Is 55 too early to retire.

I retired earlier this year having just turned 60 (although I still do the odd bit of work for my last employer). I found it a difficult adjustment at first, not because I missed the work, more that I missed the social interaction. I'm now getting involved in a number of voluntary/self-help groups in the Barnsley area and starting to enjoy this new aspect of life. Retirement is an important milestone in life and not to be taken lightly in my experience.

 

My plan used to be to retire as close to 50 as possible. However, to be honest, I really enjoy my job and I think it is really important to have purpose and keep your brain active. I imagine I will retire towards 60/65 because of the business model I work in and then set up on my own with reduced hours.

 

I retired nearly 4 years ago at the age of 43 and I'm bloody loving it. I'd semi-retired a few years earlier so it wasn't as big a shock to my system as it might otherwise have been but I hated working from day 1 and was determined to get out as soon as I was confident it was financially safe to do so. I kept going a few years after that to make doubly sure and now I'm not worried about that side of things barely a day goes by that I don't thank my lucky stars to be free from selling my time to other people who don't appreciate it.

Friends tell me I must be bored. That's something I can't get my head around. Bored because I don't have someone telling me what to do every day? Pffft. I keep active doing DIY-type stuff, gardening and growing veg, going for walks when the weather is nice rather than when my work schedule allows me to, watching films which I enjoy immensely, reading, learning French, supporting elderly and ageing relatives and anything else that takes my fancy. If the well of interests dries up (unlikely) then there's volunteering and the like. Boredom is not an issue and I can't imagine it ever becoming one. Being retired is brilliant and I recommend it to anyone.

 

There’s no right or wrong answer.

If I’d plenty of money & could afford to go on holidays & treat grand kids etc then ye I’d love to retire at 55 but if you’re going to be only just scraping by each month & not having enough money to enjoy yourself then I’d prefer to work at least a couple more years to have a better retirement.

Also depends on the stress levels of your job. If it’s pretty chilled out & you can go part time then why not carry on? B & Q for instance seems a good place of work for people 50+

 

No.

 

Yeah but it's ok for you Mr Burgundy pissing about on your small holding chasing the chickens all day , trying to grow olives in addition to riding your onion strewn bicycle sporting a dodgy blue beret and speaking like an Allo' Allo character.
Its just the picture I paint in my head , don't destroy the dream .

 

Not at all ... go for it. Seen too many retire then pass away after no time at all. Enjoy it and make the most of your time left

 

I took redundancy / early retirement from the steelworks at Stocksbridge just after I'd turned 56 at Christmas 2005, over the previous 10 years I gradually stopped enjoying it so it was a no brainer when then opportunity to finish arose. The last 12 years have just flown by, my Grandson was born the following March and I was his child minder when his mum went back to work, just me and him, as I'd missed a lot of my son growing up because we worked shifts and 7 days a week for years when he was young, I made up for lost time with him and it was the best job I've ever had, never regretted it. At 68 I now have a little health problem that means I have had to slow down a bit so if I had worked till 65 I would have missed the previous 12 years and I would have only had 3 years before slowing down. Go for it and remember, this life is the main event it's not a rehearsal, once it's gone it's gone, enjoy every minute.

 

Whatever works for you I guess. I'm 43 now, have worked in both the NHS and Private Healthcare, got more disillusioned with it all as the years go by. Dropped to 4 days per week earlier this year and it's made a big difference. Not sure aboit retiring, but my mortgage is paid off in 5 years and I quite fancy a change of direction with work and going part time in some other line of work. I'd miss the company of colleagues more than anything.

 

It seems reading this thread that the government's increase of the retirement age may well backfire as more and more people seem to be cashing their chips in early . Problem is we may well end up with thousands of skint octanagareans.

 

Depends on your pension, if they offer flexible retirement have a look into that.

 

Please elaborate: do you mean 22:55, 23:55 or 00:55?

 

Thank you all very much for your advice interaction support and encourgement. We appreciateit THANKYOU.