| Non-motoring > Have to work or choose to? | Miscellaneous |
| Thread Author: commerdriver | Replies: 61 |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 11:31
Have to work or choose to? - commerdriver
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Prompted by a comment on the electric car topic in motoring about those who have to work I thought it might be an interesting topic for discussion. Do people on here have to work or choose to? Usually it's an option around whether to retire and when. For me, I could have gone any time in the last 2 years financially, virtually full, final salary company pension, virtually financially neutral in income terms once you take pension contributions, work & travel expense & higher rate tax into account, and with a chunky lump sum on top. But I haven't. Work has been busy but enjoyable, good interesting project, good guys to work with, quite enjoying it. SWMBO is 5 years younger, not quite ready to retire yet so no hurry there, mortgage long paid off, kids educated and 2 out of 3 settled with earners in own homes, 3rd one settled at home & employed as teacher with no current desire/reason to look elsewhere. Current biggest decisions work wise are what do do when company car comes up for replacement choice at the end of the year. What do others at the same age & stage think? |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 11:38
Have to work or choose to? - Runfer D'Hills
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I don't have to wrestle with any such dilemma. I shall have to work until I keel over doing it. Like a Victorian pit pony. Never much fancied joining a walking club anyway. ;-) |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 11:53
Have to work or choose to? - Robin O'Reliant
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| Like Runfer I shall carry on working when I draw my pension (Later this year), at least while health permits. I cannot think of a worse fate than being fully retired with nothing to get me out of bed in the morning. |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 12:06
Have to work or choose to? - Runfer D'Hills
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Oh don't get me wrong, I'd find plenty to do if I had that option. But I simply don't, like an increasing number of people. But, it is maybe also an attitude thing. I stopped for a breather on a recent mountain biking expedition and got chatting to another guy who was following the same fairly challenging trail. We were well up country, two or three hours hard off road ride from our cars, with the return leg still to do. He was on an electrically assisted bike and I was on my human powered one. He started to tell me about how he'd treated himself to it this year, as he'd reached the age of 40 and felt that it was getting too hard to tackle the tougher trails without a bit of help. I resisted pointing out that I'd just made the same climb and could give him nigh on 20 years ! I am getting on, and no doubt, probably look like I am, but I feel fit and well and long may that continue. |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 12:08
Have to work or choose to? - Bromptonaut
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My voluntary redundancy from the Civil Service at 54 included a pension based on my 35 years service and without actuarial reduction for early payment. Although we could live adequately on that and Mrs B's teaching earnings I always intended to continue in some form of work to sustain the lifestyle we wanted. Initial intention was to look for term time clerical work in schools but multiple applications got no takers. In meantime started volunteering for Citizens Advice where an 'expression of interest' in paid work rapidly became employment 16hrs week. Been doing that for nearly 2 years now - telephone work with people struggling to pay utility bills. It's interesting and occasionally challenging but I'm well within my capacity/comfort zone so (excepting v rare cases) not stressful and nothing to take home. Provided we keep the contract I'll carry on for a few more years. Suspect I could find another perch if present work stopped; was 'tapped up' last week to apply for a casework post but didn't want as offered - full time. |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 11:56
Have to work or choose to? - legacylad
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Don't worry, I doubt we would let you join the LDWA Runfer. Someone as sartorially dressed as you would not walk with us during the winter months in Ron Hill trackie bottoms, old trail shoes and silly hats with ear flaps. I resigned from a job I really enjoyed in May '15. I'm single, sometimes attached, sometimes not, can cut my cloth accordingly and live pretty cheaply. Rarely dine out, apart from curries and fish n chips @ Jacks Place, Crossflatts ( £4.80 for fish, small chips, bread n butter and a pot of tea. 50p extra for mushy peas if you're feeling extravagant) I still do gardening jobs for several customers in exchange for beer tokens, help working friends with odd jobs for which I get paid ( and declare on my tax return) but I choose to, and can afford to, travel, being very fortunate in having no mortgage these days and consequently reduce my savings year on year in ways that give me lots of pleasure. Selfishness is not a handsome trait, but I can do what I want, when I want, within reason. |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 12:13
Have to work or choose to? - Hard Cheese
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I am self employed, have been for ten years or so, mid fifties though often taken for a little younger though have had some health issues over the last 12 years that have some impact day to day, though I do what I can in respect of walking, cycling, sailing etc. I am taking it easy work wise these days, mortgage almost gone, wife's business going well. Still one child to go through uni though I am a supporter of the student finance system, one child who left school before 6th form should not pay another couple of pence on income tax to pay for another child who will earn a fortune within a few years and will not even notice paying off a student loan. |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 12:31
