I can appreciate your situation. My house was on the market and I had a buyer who, in July, changed his mind. There has been little to no interest now, in this depressed real estate market. I'm not sure the situation is the same in Germany, but perhaps so. And I'm guessing that's why you're working without seeing much of a return.

Do you possibly have a hobby that you can ratchet up into a money maker? This might add some excitement to your days and bring in some income as well.

Many of my friends don't have the option of retiring - we all talk about "pushing it into high gear in our later years", instead of having the luxury of retiring.

If you and your hubby can work out a plan so that you will be okay, financially, and you have enough shared interests to keep you busy, then by all means enjoy your retirement!