revtothelimit - motorbike forum

Taipan wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 9:03 am ISTR reading that we have, or had, the lowest state pension in Europe? Is that right?

I once worked out all the N.I. contributions I've ever made.
I think after about 10 year stste pension I'll have got it all back. So pure profits after that.

We can't complain about poor pension when we don't put much in.

weeksy wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 7:04 am

Yorick wrote: Sun Apr 12, 2026 10:35 pm

Bustaspoke wrote: Sun Apr 12, 2026 9:22 pm

I retired aged 61,I was telling someone earlier today that my only regret is that I didn't have enough funds to finish in my mid 50's...

I was 54. Highly recommended

Most i think would like to retire earlier, but mortgages and kids make that harder.. If i had neither of those, i'd be retiring in October

But you're looking at semi-retirement.

Yorick wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 9:27 am

Taipan wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 9:03 am ISTR reading that we have, or had, the lowest state pension in Europe? Is that right?

I once worked out all the N.I. contributions I've ever made.
I think after about 10 year stste pension I'll have got it all back. So pure profits after that.

We can't complain about poor pension when we don't put much in.

I’ve never done the calculation but I’m sure at one point I was paying over a grand a week NI. I remember complaining because I thought there was a maximum limit but apparently there wasn’t but the percentage does drop quite low after a certain threshold.
It’s another unfair tax, we all get the same at the end but if you put the graft in and earn more then you get rinsed more up front when paying in.

weeksy wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 7:04 am

Yorick wrote: Sun Apr 12, 2026 10:35 pm

Bustaspoke wrote: Sun Apr 12, 2026 9:22 pm

I retired aged 61,I was telling someone earlier today that my only regret is that I didn't have enough funds to finish in my mid 50's...

I was 54. Highly recommended

Most i think would like to retire earlier, but mortgages and kids make that harder.. If i had neither of those, i'd be retiring in October

I thought I would but when it came to it I thought why rush into retirement, work isn’t that bad and why not make hay while the sun shines, I don’t need the money so much anymore but it means I can sort family out so they don’t need to smash their pan in working so hard.

I could fill my time no problem but I’ve lived my life the way I wanted so it’s not like I’d do anything in retirement that I couldn’t do now anyway, except longer holidays or more holidays.

I might have wanted to retire early if I still worked on site 5 days a week, but with a 3/2 hybrid working arrangement, i'm happy with it. Plus I really enjoy what I do, and like where I work, and it'd actually be quite hard to give that up.

I also thought if I quit work, I'd be at the beck and call of our elderly dependants, but that situation doesn't really exist anymore, yet I still don't want to quit? There was also the spectre of menopause Mary scowling at me, but she seems to have left the building and my wife is back now and we get on really well again. I think she would like us to retire, but walking a way from an income, that is enjoyable to earn, to exist on less, doesn't particularly appeal either, and that probably underpins my reluctance too?

Another thing to consider is what exactly you'd do with your time. Playing [insert sport] on a Saturday is enjoyable because you work 5 days a week and it's a pleasure because you have worked a five-day week. Do it four times a week to fill your day and it may well become a chore very quickly.

My plan, maybe next year when I hit my 30 year anniversary at this place, is to go down to 4 days a week, employer permission allowing. Take a staggered approach, get used to the extra time away from work. If it works well, drop down to three days. Like getting into a hot bath.

Plus you keep the private health cover, which at our age is fucking essential.

gremlin wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 10:28 am Do it four times a week to fill your day and it may well become a chore very quickly.

Mmmmm i'm not yet convinced that will be the case with MTB for me

I take your point about how to fill your day, which as I said, I enjoy what I do and would miss doing it. My Dad got an early, golden handshake retirement, after working for Fords for over 40 years. He was a man with many hobbies and when I asked him how he was getting on with retirement, he said he never knew how he had the time to work! He said a lot of people he knew had all manner of plans on what they would do when they retire, but ended up doing little more than going from their bed to their chair and watching tv all day. Grim.

A couple of years back, I got a 4 day week approved but never took it in the end.

Just heard on the TV, there are lots of people unretiring due to cost of living crisis!

gremlin wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 10:28 am
Plus you keep the private health cover, which at our age is fucking essential.

But you indirectly pay for your health cover anyway and could easily do that yourself.

gremlin wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 10:28 am
Plus you keep the private health cover, which at our age is fucking essential.

Our 5 star private health is just over £2,000 a year and covers everything

weeksy wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 11:21 am

gremlin wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 10:28 am
Plus you keep the private health cover, which at our age is fucking essential.

But you indirectly pay for your health cover anyway and could easily do that yourself.

My old boss retired a few years back and was quoted continuation cover with AXA at the level we get buck-shee from work. Nigh-on a grand a month for him and his missus.

He's now at the mercy of the NHS.

