If you are over 60, can you advise me ...

I took early retirement, Mr J and I spent the next four long summers living in France, loved it and nearly moved there, but we have grandchildren here. I now do voluntary work one day a week and have an allotment, Mr J works, he is younger than me, I’ve never had any skill in crafts as many others do and may seek more voluntary work. No regrets.

I went back to university in my 50s, mixing with students of all ages and nationalities. It was really interesting to meet them all. That led to a variety of associated project work and hobbies which I'm still enjoying in my late 60s. The oldest student in our group was 86, so you're never too old, and mature students don't necessarily have to have the same qualifications as youngsters.

I'd hoped to be able to do more travelling, both here and abroad, but obviously that's been curtailed for a while.

Happy birthday, Hutcho.
Advice? Always be on the look-out for interesting things to do in your area. You don't have to be a good singer to join a choir. You don't have to be an ace crafter to learn a craft from scratch.
Six years after retirement, I still have things I want to start.

I took up voluntary work, I worked until 69 (I was hoping to go to70 but it wasn’t to be) I live alone and would have died of boredom to do nothing useful I also got a half share of an allotment and lastly after being on the waiting list 13 years I got allocated a beach hut which I share with my daughter

I retired at 60 but ended up with 3 part-time jobs having found one when I was out for a meal with friends and a person at the next table was earwigging our conversation and before I knew it I had an interview with her in a few days.

I live in London, paid off my mortgage with my lump sum but I had no savings so my very part-time jobs were ideal and this continued from 2003 until I broke my ankle in 2009 and had to have surgery.

Ptr Covid I met friends for coffee and or lunch and generally did what I wanted. The lack of stress at work was marvellous.

At age 60 I had been living abroad for 2 years. When we decided to move back to the uk we bought a motohome and smart car to tow behind.
We spent the winters ( in the motohome) in Spain and Morocco. In the summer we visited every country in Europe.
Not all in one year you understand ?

I did a post graduate course in nothing related to my previous job, but in a subject that really interested me.
We also took the opportunity to visit countries out of the British holiday season.
The other bonus was just being free to do what we wanted.

As well as helping out with grandchildren I joined art classes and found that it completely distressed me. I painted anything that meant something to me and everywhere we visited. My grandchildren were painted from the time they were babies. They are depicted involved in various activities including painting as they used my materials. They are now in their twenties and I am still at it!!!

I retired at 60. I volunteered in a primary school helping 5 and 6 year olds with their reading. It was lovely.
I got to go on various school trips free of charge - castles, farms, theatres etc. Very enjoyable.

If you can afford to retire, go for it.
We have spent the last 6 years having long holidays (8-10 weeks at a time)in the Canaries and Mainland Spain (not 2020) ☹️
Make a list of what you want to do and crack on whilst you are in good health. Making yourself happy is only something that is unique to you. Hope you find it!

About a year or so before I reached 60 (I'm 74 now) I started one investment club and joined another with a view to building up a pot of money so that when I retired (my OH was self employed) we could go on a coach trip around the eastern Med. There was a specialist company that took small parties in Mercedes buses on various journeys in Europe, N Africa, the Silk Route and so on. I wanted to see Leptis Magna, Craque Chevalier and so on. However, the war in Libya put an end to that idea. We wanted this holiday before we decided what we would do in retirement. The clubs broke even so not a lot of money involved. and I acquired a new puppy instead.

I'd always wanted a house in France for holidays which my OH was against because he didn't want to spend his holidays doing up houses as he'd had enough of doing that in England. So we decided to retire here. When my FIL died we used my OH's inheritance to pay off some debts and buy a plot of land to build a house. Which we did. I have a slight regret that we didn't do it 10 years earlier.

We have had very few long haul holidays until we were in our late 50's and most of our holidays were spent in France or Italy. Luckily we both like the same sort of thing.

One thing that I would say is that it's important to have some pleasure in your life all the time. I made a New Year Resolution when I was 40 to make sure that we did something really enjoyable every month. We like the arts and aren't interested in sports so we went regularly to London, Norwich, Cambridge and Ipswich, plus Snape Maltings and a few other places to see ballet, cinema concerts and exhbitions. Our finances have been up and down - when they were up I got seats in the Grand Tier at Covent Garden. When they were down we had standing tickets behind the stalls. Substantially cheaper than the stalls seats in front of us.

a lot depends on how much money you have, or how secure your living situation is.

Stop worrying about being 60 is a good start ! ?. It’s great. Retire if you can afford it. If not reduce hours - again if you can afford it. I retired at 61 and have never been so busy. No idea what I’m doing! Family commitments, spending time with OH, a few friends. Someone said to me you actually do the same you did before, only slower. It’s lovely to relax whenever you want. Enjoy ?

I bought two properties to let out. I'd always saved & that paid off big time so I'm totally mortgage free. I do all the management & admin. Partner does all the maintenance.
We bought a caravan & are up & down to the Cornish coast all summer. Bliss!
My partner bought a small house in Wales so likewise we are often away & visiting family up there.
We privately dog and house sit & go cliff walking. I sew a bit, he does DIY jobs around the house, I garden too.
I love retirement & we are currently planning a big trip to NZ after-C19 goes away probably to NZ next spring. Life is never dull so believe me, if you think you might be bored, I can assure you, you won't be!

I carried on working for another 7 years.

Well I don’t think about the age 60 as it’s just a number to me, I retired early but I just do what I want to with no worries about the time of day, night, I’m almost 64, I actually agree with polarbear2 Do what you want to do, the things that make you happy is my answer, I’ve never been bored since I stopped working,

I retired at 60 and took up painting and until Covid I undertook a lot of travel.

68 and still working, not because I have to but because I enjoy it.....Although obviously the extra money does come in handy as I only have the state pension....

I would have liked to do a World Cruise, but poor health and a lack of funds, followed by Covid and my Family's needs prevented that, and it is just a dream now that I will never get to forfill.

I would advise that you follow your dreams as much as possible sooner rather than later, enjoy life to the full while you can, tomorrow is never certain,so have some fun whilst you can.

I had to retire from teaching at 60 and was devastated, but I got a part time job at a supermarket and found I loved it! Low wage but low stress and being part time I had time for myself.
At age 77 I finally gave it up (broke my back) and contacted the RVS and started volunteering at the hospital 'meeting and greeting' which was wonderful. Covid has put a halt to this for now but I'll go back as soon as I can.
I also travelled, alone, all over the world, but covid has stopped that too.
I am now 82 and can't wait to start again, but won't be rushing abroad until I'm sure its 100% safe, so its the UK for holidays, however expensive it is

I became a nanny, I have written a novel, become a School Governor and visited the Galapagos. Enjoy!

Congratulations Hutcho! I will be turning 60 later this year, but plan on working for another few...

It is inspiring to hear all of your replies. I don't have any particular plans, but like the idea of a part time job or volunteering at school. DH is already retired and has the house tickety-boo, so I think I will just get in his way!

I visited Japan and then New Zealand took a few continental holidays ,
I joined some art classes run in the mornings rather than the evening ,
now that I have stopped travelling I bought a greenhouse and grow tomatoes and cucumbers , grow veg in raised planters
I did mind my grandchildren , but they are all too old to need me but they like to visit still

Joined U3A and art classes, and made some new friends.
We travelled a lot.
I wish we had bought a holiday home in Malaga We looked at some but.......
I also wish we had moved to a bungalow. It's more difficult when you're older (70).
Do as much as you can while you are fit and able.