Have to work or choose to? - Bobby
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Late 40s, been in pensionable employment since my 18th birthday and not missed a day. By time I get to "retirement age" I don't think there will be such a thing and I will just keep working until I drop. Mortgage is cleared in 3 years hopefully which should reduce the financial strain. Love my job and its cause, but would also love a job that had less stress and less 24/7 work. |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 20:16
Have to work or choose to? - sooty123
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Love my job and its cause, but would also love a job that had less >> stress and less 24/7 work. >> What job is it that you do? |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 21:35
Have to work or choose to? - Bobby
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>>What job is it that you do? Work for a charity so get to see first hand where all monies raised go towards. |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 12:37
Have to work or choose to? - rtj70
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I'm a long way off getting access to my pension but I do intend/plan on taking it early. Or at least stop doing what I am now. Could have taken voluntary redundancy recently but decided against it - I'd not find a similar job with similar terms and conditions. As for the question asked about company car - if you're happy with company cars and paying tax etc then I'd take another. If you retire before the lease is up that is not your problem. And when you stop working you might want something a bit different if you're not travelling so far on business. So buying your own car at the end of the year might have you getting something different to what you'd get when you stop working. |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 12:42
Have to work or choose to? - Hard Cheese
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>> As for the question asked about company car - if you're happy with company cars >> and paying tax etc then I'd take another. If you retire before the lease is >> up that is not your problem. And when you stop working you might want something >> a bit different if you're not travelling so far on business. So buying your own >> car at the end of the year might have you getting something different to what >> you'd get when you stop working. >> Agreed, and choose a car that you might fancy owning as you might get it for a good price when you leave the company. I have had this twice, once was redundancy and I negotiated the company car as part of the deal, I effectively got it for a great price. The second time I left the company and enquired about buying the car I was driving, I was offered a good deal though declined it and have regretted it since. |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 12:57
Have to work or choose to? - sooty123
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Still working a fair way off a pension, a few years off a small pension not enough to live on but helpful to pay the bills. The big one is a fair way behind that. A bit too far away to start properly planning, a house i guess is top of the list. Although another move will no doubt be on the cards, so that'll take a back seat for a while. One of these days I'll get round to it. Company car not an issue for me, not had one nor ever likely to. |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 13:20
Have to work or choose to? - Old Navy
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>> A bit too far away to start properly planning, a >> house i guess is top ofr the list. It is never too far away to start planning, start with ensuring you are debt free on retirement. |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 13:47
Have to work or choose to? - sooty123
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> It is never too far away to start planning, start with ensuring you are debt >> free on retirement. I've got plans, perhaps I should have said no detailed plans, I still need to remain flexible. |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 13:23
Have to work or choose to? - Zero
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| In effect forced to retire, 7 years back. I planned to work, and put lots of irons in fire (I was accepted to be Motorway Womble at one point) got a taxi license, but apart from doing a bit of P/T contracting (employed by the customer to manage the Mumbai mob that replaced me) I never had to work. And now at 62 I never will have to. |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 14:14
Have to work or choose to? - Manatee
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Choose not to, except for some voluntary stuff. I was given some money to clear off in 2012 at 59 having more or less worked myself out of a job. I assumed I would fall into something else and had a couple of opportunities, but none really appealed enough or quite worked - I was not prepared to do a London commute for any amount of money. I was very mindful of a friend of mine who retired at 53 not because he was especially well off, but because he knew what he and his wife wanted to do in retirement and he had worked out that he could manage it. He had paid off the mortgage and been a careful saver. I asked him why he didn't carry on for a bit and get a bit more wool on his back, as a relatively fit and young person. He said that was exactly the point, his father became ill with Parkinson's at 60, to ill to do much, and died at 65. If you have the option not to do stuff you don't like, and don't really need the money, then my view is don't. I have done some part time consultancy/projects, on a very selective basis, but that has now almost petered out. I work voluntarily for a community shop once or twice a week and do a fair amount of community stuff. I have found I don't need much money, and I will be more than solvent when my best pension and the state pension start in about a year. I love the shop - there's no pushing and shoving with ambitious career managers, everybody is pleased to see you, and there are no worries to take home. I spend an average of a day a week with our small grandchildren. I wouldn't be able to do that of I was working full time. The biggest challenge for me is getting on with stuff rather than letting it wait. And staying healthy of course. |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 14:21
