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I was 55 yesterday, what’s ahead?

I felt reasonably fit and healthy (sufficient to completely refurbish a 3 bed flat 18 months ago) until about September last year when various situations tested me one after the other. The last of these coincided with Covid kicking in; not yet fully resolved, but improving.

As one ages, bits drop off. The problem is that it becomes more difficult to stoop down to pick them up. Try to retain confidence, eat nutritionally, exercise and only do drugs and alcohol every other day.
 
Play music, read plenty of books, watch bargain hunt, cut the grass, push the dyson over the carpets, repeat, conk out!
 
55 next year.
The thought of retiring is not welcome, I'll carry on full time as long as I still can/need/want to.
Need to address physical fitness though, I'm in my worst state ever despite eating healthier than I have before. Extra important now as the first shot across the bows of genetic plumbing problems, from both sides, has already been fired. Most men in the families have croaked before 75, only one exception.
My fifties have generally seen a big shift in side interests and pastimes. HiFi has definitely taken a back seat, or more like left behind at the car park.
Much more of a people person now, not nearly as dismissive or short suffering.
 
I retired when I was 62 and I am 63 now it was due to medical issues which have now thankfully all cleared up they just took time . I had reduced to working part time three days a week three years earlier and doing that made it possible for me to continue work and get some pay and pension contributions for a few years longer. I would recommend that you try and get reduced hours first and wind down over a year or two if you can as has been said unless you have things already to do when retired just stopping can be a shock and it is all too easy to find yourself just doing nothing .

I now go to the gym every other day one day exercise the next day rest and normal activity which seems to work fine . The exercise is very simple 15 minutes treadmill at full incline about 4 klm an hour . Some back exercises to keep my back from stiffening then 30 mins cycling . I am able to do this every other day and while a little breathless and very sweaty at the end still feel okay .

I have recently attended a Stained Glass Class and have now completed a Skylight for the house and a few sun catcher items. I enjoy the different things like cutting , soldering , wrapping and the finished items look really good even if i say so myself . Not everyone would want to do this but it not something I ever thought of before and i have found that i have little bit of skill in this form of work which I did not know I had . Point is it is doing something I enjoy and developing a new skill so try and look for something you really want to do and go for it .

If you can plan for retirement I would say that is the way to go in my case the years I have worked were enough and all they ever did was pay the bills and look after my family . I did not get to know how much I had hated my job for the last couple of years until it stopped and I felt so much better . Without Covid this year would have been a monster doing lots of things i really enjoy , many of these have been put on hold but the current news and final steps to a Vaccine in sight I think next year will see a great deal more normal life style for everyone by the end of March . I am just an optomist I know but if you beleive good things will happen they nearly always do . Good luck .
 
56 Last Wednesday.

I'm currently on a career break to teach in Thailand......that worked out well! One of the conditions of my break is that I am not permitted to teach here in N.I whilst on a career break and I cannot cancel my break as they've put someone in my post for a year. I've been asked by the local authority schools to supply teach as they are desperate since so many staff are isolating. I've then been told that if I do this it will be a break in service and will trash my measly pension!.

Over the last few weeks I am beginning to wonder if I have accidentally retired. I'm single, home owner with a few years left on the mortgage. Apart from not getting to easily travel long distance at the moment I am quite content. I've now given up on the Thailand and moving there to work notion and am leaning more to can I retire to Vietnam or Laos!

My advice, keep an eye on your diet, keep an eye on your friends, get outside into the wild as much as possible. Master your hobbies (I am crap at this) and remember money is the root of all evil ;)

Oh and experiences are much better than stuff!
 
I'm 57 and work 3 x 12 hour days in local work that allows me to meet a lot of people (essential for me), keeps me physically fit and happens to pay household bills up until I retire at 60+. I like the discipline and routine that work brings and I see many lonely retired in my village who frankly should get out more. I could take my pension/lump sum now but any potential loss, including those due to changes to the TFLS are handsomely outweighed by the next 3 years plus of deferred pension increases (its one of the last ever final salary schemes) particularly if I hang on even longer. The big and unpredictable variable is your health, both in terms of the stress of work (I have little) if you carry on and any health nasties that may lie in wait for you just round the corner. Do something that keeps you at peak fitness and under reduced stress! I found stopping commuting a long way made the biggest single difference.
BTW I've assumed that the worst the chancellor will do to the TFLS is reduce the amount you can take as tax free to 15%.

John

PS Don't move to a bungalow, you will lose the ability to climb stairs even earlier if you do.
 
zygote23 said:
56 Last Wednesday.

