The Retirement Thread

[PaulSB]

I think I was too hot in bed. I must admit I had a good old scratch nd ended up with a really red sore foot. What an idiot

Nothing like a good scratch. Doesn't work but very satisfying 😂

 

[BoldonLad]

I think I was too hot in bed. I must admit I had a good old scratch nd ended up with a really red sore foot. What an idiot

Too much information

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I am sure some of you have been in this position.

At the age of 66, I have just recieved my first UK pension payment. Next year I will start getting my full Danish Pension and I have been recieving a very nice police pension since 1993. The mortgage is paid. We are financially secure, with more money coming in than we can spend. If only was the case when I was thirty.

I am still working 5 days a week but reduced my hours to 5 hours a day, 2 years ago. I am a sail maker and like my job and have worked for the same company for 21 years. They have always looked after me very well.

I was talking to a friend in the bike shop 5 weeks ago. He had just bought an e bike and was a keen golfer. He was 72. I attended his funeral last week. He was having a bit of trouble with his hip. When he went in for a check up they found a tumour and he went down hill quickly and died.
It was a huge shock for all of us.

Talking to friends and ex collegues from the police. They are all telling me that if I can afford it, retire as soon as possible and enjoy life. Because you never know when it is going to go wrong. My friends death has brought that home.

But my mind is still fighting with it. I did say to a collegue that retirement would be like admitting that I am getting older and heading for the last third of my life. He did point out that whether I retired or not. I would not be able to avoid that reality.

I am now right on the brink of letting my employers know that Friday 16th May 2025 will be my last day at work. May 15th being my 67th birthday and official pensioner day in Denmark.

But biting the bullet is a big step to take.

My partner, Jannie, retired about 5 years ago and said that I must decide. But she has a big list of tasks, ready and waiting. Maybe thats the problem.

I would appreciate any words of wisdom or encouragement as I know a lot of you have been through it.

I would say the important bit is teh "enjoy life" bit

Your job can be part of that so if you like your job then maybe staying in it is not a bad thing

The point in my life that I was happiest was when I was working as an IT person (sys admin, programmer, trouble shooter - pretty much whatever was needed) for a big company
worked in a great team and got a lot of respect in my job
If I was in that situation now then I would stay - less hours maybe but that's all
Even my last job - before the HeadTeacher left and an idiot took her place - I would have stayed in - I actually worked more hours there than I was paid for as I enjoyed it

Of course, if you stop work then you will be free-er
but what will you do with that freedom??

Personally I am fine as I am now - I have some volunteering things that I do but to be honest I don;t get much out of them


Problem is that when you retite fully then life is often different than you expect - your attitude changes as you have less time pressure
and you find other things to do

but "not working" is not always the entry point to bliss that some people think - or not for everyone anyway

 

[Drago]

I am sure some of you have been in this position.

At the age of 66, I have just recieved my first UK pension payment. Next year I will start getting my full Danish Pension and I have been recieving a very nice police pension since 1993. The mortgage is paid. We are financially secure, with more money coming in than we can spend. If only was the case when I was thirty.

I am still working 5 days a week but reduced my hours to 5 hours a day, 2 years ago. I am a sail maker and like my job and have worked for the same company for 21 years. They have always looked after me very well.

I was talking to a friend in the bike shop 5 weeks ago. He had just bought an e bike and was a keen golfer. He was 72. I attended his funeral last week. He was having a bit of trouble with his hip. When he went in for a check up they found a tumour and he went down hill quickly and died.
It was a huge shock for all of us.

Talking to friends and ex collegues from the police. They are all telling me that if I can afford it, retire as soon as possible and enjoy life. Because you never know when it is going to go wrong. My friends death has brought that home.

But my mind is still fighting with it. I did say to a collegue that retirement would be like admitting that I am getting older and heading for the last third of my life. He did point out that whether I retired or not. I would not be able to avoid that reality.

