Early retirement.

M

Mancpool

Guest
Evening guys.

As a lot know on here I was in the army for 25 years. Duke of Lancaster Regiment. The old Queens Regiment. So now I can retire next month at 51. My work are putting pressure on myself to change my mind but I have had enough of the daily grind. I have now finalised the property sale in Knott End as didn't have the 250k for a nice place in Blackpool. Even though that was my dream. I want to keep my place in Manchester and maybe rent out. Not sure yet. I like Golf and walking my dog and the odd pint. How do you people who are retired fill the days?. Or should I stay in work another few years?. I can work from home so no massive deal. But work has become a drag I must admit. I'm a team leader at a telecommunications company and I must admit managing youngsters isn't easy. A lot don't have a good attitude towards work.
 
I retired at 48 - best thing I EVER did.

Not sure how I fit everything in - it just happens.

Travel a lot and enjoy life - and the best thing is - I don’t have an alarm clock 🤣

You are a long time dead!
Great attitude mate.
 
If you can afford it - do it bud.

As a great man once said, nobody lies on their death bed saying ‘I wish I had spent more time in the office’

😎
How do you know if you can afford it? How can you account for possible inflation over the next 35 years if you retire at 51? How much per year would you need in savings and pension pot to retire at 51 in the year 2023?
 
I retired at 56 over 8 years ago and decided to go back to college for 2 years taking a professional cookery course as lve always enjoyed cooking, one of best things I’ve done. Fully agree what seasideone says, enjoy and embrace life and make the most of it as you will never look back.👍👍
 
Retired back in 2010 aged 52.

Was very lucky as I took early retirement and a VR severance package and now on a very good BAE Systems pension.

Never looked back since and never regretted going.

Lost my Mum aged just 45 (I was just 17) and my Dad at 55 so neither saw retirement so when it came around for me it was a no brainer as seasideone says above you only live once and you just never know what’s around the corner.

Seriously as the saying goes I don’t know how I had the time to go to work. ☺️
 
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How do you know if you can afford it? How can you account for possible inflation over the next 35 years if you retire at 51? How much per year would you need in savings and pension pot to retire at 51 in the year 2023?
That’s the big question to be fair - as you do not know when you are going to die.

I worked it out and I could - so I did 👍

4.5 years in and I am LOVING IT!

Life’s a gamble - if you keep your savings and go nuts the government take it off you for carers - if you spend it they pay for it.

Go figure 🤣😉
 
How do you know if you can afford it? How can you account for possible inflation over the next 35 years if you retire at 51? How much per year would you need in savings and pension pot to retire at 51 in the year 2023?
I will be transparent. Paid cash for the place in knott End cost me £135,000..i get as retiring early a monthly amount of £1485..i own my house in Manchester worth if I sold today £167,000. I have savings of around £14,000 as threw a load at the new home. It needs no work doing so that was a major advantage of Knott End. So if anything goes pear shape I can sell my Manchester properties. So I took everything into consideration. If I stayed in work another 5 years. I would of got another £44,000 and upto £2100 per month payment. So it was a lot to consider. But I have 4 weeks left in work then I'm done.
 
I will be transparent. Paid cash for the place in knott End cost me £135,000..i get as retiring early a monthly amount of £1485..i own my house in Manchester worth if I sold today £167,000. I have savings of around £14,000 as threw a load at the new home. It needs no work doing so that was a major advantage of Knott End. So if anything goes pear shape I can sell my Manchester properties. So I took everything into consideration. If I stayed in work another 5 years. I would of got another £44,000 and upto £2100 per month payment. So it was a lot to consider. But I have 4 weeks left in work then I'm done.
I've seen this quoted in the media recently -

"latest figures show that a single person will need £12,800 a year to achieve the minimum living standard, £23,300 a year for moderate, and £37,300 a year for comfortable. For couples it is £19,900, 34,000 and £54,500."

So for a moderate lifestyle, to retire at 52 and hope to live to 85, a single person will need (33 x £23,300 =) £768,900. A couple would need (33 x £34,000 =) £1,122,000.

I guess you might spend more in your active years and then slow down spending as your activity levels reduce. Just seems tricky to work out especially not knowing your date of death!
 
