Retirement-Your Experience

Just to add, I now have a great sense of freedom

 

So pleased you are enjoying yourselves @Freddy.

@Beckie76 You sound like you are doing everything right in my books, just like we did it. We retired from two at times stressful jobs at 50 for t'other half and 53 for me and moved here in 2001. At one point we had 2 properties in the UK and five here. We now have none in the UK and three here, one being for sale now. We don't want or need property hassles. We don't have money worries, no mortgages, shop at Aldi, my car is 22 years old and t'other half's 15 years old. We enjoy our lifestyle and have no regrets.

Your great Uncle is right, you will know when the time comes.

 

Hi,

I remember the government saying old age people are a burden on society due to the pensions being paid; it's nice to feel wanted after paying into the government for a lifetime whilst working whereas others who are bone idle and able bodied never having worked get their pension too plus of course other benefits like free housing.

I paid a lot of money (with Bron's support) into my final salary pension allowing me to fully retire aged 53 in 2000. We coped OK watching what we spent without luxuries; our mortgage was paid in full and what amazed us was how little we actually needed moneywise to live on; we haven't had an holiday away from home for the last 42 years and we don't need to show off to our neighbours; now Bron and I have other pensions we are a great deal better off than when we were working; what annoys me is that I'm now paying tax on my works pension.

I took voluntary redundancy plus a pension lump sum and these are in cash ISA's also over the years we've added a great deal to them; we have a large rear garden that we could convert into a wonderful building plot worth at least £80,000 but we prefer our privacy and don't need the money just sitting in an account; our immediate neighbour built a four bedroomed detached house in his garden then sold both the house and his bungalow then moved abroad.

We can easily afford a brand new car every two or three years but now we have plenty of money we can't find a better car than our current Skoda Yeti which is now just three years old; the Yeti suits us perfectly but is now no longer manufactured and Skoda models now look like most modern cars so we're keeping the Yeti. I'm also put off buying modern cars due to their electronics complexity which are sure to be very costly should they fail out of warranty; everything these days seems to be use then throw away including cars.

We know a couple who invested for higher interest rates and for two years they did well; the third year they lost all the previous two years interest plus some of their initial investment; my advice is don't be greedy just look after the money you already have saving it where its safe and don't spend more than your income.

Many people retire on Friday then drop dead on Monday only ever having had their job in their life; Bron and I planned for retirement as soon as we married so we're now comfortable without a care in the world; we still don't want holidays abroad but we do enjoy regular trips out to stores and garden centers during the week when it's quiet; we remain home at weekends. My luxury is a monthly trip to Rufforth Auto Jumble the first Saturday of each month weather permitting. I've got a well equipped workshop crammed with tools and machines; the only downside is our dire climate.

Over the last 33 years I've been working on our detached bungalow and during the last three years catching up in the gardens; what a pleasure it is to choose what we want to do rather than what we have to do; I'm constantly working the year round; if it's not the bungalow and gardens or trips out then I'm in the workshop; the world can go mad with its drugs and stabbings keep me out of it.

Money won't bring happiness in retirement but keeping busy will; we have lots of interesting hobbies; I'm busy restoring a Suffolk Colt petrol mower; I'd much rather have dirty hands than be abroad bored out of my head; Bron is my best friend not just a wife and she makes getting out of bed worthwhile every day; we've now got plenty of money and we don't want or need anything just being content in each others company enjoying being us. I'm rambling on when I should be keeping busy but for anyone with hobbies retirement is a joy.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Hi,

C'mon shiney; I've offered to pay a lot of money to anyone willing to permanently adopt Blackie and his sister Gale; it would be a shame to seperate them because I've looked after them for a lifetime but they are now grown up and need to get lives of their own but yet they insist on remaining with me.

Gale's been here all day so I've been hiding in the workshop playing with my new toy; with luck I'll complete the restoration tomorrow and have a go at firing it up;



I already have two working mowers so I think I'll keep this just for the fun of it; I'm looking forward to it singing; it cost me £20 three weeks ago as scrap and what an enjoyable time I've had playing with it. The sun is always shining in my workshop.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Glad to hear it Freddy, well earned I'm sure.

I'm definitely looking forward to it Freddy. It's a lovely place where I've worked for the past 11 years, beautiful surroundings and plenty of banter with colleagues.
However, after 42 years working I'm ready for a change and a different pace. I'm certainly not intending to put my feet up and do nothing, there's plenty to do around the house and garden and lots to get involved in around the village as well.
Mrs Trunky is a few years younger than me so she will still be working for now. I'll be in charge of housework and the weekly shop from now on. She will also expect her tea to be ready each day when she arrives home from work, so I'll have to brush up on my cooking skills.

 

For decades, we old people were expected by successive governments to retire at 65, sit in front of the telly for a couple of years drawing our pension and then pop our cloggs.
Well that's all gone pear shaped as people are living longer. But even in retirement and receiving our hard earned pensions, they're still getting 50% back through income tax and VAT.
So now they're thinking of other ways to penalise us for being old.

 

I couldn't agree more @wiseowl

 

Hi,

Being retired in one's own home the home having been paid for by hard work not living on benefits; why then is it fair that those on similar incomes throughout life having spent every penny whilst living in rented accommodation can be put in care homes free of charge whilst those of us who have invested in our homes and have saved have our homes to pay for our place in a care home? The whole system stinks.

Genuine disabled of course should be cared for free of charge but able bodied people who refuse to get off their backside should not be supported the way they are.

Trying to better oneself here in the UK is definitely not encouraged; it pays to be idle.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Greed has dictated the way house prices have risen.

When we bought our house (built in 1965) in the early seventies, only my earnings were considered when applying for a mortgage amnd I was only allowed two and a half times my annual income. My wife's earnings weren't considered.
To buy our house I had to pay a deposit of nearly 10% of the selling price.

Then it became a "free for all" with 100% mortgages and the earnings of a couple taken into account for a mortgage. So prices rocketed and will continue to do so.
The standard of building theses days is pretty poor. Having stud partition internal walls would have been unacceptable to me back then, but they are the norm now.
Apart from a re-wire, new central heating, double glazing and a succession of internal cosmetic changes, our house has had to have nothing done to it. The tiled roof is still watertight and the orginal wooden soffits have not deteriorated at all though haven't been painted in twenty years, as they used decent timber back then.

Our house is now worth 57 times what we paid for it. With normal inflation it should only be worth 13 times.

 

This Wednesday, husband is suppose to accept the check for the sale of his company. He will spend the next 3 months training the new owner, and being paid as an employee. Thus, I will have to experience his retirement. Yes, he has lots of interests. And of course I have a list for him. For me, still not ready to give the date out.