Retirement: Any regrets?

[PapaGolf]

I hate it. But then I was doing what an RSM was doing in a Regiment, as a Staffy, and after nearly 4 years was absolutely chinned strapped. Glad I got pushed out but now I’m rested and fit again I want to get back in

 

[kiwidoug]

I just wondered how others felt about doing nothing/ being non productive , If I dont work /get things done I feel guilty with myself for being being lazy but feel good if I get stuff done .

Who said anything about being non productive?
Many DIY projects, both for us and for Family and fiends, but no need to do it in a rush. Making garden furniture, fixing things, gardening, many walks,

Fun

 

[Richard Headicus]

I just wondered how others felt about doing nothing/ being non productive , If I dont work /get things done I feel guilty with myself for being being lazy but feel good if I get stuff done .

..."doing nothing/being non productive..." depends on ones perspective. For 50 years I was ..."doing...productive..." for the profit of whomsoever was fool enough to employ me. I earned my corn. Now I please me, correction SWMBO and myself, as and when it suits us. What's not to like? I'm a few years from hitting another 0, unlike Mein Führer who is only *21, although we've been married for * 50+ years. The stuff I do is what I want, not for the benefit of someone else's profit. Enjoy what time you have left, doing what you want as opposed to what must be done to pay the bills. Life work balance.

*yeah, yeah, so i'm a snivelling cupid stunt. How else do you think I've kept her with me all this time?

 

[exbluejob]

I just wondered how others felt about doing nothing/ being non productive , If I dont work /get things done I feel guilty with myself for being being lazy but feel good if I get stuff done .

You need to define what you mean by non-productive.

 

[single malt]

I'm still paying taxes to the government, still paying taxes to my local authority. I pay taxes on my whisky, taxes on my car fuel and Vat on everything and you call us unproductive. Awa and bile yer heid min

 

[RedDinger]

Due in part to the advice and encouragement from this thread, I've given my 3 months notice in.

So if it all works out fine, thanks chaps. If it goes tits up, its all your fault!

 

[964ST]

Due in part to the advice and encouragement from this thread, I've given my 3 months notice in.

So if it all works out fine, thanks chaps. If it goes tits up, its all your fault!

Good luck, at the end of the day there is always WORK! Out there.

 

[Northern_Biff]

You need to define what you mean by non-productive.

There's even a song about it, who's joyful singing brings merriment to those poor souls still having to work for a living:

 

[Border_Reiver]

Just a few points from when I retired nearly twenty years ago .

I received a letter and masses of forms to fill in to claim as it was then Unemployment Benefit which I knew I would not qualify for . For the first time in my life I went down to the Job Centre ? and was interviewed by a mature lady who could not have been more helpful … forms binned and she informed me because of my age and employment record I should ignore any letters I received concerning the none payment of National Insurance . I had more years than enough to qualify for a full State Pension .

I attended a Reunion Dinner a few years ago … just prior to the introduction of the new State Pension being introduced …. there were a number of guys not very pleased that they would retire under the new scheme and be significantly worse off .

Mrs B_R is just below the threshold to pay Tax and I was thus able to transfer 10% of her Personal Allowance to mine … another £1250 Tax Free next Financial Year … we have done this for at least 10 years .

I was indeed fortunate in that the main part of my private Pensions comes from an Index Linked Final Salary Scheme which has more than kept pace with inflation .

As I have posted before whenever possible take the Lump Sum .

Finally enjoy .... there are lots of things to do . I do voluntary work and it is satisfying to see in action the wealth of knowledge , talent and experience of us old f*rts .

 

[flieslikeabeagle]

I went two years early , five years ago , never once have I wished to be back at the coalface

last month I lost a very close friend, he had stayed on as a civil servant, after his retirement date by 4 years and was just 8 months into his retirement when the big C got him this January
He was the second , first one was Bob , who I worked beside at Leuchars MTMS as a civvy, he'd been the flight sergeant there , and when finished with the RAF worked like myself a s a civ ftr, he'd a second family , a daughter and a son at uni and needed to stay working , at first he was a bit chuffed, no NI to pay , so it was like a pay rise , he finally retired at 68, dead 6 months later, those fags finally catching up with him,sad demise, hit his brain , went blind , really a bad way to go for such a tallented skilled man
It was because of Bob that I said **** it at 63 and sacked it

ETA I shouldn't have put off the getting my aortic valve replaced , and should have had it done whilst working , then after I got better sacked it then , as it was I lost six months of my hard earned retirement

 

[Flash MacTavish]

I regret that my pension isn't higher...

 

[AlienFTM]

I went two years early , five years ago , never once have I wished to be back at the coalface

last month I lost a very close friend, he had stayed on as a civil servant, after his retirement date by 4 years and was just 8 months into his retirement when the big C got him this January
He was the second , first one was Bob , who I worked beside at Leuchars MTMS as a civvy, he'd been the flight sergeant there , and when finished with the RAF worked like myself a s a civ ftr, he'd a second family , a daughter and a son at uni and needed to stay working , at first he was a bit chuffed, no NI to pay , so it was like a pay rise , he finally retired at 68, dead 6 months later, those fags finally catching up with him,sad demise, hit his brain , went blind , really a bad way to go for such a tallented skilled man
It was because of Bob that I said **** it at 63 and sacked it

I'd been about five minutes at The Computer Centre, Worthy Down when a senior Senior rank came round, trawling for pallbearers for a recently retired RAPC WO2 who'd died, funeral at the garrison church.

Well I'd done the Queen's official birthday at Rheindahlen (two from each cavalry regiment in BAOR, chosen by my RSM) and her sister had visited 15/19H as Colonel in Chief twice, so I figured if nobody else volunteered, I'd do it. I did it.

Chatting with the RSM between coffin practices (yes, the undertakers had a properly weighted practice coffin), he posited that your average life-span of a retired RAPC Warrant Officer was about six months.

I vowed I wouldn't give up after six months. If I'm going to live to 100, I need another 34½ years out of this body. I'm looking after it.