Enjoying Retirement
Discussion
OldSkoolRS said:
G&Ts, talk of beer/brewing and I've been enjoying a sunny afternoon in Berkshire sorting out a bit more of my garage ready for (hopefully) the last tip run for a while. Off out shortly for a meal with an old band mate who has also retired, plus my neighbour who hasn't. I'm driving, but we had a drink last night as it was Mrs OS' birthday yesterday.
95% of my financial shuffling has been done today (cue the interest rates going up on fixed bonds now
). We've had a ball park figure for our solar install from our Son in law and it's a pleasant surprise. Only negative today is no call back from the dealer selling a Mito I fancy, but others are available. 
Enjoy your evening 95% of my financial shuffling has been done today (cue the interest rates going up on fixed bonds now
). We've had a ball park figure for our solar install from our Son in law and it's a pleasant surprise. Only negative today is no call back from the dealer selling a Mito I fancy, but others are available. Day 1 of retirement drawing to a close for me today!
Spec savers to pick up my last “staff discount” specs 🤓, Solicitors for more sodding paperwork, de-junked the study and lobbed all those really useful Agile/Prince/training books that’d be useful “one day”, afternoon snooze (just coz), trip to the tip….How ever did I fit work in
Had a lovely walk in the afternoon sun with Mrs Jim and the dogs.
I suspect I will quite like this new chapter
Jim
Spec savers to pick up my last “staff discount” specs 🤓, Solicitors for more sodding paperwork, de-junked the study and lobbed all those really useful Agile/Prince/training books that’d be useful “one day”, afternoon snooze (just coz), trip to the tip….How ever did I fit work in
Had a lovely walk in the afternoon sun with Mrs Jim and the dogs.
I suspect I will quite like this new chapter
Jim
Happy Jim said:
Day 1 of retirement drawing to a close for me today!
Spec savers to pick up my last “staff discount” specs ??, Solicitors for more sodding paperwork, de-junked the study and lobbed all those really useful Agile/Prince/training books that’d be useful “one day”, afternoon snooze (just coz), trip to the tip….How ever did I fit work in
Had a lovely walk in the afternoon sun with Mrs Jim and the dogs.
I suspect I will quite like this new chapter
Jim
Welcome to the thread Jim and many congratulations. Spec savers to pick up my last “staff discount” specs ??, Solicitors for more sodding paperwork, de-junked the study and lobbed all those really useful Agile/Prince/training books that’d be useful “one day”, afternoon snooze (just coz), trip to the tip….How ever did I fit work in
Had a lovely walk in the afternoon sun with Mrs Jim and the dogs.
I suspect I will quite like this new chapter
Jim
Care to share some more details of your planning and intended plans ?
Edited by GT3Manthey on Monday 3rd April 21:24
RichardAP said:
Been following this thread with interest, I’m a few years behind GT3, but see some many of the same thought processes, and internal struggles. Circumstances might mean my wife retires in the next 6-36 months and then it’s just when can I take the plunge. However we are now in the Costa Blanca checking the progress on our new property build and once it’s done we will definitely be looking to spend plenty of time out here, so the draw will be real, haven’t managed to persuade my wife that a bar is a good idea yet though. 
Might have to come and check yours out, purely in the interests of research
Whereabouts is your place? My place is in La Manga, bought it 12 years ago and spend 5 months a year there nowadays. Might have to come and check yours out, purely in the interests of research
Phil. said:
Whereabouts is your place? My place is in La Manga, bought it 12 years ago and spend 5 months a year there nowadays.
I don't suppose you have met a guy by the name of Dave Marsden, an old friend and work colleague who has an apartment at the bottom end of the strip. He has been going out there on a regular basis for about 20 years or so.Monkeylegend said:
I don't suppose you have met a guy by the name of Dave Marsden, an old friend and work colleague who has an apartment at the bottom end of the strip. He has been going out there on a regular basis for about 20 years or so.
I don’t think so but then the strip is about 18km long full of properties. Plus I’m on the La Manga Club rather than the strip. If you get the chance it’s worth a visit Phil. said:
Monkeylegend said:
I don't suppose you have met a guy by the name of Dave Marsden, an old friend and work colleague who has an apartment at the bottom end of the strip. He has been going out there on a regular basis for about 20 years or so.
