Retirement age of Pink Fishers
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argustimewas
pfm Member
I recently retired from a demanding full time job just before my 61st birthday. After having a four months off (during which we went travelling) I just started a part time job in a wine shop doing two 6 hour shifts a week. It's completely different to anything I've done before with much to learn which I'm enjoying. I'm doing the work for the experience and to learn more about wine. A few extra pounds a month will be useful although I'm lucky the income is not necessary for the lifestyle I enjoy. I'll stay for as long as I enjoy the work, but it's a good feeling that I could leave at any time I choose.
One of the reasons I applied to work part time was to give some variety to my lifestyle, but I 've been surprised at how easy it is to fill time in useful and pleasurable ways and would never wish to increase my working hours.
I'm not a hifi box swapper nor regular upgrader. I recently cleaned all my LPs and am enjoying having the time to re-visit the collection. I listen to music about the same as I did when in full time work as my days, and some evenings, are as full as when I was in full employment.
One of the reasons I applied to work part time was to give some variety to my lifestyle, but I 've been surprised at how easy it is to fill time in useful and pleasurable ways and would never wish to increase my working hours.
I'm not a hifi box swapper nor regular upgrader. I recently cleaned all my LPs and am enjoying having the time to re-visit the collection. I listen to music about the same as I did when in full time work as my days, and some evenings, are as full as when I was in full employment.
MikeMA
pfm Member
I retired from the UK Civil Service on a full pension about 12 years ago at age 57 as did Mrs MikeMA. I then did some ad hoc consultancy work for my old Department and the EU, but gave it all up (or did they give up on me?) when I reached 60 and now just do voluntary work a couple of days a week fo a local charity and the Workers Education Association. I thought we'd do much more travelling once we'd retired, but most of our holidays/spare time are still spent at our Greek hovel on Limnos, or the Italian lakes, and long haul travel seems to have lost its allure! And any way, we are still just too busy, but happy!
martin clark
pinko bodger
HMRC will show you the true nature of the Force. He is your Master now.
NaimClontarf
pfm Member
Am 59 this year...youngest son is only 17...I currently plan to retire at 65 and work half time to 70...despite the pressures I enjoy work as a QS and Project Manager....love the whole people side of things....I quite enjoy being the oldest and most experienced guy in the room...
TheDecameron
Unicorns fart glitter.
My decision was influenced by ( and I don’t mean this in a morbid way but a pragmatic way) the fate of other people I knew. Both my older brothers never reached my age, one died at 51, the other 55. Then last year two very talented women I knew, with huge acheievements under their belt, died at 44 and 54, and having had one personal run in with cancer myself in my 40s, I elected to retire when I did. One piece of advice given to me was “do things while you have the ability to do them and dont put them off”.
Rob998
Scimmia Nordoccidentale
@TheDecameron
Same here. Too many family and ex colleagues working to full pension age, then getting too ill to enjoy their hard earned retirement.
I'd rather have a couple of grand less per annum, but spend it on enjoyable stuff, than grab the whole lot but spend it on a nursing home.
Same here. Too many family and ex colleagues working to full pension age, then getting too ill to enjoy their hard earned retirement.
I'd rather have a couple of grand less per annum, but spend it on enjoyable stuff, than grab the whole lot but spend it on a nursing home.
uncl_nigel
pfm Member
Retired from the French educational system at 58 with full pension once my wife could also retire - it was nice to retire on the same day - we also started on the same day 
I find I actually listen to about the same amount of music as before retirement.
No big splurge on hi-fi upon retirement - no lump sum just a decent pension.
I find I actually listen to about the same amount of music as before retirement.
No big splurge on hi-fi upon retirement - no lump sum just a decent pension.
Bob McC
Living the life of Riley
Spot on.
My travelling and gambolling about from 52 to 62 were full on.
Since then I travel as much but now feel myself slowing down.
By 72 who knows how limited I will be even with “good” health for your age your seventies are nothing like your sixties.
uncl_nigel
pfm Member
Similar situation here - I saw my father work himself into such poor health that his retirement was not worth having so I got out at 58.
Last year I travelled abroad ten times - Spain, UK, Germany, Italy; Finland, Holland; this year I have already been to Spain, UK and Holland
Pine Marten
pfm Member
I've just turned 60, although I like my job for the most part, I'm getting tired of the petty attitude of the people further up the greasy pole, with their American ideas of marketing and what I call "management bullshit-speak". Alas, the drive to and from, which is quite short by London and the South East standards, at worst 40 mins each way is also getting me down. I've been winding up the poor young uns by counting down the weeks left when I intend to go, with a little help from equity release. 130 and counting! Anyone here done equity release and any problems or pitfalls to be aware of that "they" dont tell you?
JTC
PFM Villager...
Fascinating thread. At 45, I’m a bit too young to retire but starting to see it as something tangibly near rather than a distant thing. I’m now looking to set a goal to retire at 55, so that I have (hopefully) enough life remaining and am fit/healthy enough to enjoy it. 10 years would also see my sons through their basic education, if not uni/college.
