I retired 7 years ago when I was 59 and just love retirement, don't know how I ever had time to go to work, and yes I was lucky but I worked hard to achieve that luck.
I'm effectively semi-retired. I packed up full time work in 2005 (at 34), but I do still work part-time as it helps pay for the beer, the school fees and the latest gadgets.
Also I suspect if I really stopped doing anything I'd drink myself to death through boredom.
Thought I had it all planned out two or three years back but this recession (particularly in the High Street) has blown my plans to bits. Can see me working for another few years until things improve so I can sell my company for a decent price. Had planned to sell it this year, but it's probably worth only a third of what it was 3 years ago. Over the years I've ploughed all my money back into the company and have no private pension......as a result I'm not in a very good place right now.
I seem to be unusual on here, I'm still working at 74 by choice ( my Dad was going up to the City at 80 ), so I suppose it's in the genes. Tried retirement but missed being in business, my wife tells me that if I retired now I would be dead within a year ( I'm very lazy at home ). I guess it's just different strokes for different folks.
All being well it will be 50, which is when the first pension/saving kicks in. Already got the house paid off and another plot bought up on the beach for a little project. No state pension for me as been out of the system but luckily sorted other schemes out early on in my career.
When I was a kid my grandpa asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I said "retired". I've not achieved that ambition yet (I'm 51) but, if I'm not retired by the time I'm 60, I will be most unhappy.
I'm 47 now and was hoping to retire at 60 but suspect it will be a bit later now. Maybe quite a bit later! Have top see how th eeconomy and everything else pans out.
Took voluntary redundancy on good terms in 1996, including immediate pension, when I was 52. Continued doing the same sort of thing, from home for other clients until I was 62. My generation, born at the end of the war have lead a charmed life, no world wars, no conscription, full employment, good health and education services and a mad period in our 50s when we were deemed surplus to requirements and paid to leave work, only for them to find that we were needed and paid to work on our own terms and at hours and places that we wanted. Thank you, whoever arranges these things.
This thread has made me depressed due to the fact that I have another 45 years of work!
I'm leaving the girlfriend, moving out of the flat i'm renting, selling my car and leaving my job on pay day to travel the world some more and enjoy life before it's too late!
I like what I do too much to retire - I will just wind down a bit. I guess my answer is "as long as I enjoy it".
I'm guessing you live in Thailand....wondering what it is you do for a living that you like so much tma........the mind boggles and the images are limitless!!
It would be a nice suprise for me, rather like winning the lottery. I dont think it will ever happen for me. I'll either have to work on till I'll drop or they (the goverment of the day) make it legal to top the ones who cant make a living anymore.
I retired at the age of 55 and it was the best thing i ever did.I made a fair amount of money on the stock market and the bullion market(two sheds eat your heart out) and was able to throw the hamsters wheel away and start living.I now am able to indulge my own interests which is Drama,various sports,crop cultivation etc and i feel very blessed.
I liked the idea of when i turn 50 , cutting a day a week off working hours , and when 60 cutting another day down , so i don't retire and drop as they say , but whether it will be possible , i don't know.
As well as not having the finances to pay into a pension , i'm also deeply cynical of them , in that are you going to get back what you've paid in , what if there's a war going on at the time and the stock market is in crisis etc... i'd rather be in charge of my own finances , and cock them up rather than blaming someone else for cocking them up.
Trying to pay down my mortgage early , maybe will have finished by the end of the year , and i'm 42 , but with 2 kids i can just see spend spend spend all the way , my choice i know and i'm not complaining , but education and housing are so expensive , it seems mean for them to be skint all their working lifes.
I guess a lot of people are working longer to help their kids out? Or do you just stuff it and let them bear the cost of living , and whoop yourself up on foreign holidays? ;-0
I liked the idea of when i turn 50 , cutting a day a week off working hours , and when 60 cutting another day down , so i don't retire and drop as they say , but whether it will be possible , i don't know.
As well as not having the finances to pay into a pension , i'm also deeply cynical of them , in that are you going to get back what you've paid in , what if there's a war going on at the time and the stock market is in crisis etc... i'd rather be in charge of my own finances , and cock them up rather than blaming someone else for cocking them up.
Trying to pay down my mortgage early , maybe will have finished by the end of the year , and i'm 42 , but with 2 kids i can just see spend spend spend all the way , my choice i know and i'm not complaining , but education and housing are so expensive , it seems mean for them to be skint all their working lifes.
I guess a lot of people are working longer to help their kids out? Or do you just stuff it and let them bear the cost of living , and whoop yourself up on foreign holidays? ;-0
No chance of retirement for me. I'm 35, divorced with a daugther and life is a huge struggle just to make ends meet. Had to give up my car and I've had 1 holiday in the last 16 years. I just get on with it and accept I have to work my balls off just like my parents did.
Just hope I meet a rich woman or win the lottery. Bearing in mind I'm so skint and hardly go out anymore, there's more chance me winning the Euromillions than there is me meeting a woman full stop.
No chance of retirement for me. I'm 35, divorced with a daugther and life is a huge struggle just to make ends meet. Had to give up my car and I've had 1 holiday in the last 16 years. I just get on with it and accept I have to work my balls off just like my parents did.
Just hope I meet a rich woman or win the lottery. Bearing in mind I'm so skint and hardly go out anymore, there's more chance me winning the Euromillions than there is me meeting a woman full stop.
Internet dating sites for you. One of my mates has outstanding success & I don't know how he does it.
Comments
I've got the same problem.
;o)
Also I suspect if I really stopped doing anything I'd drink myself to death through boredom.
Can see me working for another few years until things improve so I can sell my company for a decent price.
Had planned to sell it this year, but it's probably worth only a third of what it was 3 years ago.
Over the years I've ploughed all my money back into the company and have no private pension......as a result I'm not in a very good place right now.
Saw the dozens of miserable people walking into my office today like sheep walking into an abattoir and not for me for much longer.
Sod that for another 35 years. If im going to work my backside off til im grey it'll be for myself and going in my pocket.
I've not achieved that ambition yet (I'm 51) but, if I'm not retired by the time I'm 60, I will be most unhappy.
I'm leaving the girlfriend, moving out of the flat i'm renting, selling my car and leaving my job on pay day to travel the world some more and enjoy life before it's too late!
I wish.
I'll either have to work on till I'll drop or they (the goverment of the day) make it legal to top the ones who cant make a living anymore.
As well as not having the finances to pay into a pension , i'm also deeply cynical of them , in that are you going to get back what you've paid in , what if there's a war going on at the time and the stock market is in crisis etc... i'd rather be in charge of my own finances , and cock them up rather than blaming someone else for cocking them up.
Trying to pay down my mortgage early , maybe will have finished by the end of the year , and i'm 42 , but with 2 kids i can just see spend spend spend all the way , my choice i know and i'm not complaining , but education and housing are so expensive , it seems mean for them to be skint all their working lifes.
I guess a lot of people are working longer to help their kids out?
Or do you just stuff it and let them bear the cost of living , and whoop yourself up on foreign holidays? ;-0
And it will get worse!
I'm 35, divorced with a daugther and life is a huge struggle just to make ends meet. Had to give up my car and I've had 1 holiday in the last 16 years. I just get on with it and accept I have to work my balls off just like my parents did.
Just hope I meet a rich woman or win the lottery. Bearing in mind I'm so skint and hardly go out anymore, there's more chance me winning the Euromillions than there is me meeting a woman full stop.