Posted in error - please delete
I thought I’d reflect on the positive aspects of retirement. All of which assumes sufficient funds for a modest lifestyle.
No boss, no stress handling unreasonable demands from boss, no stress from handling unreasonable clients, no Sunday night before work stress, no stress of annual reviews, no stress from people you manage. You get the idea.
Clear, open days and weeks to do as you want - or prioritise what needs done in your own way. The stripping & re-painting of shutters has been put on pause until it cools a bit. The moving of the outside tap will start next week. Completing such tasks also gives me a boost.
Time to indulge in doing the things you like, when you like. So I’m back going to the gym but always to get there are really quiet times. The daily dog walk takes up an indulgent chunk of the morning. I get to take my time cooking the foods I like (almost, the other half is not so keen on seafood or offal) rather than a rush after getting home from work. Afternoon siestas are now mandatory and there is nothing stopping me having them.
Retirement age can, for some, also bring relief from obligations. Both my parents are dead so that period of care, worry and re-housing is behind me. The obligations I do have are now of my own making - commitments to local events, commitments to friends.
I’d also recommend retiring to somewhere completely new, not necessarily abroad. It forces you to get out and make new friends. It makes joining clubs or classes good for meeting new people and good to keep sharp. And it gives a fresh perspective on many things.
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Yes I agree, a happy retirement is dependent on sufficient funds.
I retired at sixty because financially I was able to, I had accumulated a few quid from works pensions and the profits from my courier business which I had invested wisely. Mum and Dad both passed away within six months of each other, after being together for over sixty years. So being the only son, I got the proceeds from the house etc…
After having ten good years of travelling and then the dark days of covid, my daughter and husband were being evicted from their house, by the husbands sister would you believe. So I bought them a house and got them settled. Although not rolling in money these days, we still have enough for a comfortable life enough for some more cruising.
You have to cut your cloth accordingly though, and I think moving house would be a massive expenditure, especially as we have very good neighbours and live in a quiet cul-de-sac.
Your working life sounds very stressful Lincs, but being lower down the food chain doesn’t reduce the stress levels. I wound up the business because I worked all hours God sent, being a one man band you never said no to a customer so you could get a call 24/7 I can still hear my ringtone and respond before I realise that I no longer do that.
After winding up the business I went to work for Royal Mail as a postman. I loved the job, but at 55 it needed some adjustment and although fit and able to cope with the eight hours on my feet, the stress was overpowering at times. When you went out with your bags of post, you were expected to deliver it all come rain, snow and shine, and as a newcomer it would be different walk every day. You sort of filled in for sickness and days off. It was a pleasure to get my own walk after a year even though it was as a coverman. I certainly got to know every street, ginnel and house in Ackworth.
I still get up early and go for a walk and sometimes it’s hard to resist the urge to run down peoples paths and stick something through their door…
Seriously though, I don’t think stress is such a bad thing, its how you cope with it that is the secret.
I’ve got to get out and about. See people and see life, My back garden can be nice but it’s small and I want more.
(I’m writing a song here)
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I’m not sure how I’ll fill my days yet, thinking of taking up the guitar again…I’ll have to see…
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I keep thinking about my old ‘axe’ out again and giving it a go. Maybe one day… 
Greetings Old Grey Fox,
As always it’s nice to hear your comments,
Two thing here to reply to what you’d said,
First do not employ family of friends, you’ll loose a friend if your getting to successful they tend to resent it, and again if a family member has been evicted by another family member and you buy them out? Whats to say they’re living off your earnings and have no need to try to better themselves second time around?
As for working long hours and employing people, I employed 15 people and after a few years I hardend up ref any misconduct ie It’s ok to rob from the company be it Fuel in a Jerry can while filling the companies van, or using the equipment for thier own use without any Insurance to use the van/ladders/carpet cleaning machines, etc etc etc, And then petty cash and so on,
I pulled into a little off the beaten track old fashioned petrol pump station run by an old couple for a refill,
As I drove onto the pump’s area one of my emplyee’s jumped over the front seat and into the back of the van,
The old dear (about early 70’s) came to the pump and as alway with a nice smile and started to fill the van up,
Her husband sat in the little shop part of the set up, they sold sweets and the like, And he was’nt to good on his feet anyway,
As i paid and had a quick chat with the old man and then got back in the van,
As i drove off I asked why the one lad was back on the front passenger seat, ?
One of the other lads said he’d filled up at this station and drove off without paying??? Laugh giggle giggle,
I turned the van around and returned to the station the old lady came out and asked if all was ok? I asked if she’d had a drive off with out payment?
