In two years I'm free!

[Sweeps]

155 days to go now, less another 44 days if you count weekends - yahoo!

[Danemouth]

In my case roll on 30th November

 

Dave

[pointstaken]

Yes, keep yourself occupied but sensibly, especially if you are of retirement age or older. My wife and I thought that it would be a good idea to simplify our garden (not that it's that big), to make life easier for both of us (after all I am 69). So I did a fair amount of manual work which made life easier, to a point. Probably overdid the manual work, resulting in January and February in hospital, a heart bypass and a pacemaker. So realise that you are that much older, and adjust your work rate accordingly. "I need to get that bed dug over", or "I really should do something about that shed roof" - if you have a stroke or fall off the twig, it won't get done, so be sensible.

 

Dennis

[gordon s]

I counted the months, then weeks, then days, Sweeps and it seemed to take forever, yet now I have no idea where the last four years have gone. Each to their own, but it was the best thing I ever did. Yesterday we took ourselves off to the beach with the dogs, had a leisurely stroll for an hour or so along the deserted beach and an even more leisurely pub lunch before getting back home around 4pm. Made me feel good to be alive and able to enjoy life's pleasures whilst still young enough and healthy enough to do it.

 

I certainly agree with Dennis though. Pace yourself. If it doesn't get done today don't worry, there's always tomorrow or the next day. Stop and smell the roses along the way.....

[Sweeps]

I counted the months, then weeks, then days, Sweeps and it seemed to take forever, yet now I have no idea where the last four years have gone. Each to their own, but it was the best thing I ever did. Yesterday we took ourselves off to the beach with the dogs, had a leisurely stroll for an hour or so along the deserted beach and an even more leisurely pub lunch before getting back home around 4pm. Made me feel good to be alive and able to enjoy life's pleasures whilst still young enough and healthy enough to do it.

 

I certainly agree with Dennis though. Pace yourself. If it doesn't get done today don't worry, there's always tomorrow or the next day. Stop and smell the roses along the way.....

 

Yes, that's what worries me, time when at work goes so slow, yet a friend who in my mind had just recently taken early retirement reminded me the other day that he'd been retired SIX YEARS. We've been conditioned whilst at work to use every minute to be productive not to waste time etc. Whilst you've got to have some goals to keep you active, once retired you don't dance to another tune (apart from the wife) I won't have to be pleasant or put up with people I don't like, or sign up to the latest company initiative. Money is not everything!

[DerekEm8]

A word of advice to those who have a few years to go before retirement - get your modelling done NOW - you won't have time to do it once you retire. I speak from experience.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

I definitely agree with the 'keep on doing something' motto for the post-retirement-from-the-full-time-job life. Having watched numerous people retire over many years, often taking early retirement, I'm firmly of the opinion that the ones who go first are those with nothing to do...

Indeed so. Seen it so often, the work drones don't make old bones. The lively personalities around the office go on near unstoppably. They always had multiple enthusiasms other than their career, and these just expand to fill the newly available time when they retire. There's endless possibilities for voluntary work, and I would put in a particular shout for activity that maintains contact with younger people: Scouts/Guides, helping as a reading assistant at a school, lollipop lady or man, cycling proficiency tutor, basic cooking courses for uni students; most local authorities will be able to point anyone looking for such opportunities to a 'volunteering centre' that can advise on what is possible in the area. You haven't lived until you try umpiring a rounders match between teams of profoundly deaf kids...

[Sidecar Racer]

Two years into retirement now and it's flown by , best thing that ever happened to me too , all the main goals have been reached ,

got the property move sorted , did a fair amount of DIY on the new place but still plenty to do , nice big shed

installed with a lot of model railway in it waiting to be rebuilt , and taking each day as it comes is so nice , no pressure

to have it done ' yesterday ' ,

 

As others have said , you do have to have things to do to stay physically and mentally alert , no saggging in front of the

telly all day , do crosswords , take walks , pop down to the local park and feed the ducks and swans the leftover bread ,

keep the place tidy , do the shopping and even have time for modelling , so relaxing yet the days just fly by .

 

Your 155 will be gone in no time so look on the bright side , more time to spend her on RMweb .

[Horsetan]

....not over tax myself ...

 

HMR&C will do that anyway once you've retired.

[trisonic]

My tips: Get a thorough medical now and then avoid walking in front of Buses.....

 

A couple of people I know had their Retirement severely curtailed by death because they had not taken care of themselves.

 

Best, Pete.

[bob hughes60]

I was a manager at a college and got out at 60 (year ago) - a change of senior management, changing government policies and an inability to see that recruiting 16+ students was going to get very competitive as the cohort shrank did influence me.

I find that my time goes quicker in retirement than at work. I have plenty to do , DIY ( a lot on 2 son's houses), gardening properly and constructing the 5m. x 2m layout in the garage.

I had done consultancy work and was an OFSTED inspector (boo!, hiss!) but I've let it all go.

My decision was influenced by my father who died the year he retired.

What is embarrassing is when I meet colleagues whose first words are "you look well", then "you got out at the right time" redundancies, increased workloads etc. etc.

You will need some financial planning but this can be helped by having time to find the best utility supplier, travel, car and house insurance, banking, savings and so on.

I didn't ease down at all in my last year;that's not professional and would not have helped my under-managers.

What did surprise me was this group for advice and help, freindliness of traders and model shops and exhibitions, a really useful fraternity.

No, I wouldn't go back. Look on it not as retirement, but your next career, the portugese word for retirement (reforma?) suggests replanning your life which is what it should be;

not "en retrait" as the french say.

Good luck and enjoy yourself!

[Guest Max Stafford]

You lucky, lucky men. May you all enjoy long, happy and healthy retirements and I hope I last long enough to do the same!

 

Dave.

