Being retired; painful

Realise also that retirement is a time to change….be the person you have always aspired to be.
For me it was…angry old man…slovenly dressed…unshaven.
I am not kidding….haven’t you noticed how all old yotties look the same ?
 
The only advice I can give is to plan for the season that you retire.
If you retire in June then plan for then let the winter worry about itself. You will find stuff to do then or possibly drop down dead before it gets cold.
 
I retired at 53 so, 26 years ago now. 6-8 months on the boat in warmer climate is OK but these days bored when back at home for usually a couple of months at a time. Downsized house 15 years ago and home visits spent decorating, ripping out and rebuilding bathroom and ensuite, replacing facias, barge boards, fences and extending garage. Now that's all done and only the grass needs occasional cutting, find I spend most of my time trawling the internet until the early hours.
 
As Warren Zevon said “Enjoy Every Sandwich”

You never know what is round the corner so, if you have free time, use it to do something you enjoy, something that helps your loved ones or the world in general.
I spent a fair part of my working life offshore or abroad and had a lot of time off at home, which, at first, I had problems filling productively. I eventually found things to do - I had a boat when we first lived in Norwich and enjoyed pottering around with it and also used to cycle a lot.
When we moved to Yorkshire, I bought a car (TR6) to do up which absorbed huge amount of time and money but taught me a lot of new things. Also brought me into contact with lots of like minded people in the owners club and other car clubs and combined trips to shows with holidays.
Then we bought the cottage in Norfolk which I now live in and did that up although I have to admit I did more project management than actual work on that.
I retired early when my wife became ill and spent 6 months as her main carer.
When she passed away, I spent a long period very depressed and doing little. Most of ‘our” friends in Harrogate were actually her friends, mine were spread around the country and the world. This was at the height of lockdown so activities were very restricted anyway.
Eventually I decided to sell the house in Yorkshire and move into the cottage. Took up cycling again and began scheming the boating plan, initially looking at living onboard virtually full time but later moderating to splitting time between the boat, the cottage and a place in France. This has brought me back into contact with a couple of old work friends who live in France and also, through LinkedIn, with some others who are in a similar position (retired, widows/widowers) who are interested in coming and joining me for a few weeks.
I’m looking at bringing the car down here and have made contact with a local Anglophile car club. I have lost some weight through healthier eating and more exercise and the warm climate helps my respiratory issues. I have some part time work to do for a friend, reviewing bids, writing procedures and risk assessments which keeps the grey cells ticking.

In my case it's 'Enjoy every mollusc, crustacean and fish'
 
I think retirement is a state of mind and not an event. I've just 'retired' and Ive never been so busy. Aside from the boat which is forever demanding....Ive taken up learning a musical instrument and, hauled my old train layout out of the loft (great for those days when all else has failed) . In between all that and the cats, there's the twice weekly stroll along the shore up into the town for a bottle of something. Work now is a distant, rather unpleasant fading memory.
 
John 32i said:
Not reached retirement age yet...but I do fear most of my hobbies are based outdoors, so I wonder what the long winters will bring.
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What’s “retirement age”? I’m 45 and my partner is 36 but both retired. We’re not pensioners yet as we can’t draw pension but we don’t intend to work again aside from possibly filling up the NI contribution years in the quickest way possible.
We don’t have time to work anyway, we live on board and cruise full time 🤣
 
winch2 said:
I think retirement is a state of mind and not an event. I've just 'retired' and Ive never been so busy. Aside from the boat which is forever demanding....Ive taken up learning a musical instrument and, hauled my old train layout out of the loft (great for those days when all else has failed) . In between all that and the cats, there's the twice weekly stroll along the shore up into the town for a bottle of something. Work now is a distant, rather unpleasant fading memory.
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Yes, musical instrument is a good one. I took up guitar for a while in the '80s and still have a 6 string and a bass. Never managed to get a band to stay together for long enough.
Never seen the appeal of train modeling but have a cousin who has a huge layout with landscapes and houses in a mezzanine in his garage
 
Bouba said:
In these kinds of discussions…it really highlights how important ´the boat’ is in our lives. Almost a rock or place of safety
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i don’t think so. I think it shows the importance of having a rich cultural life from an early age, including social and physical activity. I have been forced to give up various things, such as shooting and skiing, but my remaining choices of art, music, photography, wildlife, crosswords, literature and walking, in no particular order, along with the usual duties such as shopping, gardening and general maintenance, mean that I generally have choices in what to do. Also, in comparison with what I see around me, I am generally tolerant of boredom and am often happy, like Christopher Robin, just to think. I have been wary of making specific suggestions because I have learned from experience that few people share my tastes, but it is a message I would like to be seen taken up by the young and those responsible for them.
 
lustyd said:
What’s “retirement age”? I’m 45 and my partner is 36 but both retired. We’re not pensioners yet as we can’t draw pension but we don’t intend to work again aside from possibly filling up the NI contribution years in the quickest way possible.
We don’t have time to work anyway, we live on board and cruise full time 🤣
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I guess it's when you are rich enough or parsimonious enough to not to have to work.
I was lucky enough to have regular employment for 30 years and contract work for several more that built up a good pension ( the first 12 a final salary one before they became unfashionable) and was lucky with some investments.
If you'd have told me 30 years ago that I'd be able to splash out £650k on a crazy dream, I wouldn't have believed you.
 
Skylark said:
114 posts, mostly from people who have retired.

May I take this opportunity to thank the tiny numbers of “workers” for paying into the State to fund an active retirement for the rest of us 👍
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I've got another 2 years before I get that. Living on my company pensions and investments and still paying a small modicum of tax into the system
 
ingenious said:
rich enough or parsimonious enough
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Same thing really. Some people will never have enough money while the rest of us must eventually make what we have do what we need. We retired by using Excel to work out the smallest amount we’d need to live and travel, and that number will vary for everyone. Instead of the boat we wanted we left on the boat we had.
 
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