Have to work or choose to? - DP
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| Barring some sort of financial windfall (or miracle), I will be working until lunchtime on the day of my funeral. Nothing I can do about it, so why worry about it. |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 14:33
Have to work or choose to? - Zero
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>> Barring some sort of financial windfall (or miracle), I will be working until lunchtime on >> the day of my funeral. Nothing I can do about it, so why worry about >> it. Dont expect half a day off in lieu OK! |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 14:43
Have to work or choose to? - DP
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>> >> Dont expect half a day off in lieu OK! >> Perish the thought. I will hour load, and bank the time in advance. |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 15:23
Have to work or choose to? - Runfer D'Hills
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I'm going to have to ask them to stick my iPhone in the coffin just in case there's a few last minute things to do before the music starts... ;-) |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 15:50
Have to work or choose to? - bathtub tom
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I effectively retired at 55 with a good voluntary redundancy pay-off. I worked for five years (two days a week) for my local council for a pittance. Became pe-ed off with their tax avoidance scam and left. Tried delivering demonstrators for a while, but soon discovered I was taking the bread out of the mouths of those who had two or more other jobs to survive. I also had to deal with very low intelligence people who seem to assume you know everything they do - I didn't and it made life very difficult. I'm now volunteering for one or two days a week with a local working museum, looking after (working) vehicles. Was driving a '31 Austin and an M20 'bike on demonstration last weekend and got to watch a great air-show for free. |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 16:27
Have to work or choose to? - Ted
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Retired at 48 from the CSMA after a heart attack. I could have gone on but their sickness package and later pension was too good to keep working. Volunteered as a deer park warden at a local stately home then packed it in after a few years. SWM worked in a friend's jewellery shop 3 days a week which gave me a lot of free time to go out on the motorbike and gave her the chance to tart herself up for the customers. I didn't work again 'til a former colleague asked me to be Fleet Support for my area in a car share club. Did that for some years until they were sold and all the freelancers were sacked. The kids are all gone with kids of their own now. We inherited 2 houses during this time and now have good pensions and disability allowances and a six figure sum in the bank. Mortgage long gone and sitting on a £350K house in a very desirable part of town. It's gone up 100 fold since we bought it. Now 71.5 We have a 15 yr old grandson living with us 'cos his mother is a drunken slut and our son, his dad, has to work long and odd hours to make a living. Life's not too bad atm. Lots of boys toys and stuff to do around the house and garden. Never without a job but spent this afternoon dozing on the patio in the Sun after completing today's stage of replacing a rotting sill under the sliding patio doors. Growing a beard too but that's not too strenuous. Last edited by: Ted on Wed 5 Jul 17 at 16:29
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Wed 5 Jul 17 18:47
Have to work or choose to? - Cliff Pope
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I'm one of two controlling directors of a small company, in the fortunate position of being able to do whatever I like. I'd been gradually retiring for about 5 years, reducing my days per week as various pensions cut in, keeping just below the higher tax threshold, while inducting new replacement directors. Now fully retired, but a non-exec director, and the company is run by the two successors. I did ponder on whether to go back part time in some sort of more creative or manual occupation, but decided not to queer the replacements' pitch and just let them manage things without the temptation of day to day interference. I can draw the same money from my SIPP now if I want to. I paid off my mortgage at 35, so have basically always been debt-free. |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 19:32
Have to work or choose to? - devonite
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| Retired on health grounds aged 48, been on the "sick" ever-since, now 61, been called a "scrounger" many times by kids that have barely worked 5 years since leaving school. They don't realise that I have already done 30+ years hard graft and feel that I have earned some of the benefits I receive from the state, unlike some of their parents who have never worked a day in their lives! and I would like to bet some of them themselves will never work 30+ years in their lives. I own my own home, car etc etc, have nothing on credit or finance, owe nothing to nobody and I supplement my benefits with a couple of small pensions that I have earned. If I was still able to work I surely would still be - i've just been unfortunate health wise, and I don't feel even the slightest bit guilty of getting back a few of the benefits my previous taxes and overtime have provided for others. |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 20:05
