Chill and Relax – the best thing about retiring early has been the virtual elimination of stress from my life. Mrs Troy believes, and I tend to agree, that if I’d kept on going as previously I wouldn’t have lived to the normal retirement date. The early rise, the commute to Central London, the manic and incessant e-mail demands for information, the staff out sick, or on holiday, or extended maternity leave. The work that still had to done to ever tighter deadlines. Stop! Stop! STOP! I want to get off!
And I did. Of course I miss both the money and the social aspects of working in an office. But I’m so much happier now and so much more relaxed and free of stress. So if you can (and I know it is far from easy) save, invest and try to retire early.
Enjoy long walks on the beach – I’ve always liked the coast. Now we live just a fifteen minute ride from the nearest beach and it is not much further to many other beautiful beaches. My favourite local beach is just south of Dovercourt leading on to the Walton Backwaters. The views are nice, the sand is soft under foot and it is frequently totally deserted. Well just me, a picnic in a rucksack, the waves lapping onto the beach, a gentle breeze and the sunshine. There are yachts, power boats, ferries and container ships offshore adding to the interest as well as many small wading birds scurrying along the tide line. Bliss!
Invest in Gold – gold (and silver) used to be everyday money. But then governments around the world decided we’d be better off instead with their bits of paper backed by just their written promises. A Gordon Brown promise – yeah right! So I wanted to find a way of investing in something that was independent of governments and I found gold. Not in the ground or in a stream, but after much internet searching I discovered “Bullion Vault” a company who facilitate the secure purchase and sale of gold bullion, simply and with low charges. . My gold is stored safely in vaults in London and Zurich, it is not at home under the mattress! Obviously I’m not recommending buying gold to everyone but many experts do advise keeping 5%-10% of your wealth in gold. Which is strange, after all it is just a lump of metal, but over the years it has proved a safe way to preserve the purchasing value of your wealth independent of governments. Follow the link above to find out more (but caveat emptor!).
Follow Ipswich Town FC – three years ago I didn’t give Ipswich’s results a second glance. But having moved to the area with a view to settling here long term I wanted a sporting interest. Now I’m totally hooked. I can’t wait until next Saturday afternoon to get down to Portman Road and cheer on my team. I feel strongly that people should support their local team not some distant Premiership team. Get a season ticket, get to know the players – and support them through the good and bad times.
I’ll be back next week with my 3rd posting in the Seven Things series. Please stay tuned!
13 comments:
...have just spent a pleasant few minutes browsing Panoramio photos of the Dovercourt beach - distinctive lighthouse! We are currently enjoying being Hull City supporters.
Ooooo...I'm going to have to check out that gold website! You're not the first person to tell me this, the coppa I met in Spain who retired at the age of 49, also mentioned this. I think it's a bit too late for me to retire early, but I've still got to sort out SOME sort of retirement fund, because I have NONE!
I've just posted my first 7 things list DJ tagged me with. I thought I would do it like you (gave you credit for it...oh, and I've put you on my sidebar so you don't go into a little hissy fit - cause ya know I really do love reading you!)
Julie - Dovercourt is my favourite LOCAL beach. Given the choice I'd opt for Grenada, Aruba or Barbados. Well done Hull City - I'm a true Dean Windass fan and enjoyed his autobiography.
Trixie - gold goes up and down like everything else but in the long run it should prove a good investment. Buying your own home, especially whilst house prices are depressed, is better still though.
Yes Troy...know what you mean about commuting into London. I got really fed up when I was ill one day and my clients were still ringing me up! If I get some dosh together I will think about investing in gold. I rarely write about politics but I think we are the road to ruin if government borrowing goes up to 60% of GDP by 2013. (That's what "The Politics Show" was saying today anyway.) Good grief: we'll be a banana republic yet!!!
Hadriana - once I was in hospital with a duodenal ulcer and the company biked out some documents for me to sign. Lying in bed with a hairy biker standing next to me whilst I studied the paperwork before signing it!
We joined the "road to ruin" in 1997. However I can understand why many people wanted change then and trusted Blair. But they got re-elected twice is TOTALLY beyond me. I suspect Obama will be the same in the US (I had deja vu on their election night).
Used to sail on Walton Backwaters, near Landermere... loved it.
Ipswich Town... YES!!! Will never forget Ipswich winning FA cup in 1978. There was a terrible song they sang called Follow the Town.
My husband did that joyful commute from Manningtree before we moved here. I once went on 6.10 train or thereabouts, full of half dead looking men with determined looks on faces. Ghastly. Never again.
One of the reasons I am reluctant for my husband to take a job back in London is that we have a choice of (a) central London - expensive house, no garden but minimal commuting time or (b) suburbia - potentially affordable with green space, but hours of daily commuting and thus no family time.
Still working out how to make my millions so we can retire early though...
LWM - its a small world isn't it. So you're an ITFC fan then?
Sorry to hear your husband is a half dead looking man with a determined face (or has he recovered?). The trains are pretty crowded by the time they get to Manningtree.
Catharine - hi! and welcome to my blog. Have you considered Ware/Hertford? Nice countryside and less than an hour door to door to the City. Or around Cuffley or Brookman's Park in Herts?
I think the only easy way to make a few million is to start with several million more than you actually need!
Award for you over at my place...
(Hospital bed/hairy biker...that's a troubling thought!...gosh!)....
:)
Better not read about Ipswich Town!
Gold sounds very exciting. If I send you a diamond will you make me a ring!
I think you were right to retire early, life is far too short to work.. I also think that people become like robots in these cities, like roll on-roll off cargo from a train.
CJ xx
I have to say that Chris was offered a large wad of cash to go work for a company in central London. We talked about it and decided, after living in Bangkok and the hours he's had to put in here, that the money was just not worth it....we actually would prefer to be poorer but have more time together!!
C x
PS. Rumours of another coup are spreading like wildfire. We've heard that the army is on the move....it's going to be an interesting night!!
Hadriana - thanks for the award. I'm displaying it proudly already.
CJ - send me a diamond and I'll send you 24 carrots (fair exchange?).
Carol - remember the old saying "Money doesn't bring you happiness but at least you can be miserable in comfort".
Quite agree about the stress-reduction of early retirment, even if I can't bring myself to follow football.
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