I've seen this quoted in the media recently -

"latest figures show that a single person will need £12,800 a year to achieve the minimum living standard, £23,300 a year for moderate, and £37,300 a year for comfortable. For couples it is £19,900, 34,000 and £54,500."

So for a moderate lifestyle, to retire at 52 and hope to live to 85, a single person will need (33 x £23,000) £768,900. A couple would need (33 x £34,000) £1,122,000.

I guess you might spend more in your active years and then slow down spending as your activity levels reduce. Just seems tricky to work out especially not knowing your date of death!
Thing is you will never know your date of death until it’s to late.

Could be tomorrow 😳

Enjoy life while you can and bolox to everything else.
 
Evening guys.

As a lot know on here I was in the army for 25 years. Duke of Lancaster Regiment. The old Queens Regiment. So now I can retire next month at 51. My work are putting pressure on myself to change my mind but I have had enough of the daily grind. I have now finalised the property sale in Knott End as didn't have the 250k for a nice place in Blackpool. Even though that was my dream. I want to keep my place in Manchester and maybe rent out. Not sure yet. I like Golf and walking my dog and the odd pint. How do you people who are retired fill the days?. Or should I stay in work another few years?. I can work from home so no massive deal. But work has become a drag I must admit. I'm a team leader at a telecommunications company and I must admit managing youngsters isn't easy. A lot don't have a good attitude towards work.
 
How do you know if you can afford it? How can you account for possible inflation over the next 35 years if you retire at 51? How much per year would you need in savings and pension pot to retire at 51 in the year 2023?
Rishi has promised to halve inflation (caused by the previous leader's mental aberration) so its no longer an issue.

Nothing to worry about as they'd never break promises.
 
I'm voting Labour at the next general election, hope everyone on here does too, infact anyone who can vote, vote Labour. At least we will laugh while we are dying.
 
I've seen this quoted in the media recently -

"latest figures show that a single person will need £12,800 a year to achieve the minimum living standard, £23,300 a year for moderate, and £37,300 a year for comfortable. For couples it is £19,900, 34,000 and £54,500."

So for a moderate lifestyle, to retire at 52 and hope to live to 85, a single person will need (33 x £23,300 =) £768,900. A couple would need (33 x £34,000 =) £1,122,000.

I guess you might spend more in your active years and then slow down spending as your activity levels reduce. Just seems tricky to work out especially not knowing your date of death!
If you’re worried so much about money then early retirement is not for you.

I value life above everything else way way above how well off you are going to be.

I kept on at a very close friend of mine who I’ve known since our school days for years I told him to take early retirement but he kept saying he just couldn’t afford to go early when deep down he could have afforded it easily.

He finally retired at 64 and was dead by the time he was 65 his body was riddled with aggressive cancer I remember having our last conversation in Trinity hospice the day before he died and him saying how he wished he had listened to me years earlier and not put finances first.
 
If you’re worried so much about money then early retirement is not for you.

I value life above everything else way way above how well off you are going to be.

I kept on at a very close friend of mine who I’ve known since our school days for years I told him to take early retirement but he kept saying he just couldn’t afford to go early when deep down he could have afforded it easily.

He finally retired at 64 and was dead by the time he was 65 his body was riddled with aggressive cancer I remember having our last conversation in Trinity hospice the day before he died and him saying how he wished he had listened to me years earlier and not put finances first.
You have to excuse me a little as I'm in recovery. I lost my life long wife aged 47 to cancer in April so it's all still fresh. My life has been a haze since then. I keep questioning what would she have done and am I doing this right. Been to Knott End a few times over the last few months. Good set of lads in the squash. I have the Golf course. A swimming baths not a million miles away. And I can get the ferry over to Fleetwood then onto Blackpool. For the first time in my life I feel I little vulnerable. Might sound soft but is what it is. I was nearly talked into buying into a new residential holiday park home. Just opposite b and q near the plum tree restraunt. It's amazing what I could of got for £100k. The vacinity to Blackpool was ideal. But what do I do if the park goes bust. So I had to stick to knott End.
 