I am now right on the brink of letting my employers know that Friday 16th May 2025 will be my last day at work. May 15th being my 67th birthday and official pensioner day in Denmark.

But biting the bullet is a big step to take.

My partner, Jannie, retired about 5 years ago and said that I must decide. But she has a big list of tasks, ready and waiting. Maybe thats the problem.

I would appreciate any words of wisdom or encouragement as I know a lot of you have been through it.

Don't waste time working towards a retirement you might not get time to enjoy.

If you can afford to do it, then do so.

Mine was thrust upon me somewhat and I was in a bit of a daze for a year or so. As a consequence there was no adjustment period that I recall, I simply woke up one day and there it was.

I'm going to spend the rest of mine exploring every nook and cranny of the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia in my new camper. Mrs D doesn't work school holidays so we'll spend them on the road, and at least 2 weekends a mo th between times doing the same.

 

[welsh dragon]

Nothing like a good scratch. Doesn't work but very satisfying 😂

Dam right.

 

[welsh dragon]

My weather ap just told me to grab an umbrella as we can expect rain by 10.30. Its blo**y raining now for goodness sake.

 

[PaulSB]

We live in a stone built cottage. Our new, young neighbours - a lively couple - are having damp proofing of some sort installed. This involves incredibly loud drills.

 

[Dave7]

I have just enjoyed marmalade on toast, with a cuppa. Very nice.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

We had the oldest and youngest grand kids yesterday
In the afternoon we had to go and get a birthday present for the middle one - who was spending the day with his aunt and his cousin .

Anyway - we took the opportunity to get the oldest to help us choose something for teh middle one - he is always difficult as he is autistic ( a bit) and so his tastes change differently to other kids
anyway - we did all that and had too much time left to take them home - but not enough to go home
so we went to look at sofas (I suspect SWMBO MIGHT have been thinking that from the start - we did have a awful lot of time left!!)
anyway - I was wandering around with the kids and we noticed a sofa
It was quite low - foot or so off the ground - with a small back to it - only about 3-4 inches above the cushions
The 3 year old thought it was a kids sofa - but it didn;t seem right

so we looked on the label - turns out it is designed as a sofa specifically for DOGS!!!!

WHAT!!
people are buying sofas specifically for dogs now????

My dog was happy with a blanket on the floor and NEVER went on the sofa
I know because she told me
and the circle of Alsatian coloured hair on the one sofa cushion I never sat on was caused by strange air currents at night
but she had a basket and some blankets - not a whole damn sofa!!!

 

[numbnuts]

Morning we have that fine rain here, you know the one that really wets you.

 

[numbnuts]

And yet another urine test today - I think someone is taking the piss

 

[classic33]

And yet another urine test today - I think someone is taking the piss

You been given the gallon container yet?

 

[classic33]

Morning we have that fine rain here, you know the one that really wets you.

Would that be the sort that gets into every nook and cranny.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I am sure some of you have been in this position.

At the age of 66, I have just recieved my first UK pension payment. Next year I will start getting my full Danish Pension and I have been recieving a very nice police pension since 1993. The mortgage is paid. We are financially secure, with more money coming in than we can spend. If only was the case when I was thirty.

I am still working 5 days a week but reduced my hours to 5 hours a day, 2 years ago. I am a sail maker and like my job and have worked for the same company for 21 years. They have always looked after me very well.

I was talking to a friend in the bike shop 5 weeks ago. He had just bought an e bike and was a keen golfer. He was 72. I attended his funeral last week. He was having a bit of trouble with his hip. When he went in for a check up they found a tumour and he went down hill quickly and died.
It was a huge shock for all of us.

Talking to friends and ex collegues from the police. They are all telling me that if I can afford it, retire as soon as possible and enjoy life. Because you never know when it is going to go wrong. My friends death has brought that home.

But my mind is still fighting with it. I did say to a collegue that retirement would be like admitting that I am getting older and heading for the last third of my life. He did point out that whether I retired or not. I would not be able to avoid that reality.

