I don't want to work anymore!

[ettieb]

I'm 55 and have been working since I was 16 apart from a couple of years off when my son was little. I'm so over working. I don't hate my job.. I've worked there a long time... with lovely people.. my boss is great and I can choose whether I work from home or go into the office or a bit of both.. so I know I'm very lucky but I just want freedom to do what I want when I want. It doesn't help that a lot of my friends are retired and do lovely things which I want to join in with. I can't believe I've got to do this for another 12 years... there are no options for me financially to go part time. We are on holiday at the moment in Devon.. nothing fancy.. just a caravan and cooking for ourselves mostly as we can't really afford to eat out... but I'm as happy as Larry... just knitting.. doing crosswords.. generally bimbling around doing my own thing. I just think I wanted to moan!

i think there is a difference between people who start working straight after school as well. Politicians who set the rules will likely have started full time work at 21. Older ones not have student debt so not had to work term time.

They are also set by people that work in offices and have not done physically challenging jobs. Mostly men and I bet a lot are not sharing childcare with their partners.

Both our fathers died in their 50s. My mum at 60. Worked hard all their lives and no retirement. When we got married we decided that we wanted to retire early.
We both took out private pensions. We have an adult DC with learning difficulties. This meant that I never reached my full potential in my career. My choice but it did restrict our income considerably. We bought a home not a house for investment.
I gave up my part time work when special school ended. I also have a couple of autoimmune diseases. DH took early retirement. Best thing we ever done. I now get a break from caring as he is around more. We both can pursue our hobbies and chill. We take our DC on great adventures. Not first class but suite us. We are building up memories and experiences for DC. We know that one day he will have to go into supported living or a home but in the mean time he gets a full life. Once we are gone there will be no one to give him the extra experiences.

Or change what you do. I work 4 on, 5 off so have a lot of free time to bimble around with my other half, walking, lunching, reading, crocheting, sleeping in late etc....The obvious downside is I'm bloody knackered for the other half the week 😂

I feel the same Op, late 50s and still have to work for 4 more years. I honestly don't know what I would have done if I was still working full time in an office and had a daily commute!

the OP was talking about just knitting.. doing crosswords. A social life, and physical and mental activities are essential to keep you healthy and young. Look at the horrendous effect of the lockdown on so many people.... boredom and isolation are not good.

You're one of those people who simply cannot comprehend that not everyone enjoys the same things as you, aren't you?

Not everyone withers on the vine the moment they give up work, FFS. Maybe you would need to fill your life with organised activities and goals to be happy and youthful, but plenty of us don't. Plenty of people are just really good at occupying themselves off their own steam.

Not everyone feels 'boredom and isolation' when they're not working and/or surrounded by people. Lockdown had a horrendous effect on some people, certainly, but plenty of people emerged from it perfectly happy and unscathed. However, lockdown isn't a remotely comparable situation to retirement anyway, because if the OP was retired she wouldn't be confined to her house and banned from seeing people, so retirement wouldn't prevent her from doing any of things you claim would 'keep you healthy and young'.

but he travelled, did hobbies... My point was about pottering around, doing knitting and gardening

Gardening is a (very) physical activity. Knitting is a hobby. A crossword is a mental activity.

In any case, I'm pretty sure that the OP just gave knitting and crosswords as an example. I think you'd have to be pretty literal-minded to think these were the only things she would ever do with her time if she gave up work.

Exactly!

When my own dad retired, he was immediately miles happier, much more physically active, and looked about ten years younger than he did when he was working. He had many years of happy retirement before he eventually became disabled through Parkinson's.

Do it as early as you can. Retirement in your 50s is amazing.

I find that I don't need a lot of money. I don't want stuff. Time is the most precious thing to me and even now I feel so thankful every day that my time is my own and I'm young enough to enjoy it. I never get bored.

57 here, I will be working until I am physically unable. I made poor life decisions when I was young. This is the payback. That doesn't mean I won't complain or be resentful. We only get one short life and waste it lining the pockets of others so they can enjoy theirs to live hand to mouth.
I have to take pleasure from what I can and I won't put working before that anymore. Employers don't give one shiny shit about me, I'm not caring a jot about targets etc I did that for years, it did me no favour.

I totally agree. I retired at 53 and I’m loving life. I do what I want, when I want and I’m not withering away.

Not everyone withers on the vine the moment they give up work, FFS. Maybe youwould need to fill your life with organised activities and goals to be happy and youthful, but plenty of us don't. Plenty of people are just really good at occupying themselves off their own steam.

Medical research has proven that people do need to do something and have a life...

I don't believe you need pay employment to have a fulfilling life, on the contrary, there's not enough time in the day or days in the month to make the most of what the world has to offer. I pity people who shrink their world and close themselves in a tiny bubble doing not much wasting their life or opportunities.

It's well known, just google the research!, that active people stay younger and fitter.

