Warning: this post may cause a little envy… but only a tiny bit 😏

[Flowerofdestiny]

Does anyone in their 50s actually exist who does nothing all day?

I feel a bit silly asking this, but I’ve been wondering…

Does anyone in their 50s exist whose kids are grown, who doesn’t work full-time, and literally has days completely free of obligations?

I’m genuinely curious: is it as boring as it sounds, or actually a little paradise?

I feel a bit nosy for asking, but I’d love honest answers 😅

Why don't you tell us about you, OP?

I would be very happy not having to work for a living but I’m 100 pct sure even if that was the case I’d still work. I like my work and I like working and having an active role in society, not just as a parent and friend and partner or volunteering for something, cos volunteering is never taken as seriously as paid work. I’m in my 40ies and can’t imagine retiring early! Which is lucky since I’m not very well off and DH is self employed in the arts with no pension so we’ll probably both have to work forever, but it’s ok 😂

Have you even read the OP's posts? She doesn't say that at all. It's clearly a hypothetical question and she's not actually in that position herself.

😂😂😂

Why do you think she wants to know? Slow day at work?

I wondef if she thinks older but not elderly women who don’t work actually do nothing all day or if it was just a poor choice of words?

I retired at 58. I volunteered for a charity two days a week, though, and still do one day a week.

Many of my friends and I enjoy life together and we don’t do paid work. We raise our children now teens, and live in the country. Care for the house, exercise, have lunches, take care of the animals etc. I do voluntary work every week and study. I am always very busy. Too busy but I do enjoy the freedom to choose my days.

Everyone is in that position.

Noone lives in a vacuum.

But anyone who could retire in their 50s probably would be paying income tax. You pay tax on income from pensions, investments, rental income.

My DM. Hasn't worked since she married in her 20's. Although in her 70's now, her life has been mostly leisure & socialising as she did very little parenting, or of anything, really. She can't understand why when she calls myself (or DB) we can't just chat for an hour and why I rarely go to the shops or watch tv shows.

Her life hasn't been all rosy, though. She doesn't get consulted on anything big & not being involved financially means DF doesn't think, he just does what he wants. He just changed their car without asking her. Again.

I live pretty much the same as this but have no cats.

When these two have gone I’ll probably stop. They’re lovely, but a bind. I had three but my 17 year old died a few weeks ago.

I think there are a lot of us out there with this life, especially in the countryside.

It really depends on your expectations and what you consider to be 'secure and able to treat yourself occasionally'. Also your housing situation and whether you have a partner.

If you are mortgage free in a small home, have a partner with an income to share bills with, are good at managing your money and are happy with relatively cheap, simple things, you can live a fulfilling life on far far less than if you live in a larger home that costs more to run, especially if you live alone, and want to spend your days having expensive days out, going on cruises, driving sports cars, buying designer clothes before having dinner at the Ritz. And obviously everything in between.

But the reality is that, unless you've built up huge pensions/ISAs or inherited a large amount of money, you'll probably end up making a work vs leisure/retirement decision in that if you want more, you need to work more, so it's what you value most.

I'm in my early 50s and have worked full time since I was a teenager in a job that over the last couple of years has suddenly become quite well paid (I now earn around £75k) and comes with a good DB pension, some of which I can start taking when I'm either 55 or 57, not sure which, with not much reduction compared with the standard age 60. My pensions have also grown faster than my salary, which was held back for a number of years (public sector nonsense too boring/outing to go into) so I'm looking at pension income that is probably higher than my salary if I continue to work until I'm 67. So I'm now in a situation that I can afford to not work full time, which I don't want to do, as I'd rather have the leisure time than the money.

My current plan is to drop to 80% next year so I'll have 3 days off a week, plus annual leave - when I can start to take some of my pensions in a few years time, I'll probably drop to 50/60% - my job is very flexible in this regard and my employer is very good at reducing workload for part time workers.

I don't equate having no obligations with doing nothing all day. I have no desire to spend my days cleaning or doing things in the house and DP works away a lot so I can do whatever I want. I tend to do things like go on long walks, I live within an hour of four national parks so have unlimited opportunities for this and it can cost nothing except a bit of petrol if I take a picnic. Or I visit cities and go in galleries and museums (I have an Art Pass so get in free or cheap to a lot of places) and go out for lunch. Or go to the beach/swim or spa. I even go on 'extreme day trips' so have been to a few places in Spain, Poland and Ireland, which can generally be done for £100 or so for flight, parking, lunch etc, so not 'cheap cheap' but affordable a few times a year so I'll have a day out in the sun, swim in the warm sea, nice tapas lunch. It helps that I'm happy (and even prefer) to do things alone and can make money go further than a lot of people and there's a lot of things I spend little or nothing on (like clothes, grooming, house etc), so have money available to do the things I want to do.

I gave up work at 57 because it became too much and financially I was fortunate enough to be able to do it.

like many I suspect, my life is now filled with caring for elderlies, grand children, childrens’ pets, volunteering. If I get a day to me with no other unpaid duties it feels like taking a day’s annual leave and not telling anyone (I used to do that when I worked). The ultimate luxury.

