Pensioner

[Phill]

Well, like many other here, I am ow officially a pensioner. After over 30 years working for the Met Police this is the first day of not having to work. It is a weird feeling for sure but one I am sure I will get used to.

What were your experiences of finishing work and adapting to a huge change in life?

[Ian Comerford]

Dreadful initially but early retirement was a choice and opportunity. I hadn’t realised fully what happens when you remove a busy day job, 50-60 hours a week, and have to figure out how to fill the void.  Day one was terrible, I had four things I wanted to do that day, all of them were outside.  It rained!  By about 9am I was ina bit of a stew and had to give myself a good talking to before things went rapidly downhill.  I’ve learnt a lot and the main thing is to plan what you are going to do when you stop.  There is a big mental health thing with this topic and it doesn’t seem to get much air time

[Chris T]

A mate is an ex-copper. He retired at 55 in very handsome financial style. Trust yours is similar. Quite a different experience to many who will have to work until 67 before receiving a meagre state pension. It's those people I worry about. Enjoy your free time. 

[Beaky]

Based on my fathers advise/ experience, he told me to ensure I have a few hobbies that I enjoyed to fill the time, some volunteering work also helped.

 

[Nige]

Well done Phill!

Although I'm not retired (I'm just clinging on to my 40's for a few more weeks) I had my working days mutually reduced to 3 and sometimes 2 days per week.  Was planned as a short term solution for a difficult business period, but we are nearly 4 years on.  Luckily my wife has a proper job.

For me its been great as I'm pretty handy on the DIY and enjoy it, so have been working through the house room by room.  I think you need to find an interest that isn't going to bust you financially, with that in mind I've barely done anything with the car over those 4 years.

Worst parts are wet winter days as it restricts what you can do, I usually fill gaps in by swimming a lot.  I also enjoy a bit of PC gaming so try to have a new game as a winter gap filling back up, though there is a part of me that struggles to accept an afternoon immersed in 'computer game' is a waste of time.

As Ian has mentioned, if you try to fill a day with a routine similar to your previous working hours then you may struggle mentally.  A trip to Lidl might be your highlight, so you need to adjust to accept that.

It's easy to fill a day out on a nice day like today, but a sh*tty winters day can get a bit depressing and can breed a serious lack of motivation.  Your lucky that you've finished at this time of year, but plan some winter projects that are not affected by the weather.

This winter I might see if my favourite local pub needs a barman for a couple of afternoons a week.

I find cycling enjoyable too, but only if I view it as more of tour rather than some kind fitness goal and only on good weather days.  I take a small backpack, bit of food and just get lost around Derbyshire, maybe even a pint or two (make sure you're not far from home at that point) No rush whatsoever.

I view my reduced days as retirement training. 

Edited July 4, 2023 by Nige

[Lesworth]

Congratulations Phill, I am sure its well deserved. My wife has 8 days before she stops working (she refuses to use the 'R' word). She is only working three days a week so perhaps that will make it easier for her to adjust - she plans on spending as much time as possible with her dad who turns 90 in August.

I still have 5 years, 11 months and 4 days but have been working from home since the 'vid and will continue to do so. I'm hoping that will make things easier for me but I also plan on working part time in something thats not too strenuous and that I will enjoy, rather than stopping point blank but who knows how I will feel when I get to that point!

[GaryH]

"this is the first day of not having to work"

Ba***rd !

What would be your experience of finishing work and adapting to a huge change in life?

🥳 🍻

Edited July 4, 2023 by GaryH

[Fred]

Congratulations! Not sure some of us will ever know the feeling of not having to work but I am sure it must be daunting and exiting at the same time. Have fun! 

[SilverWT]

2 hours ago, Phill said:

What were your experiences of finishing work and adapting to a huge change in life?

Took early retirement 11 years ago.

Initially thought I would do some part time work as I  had a couple of offers in the industry. Luckily, laying in bed having my third cup of coffee on a cold and dark Monday morning, I had an epiphany.

Instead of working I would perfect the art of serene idleness. I have never looked back.

You just have to embrace the beauty of that long list of "jobs to do" getting longer rather than shorter and just book yet another holiday.

Mark

[Ian Comerford]

My lovely wife laughs at my new title for retirement, it’s a new acronym, BLB.  Being Less Busy, not retired…….

[Phill]

Thank you all. I’m surprised at the quick and voluminous response!
Yes, all exactly what I have thought and plan to hopefully do. At the moment I am setting myself a task each day (I’ve actually been off for nearly a month but have treated that like a holiday) to get me going. I do dread the winter but the plan is to buy abroad so I may not have to put up with it. 
In the short term there is an engine swap on the Golf for September and a fair bit of tinkering to be done on the BMW after that. I’m sure there will be a list of decorating tasks from you know who.

Im fairly sure I will need a part time job from October onwards to keep me sane  and pay for tinkering……

[waddy]

4 hours ago, Phill said:

Well, like many other here, I am ow officially a pensioner. After over 30 years working for the Met Police this is the first day of not having to work. It is a weird feeling for sure but one I am sure I will get used to.

