when the time is right to retire?
When you look at the Calendar thinking what else you could be doing.
I retired October 2018 and was very happy, however I retired to make the most of my pension as working longer was going to put me in a different category and I was going to be worse off. My boss always thought I wold take a few weeks off and come back, which we planned after my pension was sorted out however as the usual with a big bureaucracy paper work got lost etc and I was off until January 2020. I was not that happy as I had enjoyed my time off and really only went back because I realised my boss had put in a stack of effort to get the paper work though.
By working and collecting a pension I have managed at my sons house to pay for a new roof house, two new bathrooms, a carport and pay off 30% off the mortgage. I also ordered an Australian Frontline MGB as my view was if I am working I want something for me. However I worked out that the money I earnt has covered the house but as the MGB has taken longer that I expected I actually could have covered it just from savings from my pension, meaning I could have ordered the car without working. While not ideal I could have probably got the loan increased to cover the house renovations. So yes I am much better off financially but I probably could have coped without working.
I could work another two years and fully pay the house off or retire and pay it off over 12 from my pension.
While retired for 14 months I joined a Monday cycling group, however it was full. After working for about 6 months I was told I could join them, once I joined them I was invited on a Wednesday Cycling group, then a Thursday and then a Friday cycling group. Then some of them invited me to join their Tuesday caning group. I have not gone canoeing but generally do about one ride a week depending on weather or work commitments.
The bad news is when I first retired I was quite fit and I think if I had not returned to work I would have stayed fit as I would have have been sitting in a chair working on computers all day long and and often the night as well. However with working long hours I have lost a lot of fitness and put on too much weight.
I plan to leave end of June and then do more cycling, maybe try canoeing and concentrate on getting as fit as possible. I feel life is too short to let your health deteriorate and you end up having and even shorter life. Working two more years is tempting to finish the mortgage off but really I feel I want to live longer and that is more important than my son inheriting my house paid off and have his house paid off. I also have lots of other things I want to do as well like enjoying the MGB, more work around the house, making guitars and playing music.
