I am in my early fifties and I have worked since I was 15 in all sorts of jobs. From cleaning toilets, to being a retail serf to all sort of office jobs which involved mostly typing and getting coffee for whatever guy I was working for. I am actually a licensed teacher but when I graduated no schools were offering more than short term substitute jobs. Then I found my current job. The job is quite boring, but the money was not bad at all when I first started and 25 years later I am still here.
Our company is seriously understaffed but those in management claim they can't find new workers. Which is weird because I remember telling us laughingly during a meeting how they rejected a guy for being too old (he had just turned 60) and another one who insisted he wanted to work mostly from home (which is perfectly possible in our company). Management seemed to think these two applicants were being silly for even applying. At the same time I am asked to do extra jobs and take on more responsiblities that are not part of my job description. Without extra pay of course. Anyone asking for time off in our company is asked to find their own replacement. Anyone calling in sick is told they are putting a terrible burden on their colleagues by not showing up. Our management seems to think their inability to find and maintain staff is the responsibility of the individual workers who are still here.
I have some health problems. Nothing serious, I am not on any medication. But I have a bad back, RSI in my arms and shoulders and I suffer from insomnia. Mentally I often feel exhausted.
The good news? I have always been okay with money. I never made more than 35K a year but I am saver and not much of a spender. I also own a property that has increased more than 2x in value since I bought it. Real estate prices are truly ridiculous here.
I could sell my current home, ditch the job and move to a much more affordable area a 1000 miles away. It is a rural area and offers some wonderful hiking trails. I love hiking and being in nature. I did my research and I am quite optimistic I can make this move work if I just keep things simple. I intend to buy a small, modest property. I am good at DIY and I would really enjoy fixing up a place bit by bit. I would love a more simple life away from the big city without debts or a mortgage. I would also like to focus on improving my health, go hiking, learn new skills, volunteer in the community, read a ton of books and I am thinking of maybe going back to (parttime) teaching, either online or as a tutor.
After buying a small house and fixing it up a bit I would still have about $1000 a month left from my savings until my pension comes in. I have been single for a few years now and I have no kids.
Also: I am in the EU, not in the USA. So I don't have to worry about paying for medical insurance.
I would love to do it but at the same time I am nervous. Maybe I should wait a few more years and save a bit more? Maybe I should wait until I worked out a more detailed plan on what it is that I want to do after I quit? Or should I go now?