Having a grey old time

Richard Butt
21/ 3/2008

I WENT to a show at Manchester Central (G-Mex to you and me) last week all about retirement.

It’s not a subject on which I’ve spent much time dwelling. It’s 24 years away for me (I’ve just done the sums and that actually seems worryingly soon).

In fact, it’ll probably be longer when the Government realises it cannot afford to have so many old gimmers draining the state’s coffers, so it will push up the pension age.

The retirement show was aimed at people with private pensions. Plenty of companies that wanted their share of the grey pound were there. Want a timeshare in Spain? No problem. Want to release the equity in your house? No problem.

Want to find out about getting a housing association flat? Problem. One woman I nattered to spoke with some vehemence and at some length about that.

At the show, I asked people who’d retired what advice they’d give to anyone who was about to retire. Most said they were super busy and some said they couldn’t imagine how they used to have the time to do a full-time job. Sounds ideal. Many were looking for advice on investments. It’s a different matter if you’re on the state pension and nothing else, I suppose. You won’t have the same worries.

But those who were there had had decent jobs, planned ahead and most had no mortgage or rent to pay. So they were actually quite well off and were looking forward to a life of leisure.

Anyway, it all got me thinking about how I’d spend my days if I didn’t have to go to work to earn money.

Well, we’ve all probably played the "If I won the Lottery…" game, even though we know in our hearts that the Lottery’s really just a tax on stupidity. The more stupid you are, the more you pay.

Almost everyone I know says they’d leave work straight away if they won the jackpot.

In fact, most Lottery winners go back to work. They discover that it’s about far more than earning money. It’s about socialising. It’s about status. It’s about doing something worthwhile.

It’s also about filling our days with more than Trisha, Jeremy Kyle and Bargain Hunt. I’m reminded of this quotation from the author Susan Ertz in her novel Anger in the Sky: "Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon."

I’m lucky because I enjoy my job. I cannot understand people who moan about how much they hate work. We don’t have that long on the planet. If you hate eight hours of every day, get another job.

So here’s to work! It means I don’t have to worry about how to fill my days.

Richard Butt edits Channel M’s early evening news – every weeknight from 5pm