I've seen this quoted in the media recently -

"latest figures show that a single person will need £12,800 a year to achieve the minimum living standard, £23,300 a year for moderate, and £37,300 a year for comfortable. For couples it is £19,900, 34,000 and £54,500."

So for a moderate lifestyle, to retire at 52 and hope to live to 85, a single person will need (33 x £23,300 =) £768,900. A couple would need (33 x £34,000 =) £1,122,000.

I guess you might spend more in your active years and then slow down spending as your activity levels reduce. Just seems tricky to work out especially not knowing your date of death!
And that's why you'll probably be working til you're well into your 70's as you'll be too scared to retire😔
 
My husband retired at 58 which was 10 years ago. He’s never regretted doing so. He took vst ( voluntary severance terms) from bnfl which he got a lump sum ( paid the mortgage off etc) he then got another lump sum at 60 and also had 3 good BNFL private pensions which he has had every month since he made up 60
He then gets his state pension each month when he made up 66 two years ago and he has never looked back. He goes to his mums to help her shop etc on a Monday and a Friday. He walks our dog 2/3 times a day. He has written books in the past.
I still work to keep me sane haha. But we have nice holidays etc.
life’s to short to work till you’ve no time left to enjoy life to the full. I will be retiring Oct 2026 and I will be 60 then.
So if you feel comfortable retiring early I’d say DO IT
 
Retired back in 2010 aged 52.

Was very lucky as I took early retirement and a VR severance package and now on a very good BAE Systems pension.

Never looked back since and never regretted going.

Lost my Mum aged just 45 (I was just 17) and my Dad at 55 so neither saw retirement so when it came around for me it was a no brainer as seasideone says above you only live once and you just never know what’s around the corner.

Seriously as the saying goes I don’t know how I had the time to go to work. ☺️
Similar to me that Jaffa retiring early from BAE SYSTEMS in 2015 on a good VR package and next year l receive my UK State Pension and also a very good German Pension as l contributed to their system for 16 years so I'm in a fortunate position going forward, but my view as always been live for today. Looking after your health is my absolute top priority in retirement and everything else will look after itself IMO.
 
Lots of sage advice on here 👍

Manc - trust your instinct. You’ll know if what you have is enough to live the life you want? Factor in, that in time you’ll likely start another relationship even if now it feels unlikely or maybe even wrong.

If you took a year out to taste retirement and it felt too early, can you imagine the job you can do at 53? If you can and it’s feasible then think on that too.

I’m behind you in years, and think I’ll take a phased approach. I’ll go semi retired, although I know this isn’t possible for some.
 
Seems like working for Bae or Bnfl is the key to early retirement. If you are being offered lump sums to go early and then are part of a good pension scheme why wouldn't you, but its not a choice all of us can make, we really can't afford to retire early.
 
Early retirement is such a personal thing. If you can afford it and have the aptitude to embrace and enjoy it then go for it, but it doesn`t suit everyone. Keeping busy, having varied interests, and a network of pals is important.

Some people need a sense of direction and momentum and are `task orientated` to avoid a sense of drift and listlessness settling in. An important part of retirement is a friends network, which if you are moving from Manchester to Knott End may not be as strong as retiring in your home town. Joining Knott End golf club will be good socially but Knott End isn`t the most vibrant of places for a single 51 year old used to a big city! But if you are the type that makes friends easily you can overcome this.

Chunky`s advice of taking a year out to taste retirement or a phased approach is very good advice, as 51 is still quite young.

Also `doing nothing` is more expensive than you may think, so budget carefully!

On a personal note I retired in my early 40`s and have never regretted it once, nor been bored. Keep busy, be curious and stay out of the pub!

Good luck, pal...
 
Don't forget to factor in the state pension payment, which will probably be over £15,000 p.a when you get to retirement age.
Another 15 or 16 years to your state retirement age and doubtful you will get a full state pension if you do not have enough qualifying years of NI contributions. You can get an estimate of your state pension.

My advice would be to try to do a budget not just for the next couple of years but one estimating your both basic needs and recreational desires and your projected income right through to when you get your state pension. Don't forget you may be taxed on pension and any rental income.
Whilst complete retirement has many attractions you do need money to enjoy it, particularly at your relatively young age. One further option would be to do a 'step-down' retirement-- work for a couple of days a week to give you more time to enjoy things but giving you a top up to your pension so you can enjoy the things you want to do, without eating into your savings.
 