Taipan wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 10:54 am He said a lot of people he knew had all manner of plans on what they would do when they retire, but ended up doing little more than going from their bed to their chair and watching tv all day. Grim.

I imagine the 5 miserable winter months are shit if you're retired. We're lucky to have 350 warm sunny days a year.

Yorick wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 11:35 am

Taipan wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 10:54 am He said a lot of people he knew had all manner of plans on what they would do when they retire, but ended up doing little more than going from their bed to their chair and watching tv all day. Grim.

I imagine the 5 miserable winter months are shit if you're retired. We're lucky to have 350 warm sunny days a year.

As always it's swings and roundabouts. I'd LOVE your climate, but i'd hate living on an island with 'nothing' that i want in terms of woods, forests, trails, trees and dirt... It would kill me..

but... i'd love your sunshine and warmth for sure.

weeksy wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 11:38 am

Yorick wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 11:35 am

Taipan wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 10:54 am He said a lot of people he knew had all manner of plans on what they would do when they retire, but ended up doing little more than going from their bed to their chair and watching tv all day. Grim.

I imagine the 5 miserable winter months are shit if you're retired. We're lucky to have 350 warm sunny days a year.

As always it's swings and roundabouts. I'd LOVE your climate, but i'd hate living on an island with 'nothing' that i want in terms of woods, forests, trails, trees and dirt... It would kill me..

but... i'd love your sunshine and warmth for sure.

We don't have woods and forests. But we do have hundreds of miles of trails. Loads of MTBs out every time I take the GasGas out,

Yorick wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 11:42 am

weeksy wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 11:38 am

Yorick wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 11:35 am
I imagine the 5 miserable winter months are shit if you're retired. We're lucky to have 350 warm sunny days a year.

As always it's swings and roundabouts. I'd LOVE your climate, but i'd hate living on an island with 'nothing' that i want in terms of woods, forests, trails, trees and dirt... It would kill me..

but... i'd love your sunshine and warmth for sure.

We don't have woods and forests. But we do have hundreds of miles of trails. Loads of MTBs out every time I take the GasGas out,

your 'trails' and the trails i want are completely different though. I've spent days riding your trails and basically they're all the same variations of rocky things that are essentially flat, but uppy downy at times... It couldn't honestly be further from MTBing if it tried. I spent 4 days riding them back about 15 years ago, it was OK, but it wouldn't keep me interested for long.

Yorick wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 11:35 am

Taipan wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 10:54 am He said a lot of people he knew had all manner of plans on what they would do when they retire, but ended up doing little more than going from their bed to their chair and watching tv all day. Grim.

I imagine the 5 miserable winter months are shit if you're retired. We're lucky to have 350 warm sunny days a year.

Different strokes for different folks. My Dad had a number of outdoor pursuits, shooting, fishing etc and winter didn't stop him much, but he did dislike hot weather as he found it oppressive. His wife (my step mother) was even worse. If we had them over for dinner in the summer, we couldn't have a BBQ s they didn't like to sit in the sun, so we'd all be stuck in doors. So in the summer I'd often say, weathers crap this weekend, I'll get my dad over!

Weird innit, as more of us approach retirement age some of us don't really need/want to.

If you've managed to find a balance then there is no reason to change anything to make way for more time or a new way of life, we've been living it for the last decade anyway.

Taipan wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2026 10:54 am I take your point about how to fill your day, which as I said, I enjoy what I do and would miss doing it. My Dad got an early, golden handshake retirement, after working for Fords for over 40 years. He was a man with many hobbies and when I asked him how he was getting on with retirement, he said he never knew how he had the time to work! He said a lot of people he knew had all manner of plans on what they would do when they retire, but ended up doing little more than going from their bed to their chair and watching tv all day. Grim.

A couple of years back, I got a 4 day week approved but never took it in the end.

I was a bit like your dad. Quit a job at 55, thought I'd havea bit of a break then pick up a contract here and there for a bit of variety. 2 months later, on the way home from an interview, I thought 'How am I going to find time to go to work?'

I had a range of things that I'd thought 'I'll do x or y when I have time' - none of which involved gardening or DIY* - and I'd set about doing some of them and was thoroughly enjoying my new, busy self.

I know a few blokes that retired and felt lacking in purpose and like a spare part and/or a full time handyman/decorator at home. At least a couple seem to keep dragging their reluctant spouses on increasingly tortuous 'holidays' so that they 'in charge' again - sorting routes/itineraries/accomodation etc etc.

People kept asking me what are you doing for holidays to which my reply was 'I'm on holiday every day'.

* it did involve buying a piano and a tenor sax though.

Retirement seems to be a deliberate employment construct? Part of the cycle of a working life, but lots of industries seem to be outside of it, everything from writers, coaches, actors etc. As employees, are we conditioned to accept it, to keep the youngsters coming through and finally get rid of the dead wood?