I’ve received an email from a reader asking if I’m looking to retire when I move to Portugal. The answer is no. I would go out of my mind with nothing to do all day apart from cook and sunbathe. That’s not to say I want to work like I do now, I’m looking along the lines of part time, with my own small business. I just want a more simpler life. DH is going to be working full time, he’s still quite young and isn’t ready to quit the rat race yet, that’s why he’s learning the language so intently.
There is a post on one of my favourite blogs, The Wastrel Show about retiring at fifty. Check out cinzea’s post, it’s certainly gives you something to think about.
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Thanks for the link, that was an interesting read.
I often wonder what it would be like to retire and have nothing to do but I know I would go crazy with boredom.
I would have to find something.
What are you planning on doing – you left a teaser in the last post?
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Retirement means different things to different people. I know people who consider themselves retired who actually put in more hours a week than an employed person. I know one guy who writes software in his retirement – most people would actually consider that work – but he doesn’t and he gets paid for it.:) As different people have different attitudes and perspectives I think the only perspective that counts is the perspective of the “retiree” – if they consider themselves to be retired then who am I to tell them otherwise
I know a lot of people who have retired at 50 and they lead incredibly rich and quite frankly very rewarding lives – but as you say sitting around doing nothing all day is just not going to hack it long term. It really is important to retire with objectives and a real plan.
I usually feel more comfortable with the term “semi-retirement”. It kind of implies you are almost not doing anything
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