your retirement

[darklar]

I'd be interested to know what positive images you have of your future retirement. Where would you like to be, what would you like to be doing, is there an object that symbolises retirement for you?

[crete]

no alarm clocks going off in the morning,

[indieanna86]

I'd want to be just like my grandparents, having coffee with the neighbours every chance they get, going to the local garden centre for tea and cake, the occassional holiday...lovely

[whiffey]

Somewhere deeply rural, preferably flat for cycling, nowhere near any schools or supermarkets, small off-license, a pet pig (seriously, lovely animals), and no magpies.

[noxlumos]

Yeah, I'm going to sell some stuff buy a boat and retire to the Greek Islands, sooner rather than later.

[SteveD]

For me, the beauty of being retired is that I can do things when I want and not at times dictated by working hours or the weather.

[snagged]

I 'hope' to be living a simpler life in a house I've designed and built myself in North Eastern Thailand... I definately won't be spending my later years in this country... I dread to think what a mess it'll be in by then... look at the state of it now...

dream on... :o)

[raysparx1]

I have since the beginning of January, taken one day a week off, for me, and in a,few months I will be taking another one, the thing is to have hobbies, I love trout fishing,walking, photography, and I renovate properties,so I know I will never be bored, then from probably next January we will be going abroad for most of the winter, Jan-end of Feb, I still have few years left before retirement age but, I have been investing in property for years so I suppose I am in a very lucky position, I also realised 25 years ago that there is more to life than money, but now I have enough purely from hobbies, not chasing it, I was on really good money in London, but packed it in to have a quality of life, and I have it, sorry I talk far to much, whatever you are going to do, just make sure you enjoy it.

[shaneystar2]

We retired five years ago at a relatively young age I suppose .I had to pack up because of ill health ,not life threatening but couldn't keep working with it .Mr S could see the way things were going with pensions etc so we got out while the going was good in our middle fifties.Best days work we ever did !!
Sold a house in London and downsized to the coast .We have time to indulge ourselves in hobbies and things that were always put on the back burner whilst chasing money.We can more or less do what we like when we like OK we live on a fixed income but we have no debts and we certainly don't sit in the lounge with our coats on !
You have to cut your coat acording to your cloth and if it means less stress than that can only be a good thing.
Quality of life is more important to me than hacking it on the tube every day.Good luck to anyone who can get out of the rat race.....life's too short !
My poor old Dad slogged all his life and had nothing from his retirement ....get it while you can !!

[raysparx1]

So true shaney, have seen so many people not make it that far, stress and tube travel, who needs it, I still miss the number 12 bus, but country living, is great,don't tell them all though, enjoy it, you certainly sound like you do.

[battersby]

Our dream is to buy a house/bungalow with a smallholding to take in stray dog's. My hubby wanted to be a vet but did'nt know latin which was needed when he would have begun training at 16. He's been in a good job for 36 years and hopes to retire in 5 years. Aahh,we can but dream:-)

[raysparx1]

battersby, don't just dream it, do it, do it as soon as you can,make your dream reality, so go for it, Ray