Retirement

[Ned Land]

I’d say the complete opposite, but ultimately it’s each to their own.

You’ve probably had structure imposed on you all the way from being a bairn at school. Playtime is x o’clock, you’ll have your dinner at y. Tuesday 3rd lesson is PE.

It continues through your school/college/uni days into work. Every third Thursday the team go out for burgers, Friday’s POETS day, early finish.

Routine works for some, but are you just perpetuating the cycle? Mebbes try just going with the flow. Wake up when you wake up. Have a lie in. Eat when you’re hungry, not cos it’s 6 o’clock. Try something different to eat, to drink.

When you go for a swim, swim till you’re done rather than the regular 40 lengths.

Life is there to be lived, not doing what you’ve always done because, well you’ve always done it.

I want to be in the position where if I fancy a beer then I’ll go to a decent pub. And when I’m there, if I’m in ‘the zone’ and enjoying it then I won’t have to be at home for a certain time.

Likewise at the gym. It’d be great to not have to rush there and back … ponce around having a shower afterwards, wander around town, go for a big burger or kebab instead of doing chores or return to work.

Have a lie-in after the gym/pub session, prepare a nice breakfast… I would need an outline of a schedule but the freedom to vary the times.

 

[The Muffin Man]

Just hope that the Schengen 90 day rule is gone before I retire.

Totally agree, surely this absolute shambles has to be reversed in the next 10 years or so, the majority of the country know its a complete cock up now, it wont always be politically toxic to talk about...I suspect within the next decade a party will run on a ticket of returning to the EU and will win hands down. Lets be honest, many will never admit it but they know as they stand in a 3 hour queue at border control in france after just 2 hours on the plane that they screwed up.

I don't get bored but here is always a feeling you should be doing something more productive and for that reason for example I don't watch daytime TV. There is only so much exercise you can do and my smart watch keeps telling me to rest. I think it is a British trait as we don't know how the relax.

I think if you love your sport you will always find something to do.....I will undoubtedly spend a lot of time running/riding bikes/swimming/lifting weights during the day. Then for the first time ever actually have time to cook quality food rather than just chucking something together for ease. Will 100% be following the lads home and away which never been able to do and also watch my second team (non league club) as much as possible also....Lots of hiking and camping with a return date of "when I get sick and want to go home", deffo do some of the long trails, West Highland Way, Penine Way etc. Then watching other sporting events live rather than on TV, particularly boxing....Not sure I could ever get sick of just doing my own thing.

 

[joebolton]

I am glad we are starting to see a few posters pointing out the downside of retirement , in particular the total loss of structure and purpose , which is what scares me.

10 years till I am 67. Should have around £2k work pension plus £1k state a month in today’s money. Plus a lumper.

I can’t do this aimless pottering or wandering around that people seem to like. Sometimes even the weekends drag unless there is an event on.

If I am going to volunteer , I would want to volunteer in the role I do now, so why retire. Still think my best option is to maybe drop down to 3 day week once I am 67 , maybe do a few long weekends away. Hopefully grandkids to look after.

Just as long as I am not like the British Steel retirees I see , wandering to the pub to spend 2-7 every day.

 

[Will e]

I’d say the complete opposite, but ultimately it’s each to their own.

You’ve probably had structure imposed on you all the way from being a bairn at school. Playtime is x o’clock, you’ll have your dinner at y. Tuesday 3rd lesson is PE.

It continues through your school/college/uni days into work. Every third Thursday the team go out for burgers, Friday’s POETS day, early finish.

Routine works for some, but are you just perpetuating the cycle? Mebbes try just going with the flow. Wake up when you wake up. Have a lie in. Eat when you’re hungry, not cos it’s 6 o’clock. Try something different to eat, to drink.

When you go for a swim, swim till you’re done rather than the regular 40 lengths.

Life is there to be lived, not doing what you’ve always done because, well you’ve always done it.

You will have noticed I said “A bit structure” do you think things are IMPOSED at certain times at work school etc on people for their own good?

The whole point of retirement is to have the choice of doing things when you want or don’t want. Eating sleeping etc etc at regular times is proven to be healthy for everyone, get out of your cycle and your awake all night and sleep a lot of the day type of thing.

