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 .

Sorry that quoted wrong & was aimed at @LAvortonDeLaLitière but agreeing with Mysaxisonfire
Apologies

Yeah me too 🥺.
I've carried on but honestly, I've never recovered, physically or mentally.

7 days teaching left and then I'm out of there! Going to be emotional but definitely the right thing to do.

I just can't go on. I'm 63. I've worked out if I save hard I can save enough to pay off my mortgage in 11 months.
After that I will have more options such as working 3 days a week or doing something else.
I've worked in the NHS with CPTSD for 45 years and I'm done. My brain needs to rest.

Are you in the 1995 pension? And if so, are you already taking it?

Bloody hell. Amazing. Did you settle in Portugal or travel around? Did you have enough funds to live off forever or have you gone back into work?

@MyLov I had 6 months in a rental in the north, then 6 months in the Algarve before finding the area where I've settled down. Met my partner a year later and have tried various projects before finding my passion (remedial hypnosis) 3.5 years ago.

Oh good for you! Sounds fantastic.

I'm now thinking of retiring totally rather than reduce to 3 days.

Has something happened to prompt that?

I've just found a pension pot I didn't know I had. Not huge but will be enough to fund another couple of years. Has certainly got me thinking.

I think once the idea gets into your head it just keeps going round and round and you can’t stop thinking about it.

My DM isn't in the best of health and I'd rather be looking after her than shuffling paperwork and sending emails.

I’ve already clocked out too….
weve got an inheritance coming to us which would just about pay off the balance on our mortgage, clearing the last bit left (a couple of years worth) But, omg, even having had probate given it’s taking ages to sell their property so it could be like asking how long a piece of string is…….
early 60s and just can’t do this anymore……..love the people but hate the job……having my days dictated by the 40 hours spent in an office staring at a screen. No way are we going to be well off but have enough to manage until the SP kicks in later on…
And have considered part time, but this job doesn’t really lend itself to that. Besides I’d just end up doing the same amount but just getting more stressed for less money……feck that!

I worked out I needed 18 months at full time to reach the savings goal I set myself - now I'm trying to work out if i can manage on a lower figure. The only issue is as I am self employed I already have work for next year booked in.......

I think partial retirement in the same job only works if you can agree a clear reshaped job, otherwise, and especially if your manager is a tosser, you can find yourself run into the ground trying to deliver a full-time job in reduced hours and on reduced pay.

I'm very close. I'm giving myself 3 more years, so I have the cash to see the kids through Uni, then I'm stopping.

Well.. Not stopping exactly, just not doing work for other people any more, I'm going to just do what I want to do and see how it goes.

I plan to spend a whack on ‘friends of’ things and live in the cinema, theatre and galleries of Edinburgh. I was at an exhibition today and it’s £45 for a Friends of the National Galleries which means a year of every major exhibition (and of course, many of the galleries are already free). Odeon Unlimited is £17 a month. My gym is £80. I reckon for £120 a month I could basically never be in.

I invested an inheritance ten years ago for this very purpose. Going in 17 months at 55 when I can also get my NHS pension. DH has moved to a new role on a short term contract in preparation and also going next June at 55. 100%. Both mentally clocked out already.

I have a while to go, but I have dropped to 4 days now and it’s frankly liberating.

What a great thread… I’m still working v part time. Really thinking about quitting this year

It is amazing how that one day makes such a difference isn’t it.

I went down to 4 days 18 months before I finally retired. My Friday off was my favourite part

Can I ask what average pension pots are? Unfortunately I still have 8 years on mortgage and children to see through uni. I was laid off and had 3 months at home and it was SO GOOD! Got a new job but my hearts not in it! But need to work at least another few years!

I retired at the end of the academic year. I've still got one more salary to get at the end of the month.
My pension is just under £19k, I've got a lump sum to invest plus I started a SIPP last year. I also have £7k a year from another income stream.

Ive also just got a very flexible, self employed part time (part time for me anyway) role which I can do as much or as little as I want. I could do 3 hours a week or or 60 but I will only get paid for what I do. I'm going to do 18 hours a week to start off with and see how I go. That should give me a part time income of about £15k once I allocated tax and NI.

I have no mortgage and no debts, kids are self sufficient and my partner is self employed but still working for now.

It's exciting to see where this next phase of my life takes me.

I've only gone and emailed my boss and asked for a meeting to discuss dropping another day. I was going to do it at the back end of last year but life got in the way. (I'm currently working 4 days).
He's on the path to retirement too so I'm hoping he will understand.

Oooo you’re getting closer