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I will be transparent. Paid cash for the place in knott End cost me £135,000..i get as retiring early a monthly amount of £1485..i own my house in Manchester worth if I sold today £167,000. I have savings of around £14,000 as threw a load at the new home. It needs no work doing so that was a major advantage of Knott End. So if anything goes pear shape I can sell my Manchester properties. So I took everything into consideration. If I stayed in work another 5 years. I would of got another £44,000 and upto £2100 per month payment. So it was a lot to consider. But I have 4 weeks left in work then I'm done.
When you finish you could always look around for a job that has no stresses, even if it's minimum wage stuff. I did that for two years after retiring early. I wasn't bothered if I was finished - I wasn't - I just went in and did a day's clerking. When the time came for me to think about packing it in I just told the boss, 'that'll do for me.' Note: you mention your monthly payment. If that's gross the taxman will skim a bit off it.
 
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I will be transparent. Paid cash for the place in knott End cost me £135,000..i get as retiring early a monthly amount of £1485..i own my house in Manchester worth if I sold today £167,000. I have savings of around £14,000 as threw a load at the new home. It needs no work doing so that was a major advantage of Knott End. So if anything goes pear shape I can sell my Manchester properties. So I took everything into consideration. If I stayed in work another 5 years. I would of got another £44,000 and upto £2100 per month payment. So it was a lot to consider. But I have 4 weeks left in work then I'm done.
Leave some money to bring your state pension to maximum,long way off but sensible investment.
Hopefully you get a good tenant, rather than someone who will trash your place and not pay, the laws are skewed to protect these tossers.
You have already made the decision so good luck
 
I retired early at 57 when my employer (Construction sector) said my next contract would be at Hinckley Point (Somerset - Northern Powerhouse my arse). I didn't work for over 3 years, I can't recall being bored at all.

No VR package, but I had a half decent pension from a previous job,.
I opted for a lump sum (annuities very poor in my experience) instead of a regular pension, so no income.

Just to be sure there's enough left if I'm around a long time (and I want to help my 2 kids with property deposits etc if I can ) , I've returned to an easier finance /legal role 4 days a week and half my previous pay (but no stress at all). I intend to carry on to 65 (3 years 3 months away) then finish,but no problem if my employer doesn't renew my 1 year contract. I'm not touching my pension pot while I work.

You could always try a p/t job if you're concerned about money, it's about striking a balance between retiring early and easing any financial worries you might have. But I'd retire early, I'm working by choice rather than money worries


Good luck
 
I would definitely NOT retire at 51 Far too young. Be bored rigid. See if you can work say 3 dayes a week. I know loads of people who were looking forward to reutirement, but then felt worthless, useless, bored to tears.
Agreed…..good idea to get some part time work. The interaction with other people / work colleagues is invaluable for well being.
 
I’m only partiality retired and 53 now, partially retired at 51 and I seem to have less time than ever !
I love the extra time, I just take things at a slower pace. Long walks with my new dog. Coffee out with family or alone. Doing stuff on the house and garden. More weekend breaks away.

It‘s not just the extra you can do, it takes pressure off the time you have to do the other stuff like housework and shopping.
A 2 day weekend to chill and get all my jobs done didn’t cut it for me. But I do have 2 daughters back home and a granddaughter. That is a hell of a lot of washing 😳

I’m on 28 hours a week now but am looking at reducing it more.

My dad ploughed so much into his pension and AVC’s into his BNFL pension aiming to retire at 55. He died at 51.

My dearest friend also died 2 years ago at 51. Life can be unpredictable and sometimes a lot shorter than you’d hoped for.

I’ll do as few hours as I can but still with my sensible eye on my long term finances. I will be fine, and I love my time.
 
I've seen this quoted in the media recently -

"latest figures show that a single person will need £12,800 a year to achieve the minimum living standard, £23,300 a year for moderate, and £37,300 a year for comfortable. For couples it is £19,900, 34,000 and £54,500."

