What age do you want to retire?

[Buckaroo]

I retired at 66 but could have retired at 64 with no financial penalties (long story, but it was a reward for helping a major US company sell off part of its business) I decided to work on as I really enjoyed it. My wife's recent health meant that it was no longer possible to have me working. She's fine now, but I'm sticking with retirement.

I think I'm lucky, as I never really considered work to be so awful. I felt and feel that it's the right thing to do. Cannot understand people who avoid work at all and any cost.

[JackyJoll]

Just wondering.

Does everyone hate work and want to retire asap?
Do you like work and would you carry on even if you don’t need to?
Would you carry on but do something different that wasn’t about money?
Or something else?

I could pack it all in at fifty but I’m not convinced I actually want to retire. I’d like the freedom to do whatever I want when I want, even if you like your job you still get the odd morning where you cba, but actually quitting forever???
I think it wouldn’t last that long before I ended up in paid employment again.

My slightly facile advice to people who hate their work is to stop hating their work!

I retired at 65. Had to compromise between:

quite enjoying the job;

ever-rising pay (directly raising the final salary pension);

wages being bigger than the pension;

pension income lost by not claiming it while working;

pension income lost by dying before getting much or any of it!;

the prospect of physical and mental deterioration affecting work;

the risk of national/international economic upheaval after retirement (that happened).

[Yorick]

I retired 13 Days ago.
1 year early.
I was just a shit Sparky like some on here.
I’m currently laying on my bed in a Hotel in Auckland.
Pick the Bike up tomorrow
Eight Weeks here then over to Aus.
If all goes well, I might have a Residency application lodged in October. That would allow me to work.
I quite fancy being an Outback Trucker.
But in a Van.
With no dodgy brakes
And no deadline
Or not.

The corrugations will still get you...

I remember the long, slow drive from Alice Springs in 1986. The road was hell

[Skub]

Lots of folk fear they may be bored in retirement,so it can be very much how you approach the subject. It would help if retirement was viewed more positively as something you've worked for,a reward,instead of it being seen as enforced when one is old and of no more use.

The saying of,'find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life',holds true for many. For the others where employment is punching a card and a means to an end,it's often easier to let go.

I stopped full time work when I was 38 to raise ma weans,then did part time work and played in wedding bands for a few quid,so I've been used to odd hours and no solid pattern of 9 - 5 to break. I finally packed it all in about 2020 and the transition was easy for me,because I was at home a lot anyway.

I worried when Mrs.Skub retired,as she was totally involved in her job and worked stupid hours,but 'a duck to water' would best describe it.

Personality traits are a factor too. I don't bore easily,I'll always find something to amuse me. Some others are more restless souls,so it's important to have realistic expectations and of course the willingness of cutting your cloth to adapt.

As ever,health is everything and I'm fortunate in that respect so far. I'll be going to a funeral tomorrow of a chap who never got to retire.

Something to consider.

[Yorick]

In 1999 my wife died aged just 29. My work gave me paid leave to come here to spend time with my dad.
I sat in the square. Rock bottom but struck by the beauty of this place.
I then sort of planned to retire here.

I met Penny 5 years later and brought her here and told her my plan that now to be at 55. She instantly fell in love with the place.

We bought property to make enough to retire on.
At 49 I went to 4 funerals in 1 year. All younger than me. And i remembered thst my 2 uncles on my mum's side, both died before 50.
That really cemented our plans. We were definitely going to do it. I started putting £1,000 away every month.

At 54 I got the flick from McAfee with year pay off. I danced out of the office. I'd retired and sang and laughed all the way home. Knowing I'd never work again.

Spent the next year planning the logistics of selling up and moving here.
And lots of track instructing

Been here 9 years now.

[Taff]

When I turn 60, so that's in 10 years time.

I enjoy my work, the projects I'm working on are really interesting and the internet engineers say it can't be done.... Only time will tell if they're right

Even though I aim to retire at 60, I suspect it probably won't happen and I'll probably carry on working reduced hours for some time. Just because I quite like what I do

[Taipan]

In 1999 my wife died aged just 29. My work gave me paid leave to come here to spend time with my dad.
I sat in the square. Rock bottom but struck by the beauty of this place.
I then sort of planned to retire here.