I am now right on the brink of letting my employers know that Friday 16th May 2025 will be my last day at work. May 15th being my 67th birthday and official pensioner day in Denmark.

But biting the bullet is a big step to take.

My partner, Jannie, retired about 5 years ago and said that I must decide. But she has a big list of tasks, ready and waiting. Maybe thats the problem.

I would appreciate any words of wisdom or encouragement as I know a lot of you have been through it.

It is a big step to take and we all tend to cling to what we know.

We were faced with the same dilemna years back with the kicker that we would be turning off a very high income. Once we had mapped out the financials and realised we could 'do it'; we then dithered for ages.

Retrospectively, we should have hit the 'go' button straight away.

Clearly, you do not need the money. The only reasons I can think of to carry on working are for social contact and a sense of purpose.

Do either of these outweigh the prospect of doing more of your current non-work activities? The prospect of undertaking new activities? Spending more time with your partner? Only you can decide this.

NB: a sense of purpose is not exclusive to having a working life.

Other things to factor in:

Generally, the last 10% of the average person's life involves living with a chronic health condition.

Despite undertaking a sensible exercise program and eating healthily your physical capabilities will diminish compared to where you are now.

On the health front; something will clobber you eventually and the timing is unpredictable.

The same applies to your partner. This is the very worst thing for me.

When the worst happens will/would you regret not spending more time together and/or undertaking more activities either on your own or together?

Sounds a bit downbeat but we are all now living the final chapters of our life and amongst the many things us Oldies will have learnt by now, is that time waits for no man and that you only get one shot at life.

Mrs SD and I decided that time together outweighed the various merits of a continuing working life including waving goodbye to a considerable amount of money.

We have no regrets.

Hope this helps.

 

[Sterlo]

I am sure some of you have been in this position.

At the age of 66, I have just recieved my first UK pension payment. Next year I will start getting my full Danish Pension and I have been recieving a very nice police pension since 1993. The mortgage is paid. We are financially secure, with more money coming in than we can spend. If only was the case when I was thirty.

I am still working 5 days a week but reduced my hours to 5 hours a day, 2 years ago. I am a sail maker and like my job and have worked for the same company for 21 years. They have always looked after me very well.

I was talking to a friend in the bike shop 5 weeks ago. He had just bought an e bike and was a keen golfer. He was 72. I attended his funeral last week. He was having a bit of trouble with his hip. When he went in for a check up they found a tumour and he went down hill quickly and died.
It was a huge shock for all of us.

Talking to friends and ex collegues from the police. They are all telling me that if I can afford it, retire as soon as possible and enjoy life. Because you never know when it is going to go wrong. My friends death has brought that home.

But my mind is still fighting with it. I did say to a collegue that retirement would be like admitting that I am getting older and heading for the last third of my life. He did point out that whether I retired or not. I would not be able to avoid that reality.

I am now right on the brink of letting my employers know that Friday 16th May 2025 will be my last day at work. May 15th being my 67th birthday and official pensioner day in Denmark.

But biting the bullet is a big step to take.

My partner, Jannie, retired about 5 years ago and said that I must decide. But she has a big list of tasks, ready and waiting. Maybe thats the problem.

I would appreciate any words of wisdom or encouragement as I know a lot of you have been through it.

I'm quickly (hopefully) closing in on this dilemma myself. We're looking to move to a new area and I've set us a target of 2 more years, when we'll be 62 and hopefully young enough to enjoy discovering a new area. This all depends on a number of other issues, elderly and not well parents being the main one at present (I'm an only child so would feel like I'd neglected them if we moved away).
As it stands, we might need to work part-time for a few years to pay the bills until the pensions kicked in, but personally I'd rather that than stick in a full time job for another 7 years. I'm office based and counting the days until I can go.
As most others have said, everybody will have a slightly different take on it, but if you can afford it, go for it. Life's too short to dither.