I'm 47 and would love to retire. I've been working full time and raising children as a single parent with barely any financial help and I hate that the responsibility for everything falls on me. I am desperate for a break just to do what I want. Travel, write, gardening, socialising. Whatever. It would all keep me far younger than working is.

The point about retirement is that it gives you choices. If you are missing work you can get a job with hours that suit you, or volunteer in an area that interests you- plant trees, help at foodbanks or sports activities. If you are missing company you can join clubs. You can focus on the things you enjoy, improve your health and wellbeing, just slob about in front of the tv all day if that's what you want to do.

You can explore your interests, learn about new things, have a go at activities you've always fancied trying. Gardening, growing your own ingredients, making jam, trying new recipes. One of the greatest perks is going away for a few days to a new area to explore as holiday rentals are so much cheaper out of season and less busy too. You can also embrace the rebellious teenager in you, stay up gaming all night and sleep all day if you want 😆

That's the whole point. You do what you want for the first time in your life. You live your retirement, not someone else's.

It's so liberating and limitless really.

I was able to retire at 50. I have taken up sailing. DH and I are going to buy a yacht (not an expensive one)and we will sail around the coast of UK for a couple of years and then who knows...Not everyone gets bored in retirement!

I am lucky I have DC still around, all still in education and DH still works 4 days a week but will drop in the next 5 years.

I am never bored and I am physically very fit. We just got fed up with chasing our own tails, both working flat out.

I retired at 55 and must say it’s the best thing ever. Obviously you need to be able to afford to live, but if you can, do it!

@ismu being retired and extremely rich is a bit different! ££ makes so much difference to retirement.

Retirement aged my dad terribly and hastened his death - and in fact studies on longevity usually show retiring to be a negative thing for a long life. Having a sense of purpose is not to be underestimated.

Obviously it all depends on so many factors - whether you like your job, how much ££ you have, whether you’re an introvert or not and so on.

I stopped work at age 47. It's in no way boring or aging and I think I look way younger than my contemporaries who work.

Why wouldn't I? My time is my own to work on my health and well being and to enjoy my friends and family.

I have hobbies that bring me joy and volunteer for a cause that is important to me.

None of us know how much time we have left and all of us should make active decisions as to how we can best spend that that time. Funding retirement is the hard part, if you can make it work,crack on! Not working has reduced my monthly expenditure hugely. No travel costs, no work clothes, no envelope contributions at work, no work parties and events, no lunches and coffees at work, and time to plan and cook meals at home and no need for convenience foods, able to go on holiday at cheaper times etc etc.
OP have you made a budget for your life post retirement? If not, perhaps it might cost less than you imagine.

Money makes a difference though.

if you are struggling to afford to retire chances are you may get bored. Travel, hobbies, and exciting activities won’t be possible simple because you can’t afford it.

if you’re rich you can afford to travel anywhere and do anything. Very different lifestyle.

if I won the lottery I’d retire tomorrow and spend my life flying round the world. As it is if I retired tomorrow I’d have enough to pay my bills, but I’d be sat at home not going anywhere.

You really don't need a lot of money. I've been thrifty my whole life (which helped get to early retirement) and I rarely buy anything that isn't essential. I just don't like stuff. It all ends up in landfill one day anyway. As long as you can pay your bills and have some left over, you'll be fine.

My activities are chosen within my budget which is plenty for me. Many activities are free or minimal cost anyway. There is something for everyone out there. If you need more spends, just get a little part time job or even a seasonal one.

Obviously if you're poor you won't be retiring early anyway and if you have to work until you're 67 you are less likely to have a long, healthy retirement. Especially as most of us will be knackered working to that age.

Me too. I'm 43 and I actually don't think I'll be able to retire until I drop dead such are our finances.
I love being at home and pottering about, not even doing anything fancy really. I also quite like my job. I just don't want to do it.

Love the word 'bimbling'!

We can't afford to retire early but have bought a campervan and we've been away loads this year at weekends. We've been using a days holiday for a few Fridays off so some long weekends.

I do love my job though (DH doesn't love his so much).

I do realise that that would not be everyone's idea of fun but we enjoy it. I'm not really into loads of holidays abroad on a plane.

I was lucky enough to be able to retire at 58 after 38 years of full time work without breaks other than holiday - voluntary early exit scheme. 4 years in and I have never been bored. Go to the gym 4 times a week including swimming, read, socialise with friends, travel. I'm happier than I've ever been. Certainly don't think retirement has aged me!

I do realise that that would not be everyone's idea of fun but we enjoy it. I'm not really into loads of holidays abroad on a plane.

The UK is a wonderfully diverse country to explore and small enough to be able to do a little bit at a time.

I'm really looking forward to it... I'm 54. I will retire early, but not yet, and I too look forward to just bumbling about doing the garden, cooking, sewing etc.

There's no space for creativity for me, at the moment.