Everyone is different but in my humble opinion doing what you mention will lead to a poor lifestyle.

 

[cornish mackem]

A find it interesting the numerous posts who are bored and dont like retirement. Not sure if the majority are at retirement age and basically had to retire or if it was early and they had a choice. I just find it difficult to grasp that people would rather work because of being bored in retirement.

I guess everyone is different in what they did when working. I always worked to live and always wanted to work less but I knew that the more I worked I could do more outside work. so many people have very little to do away from work and wonder if they are the ones who hate finishing?

I am glad we are starting to see a few posters pointing out the downside of retirement , in particular the total loss of structure and purpose , which is what scares me.

10 years till I am 67. Should have around £2k work pension plus £1k state a month in today’s money. Plus a lumper.

I can’t do this aimless pottering or wandering around that people seem to like. Sometimes even the weekends drag unless there is an event on.

If I am going to volunteer , I would want to volunteer in the role I do now, so why retire. Still think my best option is to maybe drop down to 3 day week once I am 67 , maybe do a few long weekends away. Hopefully grandkids to look after.

Just as long as I am not like the British Steel retirees I see , wandering to the pub to spend 2-7 every day.

How someone feels a weekend drags is beyond me. The times I’ve worked Monday to Friday I feel sad on Sundays as the weekend hasn’t been long enough

I am glad we are starting to see a few posters pointing out the downside of retirement , in particular the total loss of structure and purpose , which is what scares me.

10 years till I am 67. Should have around £2k work pension plus £1k state a month in today’s money. Plus a lumper.

I can’t do this aimless pottering or wandering around that people seem to like. Sometimes even the weekends drag unless there is an event on.

If I am going to volunteer , I would want to volunteer in the role I do now, so why retire. Still think my best option is to maybe drop down to 3 day week once I am 67 , maybe do a few long weekends away. Hopefully grandkids to look after.

Just as long as I am not like the British Steel retirees I see , wandering to the pub to spend 2-7 every day.

How someone feels a weekend drags is beyond me. The times I’ve worked Monday to Friday I feel sad on Sundays as the weekend hasn’t been long enough

 

[joebolton]

I guess everyone is different in what they did when working. I always worked to live and always wanted to work less but I knew that the more I worked I could do more outside work. so many people have very little to do away from work and wonder if they are the ones who hate finishing?

How someone feels a weekend drags is beyond me. The times I’ve worked Monday to Friday I feel sad on Sundays as the weekend hasn’t been long enough

How someone feels a weekend drags is beyond me. The times I’ve worked Monday to Friday I feel sad on Sundays as the weekend hasn’t been long enough

Horses for courses I suppose - I feel sad sometimes driving home from work on a Friday , if I have no events lined up for the weekend. Football season helps, fills the Saturday afternoon. Thats it I suppose, I need to fill time with worthwhile endevour. I have never got to that stage where I can just sit and watch telly all day, or wander around. Need to be doing something constructive, I dont want to feel I am killing time.

 

[The Muffin Man]

I am glad we are starting to see a few posters pointing out the downside of retirement , in particular the total loss of structure and purpose , which is what scares me.

10 years till I am 67. Should have around £2k work pension plus £1k state a month in today’s money. Plus a lumper.

I can’t do this aimless pottering or wandering around that people seem to like. Sometimes even the weekends drag unless there is an event on.

If I am going to volunteer , I would want to volunteer in the role I do now, so why retire. Still think my best option is to maybe drop down to 3 day week once I am 67 , maybe do a few long weekends away. Hopefully grandkids to look after.

Just as long as I am not like the British Steel retirees I see , wandering to the pub to spend 2-7 every day.

Father in law retired after Covid, just didn't go back, not even 60.....Up at 6am, golf course most days, allotments most afternoons, he's as busy as ever and to quoute him "its great not having work get in the way of doing stuff I want to do"

My plan is to take partial to start with, largely cause Im a greedy sod and due to a divorce my mortgage doesnt finish till im 67......Probs drop to 2 or 3 days a week for a couple of years, well paid so that will keep me ticking over nicely till i decide i decide the two or three days is encroaching on my retirement too much then Im out.