I don’t think so but then the strip is about 18km long full of properties. Plus I’m on the La Manga Club rather than the strip. If you get the chance it’s worth a visit He loves it there and has probably retired full time there now.
Sounds like Happy Jim and Somebody have had a good day being retired. Just back from an enjoyable meal out with our old band mate and my neighbour (who introduced me to Rock Project 10 years ago, which has led to me making many friends and where I am playing in bands-or not-and jam nights, etc). Mrs OS seems to have bagged some Wimbledon tickets while I was out too, so a good end to a sunny and productive day.
Glad to have proven your wife wrong Longy.
Just back from an enjoyable meal out with our old band mate and my neighbour (who introduced me to Rock Project 10 years ago, which has led to me making many friends and where I am playing in bands-or not-and jam nights, etc). Mrs OS seems to have bagged some Wimbledon tickets while I was out too, so a good end to a sunny and productive day.Glad to have proven your wife wrong Longy.
Happy Jim said:
Day 1 of retirement drawing to a close for me today!
Spec savers to pick up my last “staff discount” specs ??, Solicitors for more sodding paperwork, de-junked the study and lobbed all those really useful Agile/Prince/training books that’d be useful “one day”, afternoon snooze (just coz), trip to the tip….How ever did I fit work in
Had a lovely walk in the afternoon sun with Mrs Jim and the dogs.
I suspect I will quite like this new chapter
Jim
Congrats, welcome to the age of freedom in your life, and participation in this the best of threads on PH. I've been "free" for 18 years now, hope there's plenty more!Spec savers to pick up my last “staff discount” specs ??, Solicitors for more sodding paperwork, de-junked the study and lobbed all those really useful Agile/Prince/training books that’d be useful “one day”, afternoon snooze (just coz), trip to the tip….How ever did I fit work in
Had a lovely walk in the afternoon sun with Mrs Jim and the dogs.
I suspect I will quite like this new chapter
Jim
R.
RichardAP said:
Phil. said:
Whereabouts is your place? My place is in La Manga, bought it 12 years ago and spend 5 months a year there nowadays.
We had a place near Cabo Roig from 2008 until we sold it last year, new place will be just outside San Miguel de Salinas.sociopath said:
mart 63 said:
I spent all day getting the bar ready for bbq season. Also have family coming over on Tuesday, so I had to get a move on. 
Happy retirement
Opened my bar up for the first tme this year on sunday.Happy retirement
I'd forgotten how chilled I am when I'm sitting in there.
Next job is to reopen the brew shed and make some more beer made, as some of the kegs must be getting low now
alscar said:
Can’t compete with Twigs’ free tube travel but first eye test since turning 60 was free - result.
Luckily my mum has glaucoma (nice one mum) so I've got free eye tests for years. Often wondered what's to stop anyone saying that. Especially if you have a parent no longer alive. GT3Manthey said:
Happy Jim said:
Day 1 of retirement drawing to a close for me today!
Spec savers to pick up my last “staff discount” specs ??, Solicitors for more sodding paperwork, de-junked the study and lobbed all those really useful Agile/Prince/training books that’d be useful “one day”, afternoon snooze (just coz), trip to the tip….How ever did I fit work in
Had a lovely walk in the afternoon sun with Mrs Jim and the dogs.
I suspect I will quite like this new chapter
Jim
Welcome to the thread Jim and many congratulations. Spec savers to pick up my last “staff discount” specs ??, Solicitors for more sodding paperwork, de-junked the study and lobbed all those really useful Agile/Prince/training books that’d be useful “one day”, afternoon snooze (just coz), trip to the tip….How ever did I fit work in
Had a lovely walk in the afternoon sun with Mrs Jim and the dogs.
I suspect I will quite like this new chapter
Jim
Care to share some more details of your planning and intended plans ?
Edited by GT3Manthey on Monday 3rd April 21:24
Planning this has been a long term goal for me, I actually got the savings bug while in the Army following a “financial briefing” that was forced on everyone in the Squadron, no real trigger just a lot of sensible words spoken, the underlying bit was “just do something” rather than the norm of procrastinate and then do nothing!