Now given up on the Thailand and moving there to work notion and am leaning more to can I retire to Vietnam or Laos!

My advice, keep an eye on your diet, keep an eye on your friends, get outside into the wild as much as possible. Master your hobbies (I am crap at this) and remember money is the root of all evil ;)

Oh and experiences are much better than stuff!
Click to expand...
Malaysia is very popular for retirement, English is understood, there was the M2M 10 year visa program before Covid and there is a double taxation agreement with the UK
 
Unexpectedly made redundant at 57 and knew that I would never get another job paying anywhere near what I was earning. So retirement by default for me. Staying at home as I don’t fancy contracting covid-19.

My life up to 2018 was best described as “steady”. I have suffered with some mental health problems but managed to keep them away from my job. Post early 2018, it’s been one problem after another. Several people I know have either suffered ill health or passed away which has been a great shock. It’s made me realise that the redundancy was a blessing in disguise. I have some plans for the future and if the come off them I’m going to be a contented little bunny.

Health is an important consideration. I’m looking forward to getting back in a swimming pool at some point in the future. The suggestion upthread of a personal mot is a good one. I’ve also joined Beneden which is a type of private health insurance for £11.50 per month - excellent value.

You never know what’s around the corner so plan for the short term and plan for the long-term. Do the things you want to do and think about things you can do in the years to come. I want to get fit so that if I have some grandchildren I’m not the old duffer in a chair in the corner of the room. I want to be playing with them in the garden and getting told off for not being sensible !

The advice on making a will is worth taking. Finally, don’t be afraid to give your dependents a lasting power of attorney over your health and wealth. It will save a lot of problems in later years.
 
Currently 57 here. Hard to say when I ‘retired’ as I’ve never even remotely aspired to mainstream ‘rat-race’ life so didn’t really have anything to retire from, but either age 16 or age 39 depending on when you count the point of fully dropping out. I think I’ve spent six years total as ‘an employee’, the rest of my life has been doing my own thing to varying degrees of success/failure. I certainly view myself as semi-retired now, maybe totally, as there is no debt anywhere (never has been really, but significantly there has been no rent/mortgage for the past 17 years) and I get paid to chat about music and hi-fi. I’m neither rich or poor; I have enough to do the things I personally want to do, buy the things I want to own, and even have a vague plan to move somewhere nicer when I’m done with record dealing (i.e. don’t need so much space for stock, orders etc). That’s maybe ten years away, maybe further. I would now describe myself as absolutely unemployable in any context other than by myself.

Advice? Clear all debt. Have the confidence to do exactly your own thing. Enjoy yourself!
 
What you will see with increasing frequency is an old chap in ill-fitting baggy clothes as you stroll past the mirror. But you will care less and less, or at least should. Always remember growing old disgracefully is fun. Chalk up another point every time a twenty-something checkout lady calls you ‘dear’, or offers to help you find the right change.

The only advice you have been offered (and I realise you didn’t specifically ask for advice) that I take issue with is ‘drink alcohol every other day.’ I fed my data into my bank of computers earlier, and my preferred figure has now been calculated - and strangely it is almost exactly twice as often.
 
When you consider retiring think about what you will do and assuming you have a partner what she (or he..) will do. My job vanished age 61, I decided to retire though I didn’t need to access my pension. My wife who 4.5 years younger than me continued her part time coaching/teaching job. This meant days out together were not very viable; even after 36 years we like to be together...so I decided I might as well work again. Age 62 I got a good job, now at 64 I reckon I’ll retire at 65. During COVID it’s been good to work as I’d have been bored otherwise.

My wife will retire when I do, for us having retirement in sync is an important factor which I’d not taken into account when I started my first retirement.
 
When a man grows old, and his XXXXX grow cold,
And the tip of his XXXXX turns blue,
When it bends in the middle
Like a one string fiddle
He can tell you a tale or two
 
The answer to the OP is 'who knows'.

When I left school at 15 I had no idea that
a) I'd go to University - but I did
b) I'd become a school teacher and actually teach with staff who taught me - but I did
c) that I'd go into IT and work on fantastic projects - but I did
d) that I'd own my own home by the sea - but I did
...and so on.

None of the above were planned as they were waaay off my radar as a secondary modern school pupil from a working class family. The expectation was that I'd work in a factory/building site or such like most others on our council estate.

At the end of the day its your approach to life that really matters. Aim for the moon and if you only get to the top of Everest you have done really well.

Cheers,

DV
 
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