I look at my father as an example of how not to do it. He and my mother (who passed in 2012) worked hard all their days, built up a business and rarely spent any real money or went on holidays. They were humble folks living modestly, despite being able to lay their hands on respectable sums should the need arise. Then mum died, both my sister and I already working and with young families, leaving my dad in the curious position of being on his own, with more money than he needed, and no real motivation to use it. Working those long hours and squirreling away funds for rainy days, and then finding fate had other ideas. It taught me that life is largely for living, and no amount of money really matters if you never get the chance to enjoy it. So it is a balancing act, and I’m determined to lower my ambitions to the huge detached house and fancy cars in favour of modest but worthy practical options: a decent home with no mortgage, a competent vehicle or two (including the camper van in which to make family memories and travel), dogs, eventually time off to enjoy the garden, do some travel, enjoy life in a sustainable, ‘present’ way. We’re on track to do all of this, but it isn’t an overnight thing. We’re lucky, really, in that we both have decent jobs, no debt and financial independence (which will be bolstered one day in a bittersweet way by my father’s estate). For now, the thing we lack is time, not money. We are not getting any younger, and it would be sad if ill-health or misfortune denied us the chance to enjoy our better years. Retiring at 55 is a concrete goal, but also requires a lifestyle choice and it’s taken years of chasing material things to realise that less is better and recognise what matters most.
Sorry, got a bit carried away there. Sometimes it is nice to write down how you feel; it focuses the mind.
I look at my father as an example of how not to do it. He and my mother (who passed in 2012) worked hard all their days, built up a business and rarely spent any real money or went on holidays. They were humble folks living modestly, despite being able to lay their hands on respectable sums should the need arise. Then mum died, both my sister and I already working and with young families, leaving my dad in the curious position of being on his own, with more money than he needed, and no real motivation to use it. Working those long hours and squirreling away funds for rainy days, and then finding fate had other ideas. It taught me that life is largely for living, and no amount of money really matters if you never get the chance to enjoy it. So it is a balancing act, and I’m determined to lower my ambitions to the huge detached house and fancy cars in favour of modest but worthy practical options: a decent home with no mortgage, a competent vehicle or two (including the camper van in which to make family memories and travel), dogs, eventually time off to enjoy the garden, do some travel, enjoy life in a sustainable, ‘present’ way. We’re on track to do all of this, but it isn’t an overnight thing. We’re lucky, really, in that we both have decent jobs, no debt and financial independence (which will be bolstered one day in a bittersweet way by my father’s estate). For now, the thing we lack is time, not money. We are not getting any younger, and it would be sad if ill-health or misfortune denied us the chance to enjoy our better years. Retiring at 55 is a concrete goal, but also requires a lifestyle choice and it’s taken years of chasing material things to realise that less is better and recognise what matters most.
Sorry, got a bit carried away there. Sometimes it is nice to write down how you feel; it focuses the mind.
SteveG
pfm Member
Having sold our London place and not having had a mortgage on our Edinburgh place for quite a few years now means that at 51 I could retire and be reasonably comfortable. My kids are 27 and 23, with the elder one well on her way in her career and has recently bought her first property. The younger one is still at uni and there is still a bit to go there before he's also self-sufficient, and my wife isn't keen for me to retire before that's the case (although did herself give up work last year).
Like others have mentioned above I know too many people that have died too young and would rather retire earlier and get a chance to spend some time enjoying myself while I still can. I'd be quite happy downsizing to a house in the Dordogne (or in the far North-West of Scotland if Brexit removes the European option) after a year or two wandering around in our motorhome, however it's perhaps now still a couple of years away from me doing that. In the meantime I'm going to continue maximising my pension contributions for the next few years, and I really, really don't intend working beyond 55 when our pensions become available.
Like others have mentioned above I know too many people that have died too young and would rather retire earlier and get a chance to spend some time enjoying myself while I still can. I'd be quite happy downsizing to a house in the Dordogne (or in the far North-West of Scotland if Brexit removes the European option) after a year or two wandering around in our motorhome, however it's perhaps now still a couple of years away from me doing that. In the meantime I'm going to continue maximising my pension contributions for the next few years, and I really, really don't intend working beyond 55 when our pensions become available.
Suffolk Tony
Aim low, achieve your goals, avoid disappointment.
When a colleague and I set up our own business in 1988, we both vowed to retire at 55, so we funded our pension with this in mind. We sold the business (three times as it happens, retaining equity on each occasion) & both did as we set out to do, so things have worked out very well, far better than we dared hope at the time.
The company tried to talk me out of retiring, so I reluctantly agreed to stay on as a "consultant" as long as they paid my IT bills & supplied computers etc., & I would give them the benefit of my failing brains as and when. As it happens, I don't recall ever being called on, but then folk generally don't like to ask for help as they regard this as some form of weakness. Funny really, I've always considered it a strength.
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The company tried to talk me out of retiring, so I reluctantly agreed to stay on as a "consultant" as long as they paid my IT bills & supplied computers etc., & I would give them the benefit of my failing brains as and when. As it happens, I don't recall ever being called on, but then folk generally don't like to ask for help as they regard this as some form of weakness. Funny really, I've always considered it a strength.
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farfromthesun
pfm Member
I'm 41.
Mr Cat
Owner
I'm 49 next month, earn an ok wage as does my lady (more than the value of our mortgage) - we could pay it off quicker (10 years time) - but we like going away for weekends etc (I spent £399 on a birthday treat for my lady at Rockcliffe hall Saturday gone)… I aim to retire when my mortgage is paid off - or at least go part time...