Retirement - the future

Join a commune? Diggers and Dreamers - The Guide to Communal Living in Britain

Oh dear, FG - I do understand your dilemma - I was the same as you in my late 30s. So I rented my house out and went off to California for a year. By the time I came back I knew what I didn't want (which happened to be a rural life on the edge of the rat race) and what I did want which was a bit more of a challenge for my braincells. So I got stuck into the rat race and it did me very well for another 25 years!
All in all - if in doubt, do something that can be reversed if you are still in doubt after.

These days I am on the edge of the big city with the advantages of an allotment and an easy journey into central London.

Not sure I'm ever going to be in the financial position to worry about it. I'll be working till I drop


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I'm working till I drop along with Bex, but also have the farm so work there is pretty hard going sometimes.

After 22 years in the military and another 11 in the telecommunications industry I was made redundant at the age of 52 back in October 2012. So with my redundancy money I decided to leave the rat race , meetings, commuting etc behind, moved back to the old homestead in the country and never looked back. Reclaimed, drained and cleared half of the land in the first year, and the aim to do the rest over the next few years. I have about three acres in all. I have never worked so hard in my life but have never felt so well or contented either. Following two serious life threatening illnesses in the previous decade which I now put down to unhappiness and stress I can't believe how healthy I am now and my doctor is amazed at the results of my last two check ups.I do have the safety blanket of a small monthly pension and do without a lot of stuff I thought was important. Changing my car yearly and a couple of foreign holidays a year is now just a memory but the advantages really out weigh the cons. I have albums on my profile which show the progress from wilderness to productive gardens if anyone is interested.The simple pleasures of eating something you grew yourself or drinking cool crystal clear water from my own well , a log fire in the grate which I cut myself , simply being part of a helpful sharing community again are hard to beat

Not been funny but how do you find these things out veggichicken?

Going to get the kids to think of a question for you

Meteor - what a satisfying life you lead - you'll be the envy of many on here

NVG - I know about Diggers and Dreamers because, at one time, I considered joining a commune myself.
I took early retirement at 48 and my husband retired the following year.
We decided that we would have enough money to get by on without working, as long as we cut back on the new cars and holidays that we had taken to break up the tedium of work.
Unlike Meteor, we decided to stay put in our house with its moderate size garden. We kept chickens and bees, grew fruit and veg and had an allotment. Cut wood for the fires and enjoyed being masters of our days. It was after my husband died that I thought about joining a commune - as I knew that I couldn't do everything on my own so sharing skills and produce could have been good.
However, I stuck it out here, bought some more land at the end of the garden and carried on growing, not working and being happy ever since.

I wouldn't reject France simply because you'll be going it alone. Yes, it will be tough not having someone else to moan to/lean on/stand behind from time to time, but from ex-pats I've come across, those on their own have often integrated much better because they just have to; otherwise they would become very isolated.

I'm sorry veggichicken I didn't know you had lost your husband.

If we could afford to pack up and leave everything then I would like to go to either Norfolk, especially to a place called Diss. Or possibly the West coast of Scotland. Have been there several times and really like the place.
OH use to live in Haverford West years ago but I have never been to Wales before. Think I need to either win some money or inherit it from a relative I don't know about.

Thanks NVG - its 8/9 years ago so plenty of time to get over it and make a new start
My advice to everyone is - do it while you can, for tomorrow it may be too late!!

I seem to recall a few years ago you were thinking of France FG????

why not rent somewhere for a year and try it out??? There are loads of rental properties on the market, and MUCH cheaper than UK rental prices.

Just a thought...one year might turn into 2 then 3 etc tec...or you might of had enoughbut given yourself time to think of an alternative??

Having said that, Spring is the time to go when there are more people about...rural France can seem pretty deserted if you haven't got friends to visit

...and of course, many houses already have potagers which wouldn't take too much effort to pull back to full use again.

Try a dating agency! A lot of my friends are enjoying them...you never know

To consider retiring at 45 you really need two things in place:
Have you about £125,000 available to invest.
Is the house paid off or could you sell what you have and buy outright.

On a personal side can you live on £30 a week, this is for food basically.

Reasoning:
With £125,000 you can get £500 a month income from dividends.
This breaks down into:
£100 for bills - Gas, Electric, Phone (throw any smart phone you have).
£100 for Fuel for car (Cars are a pain)
£100 Council tax.
£200 for you: assume £30 a week and keep the rest to one side. Stop using a card to purchase anything.

Canal boat sounds an idea until you add the cost that is charged for one, fuel to run it.

Next question is if 45 I doubt you have the years required for a full pension, you need to get that maintained.

Figures are fairly accurate and realistic, I did it about 18 months ago, but I am a bit more then 10 years ahead of you.

I should make it with what I have coming in until the government start giving me the state pension, which will make me comfortable.

If getting out of the UK is uppermost then consider Holland. I worked there ands have looked at it as an option. Sell house here and buy one there should add quite a lot to the fund. As the Dutch tend to speak English so much less of language problems initially - this assumes you are not fluent in French. Also cycling is normal and their roads are buit with this in mind, so if the right place is selected forget a car.

The car is the problem, fuel is allowed for but not insurance, road tax, servicing and repairs.

I have done mine slightly different, I kept £5K for the council tax aspect for the next 5 years out of it all so whatever I get from the dividends is for monthly costs and expenses. I find this works better for me.

It take some setting up and I find I am monitioring what is going constantly. However it seems more or less OK.

Have you any company pensions etc?
I would suggest collecting those into a SIPP under your control. You have 10 years until you can touch any but in that 10 years you could set it up for dividend income and simply have the received money reinvested monthly at little cost. 10 years at 5% should increase the amount now by 60% and that does not include the value of the shares increasing. So it might double with no input from yourself.

What really comes into it is discipline.

I wouldn't recommend online dating - too many freaks about by half.


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