Hi Frank,
I endorse all the comments on not putting it off and if you can, just do it! All the previous posters are obviously having a good time and I can relate.
Without going into detail we have suffered close famiy berevements in the last decade, with loved ones tragically called way before their time. One thing this does bring home to you, without any morbidity, is that we do not live forever and the old chestnut that life is not a rehersal is so true.
I was 59 when my company beancounters decided to headcount all the over 50's and offer them early retirement with no strings attached. First reaction was fear, if I am honest, but once the sums were done, policies considered for auction, a realisation that the dreaded mortgage could be payed off and seeing the excellent terms offered, we both took the plunge, I taking the early retirement and she quitting her job.
The icing on the cake was that after the company agreed to let me go they realised that there was no immediate replacement available for my post so they asked me to stay on for 6 months to tide them over and introduce my replacement.
Of course I agreed and as a self employed consultant did very nicely out of it, that and the feeling of not being thought of as shoved straight on the scrapheap made the retirement process relatively painless.
That was 4 years ago, how time flies when you're having fun, and it has been a learning curve, a pleasent learning curve albiet.
What my wife and I have found though, and I appreciate everybodys circumstances are different, is that the absolute freedom to come and go when we please which we assumed retirement would bring, has not actually been the case.
We have four lovely grand daughters ranging in age from 8 to 18 and various obligations have evolved that tie Nanny and Grandad down sometimes - for example taking and fetching the youngest to and from school twice a week and duty driver for younger ones who don't yet drive and of course the odd bit of babysitting.
So it's not always caravaning when we feel the whim, mostly it has to be planned round other things but that's not a complaint, more a statement, and we wouldn't have it any other way.
We did winter in Spain last year but missed everybody so much at Christmas that we won't be doing it again, also us not being around for "duties" made the rest of the familys life a shade harder.
We count ourselves well blessed at having such a close knit loving family, retirement is great but we have found that responsiblities that we never even thought about have emerged.
We are fortunate on the money side too as all our various bits of pension and investments from here and there have kept our heads above water, Just! As somebody else has said, if you don't drive to work, dont need to be smartly dressed and don't have those "lunches", money seems to go further. One thing I have noticed though is that the supermarket bill is just the same, it's all those treats for the grandchildren plus of course we are both home all the time and eating more food at home.
The good news on my horizon is that early next year the old age pension kicks in, wev'e managed the difficult bit so the pension could be the "jam" unless I give in to this urge for a new twin axle megga van. We must keep away from these dealers open days and caravan shows!!!
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