Horses for courses I suppose - I feel sad sometimes driving home from work on a Friday , if I have no events lined up for the weekend. Football season helps, fills the Saturday afternoon. Thats it I suppose, I need to fill time with worthwhile endevour. I have never got to that stage where I can just sit and watch telly all day, or wander around. Need to be doing something constructive, I dont want to feel I am killing time.

Could never do this, even on my todd I would just drive to lakes or somewhere and spend the day Hiking, could never ever be sick of being off.

 

[Ralf81]

A find it interesting the numerous posts who are bored and dont like retirement. Not sure if the majority are at retirement age and basically had to retire or if it was early and they had a choice. I just find it difficult to grasp that people would rather work because of being bored in retirement.

Only boring people get bored life is far to short

 

[The Muffin Man]

Read a physical book in a couple of days this week. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Forgot how much I love reading, but I always struggle to get started on a book.

Would love the time to be able to sit and read, I currently do loads of audio books as time restraints mean I double it up while out running/walking etc.

In my 50s now, and one thing I know from people who retire is that they often think about money but neglect health.....Good health, being fit and strong is for me completely essential to a good retirement....I watched my gran be largely immobile during a 35 year retirement, she sat in a chair reading or watching TV for nearly 35 years as she couldn't really get about......Now THAT is torture.....I walk/run at least 5 miles a day, do weights, swim and bike etc as I am conscious I am going to get to retirement as fit and healthy as I can....Deffo continue that after retirement, I know people in their 80s still running marathons and in incredible shape....A retirement without good health must be purgatory even if you have plenty of cash....I invest as much time and money in my health now as I do my retirement cash fund.

Only boring people get bored life is far to short

100% this.

 

[joebolton]

Only boring people get bored life is far to short

Yep
Maybe that’s it.

 

[Dirge]

A find it interesting the numerous posts who are bored and dont like retirement. Not sure if the majority are at retirement age and basically had to retire or if it was early and they had a choice. I just find it difficult to grasp that people would rather work because of being bored in retirement.

Well I worked 3 years past the normal statutory retirement age but my wife was fed up with work so I deigned to her wishes as it were.
I get your confusion re preferring to work because for sure out there are a lot of nasty employers and slave driving supervisors. I worked in a nice environment and most of the people were good value, and as per my post the work was worthwhile and did ‘good’. Talking to people who have recovered from stage 4 cancer is pretty good for the soul.
Look I acknowledge I could do more to make retirement less boring etc but we are all different. My sister and BiL absolutely love retirement and best of luck to them.
Each to their own

As you've moved away, how much of the boredom is just being away from friends & family? As many pensioners will help out looking after grandkids which can fill in a lot of time. I know my parents love spending time with the grandbairn.

I moved away from sunderland over 40 years ago so that isn’t an issue. If people are happy with family filling the hours of retirement good for them.Horses for courses as it were. As I said in my post , even my dad who had a cold hard job as a welder in the yards missed work terribly due to lack of craic and camaraderie. My dad missed the same after he was demobbed from WW2.

 

[Paddy O'Dors]

Would love the time to be able to sit and read, I currently do loads of audio books as time restraints mean I double it up while out running/walking etc.

In my 50s now, and one thing I know from people who retire is that they often think about money but neglect health.....Good health, being fit and strong is for me completely essential to a good retirement....I

I started doing Couch to 5k about four years ago. It was a struggle at first but soon got up to a completely all-ran 5k. Moved onto Parkruns after that and can do one of those no bother even if I miss a couple of weeks. Looked at my first 5k on Cto5K and it was nearly 50 minutes. Two stone less to drag around and I can do 5k in 28 minutes now.

Sometimes even double up as a volunteer on Parkruns as a tailwalker. There's always that option for people who want summat to do on a Saturday morning for a couple of hours. Quite sociable too.

 

[DisillusionedOldGit]

House is bought and paid for, gonna look at getting the kids to own it. I believe it has to be in their name for seven years, so the state can’t take it off me if i need to go into care! Right minefield this has become!

No, it doesn't have to be 7 years. There's no time limit just as long as they can't prove you've done it to stop them (the council) taking it from you. But do it.

