Am in my 60's and we have been planning our retirement for some time.
Took a month off work for a hollie and kept in my mind that this could be a guide to our retirement.

1st and 2nd weeks of hollie I thought I am not ready for retirement at this stage. It'ld be really bad for me.

3rd week, began to look at where I can alter my life so retirement is really good.

4th week - Agreed with me.  ' ...It'ld be really bad for me.  .... AND  .........  I can alter my life so retirement is really good.'

If you're a guy and you're in your 60's then I reckon you should work til you hit 67/68 (as that is the generally accepted retirement age).

After that age you may retire ie spend all day at home getting in your wife's way and cramping her style and disrupting her daily program and getting on her nerves etc.

Frank wrote on Jan 2^nd, 2023 at 5:03pm:


Ha! She is at home because she is a full time home maker and her role is to make sure everyone gets up nice and early and goes to school or Uni or work. Once they go she can then start her (never ending) chores so that when everyone comes home after school or Uni or work ...everything is ready ie home is clean and tidy, gardens are watered front and back, pets have had all their needs taken care of, household laundry and cooking is done, shopping is sorted, bills have been attended to, dry cleaning has been dropped off/picked up, ensured that tenants are ok (there's always something that isn't ok) and they have paid the full amount of rent due AND it's been done so on time (because ever increasing land tax plus council rates plus water rates need to be paid using that rental income).

Once all that's done ... she can then help with school or Uni homework. Yes that's right ... tutor her kids wherever and whenever they need help. And after that she can sit and listen to those family members who have part time or full time employment vent their frustrations regarding how overwhelmed they are at work.

Oh and somewhere in all the above .... she's been busy helping neighbours and family and church friends with their various issues.

greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 2^nd, 2023 at 5:49pm:



i love work and love my 2 businesses.
will never stop.


retirement would require a project.

i have a 200 acre block of rubbishy scrub that i have slowly been regenerating

i think i will probably work on that and get the grandkids involved in replanting the gullies and trying to get ferns and other nice rainforest vegetation back.

i feel sorry for people that had a job they didnt like for many years.
it would be worse then being in a marriage they didnt like for many years.

they should have got out.

certainly the plan is to remain super active as i'm sure sprint is doing.

once some illness takes over to the point i cant bounce out of bed and do anything other then exist, i'll be departing.

most people linger way too long in old age

they suffer, their families suffer watching a slow deterioration.
if you are surviving but not thriving , what is it exactly you are hoping to attain?

Lisa Jones wrote on Jan 2^nd, 2023 at 4:59pm:


In my case the wife is a bit younger and still working. It will likely be the other way around.

Frank wrote on Jan 2^nd, 2023 at 4:43pm:


Thanks, that is about my thoughts.
I quite like what I am doing professionally.
So long as I am happy 'where I am' stay there.

Try things now to make my retirement better later.

Apparently, you don't need anywhere near as much money as told to retire.

No debts is the big benefit.

issuevoter wrote on Jan 2^nd, 2023 at 10:53pm:



that s the main issue

you have to bounce out of bed with a plan

doesnt matter if it is just to walk around your clothes line for 8 hours like that old pommie war veteran that did that for charity at 100 years of age.

once your only aim in life is to survive, you go into suffering and it is inhumane to make you linger.

the RSPCA would fine you for doing that to your horse or dog but we are perfectly fine with doing it to humans

its because of our own death anxiety