I have waited 65 years for this.

Get out of bed at the same time....:gnthb: You will need all the time to do all of the things you hadn't time to do before:wink:

Best wishes to you mate....

 

Many congratulations on your retirement. Now on forms where it asks for "occupation" you can put as I do; "pleasantly unemployed."

I planned for it and retired at 58. You may experience at first what I did, a sense of "I ought to be doing something/be somewhere but I don't know what/where." It's part of the work withdrawal symptoms, or "guilt." This can last for six months and you can still find yourself waking up at what I now would consider an ungodly hour without an alarm clock for no reason at all.

There's a tendency to start projects to keep yourself occupied, I put in a new bathroom and re-modelled the kitchen in the space of six months. (We've since had both changed again.. err.. we moved out this time while it was being done!). But then I took up golf which put a stop to that sort of nonsense. But I agree you have to find things to keep yourself active. I've known a couple of work colleagues who on retirement sat in a chair in front of the telly when they retired and didn't make 70.
It's best not to get under the wife's feet when you retire, it's a big culture shock for wives and being retired can put a greater work load on them. When I retired I agreed to share the catering, now she cooks three days a week, we have a take-away on the fourth day and I take her out for a meal on the other three. Job sorted.

The biggest change which was as I expected was that I spend more than twice us much money now as I did when I was working, it's impossible not to do so, if like me when working you didn't have a lot of spare time.
Throughout my working life I was very careful with money, banging the maximum into AVCs, etc. Before a personal purchase the phrase "justifiable expense?" always went through my mind, so I always erred on the side of caution. That's all gone out the window now, in the last four years I've bought two new saxophones and a jukebox. I've also changed my golf clubs five times. But I still "save" I can't get out of the habit.
I'm only into mini projects now, where you start at 10.00am, have an hour for lunch and pack up at 4.00pm.
But I find even after eleven years I've not completely escaped from work. I have occasional dreams where I'm back there again with problems (they're called "opportunities" these days) to solve. I put this down to the fact that I believe as a species we thrive on stress and if there isn't any we look for some.
This is born out by conversation my friends and I occasionally have over lunch at the golf club where we agree we can agonise over trivia which when we were working we'd dismiss in a moment.

One thing to consider is any casual work you might undertake. As soon as you draw the state pension any earnings are taken off your personal allowance so although you might pay tax at the standard rate on the peanuts you might earn with a little part time job, you can actually end up paying nearer 40% by the time they reduce your allowances. Be prepared to be expected to fill in a tax return at least three times a year.
I'll say this much, my eleven years of retirement have flown by, because what with the garden, my fish, my leccy piano, my saxophones, golf and recently the jukebox, I wonder how I ever had time to go to work.

All the best in your retirement.

 

Oh congratulations Roders. Enjoy it! I can't add to anything that has already been said on here. 2 weeks to go - oh my word, bet you can't wait. I know some people do find it hard to cope but, as has been said, there are many things you can fill your time with. Just think about being able to do a course at the local college or wherever and not have to worry about completing it!!!! If you don't like it you can quit - something you don't have to worry about any more, hurray!

Your garden will obviously be perfect next year,lol. Mind you, I don't work as such and only have my little bit as you know but, blimey, it's difficult to keep on top of it.

I look forward to hearing about all the new things you get up to. GC will be getting some extra visits from you I hope, that's if you can fit us in.

Are you having a 'do' on your leaving day? If so we want lots of info and pics.

All the best.

cheers

 

Doghouse, we posted at the same time. I love this comment....
"It's best not to get under the wife's feet when you retire, it's a big culture shock for wives and being retired can put a greater work load on them. When I retired I agreed to share the catering, now she cooks three days a week, we have a take-away on the fourth day and I take her out for a meal on the other three. Job sorted." Roders, take note,lol.

