Retirement

To all you retired people on GC

Do you enjoy your retirement and make the most of every day etc.?

Have you ever had any regrets?

I have decided to take early retirement after much debate and plan to enjoy the summer, do some serious gardening, maybe grow lots from seeds etc. Then in the winter maybe get a Chrismas job.

Feeling a bit mixed at the moment but my work is very stressfull and I don't enjoy it so it is time to go.

 

Hello, Stingo. I think we had some discussions about this a year or so ago.

I "retired" somewhat early in 2001. Having worked for 37 years and in latter years had high-flying stressful jobs I seriously wondered how I would cope with so much time on my hands.

I am happy to report that I now have a beautiful garden I am very proud of, I have taken up painting with acrylics and have had my work displayed in a gallery, I have taken up photography (of which I am still an amateur but learning all the time), I learnt how to do upholstery, I have time to go out and explore this beautiful country I now live in and I read when I have time ... hence my name of Lady of Leisure.

I still wonder how I had time to go to work in the first place and maintain a home and garden.

Next month the Government will recognise my retirement and will PAY ME to enjoy my leisure time.

Any regrets ... I don't think so. Go for it ... you can always go back to work part-time if things don't work out for you.

Good luck in whatever your decision may be.

 

I took early retirement 2 years ago Stingo.

Never regretted it. Enjoy life to the full doing what I want to do.

Sorry, one regret. I never get a day off from it.

 

I thought every day in retirement was a day off
but I have three years to wait to find out.
:D
Best of luck Stingo, if work is that stressful then you have made the right decision.

 

Long way off but can't wait..I could potter around my plot forever and a day!
Go for it Stingo..

 

As long as the money situation is covered, then go for it.
I would.
Unfortunately too young and the money situation aint covered, so no chance. :D

 

Being a gardener, workwise and leisurewise, I`ll never be able to retire. :D

 

Stingo - We both took early retirement just over three years ago. We lost out a fair bit on pensions, but it's been worth it. We both had fairly demanding jobs which meant that apart from holidays, we hardly ever had time to talk to each other. We now do what we want, when we want and are busy all the time - but no stress at all. Our quality of life is immeasureably better.

Go for it!!!

 

I love what I do and whilst il'l slow down a bit I doubt id ever want to retire. (a long time to go yet!)

I know a carpenter who does a lot of hanyman work for one of my clients and others, the guys about 75 but has no intention of properly retiring as he loves working.

With the way pensions are folk of my age will never have the luxury of early retirement anyway.

 

Best thing you could ever do Stingo,make sure you have things in place to enjoy, I could very easily garden 24/7 in between cycling and keeping fit,reading,astonomy,restoring furniture,attempting to write a book,helping old ladies across the road(oh that's what I'm doing)

 

Thanks all for your good wishes

 

Those were exactly my thoughts ProGard as I too loved my job stressful though
it was, and hoped to work until 65, but it was not to be as a year or so before
the due retirement date I was taken ill and had to retire through ill-health.

Unfortunately I have never recovered 100% but we have been on lots of holidays
and travelled about. Maybe would do more if I was ok. Sometimes I think I should
have retired earlier but you can't change the past! :(

I say go for it Stingo enjoy while you are still young and in good health

 

Years ago when there was no such thing as pensions people had to work all of their life virtually. People of my generation do have the luxury of pension schemes, but I fear for the younger generation as firms don't seem to offer pension schemes like they used to.

And really most younger people don't even think about when they retire, they just live for today which is what I did but luckily my firm has a good pension sceme which is based on my final salary.


I do agree with jjordie in so much that you can't take your health for granted and live life to the full while you can.

 

Following my redundancy in September I decided to retire rom I.T. and start a gardening company. This will tie in with my move to Devon to be nearer to our daughter and 1 month old grand daughter.

While we are selling the house I have done two things.

1. Taken a 6 month contract as a gardener.
2. Started doing a course at night school in Garden Design.

When we get to Devon we will probably invest in a franchise, but if that fails to come about for any reason I will do some freelance gardening.

I'd like to work part time, but keeping options open like this it's just a case of wait and see.

I can't afford to retire completely, but we have a 5 year plan.