Retirement at 67, feeling free but financially anxious

I'm 56 and would love to retire but alas need to keep working. You are lucky to have reached retirement in relatively good shape by the sound of it!
Piece of a advise I read somewhere for retirement. I've remembered it the best I can, have-

*A hobby to meet friends
*A hobby to keep fit
*A hobby to supliment your income

I agree with crazyH, relax & enjoy not having to stick to a work schedule! After years of having to it’s so liberating to be able to just spend your time as you wish. Don’t rush into more work commitments yet, plenty of time for that in a few months, or when it feels right for you.
I was surprised at how much money I saved not going into work, daily travel, collections for coworkers, & easy food for dinners when I was exhausted, all things of the past.
I have more ‘me’ time & feel so much healthier
Enjoy your retirement 💐

Hi, I retired age 66 18 months ago and felt like you. After a few months I started volunteering for our local Foodbank
and am loving it. It’s only 1 day a week and it’s fulfilling and not strenuous. I highly recommend it.

pen50 I will look into the bank you commented on ..thank u!
Sharr22 am not in great shape..have prolapse/need new knee joint and dental surgery...so I think my time will be taken up chasing up on these NHS referrals - been waiting on the first referral 3 years now which made my decision to retire now as am so fatigued..have always suffered with anxiety so think I should just take a deep breath and relax a bit more
Thank you GNs for your advice ...

Bea it’s amazing how much time can be spent or wasted here on gransnet. It’s also somewhere I have learned all sorts of new things. If you are feeling down 🙁 it can help to share.
There is a meet up thread on here which you might look for, or start your own by posting choose somewhere fairly local maybe a shopping centre etc as a meet up and anyone living nearby can respond.
I have met a couple of very nice women one who I have met up with regularly over the last 8 years or so.

Posted at the same time as your post Bea. Not sure if you have seen the hip and knee thread which started 2 years ago which has lots of people with experience and advice which might be helpful.

Look under health forums and the dancing girls, makes it easier to spot.

Dancing girls 👯‍♀️

Could you possibly swim (or just walk in the pool?) it would be an exercise that is lighter on your joints and you can purchase continence swimwear now (if that is an issue) no one would know any different

I retired in October 2022 aged 64, I get SP this coming December.

It literally took me a whole year to adjust, BUT I have many retired friends, three adult children still at home, four dogs here and a husband.

I worked full time throughout, cared for sick and elderly parents, volunteered as a school governor for 13+ years and various other children related voluntary work, I simply am happy to kick back and relax, still have plenty of books to read, lots of housework, still cook for us as a family though only three times a week. Watch my fav TV programs, have done a bit of budget travelling.

Do whatever pleases you and makes you happy, it takes time to adjust.

63 and tired of working 4.5 days a week, so I am beginning to list what to do when I retire .. first will be a massive clear out of everything I no longer need from books to payslips to appraisals, office wear, bags, shoes etc. Second is meeting up every single week with one or several people who I haven't seen enough of, either at home or out, thirdly getting up to date with all medical appointments, then planting small vegetable patch, planting favourite flowers, finding a seniors exercise class, planning trips, volunteering,etc etc ... Good Luck!

Re joiningu3a - it is a great organisation for meeting new friends, trying out new interests and so on. Our Sough Manchester u3a costs a mere £15 a year,, has over 35 activity groups and costs £2 to attend a session. Do give it a try!

I think many older people take insufficient pride in the work they have done over the course of their lives to contribute to the community. As a result they oflen feel that they no longer have status or value in society. People treat you in the way that you teach them to treat you. Never be afraid to assert your boundaries or to remind people of your worth.

I retired at 67 - 12 years ago! I already belonged to two art groups. One was U3A. Check what groups your local U3A has. Some of the ones here are walking, family history, painting and languages - plenty more

Are you interested in something new? Learn Italian, learn a craft, get a dog etc?

Is there something from your past you like to pick up again? A computer course, sewing, did you enjoy art at school?

Have you got your bus pass yet?

Incidentally I have access to several U3As locally, all very different in what they offer. Likewise WIs.

Retirement - best job in the world but lousy pay!

Thank you Starseeker, your words were just what I needed to read. I’m 65, about to retire and feeling nervous. Your advice makes complete sense so thanks.

Good sense from you, biglouis!

Another one here who thinks biglouis has given us something to think on !

I retired 6 years ago. The first year was "oh so what do I do now". Just let yourself into retirement gently. Financially you will need time to plan your outgoings etc. it's still winter so catch up with whatever hobbies you have, maybe a bit of clearing out , decorating. This will lead you into summer , if you have a garden you can now take your time doing whatever in it. I was never very social so I wasn't craving conversation but I understand if you are you still need to meet up with people. You will survive. It's amazing what you find you "don't" need.

Advice from my place of work on their ‘pre-retirement’ course was not to do anything for the first 3 months of retirement. It’s a huge change and you need time to process it, and not jump into doing things you’re not sure about. You sound like you deserve a very good rest, so here’s hoping you have one.

If your car is important with regards living your life ATM, ie visiting family/shopping/leisure and you have poor public transport in your area then yes, I would say upgrade your car. You need something reliable. I retired last year and have settled into it very happily.

I am in New Zealand and will be in a similar situation within the next couple of years. I had to laugh at what one woman mentioned in a thread on a website here - she said she slept for the first year of retirement and I so get that. You have worked hard all your adult life Bea65 so just relax and smell the flowers for the first year or two then work out where to from there. Sleep in if you want to, do a few puzzles - I do Connections and Wordle each day plus Quordle and Blossom if I am on holiday and Spelling Bee just to keep the grey matter ticking over. Put your feet up and enjoy your vacation - no need to rush into anything until you feel like it. That's my plan anyway for when I retire.

Bea65 Congratulations! 💐 You have finally reached Nirvana! A blessed state of release, relaxation, recouping and peace.

Like you I worked all my life since the age of 16. I retired when I was 73. Three years later I am still deliriously happy over my retirement. Sleep late. Do what you want, when you want.

What did I do? What have I done? Nothing.
There was no way I was going to rush into volunteering, part time side hustle, church activities, expensive hobbies, etc. Let these things come to you organically. You will discover your interests, you’ll have time to think things over, travel, family and friends.

You will find, in time, your finances will adjust, you’ll have income to support yourself. You’ll figure it out. Don’t fret.
Enjoy!
USA Gundy

I’m due to retire in 16 months and 1 week😁I took on an allotment last year, in the hopes that I will be fit enough to work on it more when I do retire and can supplement my diet with home grown veg. I can only do a bit of digging and weeding at a time but it’s nice having somewhere else to go to get some peace from my husband, he hates gardening but has helped with the mechanical bits. There are lots of retired people working on their allotments and they are a really friendly bunch. I’ve worked out that with my pensions, I should get the same amount as I get now, so I’m hoping all will be well.