The lad slid out of the van and said he was meaning to come back and pay but had’nt got round to it, £25-00 worth,
I paid for the fuel and told him to go and tell the old man how sorry you we’re and drove off leaving him approx 5 miles from my office I deducted the fuel cost from his wage and when his Mother phoned me that evening telling me what a rat I was for making him walk home ?
i TOLD HER HIS REMAINING WAGES WOULD BE POSTED TO THEIR HOME ALONG WITH THE P 45,
She said she would seek advice on taking me to court and she was going to get intouch with the local paper to tell them of my conduct ,
I never heard from her again,
And her son “Yes” the job centre phoned me to ask why he was fired,
I told them the full story and again I heard no more from anyone,
So I do know stress is not a good thing and running a small company is not always simple, But a lot depends on what you are made of;
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Hello Primus,
Well I retired age 53yrs and we have 6years between us (her indoors)
is 6 years younger than me,
Now we got a right kick in the goollies when it came to my wifes OAP pension in that as she was born 1955 year she would not get her OAP pension for another 6yrs,
This was the goverement new idea,
She’d worked all her life from 17yrs "Never being unemployed & always paying tax etc,
Luck was on our side in as much that she worked for her last company for 26 yrs and got a pension off them And just had to wait until she got her Goverement state pension,7yrs later,
I on the other hand made sure years ago I paid into a private pension, As ive said many times on this forum Plan Plan Plan ahead,
No matter what you do from your future ref having a family "“can you afford the best for your children?” Or do you just have a production line going to increase the population and then
complain your the hard done by?
Same as the for the car you drive or the clothing you wear,
It’s your choice and it’s up to you,
Now one more of something thats heading your way,
You are about to share your every minute of every day in each other’s company,
A complete change from your every day life,
Be ready,
Have a think of what pleases you and your wife,?
Try to please each other,
Well produced and well said
There is a lot of talk of “Old Mans” and “Privates” on this thread, Is that intentional 
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And Grahams “Old Axe”, this can’t be coincidental 
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Who needs a deliberately Saucy Thread 
No stress. Lovely maegbots. It’s enough. .
I have just celebrated my third year retired, and left just before my 61st Birthday. I wanted to hang around to at least 65, but the job was just getting so bad to the point that I decided to take the money and run. It was quite the psychological blow not having to get up in the morning, but the clincher in my decision to leave was the 24-hour callout I was expected to perform, which was taking its toll both physically and mentally. So I totted everything up, one serious chat with the missus, handed in my notice and disappeared. The only thing I really miss is the salary. But being retired has bought its own issues. I have a house that needs decorating, which I’m doing slowly because I hate DIY and I have some health issues which have come about since I left work. If I look on the positives, we have been on 3 cruises (4th one later this week), a few weeks in Florida and a couple of weeks touring Italy and we have a trip to New York booked for this December, and trying to decide what to do next year - all since leaving work, none of which would have been possible to do due to lack of manpower and resources to cover any time off. The other positive is that I’ve turned semi-professional in my photography and have several paid events lined up in the following months, which I’ve used as a good reason to buy new lenses and software with. Hopefully sometime I may get to go fully pro, but that in itself may open up other problems - so I’m in no hurry.
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Graham, I joke a lot but, in 2002 I walked away from the traditional workplace, I tired of the bullshit, I was there to work, others were there to keep up appearances, since then I have grafted beyond belief, but, it is at my own discretion, and its kept me physically in good shape, no retirement on this horizon, I retired in 2002 but kept on grafting beyond belief, not sure anyone else has ever done this.
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Enjoy the cruise Graham, you’ve earned it…
A Geo thermal power station in Iceland, worth a visit…
And keep yerself fit running around the deck…
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Let’s put it this way, Since retiring, I now work for the wife. The hours are long, the pay is rubbish and I don’t get many days off.
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Frank summed it up “I did it my Way”
Hi Graham. I’m impressed with all your projects - Florida and others. And your photofraphy
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Talking about pensions.
Co-incidentally, this morning someone asked a question at my coffee/cake get together to which no one knew the answer so we looked it up on our phones. It was about the UK pension and how it compares to the Australian one.
I vaguely remembered contributing to Graduated Pensions when I worked in the UK and I vaguely knew that the length of time worked affected the UK pension but this question was about the married pension (I receive a single pension).
We were somewhat dismayed to discover that in the UK there is no such thing, that the full pension requires you to work for 35 years and that a husband and wife receive a pension based entirely on their individual working life not as a couple. According to our Google if a person has not worked 35 years they get a proportion - ie after 20 years working they would receive 20/35 of a full pension.
It seems such a complicated system whereas here a single person receives a pension of $1149 (£574) per fortnight and a couple $1732 (£866) per fortnight, with everybody getting the same no matter how long they worked. There are no contributions so it is means tested.
We wondered how does a couple where the wife has never worked survive? Is there a supplementary benefit? How does the state pension suit you?
BTW I retired at 60 and am enjoying my retirement very much. The Australian pension is great as long as you own your own home - I also have a superannuation benefit which makes a big difference too.