By definition any of us posting on this thread has spare time on our hands
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I'm a bit reluctant to do personal details, and also I'm sure there's people on here who ARE living a meagre lifestyle but not by choice so some sensitivity is in order. Dave's right - huge respect to those who work whether by choice or not.
Probably not going to add much that hasn't been said, but I suppose it's all grist to Ton's mill as it were. Still, I'm similar-ish to 'Routes I guess. Had jobs I enjoyed for 30 years, paid me enough to raise the family and keep a roof over our heads, with a few interests and low-key holidays on the side. Got binned off again (6th time, long stories...). Went to interviews but at interviews you need: enthusiasm, team skills, technical skills. I had the latter two, but was told I'd lost the first one! OK time for a change. Nearly ended up at Andersen Consulting as well so that was a lucky escape! I'm no good at doing "odd jobs for cash", so chose one of my main interests - biking. As luck would have it, our town was made a Cycling Town. I managed to get the Lead Bikeability Instructor's job - partly through contacts I must admit - after a crash instructors course. Never saw myself as a teacher, but it was on bikes and outdoors. That ran for three years, only just paid the basic bills. Their grant ran out, I took a risk and ran it on my own. Was meant to be "just ticking over" but I made the mistake of giving it my all (one of my many failings)- started more or less from nothing, and ended up with 12 instructors and 100 local schools of my own! Lasted 10 years – my longest ever “job” and packed it in last year for various reasons. Now “ticking over” on pensions.
I reckon Lu has it about right – get a part-time job and cover your bills. Work with nice people. Have a few little work challenges. This gives you time to think about any further changes. Unless you go full-on hermit or monk/nun you’re going to need some money. ‘Punx is a fascinating example of winging it on little money, big respect, but I assume you are looking at a “semi-normal” lifestyle Ton? Some say they hate "work" when they really mean they hate having a "job". There is a big difference.
As Bob says, work out all your fixed costs. You have to cover those. Mortgage/rent is the biggest change-killer of course and that’s right where The Man wants you – a wage slave. Or more accurately a debt-slave. They encourage and subsidise us to be home “owners” where of course we’re all home “debtors”! Everything is geared to locking you into a building and a location and a phone number – and stopping you kipping out or parking up, as we know too well here. The obsession with “home ownership” in this country has wrecked lives and the economy too. Minimise your housing costs, utilities costs (put a jumper on, share baths), transport costs (we live in a town and walk everywhere - get a shopping trolley. they're ace!). Council Tax is the one you can’t avoid unfortunately, but maybe move to Westminster!
Then allow some cash for food and drink.
Make sure you have an income that matches the above. I sent you a long PM a while ago Ton, dunno if it helped or hindered! Premium bonds are indeed risk-free but if you’re looking at 30 years “retirement” inflation will kill those stone dead. You need to take some risk as well. If you take an income from savings, you can’t deplete the capital. You might have 30 years to live. Manage your outgoings and long-term savings on a weekly or monthly basis.
After that, do stuff that costs little. Walk to the gym but don’t go in, then walk home. Bin the car if you can – a sink of money (that typo’d to “bin the cat”! Do that too – pets are also a sink of money). Volunteer for stuff – you’ll learn skills for free, and also maybe get to use equipment for a fraction of the cost of buying it EG. want a yacht? Volunteer on one that takes disadvantaged kids out – you sail for free, help people, meet people, learn skills. Don’t waste food, learn to cook from scratch. Learn an instrument, read a book, learn to paint, get an allotment, do conservation work, help old ladies across the road.
Forget “big challenges” or “big trips” – enjoy the details and the minutae of life and your surroundings.
Don’t do what Mrs Perrin’s mate does – buys a new kitchen every five years because “she fancies it”. Stop buying those ridiculous takeaway coffees and walking the streets with them. In fact stop buying any takeaways at all. Re-purpose things – Borderer seriously impressed me with her recent home refurbishments. Make things last – my bike is 14 years old, my little-used motor is 16 years old, my kitchen is 35 years old, my body is 62 years old
etc etc.
But you need SOME risk taking and stress. And you need to be careful you keep social contacts.
Problem with all this is: if you have kids or parents to look after or take responsibility for. Just got rid of our kids, looking forward to farting around in our 60s, and now suddenly got four parents who need a LOT of looking after! Didn’t predict that one.
Also are you prepared to “live for the day” (frugally) or do you worry about your future years? Health problems? Care home (KER-CHING!!)?
Oh, and don’t resign, try and get them to make you redundant and give you a bung – a good buffer until you get sorted.
Finally, daydream – it costs nothing at all and has unlimited horizons!
Maybe the issue is more the routes (ruts?) that people feel they've been pushed or landed in. Many factors to it but good education and the opportunity to experience as much positive / constructive stuff as possible, as yoof would seem to be really important. Sadly I'm not sure that's readily available to many.
). I can't say I've ever chased the "keeping up with the Joneses" lifestyle. To me a car's a car, couldn't care less about marque or model, hell! the only time it gets washed/cleaned is when it gets serviced 
I just need it to get me and my stuff from A to B.
