What age did you retire?

I taught on an Access Course which I just loved. Mature students know they want to study so the job is much easier than trying to convince reluctant teens! I retired at 59 and still miss some of my wonderful students. I enjoy my retirement having more time to pursue so many things I never had time for before.

I was 58, OH had retired at 55.
He booked a surprise holiday. Some people in the resort were there to buy property. Just to be nosey we went along with one couple we had made friends with. We liked the house and bought it.
Came back home, put the property up for sale and 3 months later we were living in another country.
We had mortgage free property in the uk that was rented out and a boat that was rented.

Have had the good fortune to always have a career that I enjoyed. When I didn't enjoy a particular job, found another that was enjoyable; either within the company or another.

Knew that, like it or not, would have tom retire at 65. Ticked off the last two years, but not wishing the time away, just counting and preparing.
Nearly 18 years on, still keeping occupied, but not so frantically as before Covid. Try to help others if possible.
Blessed with good health and a loving partner, and family.

Advice? Avoid navel gazing and do something, (Hobbies, helping others, volunteering, U3A ) if only in a leisurely way, to keep mentally and physically active.

I retired at 59 as I was diagnosed with a progressive lung complaint and wanted to enjoy myself while I was still active enough to do so.
I'm still quite active 9 years later, so it hasn't progressed as fast as I thought it would. I was lucky as OH earned a good salary so could afford to retire early. I don't regret it at all.

I didn`t actually retire as such, I took voluntary redundancy at the age of 49, and, although money was tight, I didn`t bother looking for another job. Did a couple of short term jobs, cleaner and lollipop lady, but nothing for very long. I don`t regret not working any longer.

If you have left paid employment but do voluntary work are you retired?

53. I cashed in a private pension and we live off my husband's pension. I recently started volunteering one day a week for a charity but have no intention of ever going back to paid employment. I love my freedom way too much.

I was 57 when I stopped paid work on the day my daughter was widowed, so that I could help her to cope with her grief along with her new baby. However, I still continued with my many voluntary roles.

When I was 62 I co-founded a charity working with homeless people and now I’m nearly 68 and I continue to run that alongside working with my husband in our new business.

I had a conversation a few days ago with my husband during which he told me that my plans to retire from leading the charity in my 70th year are unrealistic - because he says I can’t retire from being me and I’ll simply find myself responding to a different need. It’s given me pause for thought because although I think I really would like to retire I suspect he’s right.

Retired from teaching at 57 because of disillusionment with senior management. Started my own teaching resources website for spellings which is still doing well. Got my state pension last year thank goodness.

72 and still working part time and enjoying it.

52 to start a new life in Pembrokeshire with my partner, covid hit and it all went wrong, tried to get work but couldn’t so now I’m doing a new qualification so that may lead to something. Have taken my work pension at 55 ?

I'm waiting to retire - I've got 4 years to go yet

We both retired at 50, converted some outbuildings to holiday lets so worked on Saturdays only for changeovers. Went off to France and did the same thing with three gites until Orlin had two major health scares and we came back to Wales at age 67, he is now fit and well , we have renovated a derelict house and are completely retired and loving every moment.

I was 55 when i finished work. DH wanted to take early retirement and at my work (NHS) they were reorganising and it didn't seem fair to go through the process, get a management job, which I would have done, and then leave a year or so later. Was really glad to go.

Like Revolucion - I forgot to menton the social side of work. . I still keep in touch with some of my old work colleagues.
Their support made our stressful job a lot easier.

Age 48 due to ill health - I have taken a huge financial hit.
I’ve found it difficult in many ways but also fantastic in other ways.
I really miss the lovely work colleagues but am thrilled not to have to deal with the difficult ones or my dreadful boss. I don’t miss having a huge workload and feeling under a lot of work stress. I don’t miss not being able to take leave when I wanted to.
I love not having to buy and wear work clothes or work in an uncomfortably cramped and hot work environment.
I love that my time is my own.

I think I was one of the first to retire at 55 - 1988 - from my local govt. job - I loved my job but we were starting a major change in our
life. And the job was changing too. +++
In our new way of life I was able to find other part time jobs in a similar environment so was very happy.

57. Hallelujah.

I could retire next month as I'll be 66 then, but I'm not going to. Think I'll give it another year and see how I feel.

Mid 40s and i don't miss it at all. I know how lucky i am.

Retired at 60,RGN, then returned to work part time. As a partimer was expected to fill in odd hours, but then was being put on so many night shifts, body clock couldn’t cope. So left the NHS for full retirement at 62. Never a day of regret, although if I had managed to get a clinic based job would have continued working.

50. My company was desperate to lose people and were offering generous redundancy and retirement packages. I took my pension and went as I had better things to do, like go travelling. Never never regretted it. I’ve been retired for longer than I ever worked.

65. It was the right time for me. I loved my job and left on the crest of a wave. No regrets.

I was going to retire at 60, but I love my job and when they asked me to stay on, I agreed if I could reduce my hours. So that’s what I did. I love semi-retirement and I love work. Not sure when I’ll retire full time.

I had my children in my twenties, so only wortked for five years after graduation, then, as was the norm in these days , was a full time Mum, then was mostly part-time/sometimes full time worker until my late thirties.

I retrained in my forties and was very energetic and career focussed in my forties, fifties and sixties, which I think are the years when woman can do their best work, having brought up their children in their twenties and thirties..

I became self-employed in my late fifties and intended to retire at 75 but I ended up retiring at 73, just because I realised that I was slowing down and no longer had the energy I had had ten years earlier.