Have to work or choose to? - Auntie Lockbrakes
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Like Bobby, I am in my late-forties and have worked most of my adult life, with the exception of a year's backpacking around Asia some 25 years ago. Two redundancies over the past 9 years have also brought healthy payouts which have allowed me to take some time off. Hence the relocation to NZ in 2009. Have been mortgage free these past 8 years, but now SWMBO is in the process of designing & building our dream home, so a sizeable mortgage beckons... Guess I will be working for at least another 25 years! |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 20:24
Have to work or choose to? - No FM2R
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Retired when I was 46, 10 odd years ago. Do the occasional consulting job which takes my fancy, maybe one a year, or something like that, so about 20% of my time. Now the girls are getting older I fancy something difficult to do. We shall see if I fancy it enough to do something about it. |
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Wed 5 Jul 17 20:24
Have to work or choose to? - nice but dim
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| Have to work (mid 30's so yonks to go), but saving hard off a reasonably well paid job to hopefully clear mortgage in 5 years or so. Hopefully less pressure to bring home as much bacon then and I can re-evaluate life and how it want to lead it. |
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Thu 6 Jul 17 08:40
Have to work or choose to? - Focal Point
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Retired from teaching in 1999 aged 54 owing to severe hearing loss. Was very fortunate to get a full pension and lump sum paid immediately based on the assumption I had completed full service to normal retirement age. Then took over the care of my elderly parents, with whom I lived until their demise. Undertook training as a reflexologist and worked mainly in a local hospice. Then went back to university as a very mature student, took a master's and am now working towards a PhD. When I've done that in a few years' time I intend to learn Polish properly. There are many other strands to my life which I won't bore you with here. As others have said, the idea of retirement with no "job" or other day-to-day focus would worry me. |
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Thu 6 Jul 17 11:15
Have to work or choose to? - Roger.
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i would never have worked a day of my life, if I did not have to! I should have been born to rich and generous parents, but no such luck. I never felt that i was defined by my job. Some I enjoyed more than others, of course. I love being retired and idle and happily find enough to do (as little as I absolutely have to) WORK is a four letter word. |
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Thu 6 Jul 17 11:32
Have to work or choose to? - Hard Cheese
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>> WORK is a four letter word. >> Said the hooker to the bishop ... |
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Thu 6 Jul 17 13:58
Have to work or choose to? - BiggerBadderDave
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"Retired from teaching in 1999 aged 54 owing to severe hearing loss." WHAT DID YOU TEACH? I SAY, WHAT DID YOU TEACH? WHAT. DID. YOU. Oh, forget it. |
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Thu 6 Jul 17 14:04
Have to work or choose to? - Zero
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| Why are you always on about diction? |
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Thu 6 Jul 17 14:30
Have to work or choose to? - Focal Point
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| Usually I enjoy BBD's humour. |
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Thu 6 Jul 17 14:41
Have to work or choose to? - Runfer D'Hills
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Brilliant ! That was such a "teachery" come back. I had an English master who had a black belt in put downs. One I remember to this day was, "Thank you for that Mr D'Hills, but you may in future, wish to consider how useful a comment will actually be, before you decide to offer it". Clearly, I was a lost cause. ;-) |
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Thu 6 Jul 17 15:51
Have to work or choose to? - Focal Point
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"Brilliant ! That was such a "teachery" come back." We English teachers (or I should say, ex-English teachers, or, even better, ex-teachers of English) excel at that kind of thing. Seriously, though - and I don't really want to whinge - I thought BBD's comment was a bit below the belt. And as a musician I would much rather be without the disability even if it had meant working until 60-plus. |
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Thu 6 Jul 17 21:19
Have to work or choose to? - BiggerBadderDave
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"I thought BBD's comment was a bit below the belt." I have disabilities of my own I struggle with, it's only everything below the belt that still works properly. My little boy is deaf in one ear, a growth on the middle ear bones fused them all together and removing it was unsuccessful. He seems to cope ok so long as he sits at the front of class. I can always tell how he sleeps. If he lies on his right, I can hear him switch the alarm clock off. If he lies on his left, the alarm beeps until lunch time. |
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Thu 6 Jul 17 15:54
Have to work or choose to? - movilogo