[Sweeps]

My tips: Get a thorough medical now and then avoid walking in front of Buses.....

 

A couple of people I know had their Retirement severely curtailed by death because they had not taken care of themselves.

 

Best, Pete.

 

Yea, had the health scare 3 year ago with bowel cancer that hit me out of the blue - now treated and hopefully okay - hence reorgansing life's priorities.

[Southernman46]

My father retired at 65 - and had a heart attack within 3 weeks. OK, so mum had died the year before, but his retirement was never going to be off to a good start. My pension fund (BR) allowed me to retire at 50, albeit with a substantial loss of pension, of course. I spent a number of years calculating the size of pension I would receive as each pay increase came my way, and made a significant job change within the now-privatised industry to pursue that. I retired at 54, doing a 3-day week for the subsequent 18 months. We then sold our house in Kent and moved to an old cottage in rural France before my 56th birthday. All actuarial assumptions, upon which pension funds base their careful calculations of how much to pay you, recognise that what happened to my father is quite common. He happened to survive a further 8 years, but plenty don't. In that you are patently bored witless by your work, see if there is any way to get out sooner, while protecting your future pension income. It could prolong your life!

 

Thank you - I have the opportunity to take my RPS pension at 50 but haven't been sure, however I think that if someone as yourself saw it as a realistic option then it's probably the correct thing to do (clearly taking financial advice of my own before deciding) - I was planning to leave NR at 57 anyway once the mortgage is paid. However as my new employer's now electrifying the GW mainline I might stick around for a good while yet...........

[lmsforever]

Retiring three yeaars ago was the best thing I have ever done I now help on the R&CR ,activly support the RNLI sales and education ,and find time to go on regular weekends at Warner Holiday venues ,build my model railway and spend time on this wonderful website.Anyone who carries on working after retirement is doing himself harm and shortening his life an ex colleague of mine ie working six days a week because he has no hobbies and cant stand being at home,sad. It will soon be your time to enjoy yourself ,bus pass in hand ,senior railcard at the ready to go out into the wonderful world of retirement(I SHOULD SAY FUN FUN FUN)

[Steve Williams]

Have been retired officially, just over one year. I gave up full-time two and a half years before that, which, in some way, was a good way to do it, as I was eased into retirement. For some it comes as a hell of a shock to find that the old routine has gone. Yes, I do get former colleagues commenting on how well I look. However, for me, I am conscious of not really getting enough exercise. I try to go for a walk most days but must confess that I find normal exercise regimes very, very boring. I just keep thinking that I could be doing something else. It came as a bit of a shock to realise how much exercise I was getting just being at work. Having an office at the top of eight flights of stairs, plus a lousy memory, meant that I was up and down all day like a fiddler's elbow! I could beat all the kids up the stairs. I do have a new early morning routine. It involves a small Americano at Costa whilst doing the crossword puzzles in the paper.

Edited March 29, 2012 by Steve Williams

[Neil]

.... has anyone any tips for how I can get through the days and weeks ahead. ....

 

Phone in sick.

[DaveF]

I retired early on a reduced pension over six years ago, it was the best thing I ever did.

 

I still work in a related field about one day a week and enjoy spending the rest of my time on all sorts of hobbies and interests.

 

The hard bit is trying to fit everything I want to do in the time available, especially as I like to get out for a walk for at least an hour a day (usually on the local beach) to keep my weight down and be reasonably fit.

 

David

[The Stationmaster]

Thank you - I have the opportunity to take my RPS pension at 50 but haven't been sure, however I think that if someone as yourself saw it as a realistic option then it's probably the correct thing to do (clearly taking financial advice of my own before deciding) - I was planning to leave NR at 57 anyway once the mortgage is paid. However as my new employer's now electrifying the GW mainline I might stick around for a good while yet...........

There are always some calculations to be made for individual circumstances but it can work out reasonably although you lose an ever larger chunk of pension if you go before 55. I had planned on ensuring i was made redundant around the time of my 55th birthday and with BRASS contributions that would have ensured a full pension. But fate intervened and following some health nastys I was given the chance to 'out' on redundancy conditions 3 years earlier than planned (and someone else cut out my job thus saving me the bother). I grasped the chance as you can never tell what is going to happen with redundancy funding and apart from a cap on length of service taken into account I got = the full BR final offer in terms of money.

 

This is where the personal bit comes in and only you can do the sums - I had enough to clear the mortgage so that was big monthly outpayment taken off that side of the balance sheet and even with the reduced pension the drop in nett monthly income was quite sustainable. And in addition I picked up some casual consultancy work which helped keep the wolf from the door. Overall I lost a quite big chunk of pension and that loss gets bigger as time goes on and inflation rises are applied because you are starting from a lower base than you be at even early retirement at age 55 let alone full pension. But if - for example - you do what i did and clear the mortgage - the nett difference in income might not be too bad.

 

However one thing that I did was opt for what is know in the BR funds as a 'level pension' which put simply means it is front loaded to give you a bigger pension until you reach age 65 at which point it drops. The idea being that the state Old Age Pension will go towards making up what you lose thus enabling you to afford to go for the level pension. In addition I've got a small pension (average salary based) to come from my consultancy activities which I reckon ought to just about cover the car insurance for a year - better than a kick in the teeth as they say.

 

So things can work out - but do your sums very carefully and get the figures from Darlington (they used to be very helpful with info for various options).

[Guest Max Stafford]

Big changes are coming up in my organisation in the next few years and I very much doubt they'll be good ones, so fingers crossed that sometime after two years from now, I get the 'offer I can't refuse'. Failing that, I'll get out at 25 years service and take the five year hit on the lump sum. I'm pretty sure The Waverley will be needing more of me by then! I suppose I should start making tentative enquiries at Darlington about the options as you suggest, Mike.

 

Dave