Did you regret retiring too early?

I hated my job, took voluntary redundancy at age 49, never regretted it. For a few months I cleaned at a care home on Saturday and Sunday mornings, whilst being a lollipop lady in the week, but then gavev uip both jobs to be a childminder to one of my grandchildren which over the years stretched to a few grandchildren. So no, never missed work, just the wage at the end of the week.

teetime could you work in a voluntary capacity on a Health Trust committee? I suppose it wouldn’t be the same as paid employment but I think your previous experience would probably be valued.

I retired at 59 and have never regretted it. Money has been tight at times but we supplemented our income with some B&B . Things are improved now and we have a full life with friends, animals, voluntary work etc. So different from my previous life.
If you are concerned 35inmyhead then could you try part time work to ease you into retirement.

I retired at 64 and have regretted it ever since.

I retired from senior nursing nhs management at 55 because I was shattered and was not allowed flexible working. I miss it very much.

I love being retired (from teaching). It was one of the best decisions I ever made to leave at 58, as I was steadily burning myself out. I realise I was lucky to be able to make that choice. I used my lump sum to clear the mortgage my ex had left me with after buying him out. My teaching pension I feel is more than adequate for my needs, plus a small avc. I had also been saving previous to my retirement, so had a little cushion set aside too. No state pension for another 3 years.
I am.enjoying life while still fit and healthy. Together with my retired second husband we travel, regularly go on hikes, read, paint and help care for grandchildren two days a week.
Being my own boss certainly suits me.

I didn't have a choice. My company needed to halve its number of staff and some 35,000 people had to go. The terms were very generous and if you were over 50, if it was a no-brainer, instant pension without cutbacks and a big lump sum plus bells and whistles. I didn't want to leave but it was in my best interest to do so, For me retirement started at 53, whether I liked it or not.

I took a year off to go back to university, courtesy of the retraining grant that was part of the redundancy package and then I tried to get back to work. The rejections came back by return of post - a well qualified woman wanting to to be considered for a a job at 54? you must be joking.

So, I embraced retirement. I took my skills to a charity as volunteer and became a Benefits Advisor, I developed all my hobbies, we moved house and I made new friends.

Retirement is what you make it. If you sit at home bemoaning all you miss from work, it will be miserable and lonely. Develop your interests, go out and meet new people through hobbies, classes, volunteer work or just getting to know people in your community now you have time and it can be a great time, far better than work.

I retired at 59 on a good pension. Never regretted it.

I retired at 63 because of health issues. I had Polymyalgia and coping with the pain and exhaustion meant I just couldnt do my job efficiently.
Two years later when the steriods had done their job I went back part time to cover staff holidays. It was a mistake because I soon realised I wasnt (on the ball) added to which new computer programs had been introduced by then, which had to be explained to me.
However I would have been quite happy to work to 70, as I liked my job and the company of the people in my office. Added to which I was much more switched on before retirement. My memory isnt as good now I have retired.However we moved to a village on the North East Coast earlier this year, and I'm enjoying making new friends and being on the beach every day with my dog.

Yes, I think we did. We both retired at the same time. (DH at 64 and I was 61) . The company he worked for was relocating and we didn't want to move to another part if the country. I retired because, if DH was retired, I didn't see why I should carry on working. It has worked out well, although I did miss colleagues, the routine and of course, the salary. But, I didn't particularly miss the job. So, if you can financially manage, and not go stir crazy, do it!

I retired at 62. I was just about a year past pensionable age. I was Nurse in Charge of the night shift in a medium sized nursing home. I had intended to do another couple of years, but my body couldn't take any more. I love retirement, and just wish DH had less of a work ethic. He's 67 and still doing two jobs!

I was made redundant 18 months before my 60th birthday when I had hoped to retire. I was able to work part-time for a further term, teaching 'my' Access courses! I think, if I'd known more (anything) about employment law, I could have put up more of a fight on the grounds that it's the job that should be redundant, not the employee. I made it a condition that they would pay for a course of ESOL teaching which I enjoyed and had a couple of good years teaching refugees and asylum seekers. Did 11 years with CAB and now take life quite easily!