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Is paying off mortgage still considered a good thing - especially when mortgage rates are almost same as inflation? |
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Thu 6 Jul 17 16:07
Have to work or choose to? - Robin O'Reliant
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>> Is paying off mortgage still considered a good thing - especially when mortgage rates are >> almost same as inflation? >> >> Whatever the financial wizards (ie the cowboys who bankrupted the economy) tell you there's nothing like being secure in the knowledge that whatever happens you won't lose your home. My mortgage was finished sixteen years ago, I'm happy to say. |
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Thu 6 Jul 17 16:16
Have to work or choose to? - Zero
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>> Is paying off mortgage still considered a good thing - especially when mortgage rates are >> almost same as inflation? Depends on where you live, and what your mortgage deal is. Round here House price inflation is 7% per year, I could get a mortgage deal at 3.5%. So if you want to invest then buy a house (currently) But if you have a house, and you have the cash pile to pay it off, why would you be throwing 3.5% of x sum away? Your only benefit is your credit rating. |
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Thu 6 Jul 17 18:05
Have to work or choose to? - sooty123
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took a master's and am now working >> towards a PhD. What are your degrees in FP? |
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Thu 6 Jul 17 18:07
Have to work or choose to? - sooty123
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| Interesting reading about peoples situation, pretty much what I expected. |
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Thu 6 Jul 17 18:59
Have to work or choose to? - Focal Point
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"What are your degrees in FP?" B.A. (Hons.) English Language and Literature (University College London) 1968 MMus (Goldsmiths College London) 2014 |
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Thu 6 Jul 17 19:16
Have to work or choose to? - sooty123
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| Thanks, what's your phd going to be in? |
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Thu 6 Jul 17 19:55
Have to work or choose to? - Focal Point
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Assuming I pass my "upgrade" viva exam in the autumn, my course (at present designated "post-graduate research") is transferred to PhD status. My area is musical composition; my topic "Compositional Processes". (No, I don't really understand it either. The more you investigate, the more questions present themselves.) Practically, I compose music pretty much every morning and occasionally write an essay. I may be asked to give a lecture at some point. I love it all, actually. |
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Thu 6 Jul 17 20:42
Have to work or choose to? - Dutchie
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I retired at 53.Carried on working for another seven years.It was a hard seven years for a small company why I did it I still don't know.Didn't need to. Turned down a few other jobs a good one private driver for a comfortable of family.To loyal to this small company it affected my health. |
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Thu 6 Jul 17 22:43
Have to work or choose to? - Bobby
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>>a good one private driver for a comfortable of family I remember at one point I was offered a driving job. A guy from my neck of the woods was appointed a CEO or something similar to one of the big insurance companies down south. The job involved driving him down to the head office on a Monday in his Range Rover then leaving him and his car there and driving a pool car back home. And then repeating the exercise of going back down at end of week to collect him and bring him back home. had a serious think about it - the money was good and the structured days meant that I would have been able to take on a second, part time job. But in the end I decided I was putting too many eggs in one basket - if he got fired or changed his job, I was out of a job as well! |
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Thu 6 Jul 17 20:56
Have to work or choose to? - PeterS
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Oops... just seen this. I think it might have been my comment that prompted it! Much the same as commerdriver I don't really *have* to work. I'm at the tail end of the final salary generation though, so only the first 10 years of my working life are covered that way. Reasonable, but not enough. My defined contribution pot topped up with my contributions forms the bulk of my pension. And I can't draw any of it for another 9 years anyway...and that'll probably change. But I guessed that, so made sure that I wasn't constrained by over relying on access to a pension for the timing (within reason...) of when to stop work. But... I enjoy my job. Building and developing teams, setting strategies and any number of interesting projects to work on. And I get to meet a lot of interesting people. Enough travel to be varied, not so much as to be a drag (been there, done that, got the air miles) What I have found though, is that the less I *need* to work the less I actually care. But because I care less I don't get over-invested in anything, don't worry about the politics of much and so, in my mind at least, make better decisions. Meaning that the less I need the job, the more they want me ;) |
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Fri 7 Jul 17 03:20
Have to work or choose to? - Pat
