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Retirement


My wife is self employed and was not really paying much into a pension for a while until I brought it up. We have a figure per year joint income when retired, she is not going to make her half but hopefully I'm on course to be making over my half so we think it should balance out.

I think there are a small amount of careers where that is not the case. Research being a big one.

Many of the ones I know are following their interests. They have an idea or area they are passionate about, apply for funding and then go and research it. Quite a lot retire but still keep coming into work for a good while after to continue work on their project, just do it without getting paid.

There is probably stuff in animal hospital/rescue or reintroduction that qualify. Or field work abroad, going to live with a particular type of animal for a year to study and photograph them.

Artists, musicians and professional sports people, but it really is a small amount of people who manage that level.
Not many people I’m jealous of (apart from those who get to play for Safc) but those in the latter part of your reply who genuinely love the work they do are certainly up there aswell.
Enjoyed owning businesses - not totally
Enjoyed it more working for some blue chip companies on the shop floor having good crack and switching off come end of shift.
 
I know what you mean.

What’s tragic to me is going through life in a 9-5pm job waiting for your fortnight round a pool once a year (all inclusive….) and wishing your life away.


That’s not a dig, that’s my personal take on my working life. I need that goal or target and the buzz of it all.

Control freak ? Ya never there che your always on the golf course ;)
Never ashamed of f***ing off to golf gilly when business permits. Its great for me mentally.

Another way of looking at this is where have you been?
I see lads on here travelling allover n wanna do more. Work prevents that often, or youre on a dream holiday n some stupid kernt is on the phone to you all day.
 
57, packed in work 2 years ago, moved to a portfolio career with consulting, paid board roles and the like, one is pro bono. End up working about 25 hours a week. Done it for two years. For me the break even point is 35k a year (down south but no mortgage). OH is still working a proper FT job.
 
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I'm nearly 57 and retired on 8 September just gone. Today is the second Sunday I've sat and thought to myself how great life is that I don't have to get up for work in the morning. I don't miss it and I never will.

Off to India backpacking next month watching a few games in the cricket world cup. I not a massive fan of package holidays myself but the missus is, so I spent a week round the pool in Zante in July as a trade off for her travelling around India. All about give and take.
Had a mate who backpacked round India for 6 months. He was back home for 2 years before his next solid shite.
 
Would you fancy beIng a house husband?
If I could maintain the same income and pension when I retire, then I would jump at the chance.

The kids are at an age where apart from feeding and sticking the washer on, there is not a lot of childcare to do. The rest of the housework we share anyway. Vac around once per week, clean the bathroom and toilets once a week and stick a load in the washer every couple of days. Half a days work maximum and gain another four and a half free. I could live with that.
 
If I could maintain the same income and pension when I retire, then I would jump at the chance.

The kids are at an age where apart from feeding and sticking the washer on, there is not a lot of childcare to do. The rest of the housework we share anyway. Vac around once per week, clean the bathroom and toilets once a week and stick a load in the washer every couple of days. Half a days work maximum and gain another four and a half free. I could live with that.
You wouldn’t be much of a house husband then.

Should be hoovering downstairs daily and cleaning the toilets more regularly aswell. ;)
 
Everybody who isn't retired looking forward to work tomorrow? Nothing else you'd rather do instead?
Yesterday driving to work in the pissing rain I was thinking do I just say fuck it, turn around and go home to retirement. I have enough to live on until my pension kicks in next year but what would i do at home. It's pissing down so I'd probably be doing a bit tidying, eating too much then having a few beers because I'm bored and can't get out on my bike because it's raining so I went to work and enjoyed the crack once the rain stopped. And it keeps me fit.
Today it's going to rain from 10am for the rest of the day and I've got 2 roofs to finish so I'm going to get wet. Hoovering or getting cold and wet ... I'll take getting cold and wet, at least I get very well paid for that and I know I can just walk away any time I want.
That want is getting bigger by the day though.
 
If the wife could keep me and all I had to do was be a crap house husband, I'd be happy to wear that badge.
I’d be riddled with guilt if that was the case.


Member of my extended family done it for a decent spell . He was classed as all the lazy bastards( because he was) by their lasses family and everyone else for that matter.She had 2 jobs and he’s dossing about ffs taking the bairns to school.
He commands zero respect all these years later.
 
Off to India backpacking next month watching a few games in the cricket world cup. I not a massive fan of package holidays myself but the missus is, so I spent a week round the pool in Zante in July as a trade off for her travelling around India. All about give and take.

A cricket overseas tour is top of my list of things to do with retirement.

The ability to do extended holidays is what I'm looking forward to. Being able to take a maximum of 2 weeks at a time is very limiting on what you can do. I've got a fortnight in Thailand next month but being able to do a 3 month random wander through SE Asia would be much more fun.
 
57, packed in work 2 years ago, moved to a portfolio career with consulting, paid board roles and the like, one is pro bono. End up working about 25 hours a week. Done it for two years. For me the break even point is 35k a year (down south but no mortgage). OH is still working a proper FT job.
How did you get into the board/NED roles and how do you find them? Much more hands on than 10 years ago it seems but something I am keen on in the future.
 
Yesterday driving to work in the pissing rain I was thinking do I just say fuck it, turn around and go home to retirement. I have enough to live on until my pension kicks in next year but what would i do at home. It's pissing down so I'd probably be doing a bit tidying, eating too much then having a few beers because I'm bored and can't get out on my bike because it's raining so I went to work and enjoyed the crack once the rain stopped. And it keeps me fit.
Today it's going to rain from 10am for the rest of the day and I've got 2 roofs to finish so I'm going to get wet. Hoovering or getting cold and wet ... I'll take getting cold and wet, at least I get very well paid for that and I know I can just walk away any time I want.
That want is getting bigger by the day though.
How old are you?

On a slightly worrying note, for some people, it seems there are now quite a few cases of DB pensions being overpaid and people being chased to pay the money back. It's scandalous that actuaries/companies work out your amount, you take it in good faith as it's almost impossible to know if it's correct, then a few years later you get a demand for repayment. It's not as if it's important they get it right :rolleyes: seems the company who look after a number of big pensions in this area are one of the biggest culprits.
 
57, packed in work 2 years ago, moved to a portfolio career with consulting, paid board roles and the like, one is pro bono. End up working about 25 hours a week. Done it for two years. For me the break even point is 35k a year (down south but no mortgage). OH is still working a proper FT job.

a mate has just sold her business and is on 2 boards currently and hoping to get onto a couple more which will see her into retirement. she has to remain working with her old company for the next 2 years as well but that's her plan.
 
A cricket overseas tour is top of my list of things to do with retirement.

The ability to do extended holidays is what I'm looking forward to. Being able to take a maximum of 2 weeks at a time is very limiting on what you can do. I've got a fortnight in Thailand next month but being able to do a 3 month random wander through SE Asia would be much more fun.

I've got a rough trip planned out for sometime in the next few years, just waiting for the missus to retire. Land in HK, travel to Nanning, Hanoi, Saigon, through Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia to Singapore then home. Should take about 3 months I reckon.

Best tour for the cricket I've done was Sri Lanka. Colombo, Galle, Ella, Kandy, Colombo. Ella is a beautiful place, and the train ride between there and Kandy should be near the top of everyone's list to do.
 
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