I'm in the position of having to wait for my SRP until I'm 65.5, but I could afford to retire now if I wanted to. But I'm not sure I want to give up just now and so have dropped to a 3 day week. It suits me perfectly; still doing a job I enjoy but without the pressures of a full time career. It gives me plenty of time for GC, hobbies and friends this way, but with the bonus of a regular income.

I retired from teaching at 58.5 and never took on supply work.
Lived on the lump sum + modest teaching pension until state pension kicked in 18 months later.
I can live on my 2 pensions plus a small annuity from avc's.
Absolutely no regrets and I 'm sure that getting away from the stress ensured a healthier retirement. It also meant I was around for my mother's last 18 months.
The time to retire is when you're putting much more into the job than you're getting out of it.

I retired at 62, earlier than I’d intended, because of an eye problem.
I miss some aspects of work but am in touch with colleagues and what’s going on through social media which is a boon in other ways too.
I agree with Jane10 that it’s not just the bucket-list type things you want to think about, but what your life will be like in a day to day basis.
If, like me, you enjoyed your job but always wished you had more time to garden, read, get out in the fresh air, get more exercise, see your friends and family and generally being at home you won’t be disappointed, especially if you and your OH can work out a balance between spending time together and pursuing your own interests & not getting on each others’ nerves.
If on the other hand you’re one of those people who after a morning at home is screaming at the walls with boredom, you might be better off staying at work, or trying to reduce your hours.
Good luck - at one time the thought of giving up my professional life was a frightening prospect but I haven’t regretted it at all.

We too were medically retired at age 56 years and because it was unplanned and caught up with serious illness with its many Medical interventions it has not been a pleasant time.
Whilst of course my husband`s substantial wage packet was lost so all in all it was quite a roller coaster.
However we have valued this time together but for us all things Medical have made life and earlier plans fly out of the window.
Personally I think it is a choice situation,what is right for one may prove a heavy yoke for another.
Worth while taking plenty of time seriously thinking your options through............and good luck!

I was medically retired in my mid 50's. I then found out who my real friends from work were. The ones I thought were my friends just tossed me to one side and forgot about me and then some who I thought of as just colleagues have stayed in touch and we see one another quite regularly.
I don't miss the job but I did and still do miss the social side of working. The chatter and fun more than anything. If I had my time again and could afford to stop work I would but I'd look for a small little no pressure job a couple of days a week but not full days.
The money... You just get used to not having it coming in as it once did.

I retired on my 66th birthday. I had gradually cut down my hours and relinquished responsibilities ( I was a deputy head, SENCO, head of English, you name it.) I’d had enough, and although I was offered a day a week and as much supply work as I wanted, I never went back. I used to see a couple of people from school, but soon realised that without the work gossip we didn’t have very much in common, so I see them only rarely now. I moved almost at the same time as I retired, and have made new friends here, and now have three grandchildren whom I care for, so I don’t miss work at all. I’m lucky that I have a decent pension and some savings, so I can afford a comfortable lifestyle.

I went at 60 and have rejoiced every single day! Life soon crowds in but you have control over whether or not you do something. My DH retired and immediately set up another business related to his hobby. He's always wanted to do that.
What else is there in your life that you'd like to do more of? Travelling, yes, yes, but after that on a day to day basis?

Maybe you could work, say 2 days a week for a while and see how you feel?

I retired at 50, the ex promised his income was more than enough to support us both, well it was then we got divorced so good job my pensions are good enough to live on. I've never regretted retiring early I love it but if I'd had a crystal ball I wouldn't have done it. I really don't miss working, work mates or the ex, I'm happy with my decisions.

My husband retired at 60 and then regretted it. We could have done with a few more years' income but at the time he felt he had had enough. I finished at 58 and after a few months went back part time. However, it wasn't the same and I felt out of the swing of it and, for the first time, old. I finished for good after a few months.