I met Penny 5 years later and brought her here and told her my plan that now to be at 55. She instantly fell in love with the place.

We bought property to make enough to retire on.
At 49 I went to 4 funerals in 1 year. All younger than me. And i remembered thst my 2 uncles on my mum's side, both died before 50.
That really cemented our plans. We were definitely going to do it. I started putting £1,000 away every month.

At 54 I got the flick from McAfee with year pay off. I danced out of the office. I'd retired and sang and laughed all the way home. Knowing I'd never work again.

Spent the next year planning the logistics of selling up and moving here.
And lots of track instructing

Been here 9 years now.

How's it working out? Have you made a decision on whether to stay or not yet?

[the_priest]

Depends... I can work until I am 70 as a Priest. Then I'd have to leave my benefice, and become PTO (Permission to Officiate). We have a paid off home in Manchester. Our pensions will hopefully mean that we don't need to work and we'd have enough to be comfortable and help our children/grandchildren. I love what I am doing, so there is no pressure in that regard.

[Yorick]

In 1999 my wife died aged just 29. My work gave me paid leave to come here to spend time with my dad.
I sat in the square. Rock bottom but struck by the beauty of this place.
I then sort of planned to retire here.

I met Penny 5 years later and brought her here and told her my plan that now to be at 55. She instantly fell in love with the place.

We bought property to make enough to retire on.
At 49 I went to 4 funerals in 1 year. All younger than me. And i remembered thst my 2 uncles on my mum's side, both died before 50.
That really cemented our plans. We were definitely going to do it. I started putting £1,000 away every month.

At 54 I got the flick from McAfee with year pay off. I danced out of the office. I'd retired and sang and laughed all the way home. Knowing I'd never work again.

Spent the next year planning the logistics of selling up and moving here.
And lots of track instructing

Been here 9 years now.

How's it working out? Have you made a decision on whether to stay or not yet?

Cockneys are banned

[Count Steer]

The saying of,'find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life',holds true for many.

Been in that situation a few times and something has come along and spoiled it* Happily, the actual outcome was positive every time in retrospect. ie got retrained or relocated so got to see a bit more, or got an even better job (sometimes, when things are fun and comfy, it needs something to shake you out of the 'do until dead' situation).

*The most final was the site going up in flames!

[JackyJoll]

The saying of,'find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life',holds true for many. For the others where employment is punching a card and a means to an end,it's often easier to let go.

I've been around some really senior business people for over a decade now, so I have some interesting anecdotes of blokes that retired early and did all sorts of stuff. If you've been a bit of a high flyer in your career then I don't think you just pack in and vegetate.

I know a bloke who was a very accomplished CEO, he now works for free in a backstreet garage because he always wanted to work on cars, so he works for free and the garage owner teaches him for free. I really fancy that, in our village there are two family garages and I'd love to do three days a week there for free if they'll teach me stuff I don't already know.

I dunno, I was a mechanic and someone put fibre washers and grease in my sandwich.

[mangocrazy]

I definitely think that (where possible) you need to wind back on work as you approach retirement. Six years before I retired I went to 4 days a week and I think doing that actually prolonged my working life as it gave me more 'me' time. Then two years before retirement I reduced that to 3 days a week, and by that time I was on the home stretch and coasting into retirement. When I finally did retire it was no big break - I just diverted my energies into restoring the 350LC and spending more time fixing up the money-pit in France.

As others have said, it all depends on what type of person you are. I enjoy doing stuff and fixing stuff, but I can also kick back, do nothing and relax although it did take me a while to learn to do that without feeling somehow guilty for slacking off. I'm fully cured now though..

[JackyJoll]

Stopping work after 45 years of full-time hours (not bankers’) is a sort of a shock!

What day of the week is this?

