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Early Retirement


oxfordfowler
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Well - thats it. Last day at work today, after 35 years I decided to take the enhanced pension and lump sum. So I guess that at 57 I am now a pensioner (how the hell did that happen, I can't be that old).

 

Planning on spending this season getting in as much shooting/beating as possible. Picking up a Lab pup (bitch) tomorrow so that should keep me out of mischief and the other half keeps hinting at "decorating" what ever that is?.

 

 

So looking forward to the next chapter in my life - Happy Days.

 

 

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Almost the same for me too. Bit of a wrench initially but all the little jobs got done, grass gets cut before it really needs it and I do a bit of wood turning, watercolours and helping friends with their home improvements.

Lots of beating and foxing but I wouldnt mind the odd day at work - I enjoyed it.

The very best of luck to you in your retirement - worth taking a few weeks to decide what you would really like to do - tends not to include decorating !

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Congratulations mate,I took partial retirement last yr at 52, and I love the time off.Wife goes off to work,kids off to school,then its my time.Do what I want to do,shooting fishing or just potter on round the allotment.Will be fully retired at 55,cant wait.Mind you the missus is always trying to give me jobs,but I'm getting a little deaf in my old age.

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Retired in June this year. Just about got used to it and planning what, if anything, to do. Build another kit car, restore an older car, re-build another motocrosser?

Commenced clearing out my garage as a priority. Already made a start at disposing of over 50 ratchets and more spanners than you can point a stick at. Table saw went tonight, electric Kango next, along with the odd roll cab, A-frame, mega numbers of sockets etc., torque wrenches, tool trolley and the rest. Ebay here I come.

My eldest wants to retire next year - at 40. :whistling::whistling: :whistling:

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Retired in June this year. Just about got used to it and planning what, if anything, to do. Build another kit car, restore an older car, re-build another motocrosser?

Commenced clearing out my garage as a priority. Already made a start at disposing of over 50 ratchets and more spanners than you can point a stick at. Table saw went tonight, electric Kango next, along with the odd roll cab, A-frame, mega numbers of sockets etc., torque wrenches, tool trolley and the rest. Ebay here I come.

My eldest wants to retire next year - at 40. :whistling::whistling: :whistling:

 

Gordon, do you want to build me my mad mini project?

 

It's got to look like an old T reg Mini Mayfair on the outside but be able book a 0-60 in under 5 seconds.

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Mungler - had my fill of Minis. I rebuilt one in the mid 1970s. One of about half a dozen cars I made a profit on. We are currently on cars 105 and 107.

 

Sold it to a woman who worked for my next door neighbour's driving school. She got arrested for shop lifting and committed suicide, in the Mini, by redirecting the exhaust. At the time, I asked my neighbour if her husband would be selling the car cheaply, in view of the incident. He hung on to it and got a tug from the Police. He had been driving around for ten years without a licence.

 

I wish you luck with your Mini. I have got past the stage sitting at the lights waiting for them to change - with some boy racer sat in his XR3 turbo alongside - thinking he was going to leave you standing - only to be left red faced, because you were driving something quite quick.

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Good luck with your retirement I'm sure you will love it and like others have already said, you will wonder how you ever found the time to go to work. The main thing is to ensure you have hobbies that you are passionate about. When I retired almost 3 years ago the months running up to it was very stressful for me because I wasn't sure how I would cope after being very involved in my work and enjoying it for so many years. I was really worried was I doing the right thing. The first couple of weeks was just like being at home on normal holiday leave from work and then it reality hit me. After being on holiday it is always a bit hard to go back regardless of how much you enjoy working but now I never had to and it was a wonderful feeling which I have never lost. Keep yourself busy but at your own pace and enjoy.ATB

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Retiring is all well and good, being able to afford retirement is the biggest problem.

 

Figgy

Not just that kirk some people like me actually like the structure and routine of work and actually quite enjoy it, I could if I wanted to, literally finish tomorrow my income will be more than adequate but I dont want to and wont for a while.

 

KW

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Retirement is OK as long as you plan for it - I managed to plough a third of my salary into my pension fund for many years (and yes, I couldn't afford it!) and collected £100k as my 25% lump sum.

 

So, no money worries.

 

As others have said when you work you have structure, and all of a sudden it's gone. You plan to do lots of shooting and fishing, and I have a 17 month old cocker that gets me out and drives me nuts. You need something to look forward to every morning, and keep yourself fit. It's all too easy to have an extremely large malt every night and slide into being a vegetable.

 

Do I miss the 50 odd thousand miles a year for 30 years - no! It helped that the last MD I had was a miserable, scheming, micro manager who could do every ones job better than they could. But I do miss the daily banter with my other managers and co workers.

 

I too do a bit of wood turning in my shed, and the wife gives me a call for a cuppa now and then. God bless her, as I have a diamond and we give each other space when it's required.

 

So, the only advice I can give is to get the finances right, and then at least it gives you options. No options = lost sleep and an unhappy retirement.

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Retirement is OK as long as you plan for it - I managed to plough a third of my salary into my pension fund for many years (and yes, I couldn't afford it!) and collected £100k as my 25% lump sum.

 

So, no money worries.

 

As others have said when you work you have structure, and all of a sudden it's gone. You plan to do lots of shooting and fishing, and I have a 17 month old cocker that gets me out and drives me nuts. You need something to look forward to every morning, and keep yourself fit. It's all too easy to have an extremely large malt every night and slide into being a vegetable.

 

Do I miss the 50 odd thousand miles a year for 30 years - no! It helped that the last MD I had was a miserable, scheming, micro manager who could do every ones job better than they could. But I do miss the daily banter with my other managers and co workers.

 

I too do a bit of wood turning in my shed, and the wife gives me a call for a cuppa now and then. God bless her, as I have a diamond and we give each other space when it's required.

 

So, the only advice I can give is to get the finances right, and then at least it gives you options. No options = lost sleep and an unhappy retirement.

Ive got 25 years left to do... I'm putting the max amount into my pension and buying shares every month ..I want to go at 55 ish but the way things are who knows...but it's good to plan ahead...my wife has a final salary pension as well so were hoping at 55 ish to sell up and move down to Cornwall and buy a little cottage, couple of dogs and a bit of shooting, that's the plan....

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