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 .

Retired through medical grounds four years ago at 57. I honestly don't miss it at all, toxic environment, didn't realise how much my health was being impacted. In fact it has taken these four years to fully understand and accept that I was not happy in my role and it was making me ill.
Now my days are slower, relaxed more frugal and I have time to do whatever I fancy on the day, no planning ahead due to not knowing how I will feel any particular day, and just enjoying the simple things in life. And no more bullshit pointless meetings, two-faced people and thinking I have to justify every little thing I did. So if you can retire early, do it. Oh, and something that grinds my gears is when people say, 'What do you do all day'? and It must be boring. I now have quality time to pursue hobbies and take care of myself which I never had whilst at work.

Yes at 45, been through a messy divorce & 4 operations in 9 months, was off sick & realised I just couldn't face going back to office politics & making my face fit any more. I just stayed on sick leave until they finished me & then pushed to get ill health retirement & got my pension. For the first time, I was a SAHM & actually felt like a proper mum doing the school run every day, doing housework & shopping while ds was at school, no stress, it was the time I properly bonded with ds, my mat leave had been clouded with a combination of pnd & caring for exh who had just been diagnosed with MS, then having to cope with a baby, caring for exh & going back to work, it was the first time I had felt free from all the stress.

I’m sad because I don’t think I’ll ever be able to buy a home

having a home paid off is essential to retire

private pension is useless without one

so I don’t think I ever will

but my aunt did, she’s very happy

It’s not working she hated she says, if she could work alone she’d work forever, she loved it

its the people there that made me her want to retire

Yes, me 15 months ago. Long into my second career in education as a data manager. Talking to my mum, ex teacher, on the phone in August last year. I break down. I'm in my 50s - no spring chicken. But clearly enough was enough. This July, I resigned - off to do a Masters. The school has squandered the 2 month notice I gave. Their choice not mine; I left last Friday. I'm not retired but am moving on.

Yes, done it. Retired at 57 ... always planned on 55 but pension rules changed dramatically so could not. Glad we've done it, spend significant time overseas in winter and enjoying life. I put half my salary into my pension in final year, genius tax dodge.

Look at doing AVCs before you retire ... I put in half my salary in my last year and got it all back tax free as part of my 25% lump sum ... labour may carbosh that though in forthcoming budget

I'm not 64 yet until the end of this year. Born late 1960. Definitely have to go until I'm 67.

Best thing ever is when dh retires on same day at 57!

Just be cautious about‘retirement ‘ husband retired three years ago and has hobbies ie a boat , climbing,skiing but he slowed down mentally! He is now working two days a week in a job that is not too mentally taxing but has given him a routine again ! And funds his boat
I work very part time as a nurse but enjoy the banter with work colleagues.

Yes! 4 months ago. I was in a good job but treated badly. Mortgage & cars paid up, husband still working. We talked about it, he knew I'd been unhappy for about a year or so, went through the figures several times & I resigned. Haven't regretted it for one moment. I've caught up with friends I didn't have time for. Getting fitter & lost nearly 2 stone because I have time to exercise, plan meals etc. about to declutter the house! I've got all sorts of plans. I may take a part time job or volunteer if I get bored but it's unlikely at the moment.

That sounds amazing 😊

Yes multiple times per day, usually when a customer is swearing at me or a supervisor is telling me to work faster, but I'm only 40 so I have about 27 more years untill I can say "fuck it, I'm retiring" and actually mean it

Had no interest in retiring and loved my teaching related job. That ended and I went back into the primary classroom, part time, at 62. I was just wiped out in the evenings. I had a small pension that could have kicked in at 60 and took a manageable hit on my teacher pension.

Gave my notice in at October half term and finished last Christmas. Love it so much more than I expected. I've found some flexible volunteering, do a lot of exercise, am slowly sorting out the house, do a bit of caring for elderly parents, a bit of socialising, a lot of time on my creative hobby. I'm having a ball!

Having said that, I had a truly terrible lockdown and I think I learned a lot from that about my need to feel connected and useful.

My generation expected to retire at 60. I made it to 63 and feel very slightly bad about leaving the workforce. But I still pay tax and I'm definitely making something of a contribution to society. It's potentially a long time to potter about if you could live to your 90s, though, so I do think you need a plan. I'm sure you will find the right time for you.

Was that after the lettuce outlasted your tenure as Prime Minister?

I had a 'between 50 and 55' plan, with the expectation of going at 52ish.

But we got a new chief executive, who managed entirely by 2 alternating catchphrases.

And I was assigned to manage a project that should have been done by the grade above - but of course given no more money to do so. I was given an 'assistant' for the project who was the grade above, and paid more than I was, and was worse than useless - created extra work for me instead of reducing it.

HR did a couple of unforgivable things. Meanwhile, my investments did a bit better than expected, so 'before 52' started looking increasingly possible.

Then I had to renew various bits of annual online training - looked at the one that was entirely irrelevant to my job, and at the one that was legally incorrect, and realised I'd hit the Fuck It wall at 50. So I quit.

Yep, literally woke one day last year thinking I cannot do this anymore....gave up (willingly relinquished!) senior management role for minimum wage sausage slinging job. Happiest I've ever been.

I’ll have to get to 62 I think sadly when DD should finish Uni (if she goes) and should hopefully have cleared the mortgage.

Until 60 my pensions just won’t be enough (at 60 DH will be 65 and it might be possible).

That’s 15.5 more years then 🙈

I retired at 51 after living on my projected retirement income for two years before I resigned to make sure that living on a modest income was better than continuing to work in a toxic setting.

I also downsized as part of the plan. I thought I would find the house move and going from a great income to a very modest one hard. It wasn't - maybe the preparation of living on my retirement income for the two years before retirement helped me acclimatise.

Also, within a week of retiring I was offered freelance work so I now part time work from home working the hours I want to work - totally flexible and I get to say if I want to work or not.

I did a lot of retirement preparation as I knew that if I left my job I would not get another well paid job at the same level so I wanted to make the right decision - my only regret is that I did not plan to retire earlier. My new philosophy is that you only get one life ....

Yes at 55, worked since the age of 12 ( parents had their own business at the time )
I love it finally time for me, swimming, yoga, Pilates, Zumba
Never done so much exercise and so much for myself, enjoying having me time for a change.

Currently 56 sadly pension pot tiny! Sadly can’t retire for at least another 12 years!

I’m late 50s myself… in fact I’m approaching 60!

If I really wanted to, I could have easily retired at 50 but I wanted to carry on working - I couldn’t face just sitting at home most of the time. Although financially secure, I wasn’t mentally prepared to go.

Plan is to retire in 2026. We are mortgage free (paid it off in 2011) and we are in the process of selling our home to buy our forever home.

I wasn’t aware you could get a pension at 45? I thought the earliest you could take a pension ŵas 55 or is 45 a typo?

Both DH and I retired early 50’s (can pay our bills with pensions) however, have DC in Uni so both went self employed as helping them financially. We travel for 6 months of the year. When you have the freedom to choose when and how often you work that is what is important to us. Plus if you don't like a boss or a client you can just say fck it!

Well at 63 I started chatting to my manager about the state of our company and department and said "wouldn't it be lovely if it shut down and we were made redundant". In a light hearted way, the way you do.

2 months after my 64 birthday it happened. Redundancy announced for 70+ people. I almost cheered. Nearly 15 years with the firm meant I would get nearly a year's payout. Plus other benefits. And get to claim my pension.

And I mentioned it to a charity I had supported while working at the company and they said "oh, you're available? would you like to work for us???!" 2 years on and I still am. I'll retire properly in another year or so.