[Noggin]

I don't think I'll be able to afford to retire - I didn't expect to make 40, let alone 50. And am almost halfway to 60, so it's all suddenly a bit scary! LOL

But, I love where I live and most of what I do for work. I suspect that even if I get to the point that I can retire, I'll just work a bit less but still work some.

Equally, there is a plan rumbling along that might happen (depends on the right sort of property/shop being available and the finances at the same time) in a few years that would be blooming lovely - and with a couple of the contacts I have I'd be able to oversee rather than work all the hours available! But, that's a long term possibility rather than a definite at the moment.

I can do a full time job in 4 days here, so as long as I get the three days to 'play' (skiing or bikes or, one day, paragliding) then actually I don't mind that I have to keep working. So, whilst I'm physically able and still enjoy work, the lack of being able to retire doesn't worry me (yet)


Equally, having had so much time unable to work, I do feel quite sure I would be fully able to fill my time with hobbies or helping people with stuff. So if I ever did have the opportunity to retire, I would be quite happy with having that time!! LOL

[JackyJoll]

I don't think I'll be able to afford to retire - I didn't expect to make 40, let alone 50. And am almost halfway to 60, so it's all suddenly a bit scary! LOL

But, I love where I live and most of what I do for work. I suspect that even if I get to the point that I can retire, I'll just work a bit less but still work some.

Equally, there is a plan rumbling along that might happen (depends on the right sort of property/shop being available and the finances at the same time) in a few years that would be blooming lovely - and with a couple of the contacts I have I'd be able to oversee rather than work all the hours available! But, that's a long term possibility rather than a definite at the moment.

I can do a full time job in 4 days here, so as long as I get the three days to 'play' (skiing or bikes or, one day, paragliding) then actually I don't mind that I have to keep working. So, whilst I'm physically able and still enjoy work, the lack of being able to retire doesn't worry me (yet)


Equally, having had so much time unable to work, I do feel quite sure I would be fully able to fill my time with hobbies or helping people with stuff. So if I ever did have the opportunity to retire, I would be quite happy with having that time!! LOL

Halfway to 60 is the new 30.

[Noggin]

Halfway to 60 is the new 30.

Yeah - almost halfway to 60 from 50!! LOL

[cheb]

I doubt I will, I'll just do less of what I do until I can't do it anymore. But then I've not had a proper job in over 30 years.

[Bustaspoke]

I retired in February age 61,my only regret is that I couldn't afford to retire earlier,5 years earlier..
In 2017 I took 13 weeks unpaid leave & enjoyed it so I had a good idea that retirement would suit me,but obviously it's not for everyone.
I was supermarket trucking & like many of my colleagues,over the years I grew to detest the place.If you enjoy your work or if you get a lot of satisfaction from your job then I would imagine retirement would hold less appeal.
One of my mates is a 'one man band' garage business,he could have retired a couple of years back but he enjoys his job so he's happy to carry on & I tell him that in his situation so would I.

[exportman]

Interesting read,

End of June last year I took a new job related to my previous work but a lot more flexible only supposed to work 28 hours a week (about half of my previous average) and this including travelling. at 65 this was my first step towards retirement. Will see how this goes, really only working to pay for toys and holidays Changed the car and got a new bike in the last 12 months so paying them off but if I want to quit drawing down my pension will give me more than enough to pay off the finance.
I'm not ready to stop working yet, couldn't just stop as some of my peers have done sitting at home watching daytime TV my idea of hell, but hopefully I will have enough hobby activity to keep me occupied once I do stop working.

Will see maybe once the good weather comes and I am receiving my state pension every month I'll want to be out riding so may just quit

[Yorick]

Interesting read,


I'm not ready to stop working yet, couldn't just stop as some of my peers have done sitting at home watching daytime TV my idea of hell, but hopefully I will have enough hobby activity to keep me occupied once I do stop working.

Will see maybe once the good weather comes and I am receiving my state pension every month I'll want to be out riding so may just quit

I don't think I'd want to retire early in UK as the long winters are depressing.
But the lovely weather here was part of our plan as we can get out and about every day of the year