Even though I have 10 or 11 weeks to go before retirement, I’m already getting in the right mindset and I LIKE THIS! Here’s a few things going on:
Budgetting
This is something Rachel and I have always done quite well and we are finding that it crops up in our conversations quite regularly. In particular:
- I have quit my gym membership. Admittedly it was only £19 a month but every little helps. To be fair, I hardly go these days and I get a 50% discount on account of my Council employment
- My life insurance term runs out in July and I’m not sure replacing this will be cost effective. This is a policy I’ve had in place for years. A bit of a coincidence that it runs out as I quit work!
- We are going to spend the first year living with reasonable comfort, setting a baseline for future years and to see how this goes. We have a projected spend on everything but we’ll just have to see how it pans out. Wmight find we spend less on petrol but more on heating, for example
Using my time well
The broad areas of using my time are likely to be:
- Keeping fit; running, cycling, stretching and some resistance training
- Giving to others; this includes serving and giving my time. A starting point is spending more time with my elderly Mother-in-law and helping to keep her garden under control. I’d like to become a barista in our church cafe where they serve some seriously nice coffee in contemporary coffee shop surroundings and ambience. I’m open minded about other ways of serving, we’ll just have to see!
- Being creative; this includes taking up art again. Having failed my O’Level art in 1978 and being colour blind, I’m not letting this put me off. In fact I like the idea of a simple piece of paper and a 2B pencil first of all. Drawing people is what I’d most like to do as I like people! This also counts as learning something, which is where being sociable comes in
- Being creative also includes blogging which is also about being sociable, albeit in a slightly different way
- As I often get cross about the things I hear on the news, I think my MP is likely to have even more letters from me, so be prepared Mr Selous! It seems he is on first name terms with me having written to him quite a lot over the bungled Transforming Rehabilitation fiasco. I will be lobbying on those important issues such as social injustices, freedom of speech (which are being eroded through our politically correct society) and other points that come along. Holding MPs to account doesn’t just have to be in a general election
- We will have time to travel, without rushing to places. When we go on holiday, I almost enjoy the journey there as much as the holiday itself. Nothing better than pressing my nose against the aircraft or train window and getting lost in my thoughts as the world drifts past. So a slower, less intensive time away will be something to look forward to. Even as I type this on a weekend away visiting my youngest daughter in north Wales, I yearn to come back and hike up Snowdon on a clear day (having the freedom to do this easily will take some getting used to!)
- DIY has to be done and we have budgeted £4,000 each year for the next 5 years for our house and garden. While this should keep me busy, it’s not something I always enjoy. What I must concentrate on is making it a little more creative, other than simply maintaining our home
While I’m at work
I need, for my own peace of mind, to finish in a positive way. I need to complete a few little projects including the long awaited Dynamic Purchasing Scheme which will be my “legacy” as my manager puts it. The DPS will make life much easier for my colleagues once I’m gone.
When I announced I was leaving Probation, I was surprised at how quickly I was locked out of things and sensitive information was no longer shared with me. If I were to be super-sensitive, I think I would be a little hurt by this. In my Council job the landscape is different and I doubt this will happen.
Keeping an open mind
This is important to me. While I like to have things planned, I do like to give room for being open minded, open to offers, doors opening unexpectedly. Although retirement and having a financial plan for the next 40 years is important, we don’t want to be constrained by it.
So I’m feeling excited! As with anything, it will need some effort to make it work and I’m relishing the next phase of life so much!