So for a moderate lifestyle, to retire at 52 and hope to live to 85, a single person will need (33 x £23,300 =) £768,900. A couple would need (33 x £34,000 =) £1,122,000.

I guess you might spend more in your active years and then slow down spending as your activity levels reduce. Just seems tricky to work out especially not knowing your date of death!

Maybe hire a hitman for a predetermined future date to make the calculation easier?

In my case the wife will do it soon enough anyway, so its spend, spend, spend.
 
And that's why you'll probably be working til you're well into your 70's as you'll be too scared to retire😔
I sure ain't thinking of waiting until my 70's!!! I should be good to retire by 54 (assuming inflation in future years doesn't go stupid, which I just can't account for). I think there might be some VR chances at our place in the next year or so. If so, I will probably apply for that and stop a bit earlier.

I took 3 years out from work in my early 20's to travel the world. I had Aunties and Uncles die suddenly before they had reached 50 so wanted to make sure I had seen the world before prioritising a career so, in a way, I've temporarily retired once before.

Ideally, I'd do another couple of years to get a full state pension but should be OK anyway with having private pensions backing that up. I'm not a big spender anyway but, equally, don't want to fall into poverty one day having misjudged it all.
 
I’m only partiality retired and 53 now, partially retired at 51 and I seem to have less time than ever !
I love the extra time, I just take things at a slower pace. Long walks with my new dog. Coffee out with family or alone. Doing stuff on the house and garden. More weekend breaks away.

It‘s not just the extra you can do, it takes pressure off the time you have to do the other stuff like housework and shopping.
A 2 day weekend to chill and get all my jobs done didn’t cut it for me. But I do have 2 daughters back home and a granddaughter. That is a hell of a lot of washing 😳

I’m on 28 hours a week now but am looking at reducing it more.

My dad ploughed so much into his pension and AVC’s into his BNFL pension aiming to retire at 55. He died at 51.

My dearest friend also died 2 years ago at 51. Life can be unpredictable and sometimes a lot shorter than you’d hoped for.

I’ll do as few hours as I can but still with my sensible eye on my long term finances. I will be fine, and I love my time.
I must admit. I'm struggling with the housework side. Lol.. That's why I have purchased a bungalow. Lol.
 
I had retirement forced upon me when I was made redundant aged 52 but always intended finishing at 55, unfortunately those three years early ended up costing me big time as it cocked up my plans. I did some labouring work for about three more years but the income wasn’t enough to sustain my master plan.

As a result I ended up leaving the UK in 2020 and fully retire in Brazil where I fill my time with surfing, cycling, dog walking, watch a lot of sport and try and limit the boozing to once a week but that can be quite challenging in a hot climate🥵🍺😂😂

Fortunately I have two pensions, one will kick in in February and the other when I decide so sort of been treading water financially until next year when the plan is to move back to Europe.

My advice would be as many have said, if it feels right then do it but certainly travel as much as you possibly can, this the best way to spend time imo.

Good luck Pal💪🤞👍
 
I retired at 48 - best thing I EVER did.

Not sure how I fit everything in - it just happens.

Travel a lot and enjoy life - and the best thing is - I don’t have an alarm clock 🤣

You are a long time dead!
Are you not still an active business owner? Thought you had a factory?
 
No and no. Never had a factory - not sure where that came from?

Sold all my business interest a few years ago.
You did a great job SS1 building up scale and value to the point of a strong exit. It’s certainly a path we are trying to follow.

Rejected the first take over offers that came last year as we felt it was too early and we had too much growth potential to cash in. I think we will look again in 18 months?
 
Retired after 30 years in Lancs Police in 2007, stayed on another three years as a civilian employee and retired again in 2010.
Moved to Norfolk, bit of a curved ball, but loved it, worked a 2/3 days a week with a mate who was a window cleaner.
Grandchildren came along and we realised we were too far away from Lancashire (Lancaster & Darwen) so moved to Whitby, 2 and a half hours away rather than the Norfolk 6 hours.

Draw a pension of around 21k and I am 12 months away from my state pension. My wife still works but is self employed, so it means we are free to do what we want, when we want. Took up home-sitting around 3 years ago, working for a company who supplies the sits, we usually do 4/5 a year, so we live in different areas to explore whilst we do that.