I left the mob at 33 which was a very conscious decision to give up on a Military pension kicking in at 40 had I stayed, it was the impetus I needed to do as well as I could (ie earn more!) and pump money into a DC scheme.
The target was always 55 (it was always arbitrary) and I managed it at 57 (and three quarters), close enough!
Deciding that “now” was the right time took a fair few jigsaw pieces to fall into place; Opex & Capex duties with the kids was done & dusted, working out that our actual spend per month was doable (no drop in standard of living), not getting a buzz out of work any longer but the final nudge was losing both my (long divorced) Dad at 83 and Mum at 82 last year (and then having to put my step Dad in a home).
Our plan for the past 14 years was always to sell the house we’re in now and release equity for the retirement, that plan got accelerated a bit and we’re looking to move down to Devon in 3 months time, so “relax into retirement” might have to wait as we get busy again!
On the plus side, today was a beautiful blue sky day so we hopped in the car and took the dogs for a lovely walk around Blenheim Palace grounds (spot of lunch, cup of tea….and a Pims in a can!)
Jim
Happy Jim said:
Happy to.
Planning this has been a long term goal for me, I actually got the savings bug while in the Army following a “financial briefing” that was forced on everyone in the Squadron, no real trigger just a lot of sensible words spoken, the underlying bit was “just do something” rather than the norm of procrastinate and then do nothing!
I left the mob at 33 which was a very conscious decision to give up on a Military pension kicking in at 40 had I stayed, it was the impetus I needed to do as well as I could (ie earn more!) and pump money into a DC scheme.
The target was always 55 (it was always arbitrary) and I managed it at 57 (and three quarters), close enough!
Deciding that “now” was the right time took a fair few jigsaw pieces to fall into place; Opex & Capex duties with the kids was done & dusted, working out that our actual spend per month was doable (no drop in standard of living), not getting a buzz out of work any longer but the final nudge was losing both my (long divorced) Dad at 83 and Mum at 82 last year (and then having to put my step Dad in a home).
Our plan for the past 14 years was always to sell the house we’re in now and release equity for the retirement, that plan got accelerated a bit and we’re looking to move down to Devon in 3 months time, so “relax into retirement” might have to wait as we get busy again!
On the plus side, today was a beautiful blue sky day so we hopped in the car and took the dogs for a lovely walk around Blenheim Palace grounds (spot of lunch, cup of tea….and a Pims in a can!)
Jim
Nice one Jim and tks for the update. Planning this has been a long term goal for me, I actually got the savings bug while in the Army following a “financial briefing” that was forced on everyone in the Squadron, no real trigger just a lot of sensible words spoken, the underlying bit was “just do something” rather than the norm of procrastinate and then do nothing!
I left the mob at 33 which was a very conscious decision to give up on a Military pension kicking in at 40 had I stayed, it was the impetus I needed to do as well as I could (ie earn more!) and pump money into a DC scheme.
The target was always 55 (it was always arbitrary) and I managed it at 57 (and three quarters), close enough!
Deciding that “now” was the right time took a fair few jigsaw pieces to fall into place; Opex & Capex duties with the kids was done & dusted, working out that our actual spend per month was doable (no drop in standard of living), not getting a buzz out of work any longer but the final nudge was losing both my (long divorced) Dad at 83 and Mum at 82 last year (and then having to put my step Dad in a home).
Our plan for the past 14 years was always to sell the house we’re in now and release equity for the retirement, that plan got accelerated a bit and we’re looking to move down to Devon in 3 months time, so “relax into retirement” might have to wait as we get busy again!
On the plus side, today was a beautiful blue sky day so we hopped in the car and took the dogs for a lovely walk around Blenheim Palace grounds (spot of lunch, cup of tea….and a Pims in a can!)
Jim
Plan is similar to ourselves.
We have another estate agent over today to see where we’re at and maybe get listed but it’s not the best timing with all that’s going on in the housing market.
Also been planning retirement for a good few years however I didn’t start funding my own pension till late 30’s & I’ve no DB pension.
Keep us posted and good luck
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