I retired 5 years ago (age 60)from a senior job in a Local Authority, thus an excellent final salary pension .Plus I was able to claim state pension at 60 and 7 m .I was a little disconcerted to find DH wanted to retire 3m after me!He has deferred both his pensions until he is 65 but, rather to my surprise we have managed quite well living on mine alone,as he assured me we would, dipping into substantial savings for holidays (we've done a lot of long distance travel).We had our children late and stopped paying for Uni not long before retiring so it doesn't feel that different,though our income at present is about a third of what it was!It will go up considerably soon .We run only one car ,have had a water meter put in and DH has had time to shop around for savings on insurance etc .We thought our heating bills would go up a lot but they haven't
Having paid for their further education and having given them substantial amounts toward property purchase (inheritance) we have no compunction about 'spending our kids inheritance now '.
I think that is one of the keys though-having enough money to enjoy life. We have always been prudent and saved hard and put AVCs into pension .But obviously we were fortunate to be able to do that.And the other is having reasonable health .
One reason we retired relatively early-so we could do the travelling we always wanted while we were still fit.
My job was getting increasingly 'big' and stressful and I was glad to go though I used to enjoy it. I went back to work when DD2 was very young as DH was made redundant and I was the only/main bread dinner for 8 years.I worked pt for 3years ,ft for 15 ,while raising a family ,and it took its toll
I have no grandchildren as yet and am likely to be quite elderly when I do .The DDs do not live near us and ,while I have made it clear we will be available for emergencies, there is no way I will be doing regular childcare .I supported MIL to live at home for many years but she died 2 years ago having been in a residential home for 2years prior.DF DM and DFIL have been dead a long time,so we have no ties,though we continue to offer moral and emotional support to the DDs ,both of whom have been through stressful times in the last year or so .
We set the alarm for 8am instead of 6.15 ,drink tea in bed while listening to the Today programme but aim to be up and dressed by 9.I need structure to my day .
I volunteer,belong to two book clubs a choir and a French conversation class,a lot of Family History research and, despite dodgy knees ,do a fair but of walking .And am a keen gardener.I meet friends for coffee/lunch/cinema/theatre and often go down to stay with DD1 in London.My DH has one all consuming hobby which involves a lot of research. Basically I go out a lot .It works for us .We enjoy our holidays weekends away and concert trips
I am probably more content in retirement than I have been since my twenties .My thirties were lovely in some ways as I married and had my babies but my 40s and 50s were very stressful