Should I retire when my state pension starts or keep working?

[Curlygirl06]

Several years ago I took voluntary early release, and downsized my job to 3 evenings a week in a supermarket. 4 grandchildren in 2 years plus increased care needed for elderly parents then happened, so my plan of staying in bed late and watching Homes under the Hammer daily (my guilty pleasure when off work) never happened!
Soon I'll be eligible for my state pension and also I can keep some of my work benefits. Unfortunately they have changed the work benefits in retirement which has caused quite a kerfuffle so may change back, but I'm working on the here and now.
My fuck it date is soon, I'll be able to leave work with benefits intact but don't get my state pension until 8 months later. I'm not planning on leaving on my fuck off date, but if I get pissed off then it's an option.
I'm on a big holiday in later in the year so I'm thinking of staying until then, so I'm paid to go on holiday. I'll probably stay until I get my state pension, this is all very sensible and well thought out.
However- do I go when I get my pension, that's the problem. There's several pros and cons as follows.
Pros- I work lovely hours that suits me nicely, I get on with the people I work with, get on well with management, get a LOT of free and cheap stuff from work, which I share with friends and family, not keep all to myself.
I don't have to leave work and can carry on working, but with state pension, wages and another small pension I'll be paying tax and having to do a self assessment every year. That's not a problem, previously worked in accounts in my former life, specialising in tax and pensions funnily enough!
I could spend more evenings with my dh, although he works away on an irregular basis so that might not happen.
I can live quite happily in my wages now, so I'd save a lot of my pension for big holidays(cruises!) etc, but that will have to wait a bit as dh is younger than me and won't retire for a few years yet.
The days of the evenings that I work aren't as free as I'd like, as I've got to get everything ready for the following day, washing, dishwasher, getting ready for work, commute etc plus sort out the pets in case dh isn't home. When I don't work, I do that in the evenings.
Cons- lots less free stuff!
Will I regretting giving up my work identity?
Grandkids are all at high school now, although I've now got a young gd that I do the school run with twice a week, but that won't last forever.
I could get a lot done round the house that I don't have time for now, but when that's done then what?
The big one- another Christmas in retail, fml that's enough to try the patience of a saint, and I'm no saint!
I've worked since I was 12, with time out for maternity leave etc so sometimes I think I can't be arsed. But then.......?
Am I wanting to give up work because I can, or because I want to?

If you are only working 3 evenings a week, I would carry on and use the extra money for holidays and other things to entertain you in retirement until you have had enough. A job like that sounds great. You can leave whenever you have had enough, but still get the social benefits of work until then.

That said I think you will know when the time comes, but it doesn't necessarily match your state pension age.

Yep, I agree with all of that. From a practical point of view, working as long as I can is the best idea and yet......
The job keeps me fit, I'm out collecting trolleys, pushing the heavy stuff in and out, running up and down to get stuff. I'm on my feet all of my shifts. I'm about the third oldest member of staff but I don't feel it, the young ones at work are always surprised when I tell them that. (Or they might just be being kind to the old girl!)
If I knew what to do I'd be happy, it's just the unknown of whether I should stop because I can or because I want to. Mind you, when I have to do the "yearly review" and spout the usual shit that these things require, a little bit of me dies inside. Plus the stupid courses we have to do- fire safety is fine, some of the others drive me insane!
Aargh, decisions, decisions.

Do it until you don't want to. Work is an anchor, both social and physically - and if your DH is not at retirement age yet, all the more reason to carry on. It's a nice dilemna to have.

I am still working having passed my state retirement age last year. I work part time on a flexible basis, and it is relevant that I am paid well for the days that I work.

The work is intellectually demanding, can be extremely stressful and does require me to work in my own time on a fairly regular basis. I do find some satisfaction in having my brain stretched and I like the people I work with, but I am concerned that the work takes up quite a lot of my brain space and prevents me from prioritising other things, such as hobbies I used to enjoy in the days before my career took over. There is also that growing feeling that the days of good health are inevitably numbered, and I should be doing other things.

I feel that I am at the stage where I could easily give it up, but it is the money which is keeping me going for a while longer. We still have adult children living with us, as they cannot afford to move out, and another who is living in his own place, but is struggling. We know we are going to be providing financial help for some time to come.

I think that GOODCAT is right in that you will know when the time comes, and I feel that I shall know too. I am lucky in that I can gradually slow down, but I do have a niggling suspicion that I'm not going to last that much longer!

Can you drop to 2 shifts per week?

Do you have to start claiming your state and / or private pension straight away? If you defer it while you carry on working (until
you decide not to) then you will
save on the tax and the value will be more when you do start to draw it, won’t it?

You don’t have to take the state pension immediately but I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I know someone who did this and then died before taking it. His widow could have done with a bit extra, which she would have had if he had taken and saved some of it.

I took mine and cut down the number of work days per month. I have also been throwing money into my DC pension in order to keep the tax down as much as I could reasonably afford to do.

Some private pensions allow deferment and some don’t. I had to take one of my DB pensions at 60 and I have not yet taken another.

Sorry, didn't make that clear. I started on 3 evenings a week, I went down to 2 a while ago

I can defer the state pension, which I'm looking into, as I understood that if you did it increased your pension when you came to take it.
Under the old state pension you could get a lump sum equal to the amount of pension not received if it was deferred. I was under the impression that this didn't happen with the new state pension but your pension was increased, depending how long it was deferred for. I'm sure I saw that that had changed, I'll have a look and attach a screenshot if I can.

Yep, I was right, when did that change, anyone know?

I hope to carry on working part time once I get my State Pension. Like PP said, work is an anchor.