 

[Swindon On Tour]

Horses for courses I suppose - I feel sad sometimes driving home from work on a Friday , if I have no events lined up for the weekend. Football season helps, fills the Saturday afternoon. Thats it I suppose, I need to fill time with worthwhile endevour. I have never got to that stage where I can just sit and watch telly all day, or wander around. Need to be doing something constructive, I dont want to feel I am killing time.

What interests do you have now mate?
Not being critical here.

 

[Matt Hopkins]

No, it doesn't have to be 7 years. There's no time limit just as long as they can't prove you've done it to stop them (the council) taking it from you. But do it.

Yes 7 years is for IHT and is nearly always mistakenly used when it comes to disposal of assets to avoid care costs . Certain it's been covered somewhere in the forum and there was loads of different opinions on whether it works or not

 

[Town End Farmer Giles]

Personally I'd say there need to be a bit more "live and let live" in this thread.

I dont "hate" my job, just feel the time is right, at pushing 58, to give it up. I love a weekend, I'm quite happy doing very little, and in no way do I think i'll be bored. Financially I think we'll manage,though we'll hardly be loaded, but dont have expensive tastes. Holidays in particular we're happy in Spain,Greece etc and no interest in 5 star places.

I do appreciate everyone is different though, if you think you need stuff to do, crack on. Just don't assume everyone is like you and will turn into a vegetable.

 

[cornish mackem]

Horses for courses I suppose - I feel sad sometimes driving home from work on a Friday , if I have no events lined up for the weekend. Football season helps, fills the Saturday afternoon. Thats it I suppose, I need to fill time with worthwhile endevour. I have never got to that stage where I can just sit and watch telly all day, or wander around. Need to be doing something constructive, I dont want to feel I am killing time.

I can loaf but my days off are busy and the days I do work get in the way.

 

[joebolton]

What interests do you have now mate?
Not being critical here.

Go for a dog walk with the lads Saturday 8-11 am purely for the crack. I don’t even have a dog.
Go out for a drink when anyone else is out , normally every 3 weeks. Ideally a Saturday.

Match every other Saturday.

That’s about it , work full time so that fills the week in nicely.

Personally I'd say there need to be a bit more "live and let live" in this thread.

I dont "hate" my job, just feel the time is right, at pushing 58, to give it up. I love a weekend, I'm quite happy doing very little, and in no way do I think i'll be bored. Financially I think we'll manage,though we'll hardly be loaded, but dont have expensive tastes. Holidays in particular we're happy in Spain,Greece etc and no interest in 5 star places.

I do appreciate everyone is different though, if you think you need stuff to do, crack on. Just don't assume everyone is like you and will turn into a vegetable.

I don’t think anyone is criticising , I think it’s more people are interested in how people fill the time in.

For me , it’s more about fear I suppose. Yes , I would say retirement gives me a feeling of dread.

 

[Shack]

I think people shouldn't focus too much on the term retirement. It's connotations have a bit of a hangover from days gone by, when people hit that age of getting a state pension. As such it's like you therefore down tools and sit around doing nowt until you die.

When I became much more aware of investing and saving money a lot of the websites I read used the term FIRE (financial independence to retire early). Yes, it's aims are accumulating enough wealth to retire early but another larger part is once you get to that point you can do whatever you want. You can continue working, you can walk away from a shit job and look for another. It's about having options and not having to worry about keeping a roof over your head or starving to death!

Personally, It took me a few years taking short term jobs after packing in before I realised I'd definitely had enough of working. l used to like the work I did but I started begrudging the time it took out of the day so it was really time to leave. I keep myself busy - walking the dog, sport/exercise, social interactions and decorating the new place. Other hobbies like guitars and writing take time too. It's very easy to slip into doing nothing so you need to make an effort, just the same as you did when working!

 

[humbug]

Go for a dog walk with the lads Saturday 8-11 am purely for the crack. I don’t even have a dog.
Go out for a drink when anyone else is out , normally every 3 weeks. Ideally a Saturday.

Match every other Saturday.

That’s about it , work full time so that fills the week in nicely.

I don’t think anyone is criticising , I think it’s more people are interested in how people fill the time in.

For me , it’s more about fear I suppose. Yes , I would say retirement gives me a feeling of dread.

for me, it's just one of the last steps you take in life before the hole in the ground. i don't mean that to be morbid or anything mind it's just the way it is.