Did anyone else have a "fuck it, I'm retiring" moment?

[MrsMoastyToasty]

I'm in my late 50s, mortgage paid off, have worked since the age of 18. I'm so close to jacking my job my job in .

Man I would have loved to have done this unfortunately crappy old brexit has made it much harder for people to leave now.
Also involve making all of our almost adult children homeless.
But I will live vicariously through you!!

Yes, yet another Brexit "bonus" 🙄 Thankfully I had an Irish grandmother so managed to get a passport alongside my Portuguese residency card.

I might dump my very English DH and marry a European 😂

I don’t think I’m ready to stop working yet but lately I’m feeling disenchanted with my job. Plus some health issues amongst friends and family have made me think.

I’m reducing my working days soon, will have to see how that works out in terms of my workload. Will probably look to reduce them further in a couple of years when youngest finishes uni, I’m going to keep an eye out for a job within walking distance. Getting rid of the car would save quite a bit & is feasible as I really only need it for commuting.

Today's madness has pushed me one step closer. Day trip to London from oop North, got up at 5.30am and checked trains were ok. Major disruption with 80% of trains cancelled, replacement bus services and advice not to travel unless essential. Messaged manager to tell him that I wouldn't be traveling, and reasons why. He tried to insist I try and get there, even if I was hours late. Told him (politely) to go fuck himself.

@Decorhate I've still got a DS in school (year 13) so that's why I've decided to reduce hours initially. I went back to work when he was 5 months old and as an older mum I just think I'm due a break.
Still waiting to hear back from HR though...

Someone needs to do some research into whether the very high rates of workforce-exit among over 50s in the UK (compared with other countries) are linked to the fact than the UK’s cities, other than London and a few cities in the SE, are poorly connnected both within and to each other by both car and public transport.

In the US, Australia and one or two UK cities like Milton Keynes, you can get around the city easily by car, they have big roads and driveways and loads of parking everywhere.

In Most Western European cities and in London, you can get around the city easily by public transport, with good trains and trams etc.

In most UK cities, both driving and public transport work poorly and it is hard to get about from place to place, with PT pretty hopeless and drivers stuck in traffic jams and parking problems. That makes commutes pretty awful. It also makes it much harder to get a new job or use the threat of leaving to get better terms at a workplace, because the pool of job you can actually commute to is likely to be very limited. Population growth and aging infrastructure, meanwhile, are making the issues gradually worsen.

Retired at 55 from high paying job that I had been in for 25 years, in my retirement I travelled a fair bit for 3 years (have 5 children and 2 grandchildren and elderly parents, so also busy with them), enjoyed lots about it, got bored at lack of intellectual stimulation, was drifting to be honest,. Have gone back for short term contract of 6 months. Not sure how I feel about it really - but my brain was seizing up, and overall I think I am I'm glad I went back. I don't love the relentless 7am starts, I don't love the fact that I am no longer at the top of my game, and I get tired, and many people that I knew have retired themselves But I am loving the proper work (the intellectual challenge). When I retire again in 4 months time, I think I will treat retirement differently, having just had to work really hard again. In summary, I would say, go if you can, and you can afford it, but don't underestimate what it does to you mentally, and it is not always a good as you might think. Hope this is helpful.

What would you do differently next time you retire?

I'm currently stuck in a "one-more-year" loop. I'm confident I'll get enough intellectual stimulation pursuing my hobbies and that I won't miss work, but I'm a bit less confident about the financial aspect, so it's only the salary that keeps me working.

I read somewhere that people make all sorts of plans to do new things in retirement but the reality is that most carry on doing the same things they always have.

Based on my own observations, I think there is some truth in this.

No but I'm getting close!!

I can see why that would be the case for those who haven't been able (or willing) to find time to do these things at least to some degree during their working years. I don't really have a "bucket list" to pursue in retirement, I'd simply like to spend more time on my current hobbies than I'm able to whilst working.

I did that one more year thing for at least 2-3 years before I went. I think it is sometimes an indication that you are not 100% convinced you want to go. When I retired the first time, I wasted quite a lot of time, and became quite reclusive. The former is probably OK in small doses - there is something quite peaceful about sitting and doing absolutely nothing. But in combination with being reclusive meant that I was starting to get into that thing where the less you do, the less you CAN do - where having more than one or two things to do in a day was blown out of proportion. Now I am back at work, I just think, yeah, two more things to do, shove 'em on the pile. So, I think my answer is that I will build in a bit more structure AND do more things that are externally focused. Not huge changes, but enough to stop me drifting and getting old before my time.

I think I'm having one today. An internal all staff event and the amount of self serving, self congratulatory nonsense is through the roof.

I don't feel part of these people who just love the sound of their own voices.

Very interesting insights @TheVofR. I'm on the wind down (reduced my working week) but one of the few people I know who has thrived and remained interesting post conventional retirement is still working but at something completely different. They can shape their own working time. For other retirees, I always hear the "I don't know how I fitted in working" but they never seem to be doing anything that those still working aren't also doing. Your "the more you have to do, the more you do" observation does resonate with me.

Ideal retirement world be intense activity at something for a few months then then a four to six month break. So, a Christmas market or summer festival type thing. I have no skills to do this but it would be a good balance, I think.

God yes, that kind of stuff drives me absolutely nuts!!

So, a Christmas market or summer festival type thing.

I'm pondering something like that for next year. I used to do a few and loved the market experience - and it meant my hobby paid for itself. But when working it used up.leave days and I didn't really have time to make the stuff, sell the stuff and do the paperwork (it was something that required quite a bit of compliance admin).

I do 6 days on and 6 days off. I'm also getting an lump sum from the sale of my late mums house. I'm going to pay that into an isa for 5 years and then retire, I'm 56

My hand has just been forced. Negotiating my exit right now.

Yes, the early retirement offer was too good to miss and 20 years later I've never regretted it for a minute.

What’s happened?

@VaddaABeetch can't really say, but it's all a bit unpleasant.

sorry to hear that, I hope you come through it quickly & out the other side to a happier future

I've had the same thought A good friend of mine lives in Germany and is now a German citizen so I might marry her (not sure what her partner would think of that arrangement ;) )

DH wants to retire. Sticking point is DS still at uni though he finishes next year.

Second sticking point is losing private health insurance. Which to be honest is a big one.

I've got the reduced hours I requested! DH has also drawn 25% of his pension so we're coasting into retirement.