What were your experiences of finishing work and adapting to a huge change in life?

Well done Phil, I took early retirement nearly 7 years ago and I am sure you will not regret your decision. I did go away for 3 weeks in California immediately after I retired and that broke the circle of working. You do need some hobbies to fill the time, but I am sure you will have some car related leisure.

Enjoy your own time.

Regards

Ian

[Ian Comerford]

Lots to go on this one. I set myself the aim of achieving something meaningful each day, which could be a number of things but seemed important.  I eventually gave up because so many things conspired to get in the way.  It bothers me much less now, although I am still adjusting.  Early on I thought a lot about filling the day and then met someone who had been retired a few years who said “why do you need to fill the day….”.  Good point. It takes a while to adjust to doing less, at least for some, myself included.

[Nige]

2 hours ago, SilverWT said:

Instead of working I would perfect the art of serene idleness. I have never looked back.

I've been doing that since my early 20s

[Roy M]

I took early retirement just over 11 years ago and, tbh, don't know how I found time for work! Helped that I was working for idiots at the end of my career so retirement started as a relief but we're always busy. Jobs around the house, house in Spain to go to and jobs there, 911 and Boxster to look after and two other cars to keep clean as well as a Marcos to rebuild. Motorhome to upgrade and look after and, most time consuming of all two aging mothers to take care of! Good thing for me was that I was always a 'Work to live' rather than a 'Live to work' person so transition was easy!

In Spain it's called "Jubilation" which I think is a great way to describe it.

[World Citizen]

Some good advice and congratulations Phil

Unlike most people that work a lifetime full-time and then just stop,  I plan to stop work in a slightly different way which I've been testing out for the last few years.

Since being freelance from 2015 I've changed my work commitments depending on what personal projects I want to spend time on or what work project opportunities interest me

Hopefully I'll keep this slow glide into full-time retirement going for at least the next 5 years or forever long I still enjoy getting up to go to work

Got some mega road trips I need to fit in and don't want to wait until retirement to find time for them

 

 

 

[tea boy]

Some people don't want work, I certainly don't.

I only do it for the thrill and the tea.

A fair few retired people I have spoken to have said they don't know how they ever had the time for work as their days are so full of doing things.

I can't do things, I'm a maniac!

[Phill]

4 hours ago, tea boy said:

Some people don't want work, I certainly don't.

I only do it for the thrill and the tea.

A fair few retired people I have spoken to have said they don't know how they ever had the time for work as their days are so full of doing things.

I can't do things, I'm a maniac!

This is all very true. You are very much a maniac, be only needs to look at your M3 thread to see that 

I used to get annoyed that I had to go to work as I had so much other stuff to do that is more interesting but I needed money to do it. I’m trying to clear the decks at the moment, so many started projects in the shed that I need to finish and get sold. Yesterday was good as it poured all day and I was confined to the shed   
I have definitely realised that I need a day out of the house, away from the family, me time, maybe once a week. I also need to engage with other adults so that’s where a part time job or joining some sort of club will come in. 
What I would dearly like to do is make money from making stuff. I already do this to a certain extent but finding the right selling platform is very hard.

Im off on the first of, hopefully many, holidays at the weekend. A big retirement celebration Safari and a few days in Freddie Mercury’s birthplace. Should be good 

[Nige]

Can you rebuild my engine Phill?  That'll keep you in the shed busy for a while and earn you a few Shekels.

[johndglynn]

Congrats Phil and all other retirees! I can't imagine not being at work. But my work is super fun

[Phill]

4 hours ago, Nige said:

Can you rebuild my engine Phill?  That'll keep you in the shed busy for a while and earn you a few Shekels.

Trust me, if my garage was half a car length longer…………..

[njpcarrera32]

16 hours ago, Phill said:

Trust me, if my garage was half a car length longer…………..

Ah! Maybe that’s your first project. 😂

 

[Phill]

6 hours ago, njpcarrera32 said:

Ah! Maybe that’s your first project. 😂

 

I wish. I can’t extend to the rear unless I lose half the kitchen (who needs that eh?) and if I extended forward half the car would be on a sloping drive and half on the flat garage floor. Potentially not a huge problem but I would be very unlikely to get planning permission. Moving house is my only real option, a very real option though 

[World Citizen]

When I become a pensioner I've got no plans of starting to act my age 😁

1st thing on my retirement to do list will be move to the southern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica for a few months and learn to surf 😎

Might even drive down from New York after shipping out Toyota over 🤔

 

 

 

[Phill]

1 hour ago, World Citizen said:

When I become a pensioner I've got no plans of starting to act my age 😁

1st thing on my retirement to do list will be move to the southern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica for a few months and learn to surf 😎

Might even drive down from New York after shipping out Toyota over 🤔

 

 

 

We have been looking at the other side around Dominical. I haven't been to the Caribbean coast but I absolutely love the Pacific coast. We have made two visits so far and are booked again for February. Plan, ultimately will be to rent for two or three months to be sure of the area and then buy. Car prices are excruciating (but you HAVE to have one) in CR and that's because of import duties. If you haven't already, look into importing a car as it may well not be worth it.