I also agree with this comment, and so would my husband,lol....
"The biggest change which was as I expected was that I spend more than twice us much money now as I did when I was working, it's impossible not to do so, if like me when working you didn't have a lot of spare time." So, so true. So watch out Roders cos you'll be down the garden centre every day!!!

cheers

 

Great advice from everybody Roders. The next two weeks will be gone
before you know it!!!

Am I the only one that didn't want to retire? I loved my job but had a bout
of ill-health when I was 64 so left suddenly and didn't go back. OH had already retired
4 years before me so I think it was I who got in his way as he was used to being in
charge at home :D but that was soon sorted :hehe:

When I had recovered we used to have several short holidays each year and we really
enjoyed flying off to other countries and seeing new places and how other people live.

And since my son gave me his computer 5 years ago (later changed for a new model)
I spend a lot of time 'playing' as OH says. Years ago if anybody had told me I would set up
and run my own forum in my 70s and mod on GC I would not have believed them.:o
So you never know what you will be doing in 10 years time Roders.

Now with 3 grandchildren and 4 greatgranchildren the days don't seem to be long enough.

Always something to do Roders so perhaps it's just as well I didn't work for another
ten years :hehe:..................Enjoy!

.

 

This is just a general comment and may not apply.
One of the problems on retirement is always the consideration of "how much longer you're going to last" and thus making sure your money doesn't expire before you do.
As retired people we are at the mercy of inflation and thus interest rates, it's also necessary to consider the financial situation if one of you goes before the other.
Presently, we're fine. I'd paid off the mortgage by the time I took early retirement and having no mortgage, pension fund contributions, or huge NI payments, I guess my "disposable income" is at least twice what it was when I was working. But I'm still cautious. I've an enhanced State pension (anyone remember "graduated pension" payments?) a good company pension and an annuity bought with my AVCs. But should I expire before my wife, she'd lose the income from the annuity, my State pension and eventually half my company pension. So I won't consider equity release, schemes for which seem to be advertised every afternoon on TV.
Having three kids who are much better off than I, gives me the consoling thought that they would "see their old mum alright" if I popped my cloggs before her.
I've a respectable amount invested in a bond in my wife's name which pays a monthly income into my current account (I'm not daft!) and I know most people are aware that it is as well take take advantage of wives' tax allowances in this way.
So although I'm still cautious, I will admit that we're part of the "'ave it!" generation. Although I confess that our last car we had for seven years, twice as long as any car I'd had before and the present one is now four years old and I've only done 24,000 miles so it won't get changed for at least another three or four. I'm not very adventurous, we chose the current model at the time, of the previous one, so I know it'll last.

 

Hi Roders, as others have said ENJOY IT.
True, health shocks can happen which in my case gave me a boot up the you know where :hehe:
Hubby took early retirement [he was so sick of work] but started his own business. He now works some of the time and the rest of the time gets under my feet :(

BUT the upside is we do far more together and appreciate having each other to do things with. We go away much more too :D
I also agree about getting the old financial affairs in order. We own our house so we have both made wills to make sure the boys get the house etc. I have also written a living will. I don't think it's being morbid, I think when you have a family it is sensible - it saves them having the worry of what to do.

Try not to let the "guilt" thing set in, you have earned your retirement so have fun :yho:

 

Happy Retirement Roders, Whatever you decide to do with your time just Enjoy it.. Love dee..

 

THANK YOU SO MUCH.........................


For all the very useful info and advice you have all been so generous with,I will take it all on board...........................Well most of it anyway lol.
A bit concerned Jjodie say's "you will spend twice as much money"...........not an option lol.
Thanks again...It is appreciated.

 

Good wishes for your retirement Roders ,enjoy !

 

Congratulations, Roders. First thing to do is to ditch your alarm clock. Next, and very importantly, enjoy every single moment of your life and do the things you've always wanted to. Ah yes, and spend as much time in your garden as you did in your job... Retirement can be bliss, and you can take this from someone who knows.