susyrosyworzy
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 8132
Loc: kjaw for the next year!
|
|
Quote:
Quote:
As I told my daughter, I've spent the last twenty five years trying to conform. It doesn't work and I can't wait to be free to be me again!
So right - I've spent the last 30 years trying to be good corporate person/wife/mum, al of which were "me" at the time. Am now in the process of discovering another "me".
Recently involved going off solo to sailing school in Greece, bit scary at first, but the start of a whole new future.
You'll absolutely LOVE it - scary is part of it! I've had probably the best, most selfish, most fabulous time of my life in these last two years, all the better for having been completely unexpected. And it STILL goes on!!
S x
--------------------
www.susysrunningawaytosea.blogspot.com
"As we journey through life, discarding baggage along the way, we should keep an iron grip, to the very end, on the capacity for silliness. It preserves the soul from desiccation." Humphrey Lyttleton
|
KellysEye
regular
Reged: 23/07/2006
Posts: 737
Loc: Curacao
|
|
You are right it is interesting.
One thing I would add is it's the toughest thing we've ever done - from ocean gales to walking miles to find shops in 90+ temperatures. And it is true that cruising is boat maintenance in exotic places.
However, I'm most certainly not trying to put people off - it's tough but very rewarding, we're having a great time. The other truism is that the first year is worst, there is so much to learn, but hang in there it gets better every year.
The one mistake we made was that we really wanted to go ocean sailing and we sailed over 5,000 miles in our first nine months. Pointless if you are long term cruising and we were seriously tired.
Edited by KellysEye (18/05/2008 21:39)
|
BigNick
regular
Reged: 29/04/2003
Posts: 6367
Loc: Lymington
|
|
Quote:
Have set 55 as the latest to go. Financially should be possible. All I need now is a bigger boat and a woman 
You can pay the bills for both of mine, if it will make you feel better !!
to be serious, I have two big issues with this thread. Firstly, its a bit depressing reading everybody elses plan. I keep saying I will work for another 10 years, but Ive been saying the very same thing for about 5 years on the trot! Never been very frugal or thrifty, always worked on the 'enjoy it while you can' theory, so still have a significant mortgage to be paid off.
Bigger issue is that we have actually come to the conclusion we dont want to live aboard. Its a bit like taking a job in sailing, like a YM INtructor for example - sailing ceases to be a hobby. Living aboard seems to involve carting so much clutter around the world, it becomes difficult to just pop out for a weekend which I find so enjoyable nowadays.
Finally, friends who had spent 5 years aboard in the WI had to be medi-vacced back to the UK - followed by boat on a ship 9 months later. Fortunately they retained a property the could move back to, .... selling up and sailing off would be just that bit too risky, for me.
--------------------
Taking strike action until the forum is fixed properly.
|
scarlett
regular
Reged: 21/12/2002
Posts: 1099
Loc: French Canals 2007 on, Hull mo...
|
|
I was made redundant at 52 and got an 82% net of salary pension plus a lump sum for a boat. Bought a suitable 25 ' boat three years before because I saw it coming.
Go out on the boat between 3 and 7 months a year, kept house [ all houses cheap and done up with DIY and no mortgage] and 14 year old car, family and friends. Eat out cheaply about once a week. Live well on fresh stuff and happy.
Now 13 summers later my pension is bigger than my old salary plus I get another £ 151 a week from the nation including £54 for a dependent wife [ Claim before 2010. The dependent wife scheme finishes then for new entrants and for me in 2020]
I sailed the boat to Greece via the canals and I am now on my slow way back before the dream of sailing in Greece got destroyed. People who are there will know what I mean .
I met my wife in 1999 and we married in 2002. Before she came out to the 25 footer I swapped it for a 30 footer with hot water and a shower. [ Buy the smallest boat your wife will tolerate otherwise you will become a boat maintainer rather than a retiree]
You have to do everything possible to do it if you want to because you never know when something beyond your control will stop you, eg the 11th of September or 7th July incidents.
Note: Worry. If the country is populated by lots of people like those represented here how are those paying NI etc. going to afford it. In 1996 terms I got much more in the lump sum than I paid in contributions throughout my career. Now the state is giving me another £8k a year. Where is it all coming from! That is not a question.
It is not taxes as I pay so little - but maybe they will come for me soon.
Life is great.
|
DuncanMack
regular
Reged: 02/10/2005
Posts: 1662
Loc: Dunno, no GPS signal...
|
|
Bernie
Quote
"What's holding me back is the balls to actually do it, and the concern that I really wouldn't want to do it on my own.
It seems from reading the thread that most liveaboards do so as partnerships."
Post picture of boat please 
Seriously tho, Happy Birthday!
--------------------
Duncan
The march of progress - but in which direction?
|
SeaVenture
regular
Reged: 04/01/2007
Posts: 83
|
|
We retired in January--ages 63 and 59, taking off next week. It's hard to believe, but we're finally...well, almost...ready, and will be finishing up as we head to sea, probably locking down the last cupboard. Our government pension is very modest, augmented by small rents from property. We can't wait
|
nickrj
regular
Reged: 21/07/2006
Posts: 381
Loc: Long Island, New York
|
|
This my be a curious question: But are there any people that don't intend on retiring? A lot of succesful businessmen, artists and creative people etc, work right up until they die - Not because they necessarily have to, but because what they do is who they are, as opposed to the majority of people who just work their jobs counting the days down until they can stop? Ie. their jobs are simply means to an end (which is pretty unfortunate really).
Personally, I'd be bored out of my mind sailing around, sitting in harbour until I kicked the bucket... I've been on the water now for 7 months, with no money, and the entire time I've been figuring out ways to do it - That has actually made half the journey. If I just set sail with $10,000 in my pocket, while I'd have something nice to eat and probably a bigger boat, I think something would be seriously lacking... This lack of comfort and money has kept me on my toes - My head is constantly in overdrive thinking about how to get to the next port... And that's kind of exciting in a weird way.
This probably sounds a little funny, considering the number of posts I've written saying 'holy cow I've run out of money what do I do now?' However, that being said... Somehow, I write to you from English Harbour in Antigua... nick.
--------------------
My Blog, singlehanded from Europe to Australia http://www.bigoceans.com
the new Boating Mobile Social Network http://www.bluemapia.com
|
TigaWave
regular
Reged: 17/12/2004
Posts: 1821
Loc: Buckland Monachorum
|
|
Totally agree with you Nick, I've had long breaks between jobs. Three years break and I usually want to get back to some constructive work, it's never been a financial decision as I've always been able to pay my way as I cruised, sometimes as you've done on a small budget!
It works for me.
--------------------
www.H4Marine.com
www.sailonline.org www.sailport.se
|
Jonny_H
regular
Reged: 15/08/2006
Posts: 1511
Loc: Liveaboard - following the sun...
|
|
Agreed - we have 15 months planned starting soon (60 days and counting) and then back to work (ableit in Australia!). I'm sure we'll do more in the future but at 26 I feel I'm a bit too young / poor to retire permanently. (But if the lottery numbers come up this week I may change my mind  )
Jonny
--------------------
www.freewebs.com/jksailing
|
susyrosyworzy
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 8132
Loc: kjaw for the next year!
|
|
I'm not altogether sure I'd call what I do 'retirement', more like new directions in my life?
S x
--------------------
www.susysrunningawaytosea.blogspot.com
"As we journey through life, discarding baggage along the way, we should keep an iron grip, to the very end, on the capacity for silliness. It preserves the soul from desiccation." Humphrey Lyttleton
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
[Re: 
Edit
Reply
Quote
