extra weekend days.

Second post - somehow I didn't take in what you said you would do if you don't take the job..seems like a great lifestyle!..Changing my response now - give up work ! Life really is too short . See your children, enjoy yourself, free up your time. Meet your husband on his lunch breaks, make him nice packed lunches and give yourself a break. We're only here once. Live your life.

It would totally depend on how much it pays. What is the salary? If it’s mega bucks I’d do it for 2-3 years. I have family members who despite being slim, fit, healthy were diagnosed with horrendous chronic health conditions in their early sixties so I wouldn’t work until I dropped unless I really financially had to.

If it’s a great job, why wouldn’t you do it, assuming it’s something you love? If it turns out not to be good in reality, you can resign and retire.

I’m hoping retire early, but that’s because I’m tired of office politics. I’d still be open to a great job.

Oh, I would take the job, sounds great. It would be lovely to not have to work, but as your DH is working I think the novelty would wear off fairly quickly and then it would become frustrating that you couldn't do all those things with him.

I'd take the job. If it becomes too much for you or your DH retires while you're still in work, you can always retire from that job. It doesn't sound like you're desperate to retire quite yet and being able to stay up and get up late isn't enough of a reason imo. Are your friends and adult DC still in work? If so, your visiting with them will need to be fitted around their free times, not yours. There's only so many books you can read and films you can see and travelling on your own you can do. Usually, people who retire (even those you do it "on time" rather than early) need something to occupy their time and interest. If you don't hate your job and it's not making you ill to continue it, I'd advise taking up the offer for at least a few more years. As you say, you'll not be getting too many more such offers once you do retire should you find yourself being bored in retirement.

I love working. Take the job—one more chance. You might love it. Couple more years of cash so that you can relax will make all the difference. You don't have to do it forever. But what a chance.

If you retire now without your DH it will breed resentment on both parts. Take this from me - H retired and does NOTHING has no purpose or structure to his life. Different person. He is STBXH because of this.

When you retire, have a plan for what you want to do so you don't become aimless and directionless, particularly if work has been a central plank of your life for a long time. After the holiday vibe wears off, it will wear thin if you have no sense of purpose.

I'd take it. Give it a 6 momths to settle in and re-evaluate. Then you will have a better idea of whether you want it. You're not committing 10yrs to it.

You're not cancelling your retirement you are just postponing it a bit if it to see if this is a better option.

I'm always of the give it a try persuasion though and you sound excited by the prospect.

For those concerned about filling time when retired, my experience has been that retirement brings you into a different "zone". When I was working things got done immediately, say in the house, booking travel all that kind of stuff. Whereas now, I can do things at a more leisurely pace, getting work done etc. is not dependent on weekends, evenings and school hols etc. Mind you I think I was much more efficient when working, because I HAD to be! I just don't know where the time goes now, I am always doing something, or maybe nothing, who cares, that's retirement.

Now I can travel any time I want outside of school terms. That is such a revelation price wise, crowd wise, and even weather wise as you can get around a lot more when the weather is a bit cooler.

There are so many advantages to being the boss of your own time. Fear not, you will find plenty to do. I think we have to accept that not everyone will have the same free time even if they also are retired due to family/elderly parents/illness/ etc. commitments. So the biggest piece of advice I have is to try and be self sufficient, and develop your own interests without the need for friends, partner or kids to accompany you all the time. It is very liberating and improves confidence no end.

I'd take the job. If your dh is working then it makes more sense to retire together in a few years time.

Can you afford not to work for a possible 20+ years? I’d take it.

I retired early but I had a clear plan. I had always wanted to work for a charity but there was never an opportunity and lots of roles were also temp due to grant funding. So I volunteer, I visited a children’s hospice yesterday, I already do some voluntary work but after visiting realise that I want to do more. Whilst waiting for DH to retire I also joined U3a and walking groups. I had voluntary work 3 days a week and a walking group 2 days a week so I was out of the house every day. DH wanted to travel, when he retired we bought a Motorhome. We were away 7 weeks last year, would have been more but he had to care for his Mother for 2 months as she got cancer, now recovered. Work out what you both want to do with your time.

Im having a home day today, in the middle of painting the kitchen and about to do some gardening. But I’m out almost as much as when I worked just not nose to the grindstone.

I'm 55. I'd take it if it's a wage that reflects the nature of the work and I thought I'd like the people and was capable of the work. But I'm one of those people who likes working as long as it's in a nice workplace.

If you hate it you can leave and you're no worse off than if you retire now.