"Retire" early...?

[Crossroads]

But an interesting thread this is. OP must be 48 now and I do wonder what he did and where he is now. He hasn't been on CUK since May last year.

I wanted to retire at 40 but some bad money decisions meant I had to stretch to 45. Still didn't retire - just took a not-so-stressed permie job, for now anyway. I'm already very bored of this job. I'd almost much rather do nothing than continue working in a completely unfulfilling (albeit well paid) permie job.

That's because the OP totally forgot about this post! 8 years on...

Back in 2016 I resolved to leave my miserable gig when the project and my contract ended at the end of that year. Not necessarily to retire but to have a bloody good break. I left in November, the buggers asked if I'd come back in Jan and being weak, I said yes. Didn't escape the place until 2019 in the end, the longest I've been anywhere.

I'm still working, have also had a permie job in between contracting and the "do nothing rather than continue working in a completely unfulfilling manner" comment of yours rings true. It's time you'll never get back.

Just started a new gig, it should take me through until very nearly 50. If it does it will be my last full time job (I've said that before!) and the first few weeks have been enjoyable. If the enjoyment goes south I'll be out of here ASAP.