I don't work at all now, I've never felt bored or at a loss for something to do, there's always AVFTT! and the shopping, ironing etc 🤨

Sorry for your loss, that must be very difficult for you to settle to not working, even if it's just a distraction. But, as others have said on here, make the most of it, there's more to life than work, especially if you're not enjoying it.

Best of luck for the future, whatever you decide 👍
 
I’m only partiality retired and 53 now, partially retired at 51 and I seem to have less time than ever !
I love the extra time, I just take things at a slower pace. Long walks with my new dog. Coffee out with family or alone. Doing stuff on the house and garden. More weekend breaks away.

It‘s not just the extra you can do, it takes pressure off the time you have to do the other stuff like housework and shopping.
A 2 day weekend to chill and get all my jobs done didn’t cut it for me. But I do have 2 daughters back home and a granddaughter. That is a hell of a lot of washing 😳

I’m on 28 hours a week now but am looking at reducing it more.

My dad ploughed so much into his pension and AVC’s into his BNFL pension aiming to retire at 55. He died at 51.

My dearest friend also died 2 years ago at 51. Life can be unpredictable and sometimes a lot shorter than you’d hoped for.

I’ll do as few hours as I can but still with my sensible eye on my long term finances. I will be fine, and I love my time.
Sorry to hear that you Dad died young Lala. That's what you don't hear the Government or Pension companies bleating about - the money saved when people don't live long enough to benefit from their pensions.
 
You have to excuse me a little as I'm in recovery. I lost my life long wife aged 47 to cancer in April so it's all still fresh. My life has been a haze since then. I keep questioning what would she have done and am I doing this right. Been to Knott End a few times over the last few months. Good set of lads in the squash. I have the Golf course. A swimming baths not a million miles away. And I can get the ferry over to Fleetwood then onto Blackpool. For the first time in my life I feel I little vulnerable. Might sound soft but is what it is. I was nearly talked into buying into a new residential holiday park home. Just opposite b and q near the plum tree restraunt. It's amazing what I could of got for £100k. The vacinity to Blackpool was ideal. But what do I do if the park goes bust. So I had to stick to knott End.
I’m sorry for your loss and can understand the myriad thoughts in your head. Based on this new information I’d take some time off, a mental health vacation if you will devoid of the distractions of work or buzyness. You may well not be thinking straight after your major loss. I know I wasn’t. Keep your job for now as you can always leave it later and commit to making a decision twelve months from now. You have done a lot right given the circumstances and you are better off in knott end than Blackpool. That is something else you can revisit twelve months from now. A lot of good advice on this thread for you but you are unique and must decide for yourself. One last thing if the dead came back for a day they would tell you to live not mourn. People that love you understand the fragility of life and want you to be happy. Love and be loved. They are thankful for what you were and rooting for you for what you can be now. Good luck to you.
 
My first retirement was at 56 after 40 years in Civil Service.
MrsDP was still working (she's somewhat younger than I).
I looked for an easy job, this was in Bedfordshire.
Eventually I went to the local Post Office, I had been a Postman in early life, as was my Dad..
They said they would keep me in mind.
A week or so later they rang and said they had 2 weeks on a Round.
I did that and they said they would keep me in mind.
I then saw an advert in the paper for a civilian 'Warrants Officer' in Bedford police.
I applied and went for an interview.
A week or so later I got a phone call. I had got the job, there were 60 applicants.
Did that for 8 years until MrsDP retired.
For those who don't know, it was going out and about arresting people on arrest warrants.
I also got a phone call from the PO to say there was a job going. 😉
 
I feel sorry for those who have to continue working beyond retirement age.
Many use the excuse “ I love my job” etc but the reality is that they just cannot afford a comfortable life beyond retirement.

Health, Wealth and hobbies are the key ingredients to a good retirement.
I am not saying mega rich but to afford holidays and escape part of the Winter.
Lovely Weekend in London including the BFC River Cruise etc.
Of course stay relatively fit to enjoy the outdoor life and not depend on a mobility scooter until we’ll into 80’s.
 
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