I’ll be honest, I like the structure to my life, even if I don’t feel free.

I retired at 57 so I had a couple of years in my 50s with no obligations and could please myself. It was great! I wouldn't say I had nothing to do all day though - I was doing the things I used to dream of when I was stuck at work.

I'm 50 and a few friends, neighbours and acquaintances have been ill and died at my age or before and a good friend of mine has stage 4 cancer. I've already outlived my cousin who barely made his 30s and uncle who died of a heart attack aged 46.

Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think.

Read and weep, OP. 🤣

(Full disclosure: I didn't write this list, stole it from a similar thread. There was a longer version with more quotes but I'm too lazy to search for it).

My sil is 44, rich and has NEVER had a job, lucky her! She has no trouble filling her day and has a great life.

Dp earns the money then gives it to me. Why would I feel oppressed?

I haven't worked in 8 years and bloody love it! I got to go shopping without ds today and have a long lunch with a friend. Going to the gym now.

My friend is married to the son of a billionaire and sometimes I have to block her on social media because her life is one long holiday.

I dont work, I was able to be a sahm with my sons, both in 30s now. I lunch, dressmake, walk my dogs for miles, spend time with friends and family etc....
I also volunteer for a small homeless charity, something I am so passionate about, being literally close to home.
I feel totally fulfilled!

My DSis married a very high earner and has never worked a day in her life.

My DH works 80 hours a week for a signficant amount of money, which allows me to be a SAHM and indulge myself, allow me to do all of my volunteering and my hobbies.

I work just a few hours a week in a job I love doing, I don’t have to work for financial reasons. I’ve accidentally ended up with a really high earning DH. I enjoy having lots of time to myself, I have hobbies, an amazing spa membership and an extremely fortunate to have some really good friends whom I’m able to see nearly every week.

My SIL is lucky enough to not have to work due to DB’s income. She has nice things, goes out for lots of lunches.

I'm a SAHM who has teenage children and is fortunate to be married to a high earner so I haven't needed to work since having kids. We do have a lifestyle that most people would find impressive.

I choose not to work. DH works really long shifts and odd hours so can be out of the house either days or nights, with each week being different. When the kids are grown I'll go and get some post-sahm work. Maybe in a shop, factory, cafe or something similar.

The funniest post was Monday morning when she started by posting “it’s going to be a long week, hoping the nanny isn’t late” followed by “anyone know a place I can get nails done, not happy with the place I’ve been going as I think they overcharge and wanting a day to pamper myself a bit.”

I feel lucky that I don't need to work. I am not getting any benefits because dh earns enough.

I'm lucky in that I didn't have to carry on working.

I am lucky enough not to work and stay at home with my son, as DH is a high earner. I feel extremely grateful for this every day, and try very hard not to take it for granted.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3764425-To-think-you-are-very-lucky-if-you-dont-have-to-work

Yes, me. I’m mid 50s and can no longer work due to disabilities. I worked for over 30 years till I was forced to stop, so no-one better call me a scrounger! To be honest, I don’t really care what people think about me any longer.

I don’t have kids of my own, and no real responsibilities, but still the usual worries; elderly parents, stepkids, grandkids.

I hated working, especially towards the end when it was just a miserable, painful experience every day, so I’m happy as I am. I have a hobby which I love and a fabulous husband who thinks I’m fabulous, too.

I feel the total opposite! Working to pay for a shareholder's yacht isn't really my idea of a life purpose. I'd rather be living the life he does!

My purpose would be to enjoy my life to the fullest. Working 50+ hours doesn't give me much time to do the stuff I'd love to.

I manage three gym sessions a week but I'd love to train Thai boxing and Brazilian jujitsu like I did in my 20s. Maybe do some amateur competitions. Get back into music production. Have time to read books (haven't read one in a few years). Go and stay with friends etc. Travel.

I think I'd still struggle to do it all even as a lady of leisure!

Super rich people make the biggest contributions by far, though.

I know someone in this position.she was a sahm but the DC are now at uni.

She's completely dependent on her husband, she is basically his housekeeper. She has access to the family money but her not working was always a slightly sore spot with him once the kids were at school, so she spends nothing so that he can't grumble.

She's quite boring. Her life revolves around walking the dog and cleaning her house. They go on holiday a lot. She also comes across as quite "old", she's bad with technology and stuff. I think working keeps you mentally agile, if you don't use your brain you lose it.

@HoskinsChoice Pensions and other investments are taxed.

I was planning to retire in January aged 55 when I’d finished paying off my 4 current mortgages. My pension will always be shit so I made other investments.
DH still had 8 years left of work. I got laid off last October so I started a new business and then did an Agentic AI course. Now I’m hoping to make my first million in the next year or two. I’m doing something amazing and infinitely interesting. I figure I’ve got 8 years to get it to self sustaining with me as a board member going forward or to sell out.

@C95 she was replying to someone who said in about taxes and then in a post immediately after that she wanted this life at 33. Most people seem to have missed this was directed at someone in their early 30s.

Sorry but being a house wife ? Not a SAHP so caring for children but just looking after the house. I mean knock yourself out if it works for you but no you are not contributing.