Join me in a 2026 retirement countdown

[loveawineloveacrisp]

Next year is the year I'm going to hang up my corporate boots and retire and I can't wait. I'll be 57 and I want to finish just before Christmas, none of that arguing over who's going to cover the Christmas period nonsense.

Not really sure when I should let my boss know. I'm on 3 months notice so I guess that's plenty of time.

Anyone care to join me in a countdown?

I've had it confirmed, I'm going on July 31st.

OMG I'm so excited. I started my 1st job when I was 13, and I'm giving up at 63.

I'm already planning redecorating my house and reworking the garden. I need an emoji that jumps up and down.😁

Don't kill yourself trying to do the work of 3 people - you can only do what you can do.

@Meadowfinchcongrats!

Well I'm almost at the 5 months to go mark. However am getting increasingly frustrated that 6 weeks on, the ad still isn't out for my replacement! And wondering why the hell my boss is insisting on a half year review this week. What's the point?!

I’ve applied for my state pension and it’s just under 4 months to go! Although I’m not actually stopping work I will be starting to slow down (self employed) which is all I want at this stage. And my H will cut down his hours so we will have more time for last minute holidays 😁

Is 57 really that young?!

Well it's 10 years before SPA!

@loveawineloveacrisp there are plenty of people who retire around that age, I will be 52 - enjoy your plans 😁

Yes, but doable with a good private pension.

I'm 57 now, retired last year. Living off my teachers pension and some ad hoc supply work. Best thing I ever did. Not dipped into my savings yet although with the travel I have planned I may have to.

My plan is to keep working occasionally (I've worked 45 days since October) till I'm 60 - stop working completely and then start on my SIPP/Isas etc to 67.

Starting to feel real here too.
Planning to finish end of March 2027/end of financial year but have realised if I dont take much more leave, I can finish end of February and take March as leave.

The decision felt really hard at first but starting to feel right now and I am beginning to feel relief.

I was really unsure about a sudden stop and got a very small advisory role but that won't be many days a year.

A lovely colleague asked if I wanted to job share and I would have been tempted earlier in year but I'm settled now.

Me too op, im also 57 and retiring in 10 weeks , I simply cannot wait, to hand my computer and phone in and wander off, to be able to wake up when I please, do what I please, I’m just so excited for it.

I’m in the second week of my retirement and it still feels as if I’m on annual leave. The oppressive heat has meant I mostly want to be motionless in front of a fan rather than build an excitingly structured post work life!

Good to pause as if you're on holiday?

Plenty of lovely time now.

I love that I started this with a year to go and the thread is still going, and now I only have about 80ish working days!

I'm drafting my resignation letter ready to hand it in next week - have already told my boss it's coming. I'm on 6 months' notice. Am feeling a mixture of excitement and a bit of nerves (will the money be enough...will I be bored... etc) but mostly excitement. I'm on leave this week and enjoying just milling around at home - this time next year, I'll be able to do as much of that as I like!!

Omg, I just counted, exc the holidays already booked I’ve 50 working days left, and about 10 more days of holiday to book in!

I happened to look at my countdown today and it’s 95 days! Although I won’t actually retire then (self employed and I enjoy what I do) I’m thinking of reducing my hours in due course. The closer it gets the more I want to just wind down a bit.

I think reducing hours first before full time retirement is a great option. I wasn’t able to take that option as my retirement was due to redundancy so I feel a bit like I’ve skidded to a halt. Getting something part time with the current job situation is likely to be near impossible.

I’m down to two days a week.From September I will be working one day a week, just to maintain eligibility for my pension until I hit 55. I’m in the home straight, four months to go!

I just hit send on the email handing in my notice! I feel a bit strange. I’m ready for what comes next but I have been lucky enough to have an interesting and rewarding career. It feels a bit scary to let it go. I’ve been counting down for the last 3 years so I am surprised to feel less excited than I thought. Anyone else had these strange mixed feelings?

Definitely have mixed feelings after a couple of years of desperately wanting it to happen.

I'm still flip flopping between it feeling like ages until I finish to feeling like it's no time at all!

It's weird. Its taken up so much of my time and energy and bandwidth, especially since menopause and covid, my poor brain is going to go from 100 miles an hour (more like 70 these days) to 5.

Very, very strange.

I’ve just put all my leave in & I have 14 working days left over the next month! Starting to feel like it’s real!
although saying that I was supposed to be on leave today & ended up working so who knows!

That's a proper countdown!

it’s a big change so it’s normal to feel a bit anxious as you are leaving the familiar routine behind and starting a new chapter.

I just counted, 10 weeks to go, 47 working days left , with about 10 days holiday to take in that time,

I think I’m nervous excited, but am looking forward to handing my stuff back but also think thr next morning will feel super weird,

I’m one of the no doubt many people reading this thread for inspo… I know I’m not ready yet, financially or psychologically, but applauding you all as you whiz by into your futures!

Im 57 and going to go part time at 60 and retire at 65, so my calendar of months to go (and yes I do have one) is still quite big…