LordThornber Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 art338 - 2011-05-24 11:12 AM Cycling is WORK not leisure. art Maybe to you Art but I live literally next door to Witton Country Park and the cycling is beautiful and not overtaxing either. The National Lottery good causes fund coughed up a bundle of dosh and created a super cycle path for the Millenium celebrations and it's smashing to cycle on, taking in the wildlife, the views and the added bonus is that of course it's keeping you fit. Mel B - stop being so cheeky :D :D Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliveH Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Tracker - 2011-05-21 4:51 PM Malcolm - if you have money in t'bank earning you tuppence short of sod all, why not have a word with CliveH about a more realistic return on your hard earned? I'm no financial expert but I quite like these as a safe and guaranteed income for capital destined to only ever provide income and which you will never otherwise spend? http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=1135 PS Clive doesn't like 'em and figures he can do better for his clients !?!?!? Thanks for that Tracker - I am happy to provide a second set of eyes check for anyone on here. The reason I do not like Martin Lewis is because his advice is suspect because he is not qualified or authorised by the FSA to give advice and makes his money by hidden links in his website that the unwary fall for and he gets a kick back from. He hides behind being a "journalist" and so, due to a peculiarity in the authorisation rules, he gets away with it. He was rightly condemmend by John Snow for continuing to push Iclandic Banks up until the September they went bang after most of us had realised something was VERY wrong with them when the likes of Standard and Poor's, the previous February reported that Icelandic Banks were "7 times more likley to fail than any other european bank". As the report (see link below) shows - Martin Lewis gets paid substantial sums by "imbedded links" in his website. The money he earns from this is considerable. But we cannot find out how much he earns because:- "Although Moneysavingexpert.com does not earn money from advertising, commercial organisations pay the website for thousands of links embedded within its editorial, which directs visitors through to their services. The website is one of the most popular in the UK with more than 9m visitors a month. The commercial success of the site is difficult to judge as Mr Lewis changed the status of his business in 2008 from a limited to an unlimited company. One of the main advantages of this unusual move is the owner is freed from the onerous ordeal of publishing publicly available annual accounts. Moneysavingexpert overtook monthly readership figures of the country's most successful comparison website, Moneysupermarket.com, last year, according to figures from web statistics company Comscore. Moneysupermarket's revenue was £139m in 2009." And also " Mr Lewis came under fire in an interview with Channel 4 in 2008 for recommending readers to put savings into Icelandic banks which later folded. Jon Snow's tough line of questioning prompted an angry response from Mr Lewis' large fan base." The whole article is at:- http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=501559&in_page_id=2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 I've benefitted form Martin Lewis's website for quite a few things so I'm not complaining. For example, by using a link from his site our single trip travel insurance only cost us around £20, instead of £35 if we had done it direct on the company's website, and it covers emergency vet care up to 300 euros which we have had to use in the past when Romy badly broke a dew claw with a vet bill of around 75 euros and no excess. However, I don't blindly believe everything I'm told by a journalist, and yes I do realise that is what he is, not a 'proper' financial adviser, but using his advice etc, along with other research, has certainly paid dividends. As with all things, take the advice of more than one person if you can and then decide on a course of action you are happy with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 LordThornber - 2011-05-24 7:47 PM Mel B - 2011-05-23 10:52 PM LordThornber - 2011-05-23 7:53 PM One huge benefit is my return to full physical fitness by way of cycling, walking and the gym. I get in about 30 miles a week now one way or the other. Martyn Don't you mean both ways each time... that is if you return home each trip! (lol) Mel B - stop being so cheeky :D :D Martyn Cheeky, moi?!?!?!?!?!?! Now if I'd said "that is if you remember to return home each trip" then I'd agree with you .... :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 I turned down the chance to take voluntary redundancy last tear. I'm 57 with 40 years pension contribution. Over the last few years, we have trimmed our expenditure so that we could, if we wanted, live off our pensions and savings. We are building up cash to buy our next motorhome. I love my job and meet so many interesting people. I will not work beyond 60 though and admire anyone who can keep going until they are 70. My young wife of 52 has also declined to take redundancy. She loves her job as well. We have both worked hard to enjoy life - modestly - and our jobs. I do agree with Clive. Use a qualified FSA for financial advice. The advice is usually sound and you do have some protection if you were mis-sold products. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Seems to me that retirement is giving up paid employment. So if you leave your employment and start doing something else for money, you have simply changed jobs. If that's only a few hours a week, I would describe that as semi-retired. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordThornber Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Brock - 2011-05-29 9:49 AM I turned down the chance to take voluntary redundancy last tear. I'm 57 with 40 years pension contribution. I love my job and meet so many interesting people. I will not work beyond 60 though and admire anyone who can keep going until they are 70. My young wife of 52 has also declined to take redundancy. She loves her job as well. No offence intended whatsoever, but reading the above just proves yet again, (as if I needed any proof), just how staggeringly different we all are. Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 malc d - 2011-05-29 10:32 AM Seems to me that retirement is giving up paid employment. ;-) Maybe - or maybe not? Retirement could be described as giving up full time work where you are contractually and/or financially obliged to turn up every day if favaour of running your life how you want it to be? If that means working part time - or even full time - that's fine - but you do it because you want to and not because you have to or need to for financial reasons? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightrider Posted May 29, 2011 Author Share Posted May 29, 2011 At the risk of boring everyone silly regarding my thoughts of retiring all I can say is that I am like the wind, changable. One minute I think this and next minute that, work for me is not a chore it is a pleasure, Cive, Richard and Bruce are all into finance and investments if I were to tell those 3 guys how much money I have on deposit with 4 different banks they would all have heart attacks. I am what I think is known as "cash rich" so if I invested what I have got what would it do? possibly produce more money, I find it difficult to spend the money that I already have so why make more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 knight of the road - 2011-05-29 2:36 PM Clive, Richard and Bruce are all into finance and investments if I were to tell those 3 guys how much money I have on deposit with 4 different banks they would all have heart attacks. I am what I think is known as "cash rich" so if I invested what I have got what would it do? possibly produce more money, I find it difficult to spend the money that I already have so why make more? I can't speak for the others Malcolm but I am no longer into investments with any risk whatsoever on a personal level! A) I don't have the capital available to risk it as I consider the world too volatile a place to recover if- when - it all goes tits up again and B) even if I did have more capital I doubt I would risk it anyway as both of us have adequate secure income. The one I thing I would seriously contemplate, were I in your situation, is to use some of the excess capital to provide a secure income both for myself and my wife both whilst we are both still live and for the survivor after one of us dies. Personal finance is a personal thing and nothing anyone else does either surprises me or makes me want to say those immortal words of some (not Clive methinks) advisers - 'you should be doing this.............?' Except for this - whatever you don't do - do consider making sure that the tax man gets as little of your estate as possible and your family gets as much of it as possible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JENIAN Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Happy retirement Malc. You get used to doing excaltly what you want, including spelling correction in posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
art338 Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Why is there such an emphasis on WORK? It almost seems like a rude word to be shouted out when the chips are down. Everyone has a choice to occupy themselves in whatever way they wish for payment of not. Is it greed that requires one to do things for money, many of the treasures of life are free. Cannot think of anything else to say so better quit now. art Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 knight of the road - 2011-05-29 2:36 PM At the risk of boring everyone silly regarding my thoughts of retiring all I can say is that I am like the wind, changable. One minute I think this and next minute that, work for me is not a chore it is a pleasure, Cive, Richard and Bruce are all into finance and investments if I were to tell those 3 guys how much money I have on deposit with 4 different banks they would all have heart attacks. I am what I think is known as "cash rich" so if I invested what I have got what would it do? possibly produce more money, I find it difficult to spend the money that I already have so why make more? For Gods sake man, wake up and smell the coffee, you can't take it with you. Maybe spend a lot of your cash on bringing some joy into other peoples lives, do you not have family members that could do with a hand,you would then at least "see" them enjoy some of your cash, or indulge yourself big time. In the last year alone I've attended the funerals of three relatively young blokes one of whom never got to his planned early retirement of 60, a very healthy fit bloke who was diagnosed and dead within three months, why on earth have all that cash sitting there, maybe for a rainy day, as far as I'm concerned once your past about 60 it's pissing down every day, spend it and enjoy it, otherwise what was the point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 knight of the road - 2011-05-29 2:36 PM At the risk of boring everyone silly regarding