Retirement: Any regrets?

[RedDinger]

I'm seriously considering retiring when/if this lock down is finished. I get conflicting advice ranging from "the best decision I ever made" to "you'll be dead in a few weeks".

Interestingly, the negative comments mostly come from people who are still working.

Do any retirees on here regret it, and why?

 

[Alamo]

I’m going though the process at the moment. TBH lockdown and largely working from home over the last year has acted like a bit of a halfway house, and I’m certainly not regretting my decision. I only hope the kids can go back to school so I don’t swap being a COS for a school teacher.
Cliche as it is I am worried about missing the people. I joined straight from school and haven’t lived anywhere long enough to get civvy mates. That’ll change, though current circumstances aren’t helping that process.

 

[harrythebastard]

Nope, no regrets.
Should have done it years ago.
Prepare to be busier after retirement than you ever imagined you would be, where does the time go?

 

[AlienFTM]

We planned to move to the country. Kicked down the road when Zero Alpha was seriously ill. Kicked down the road again when she determined to do a walking marathon to prove she wasn't ill. Kicked down the road again when Covid struck.

Covid or no, we're (checks forum) fúcking off to the country this year. To OP. If you make plans, get on and carry them out.

 

[FourZeroCharlie]

Nope, no regrets.
Should have done it years ago.
Prepare to be busier after retirement than you ever imagined you would be, where does the time go?

Word.

So much so that I had 2 tries at it.

The first failed because I didn't really plan for it - financially secure but paid no mind to what do you do!

Stepped out of the job on Friday and, by mid-morning on the Monday, was ready to stab kittens.

The second time, having returned to work, confirmed that I really needed to retire: some planning - bought a BFO boat, moved house, etc - which gave me 'stuff' to occupy both hands and mind.

Now? I have no idea as to how I managed to squeeze in 'work'.

 

[Blogg]

It varies, those who fare badly seem to be those for whom work was the single most important and interesting thing in their life.

Ex boss is one of them, apparently drinking himself to death from boredom and general lack of purpose, which is perhaps unsurprising since he insisted against all advice they sold up and moved to Norfolk.

 

[AsterixTG]

Love it.

Life is way too short to grind for someone else.

I was never a career guy anyway - always did things because they sounded interesting. Some times I'd earn pennies, sometimes lots.

Do it.

 

[MoleBath]

Have a look at retirement jobs/volunteering prior to R day so you get a rolling start.
Ideas for an enquiring mind include
Independent Custody visitor
Lay Observer for Ministry of Justice
IMB member for HMP
The Bench

Ex military types have the mindset to flourish in these roles.

 

[ericferret]

Could have retired last September and with a small redundancy package. Didn't and now regret it.
One year to do (66) but I don't fancy another winter so looking at the end of the Autumn.
It will be a big change I have worked in trade since 16 years old. Ever grateful to the army for the training.
Loads to do around the place so I will not be short of work. You cant go on forever and getting away from shifts will be a god send. If I had been more on top of my pension situation I would have realised that I could have retired last year. Fear of the unknown and change were the big drivers to continue.
Now I am looking at it as turning a page and moving on.

 

[exbluejob]

It varies, those who fare badly seem to be those for whom work was the single most important and interesting thing in their life.

Ex boss is one of them, apparently drinking himself to death from boredom and general lack of purpose, which is perhaps unsurprising since he insisted against all advice they sold up and moved to Norfolk.

