Poll: Do you think of retirement when spending a lot of time without work? Penulis thread: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you think of retirement when spending a lot of time without work?".
View the poll results »
| | | | Liena V. 
Latvia
Local time: 00:03
Anggota sejak (2014)
Prancis ke Latvia
+ ...
I think about it all the time, how great it would be to have money without having to work. Alas, I still have at least 20 years to only dream about it.
| | | | Peter Simon
Belanda
Local time: 23:03
Inggris ke Hungaria
+ ...
I'm already retired but not with such a big bunch so I work whenever I'm needed. It feels good to be needed...
| | | | Lieven Malaise
Belgia
Local time: 23:03
Anggota sejak (2020)
Prancis ke Belanda
+ ...
What a strange association. Unless you are very close to retirement, like 1 year or less, I see no reason to think of retirement in slow periods. I would most certainly think of changing jobs.
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I started freelancing in 2006 when I retired from my in-house position, so I’m well beyond retiring age. If genes have to be blamed, my father worked as a consultant until the day he died at 93 and my mother who died at 105 used to say that the worst decision she ever took was to stop working at 90. I have no intention of stopping as long as some of my clients continue to send me work…
| | | | Edith van der Have
Belanda
Local time: 23:03
Anggota sejak (2016)
Inggris ke Belanda
+ ...
| I'm not without work but think about it anyway | Jan 7 |
As freelancers, we're responsible for setting up and following through on our own retirement planning, except for any state pension we may be eligible for. I love my work, but I also love other things in my life that take time - my children, my friends, exercising, my new hobby (piano playing), etc. - so I do not want to need to work full-time. Now ~20 years before I'll get my state pension, I'm slowly but surely working towards becoming FIRE. I'm working part-time, and I'm exactly where I want ... See more As freelancers, we're responsible for setting up and following through on our own retirement planning, except for any state pension we may be eligible for. I love my work, but I also love other things in my life that take time - my children, my friends, exercising, my new hobby (piano playing), etc. - so I do not want to need to work full-time. Now ~20 years before I'll get my state pension, I'm slowly but surely working towards becoming FIRE. I'm working part-time, and I'm exactly where I want to be, financially and with regard to how I spend my time ▲ Collapse
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For many years I complained bitterly about the deduction of obligatory 'social security' contributions from my salary as an in-house translator and editor working in Europe.
I retired several years ago and I'm delighted that all my time is my own, to spend as I wish, without enduring the hassle of 'working' to put bread (and Chilean wine...) on the table. All that - and much more - is funded by pension income delivered straight to my bank account by the DWP(UK), SFP(BE) and AVS(CH)... See more For many years I complained bitterly about the deduction of obligatory 'social security' contributions from my salary as an in-house translator and editor working in Europe.
I retired several years ago and I'm delighted that all my time is my own, to spend as I wish, without enduring the hassle of 'working' to put bread (and Chilean wine...) on the table. All that - and much more - is funded by pension income delivered straight to my bank account by the DWP(UK), SFP(BE) and AVS(CH), on the strength of those same contributions I cursed in my younger days.
'twas, upon reflection, a small price to pay...
JL
[Edited at 2026-01-07 10:39 GMT]
[Edited at 2026-01-07 10:41 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Christine Andersen
Denmark
Local time: 23:03
Anggota sejak (2003)
Denmark ke Inggris
+ ...
I am so glad I reached pension age before I ran out of work! But managed to save up while I was working.
Otherwise I would really have to find someting else, and it would be difficult.
I came late to translating, but had 20 good years before I reached pension age, and could then set the pace myself. Well, sort of - I had good clients I did not want to lose, so I worked quite hard at the start to fit them all in!
Before that, I had a long and checkered career of d... See more I am so glad I reached pension age before I ran out of work! But managed to save up while I was working.
Otherwise I would really have to find someting else, and it would be difficult.
I came late to translating, but had 20 good years before I reached pension age, and could then set the pace myself. Well, sort of - I had good clients I did not want to lose, so I worked quite hard at the start to fit them all in!
Before that, I had a long and checkered career of doing jobs I could find, being fired because I was not good at them or 'too academic' or whatever... and looking for something else. Some I liked, some I disliked, but I needed a pay check! Pension contributions were included, and I benefit from themn ow. I would hate to go back to that 'job circus' again! I can't live on the translation work I have now, but with my pension I manage quite well. I am humbly very grateful to the welfare state.
Deep respect for colleagues who are accepting the situation and moving on!
[Edited at 2026-01-07 11:11 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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jyuan_us
Amerika Serikat (AS)
Local time: 17:03
Anggota sejak (2005)
Inggris ke Mandarin
+ ...
| Is retirement a good or bad thing? | Jan 7 |
The poll question: "Do you think of retirement when spending a lot of time without work?"
Does the question imply "you are excited about your retirement in which you will have a lot of free time to have fun with" or "You are scared to think about your retirement in which you will be too bored because you will have a lot of time to kill?"
| | | | | Another poll that doesn’t really resonate with me... | Jan 7 |
Unless someone is close to retirement, as Lieven said, downtime usually means looking for work or other ways to increase our income, not thinking about retiring.
In Portugal, early retirement comes with significant penalties, so the pension is not paid in full.
Since I contribute a substantial amount to Social Security, this poll doesn’t feel particularly relevant to my situation.
Even in retirement, I would still have bills and an apartment to pay, so sitting comfortably at ... See more Unless someone is close to retirement, as Lieven said, downtime usually means looking for work or other ways to increase our income, not thinking about retiring.
In Portugal, early retirement comes with significant penalties, so the pension is not paid in full.
Since I contribute a substantial amount to Social Security, this poll doesn’t feel particularly relevant to my situation.
Even in retirement, I would still have bills and an apartment to pay, so sitting comfortably at home doing nothing and living solely on a pension is neither my style nor a realistic option. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Post removed: This post was hidden by a moderator or staff member for the following reason: Empty post. |
One thing the last year or so has taught me is that having absolutely nothing to do gets boring very quickly when it’s not beach weather. Which is why I’ve now got a part-time job alongside the remains of my translation business.
My private pension kicks in in four years if I want. It’s grown to a decent level in recent years so I just hope, ironically, that the AI bubble doesn’t burst in the meantime and decimate its value…
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