my thoughts of retiring all I can say is that I am like the wind, To many sprouts? :D I have the ideal investment for you Malcolm :D ....."Dodgy Daves Pelmet & Poufe Empire"......I am thinking of openning a branch in Bermuda ;-) ..............But get in quick before we go on the run :$ ......I mean before we go full timing (lol) (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Brock - 2011-05-29 9:49 AM I turned down the chance to take voluntary redundancy last tear. I'm 57 with 40 years pension contribution. Over the last few years, we have trimmed our expenditure so that we could, if we wanted, live off our pensions and savings. Apart from the fact you love your job, with 40 years of pension and a VR on offer (you don't mention if this is with the same employer or not) I would have gone for it like a shot......assuming the redundancy and lump sum figures were good? Fifty seven is an ideal age as it is literally 'borderline'. My 62 year old sister loves her job, but doesn't go to earn money to pay bills, her income is entirely disposable, she can set her own hours, and has never worked shifts. I went to work to pay bills and never figured out what 'disposable income' meant. I worked shifts where getting out of bed at 0430hrs in the middle of winter and driving to work on 'auto pilot', or working through the night and driving home at 0630hrs when everyone else is still tucked up in a warm bed, became even harder as you get older. I took early retirement in December last year. I'd turned 60 and worked since I left school at 15 so had had enough. There was a small VR on offer so decided to apply for it. It was heavily over-subscribed so it was decided on over 60s first so my application was accepted. I'd been with the same employer for almost 28 years and the figures were good.....too good to pass up on though I did give it very serious thought. Something which really made me think seriously was a couple of years ago a friend of mine suffered a stroke.......and he is two years younger than myself. On the positive side he had taken early retirement and at least managed to enjoy four years before suffering his stroke. I had a lot of plans and ideas as I had done some touring around europe but wanted to spend a lot more time over there. To the point i'd considered selling up and moving. But during the final six months at work I was struggling with sciatica, a problem I’d had in the past but not since ten years or more. I kept going in to work as I wanted to leave with my head held up and not go off on the sick. I was experiencing pains in my right leg which then went on to my left leg and just walking became difficult. Two months went by before I decided i'd better go and see my GP who sent me for a variety of blood tests. The aching pains became more constant and eventually went into both arms and neck. My GP put me under a Consultant Rheumatologist who is carrying out further extensive tests. I've lost count of the different tests i've had and now as if this isn't enough to contend with, two months after retiring from work in December, I developed a cough which has persisted and physically worn me down. So i'm now also under another Consultant who i've only just seen and his initial prognosis is possible asthmatic. During a session with the Rheumatologist she asked when I had retired, then turned to me and said, "so really you haven't had chance to start enjoying your retirement yet,".......and that really hit me hard as I realised she was right. The moral of my experience is the well worn line of "you never know what's around the corner". Everyone’s personal ‘circs’ are different but had my VR been on offer at 57 I would have gone like a shot….no hesitation…..the exact age my friend was when he suffered a stroke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Talking of retiring :D ..............House is going on the market when we get back from holiday B-) .........................But with the current housing market............ I will probably be drawing my state pension by the time we sell it :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliveH Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 I am dealing with a 59 year lady client of mine who I have known for years such that she is very much a friend. She looked after her ill mother for years and sadly her Mum died just over a year ago. Even more sad, is that at her Mothers funeral she had a stroke and will never work again. We are helping to arrange early payment of her pension and apart from one hic-up where one of the surgeries she worked for not submitting data to the NHSPS agency at Fleetwood for over three years (!) - all has been approved. Just awaiting an updated schedule now that her missing employment has been confirmed and “found”. This lovely ladies situation does make you think tho’. Above is mentioned by Bulletguy a lady who had a stroke at 57 – and here we have one who had one at 59. If you can retire and want to – doing so seems to be the sensible thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordThornber Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 CliveH - 2011-06-06 12:39 PM If you can retire and want to – doing so seems to be the sensible thing. I absolutely agree 100% Clive. Apart from me finding my lovely Wife many moons ago, it's the best thing I've done. Speaking of my Wife, (Andrea) 8-) , she loves her work but is getting tempted to ask about shortening her hours... Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 CliveH - 2011-06-06 12:39 PM This lovely ladies situation does make you think tho’. Above is mentioned by Bulletguy a lady who had a stroke at 57 – and here we have one who had one at 59. If you can retire and want to – doing so seems to be the sensible thing. Ermm......the 'lady' who had a stroke at 57 Clive was my mate....a bloke! Not being pedantic you understand! (lol) Even more disturbing was the day he suffered his stroke I had only just left their house after spending the afternoon there. There was absolutely no visible sign that he wasn't well or not feeling too good. It was like a bolt of lightning had struck......one minute he was at his pc sitting on a chair, the next he was on the floor in a heap. His wife was full of praise for the emergency services. A paramedic on a motorbike was outside their house just as she put the phone down after calling 999. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordThornber Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 To add some more meat to the bone. And particularly for those who just keep "talking about it" but actually doing sod all about it As I've said before, we all know someone like this or similar circumstances but this really knocked me for six. When we sold our family business in 1990, one of the regular binmen a our shop was Raymond, lovely bloke, cheery & friendly, council man through and through, man & boy. Then he'd be aged 39. Fast forward to last year, and although Ray had lived not too far from us and had the odd drink in the pub, we'd never exchanged more than a nod and a grunt. Until this particular evening when he joined us at our table and atarted to ask me about work, (I was still with the council then) and pensions blah blah blah. He explained that at 59, he'd been offered early (!!) retirement and was going to take it, he was due to finish last Oct. He went on to say how he was looking forward to getting the proverbial buspass, not working the town centre, (he was a litter picker), doing work on his already immaculate little terraced house and generally taking it easier. Anyway, October came and went, and we saw him working. I spoke with him and he explained the council had asked him to stay on a bit longer until March/April this year, which he'd agreed to. " A bit more dosh for the pot" to add to his 43 years service and council pension. Raymond died in hospital on Thursday last week, after a very brief terminal illness - having had ZERO retirement, he'd carried on working at the councils request. He was 60 years old, never married, lots of sisters and brothers. I drove past his home yesterday to be greeted by ths sight of one of his sisters doing the proverbial clearout of his belongings. To say I had a lump in my throat would be an understatement. I know we can't live our lives thinking "what if", but as Clive says, if you can and you want to, get on with it - you never know do you? Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leake Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I admit to retiring late partly to ensure we would have sufficient funds to buy what we wanted, do what we wanted and enjoy our retirement. Mind you if I had been warned what hard work the retired lark was for a married man I may never have retired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I have been retired 2 years this September. this was forced on me due to health issues, I did not like it one bit, I enjoyed my work and made very good money. My small self employed pension dont kick in until I am 60 (2 years away) My wife still works and makes good money also, a lot of people manage on a lot less..... My daughter went to Uni last year ,and my son going this year, Financially I really needed to work till they finish Uni, But! the best laid plans of mice and men and all that! I am still here, health manageable but up and down.... I have really settled into retirement mode and this year and have really started to enjoy it, A shame the wife has to work, as we would really like to do some serious travelling all being well..She may look into taking a sabbatical (she is 10 years younger and enjoys her work) and Hey! someone has to earn the money to keep me in the way's I am accustomed to! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robkilby Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 i will join you in one month Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postnote Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 knight of the road - 2011-05-19 8:35 AM I have now finally decided to throw the towel in and retire seeing as I will be 70 in september. I reckon I have done my fair share of work since leaving school 55 years ago. I can't afford to stop work yet as I am in a lucky position that I can contribute through my taxes towards the not so well off, you know the ones that can’t work because it’s too hard for them. The ones that are either drunk, drugged up or too literate to work and no I’m not referring to Judgey. Or those poor single Mum’s who get themselves knocked up as it’s easier than getting a job and I have to pay towards the up keep of their offspring so they can continue their mothers cycle. I shouldn’t moan about it though, as the upside is that I rent my houses out to these people and make loadsa money. :$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postnote Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 1footinthegrave - 2011-05-31 6:06 AM For Gods sake man, wake up and smell the coffee, you can't take it with you. Maybe spend a lot of your cash on bringing some joy into other peoples lives. Good to see you contributing again 1foot. I suggest elocution lessons for Judgey might be a good investment *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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