There is definitely 2 mind sets, those that live to work and those that work to live I was very fortunate in that I did a job I really enjoyed, last wage slave job was in Dubai which was very full on but very well remunerated. However they then started the process of Emiratisation, replacing as many Westerners with locals as possible. I could see it coming that I would eventually be let go, so started shovelling everything into my mortgage to pay it off. I was already in receipt of my MoD pension, I had another pension coming when I was 60 and combined they'd be enough to live on. Mortgage got paid off when I was 59 and I sacked the job off, returned to UK and did loads of house maintenance and other work at home. People then were saying "what are you going to do?" as if working was their only reason for living. Now I've learnt to slow down, take me time, enjoy the grandkids and leisure time. All my time is mine to do with what I want

 

[merchantman]

Retired a couple of years ago and no regrets. I am still doing a little bit for my previous firm as a consultant but not a lot and when current project ends I am unlikely to start a new one. Most of the first year was taken up with a new house, complete rebuild, which took some time. Then plans for travel were put on hold due to lockdown. My advice would be do it but plan to do something with your time or risk ending up as the boring old fart hanging off the end of the bar in a local pub, assuming they ever open again!

 

[Vortex-G]

Go for it, but make sure you keep occupied. Charity work, local clubs, U3A etc. Do stuff on your own terms.

 

[AsterixTG]

Thing I like about retirement is that when you're at work and you feel a bit tired, you grab a coffee - if I feel a bit tired at home, I have a snooze.

 

[PhotEx]

Plan for retiring as hard as you plan for working.
I started paying into a pension on my 18th birthday, smartest move I ever did.
get yourself squared away before you retire, it’s too late waiting until the first Monday after you punch out for the last time. I’ve been building and equipping a couple of double garages as a workshop, classic car bike storage these last years to keep me busy from the start of my own life.

 

[A signaller]

Retired 5 years ago, and got stuck into the house renovation and modernization, busy busy busy, It took 2 years of a steady plod, stop when i like, coffee on tap, start late, finish when i dam well please. The old homestead now looks the business, spent about £40K over the years. it took time but it has all come to fruition. The time is now spent pursuing my hobbies, reading, writing, the grandchildren, and i am on permanent call to the now married and house owning children, as the font of all knowledge of all things DIY, and loving it.

Using my 50+ years of working on construction sites helping to fix,mend, and up-grade their family homes. All my tools and equipment now being utilized for the family, and not some faceless boss in a distant office. no bills, owe nothing to nobody, and a steady income that leaves me with enough to pay for the little luxurys that we forfeited when raising a family and paying a mortgage.

One of the unseen advantages of older life, and the burden of raising a family with all its commitments, is that you don't really give a toss what anyone thinks, dress to please yourself, eat when and what you like, and go where you please, with no time restrictions, or like me, occasionally, just sit and watch the world go by. Magic.

Retired, and loving it.

 

[A signaller]

Thing I like about retirement is that when you're at work and you feel a bit tired, you grab a coffee - if I feel a bit tired at home, I have a snooze.

What he said, any time any day, and the world can go F*** itself.

 

[ericferret]

"dress to please yourself"

Looking down, stained company sweat shirt, grubby shorts, odd socks.
Getting into this retirement thing early.

 

[AlienFTM]

Love it.

Life is way too short to grind for someone else.

I was never a career guy anyway - always did things because they sounded interesting. Some times I'd earn pennies, sometimes lots.

Do it.

I'll admit here and now I have been the single most idle cavalryman, and IBM programmer I ever knew.

Been, you stupid fúcking cúnting twátting speelchucker. Not seen, been. No not Sean Bean.

 

[Bubbles_Barker]

I’m going though the process at the moment. TBH lockdown and largely working from home over the last year has acted like a bit of a halfway house, and I’m certainly not regretting my decision. I only hope the kids can go back to school so I don’t swap being a COS for a school teacher.
Cliche as it is I am worried about missing the people. I joined straight from school and haven’t lived anywhere long enough to get civvy mates. That’ll change, though current circumstances aren’t helping that process.

Don't be silly - you're a crab, nobody will want to be friends with you, not even civvies!

 

[AsterixTG]

"dress to please yourself"

Looking down, stained company sweat shirt, grubby shorts, odd socks.
Getting into this retirement thing early.

******* hell - you go getter.

I was up at the crack of ten this morning, still in my slippers and dressing gown - I'll put some clothes on shortly but only because I don't want the dressing gown to smell of the lovely sausages I'm about to cook for lunch.