Mountain Scene - Reverse retirement is the way to go

It may seem semi-detached from reality but I have no plans for the advanced years of my life. 

Firstly, with the rate my memory is malfunctioning (possibly due to the accumulation of quiet ales) coupled with excessive levels of joint degradation, my ability to function into old age will be minimal at best so it would be remiss of me to plan years as a silver fox golfing and tending to my petunias. 

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Secondly, and this is in no way designed to be an ageist comment, I don’t really want to be old (older), partly due to the aforementioned reasons so am considering my options for tapping out around 65-70. 

Thus we arrive at my point, reverse retirement ... 

Think about it logically – why work for your whole life to allow yourself the luxury of free time and financial security at the end of your life when you have less ability to enjoy this freedom? 

By less ability I mean with 70 years on the odometer you’re going to look pretty creepy in an overly-friendly Scout leader way, trying pick-up lines on 20-year-old Scandinavian backpackers at Winnies, and climbing Mount Everest is out unless you’re a small Japanese man all jacked up on Omega-3 pills and a strict diet of raw whale meat. 

Would it not be significantly more enlightened to arrange the system in such a way that we can enjoy the benefits of retirement at the start of our working lives? Let’s say 20-30, give or take a few years. 

Picture this, you finish university and go straight on the “life experience allowance” for five to 10 years. Enough money to enjoy a little travel, make bad decisions, partake in a favourite hobby full-time, work part-time if at all, enjoy life when you are most able to reap the full benefit. 

At the moment, those in their 20s are fighting a battle of wills – their heart is saying ‘Live a carefree adventure’ while conversely their brain, bank account and parents apply pressure backed with so-called mature wisdom to settle into a long working life accumulating savings for retirement in 45 years’ time. 

The years 20 to 30 should be for making memories whilst 30 to 40 should be for making money and if you’re that way inclined, babies. 

So let’s bump the retirement age up to 72 to pay for a few years of living the dream in our 20s. 


Mark writes a regular column for the Mountain Scene - View HERE