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I'm pleased to see I'm not the only one who loves working and can't imagine a retirement without some form of work. I carried on lorry driving doing full time tramping for three years after retirement age and managed to fully retire for just six weeks before my old boss of 17 years contacted me with a proposition for setting up my own business. By that time, the garden was weedless, the house spotless and I was bored witless:) I agreed and eight years later at 71 I still love doing what I do, and couldn't imagine a life without both the mental stimulation or the contact with an environment I have worked in for almost 40 years nor A lot of the work I do can be done from home and that means I can work in the early hours I still love to keep. The downside is I work most weekends but it's a small price to pay and is the part of the job I enjoy most. It enables us to have things because we want them, not because we need them and I realised many years ago that work is a huge part of anyone's life, so I was going to make sure I enjoyed it. Since then, I've always had a smile on my face to greet a Monday morning and a new week at work. In my book that makes me luckier than those who hate their job and do it because they have to. Pat |
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Fri 7 Jul 17 09:35
Have to work or choose to? - Runfer D'Hills
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Interesting take on it Pat. Not that, as I mentioned earlier, I shall ever have to decide what to do, I'll have no choice but to to work until I can't. On the other hand, I do have friends my age or generation anyway, who have retired already, some of whom seem to be loving it, but I do notice that others are attitudinally much "older" in their outlook on life than I am. Even their activities are stereotypical of older people, cruises, garden centres, walking clubs etc. They seem to dress older, think older, suffer poorer health in general ( or maybe have more time to worry about stuff like that, I wouldn't know ) I'm run ragged most of the time, but I feel and keep myself fit, indulge in fairly full on activities, and frankly don't recognise the old geezer staring back at me from the mirror, because in my head I stopped having birthdays somewhere in my late 30s. I plan to just keel over one day without ever having properly realised that I'm old when I do. ;-) |
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Fri 7 Jul 17 10:59
Have to work or choose to? - Bobby
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I think the secret is in whether you enjoy the job. Pat does. I guess if Pat was a stereotype and retired to enjoy her hobbies then they would include trucking so why not get paid for it? Especially if its in a role that she feels is helping other drivers. My missus and sister are palliative care nurses and they see too many young folk dying. Live for today is their motto. They never have anyone utter their last words of "I wish I had spent more time at work" or "I wish I had spent more time cleaning my house". My missus certainly follows the latter recommendation!! I guess Humph, if he wanted, could be putting money back for a pension pot for retirement but he chooses to live a lifestyle he wants just now and that is more and more common nowadays. Especially when you see what little you will get for pension returns. I think within the next decade will be the last of working class folk retiring comfortably as finmal salary schemes mature and from then on in , it will be a real struggle. And of course if older folk work for longer, and employers cant force them to retire, then it closes doors on the younger folk wanting a job.... |
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Fri 7 Jul 17 11:15
Have to work or choose to? - Zero
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>> I think within the next decade will be the last of working class folk retiring >> comfortably as finmal salary schemes mature and from then on in , it will be >> a real struggle. Sooner than that. That time is, more or less now. I am firmly a no believer in the "you need a job to have purpose" or "if you dont work you die" mantra. Its rubbish. When you retire, you do whatever makes you happy. Being happy and content is more of a life preserver than work. If work makes you happy, then fine, but its not a one fits all scenario. |
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Fri 7 Jul 17 18:45
Have to work or choose to? - henry k
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>> I am firmly a no believer in the "you need a job to have purpose" >> or "if you dont work you die" mantra. >> Its rubbish. When you retire, you do whatever makes you happy. >> Being happy and content is more of a life preserver than work. >>> If work makes you happy, then fine, but its not a one fits all scenario. >> I agree. I retired before 60. The company was throwing money around and anyone could go. After having a couple of "useless" senior managers and lack of direction by the company I was warned by younger colleagues "Take the money while the offer is still around". I reluctantly went, two years earlier than I really wanted as my two still had two years left at uni. I took some cash to cover two years of subsidising them. I was fortunate, all worked out well for 12 years. Only paid jobs I did were voting days and the census. Last 5 years - NOWT. SWMBO's health has halted almost all activity. Soon we will have the second night in five years away from home. It could be worse but funds are good and I am adapting to buying things i want without worrying My obvious advice is to do those things when you can. Do not trust that you can do them all when you retire. e. g. Travel may be a lot more difficult if your health suddenly takes a bad turn. |
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Fri 7 Jul 17 19:03
Have to work or choose to? - No FM2R
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Retiring young, well - ish, was a genius move on my part, though fortunate rather than intelligent or thought through. Bearing in mind that I had children later than most of you. I stopped work in my mid 40s, and spent the next 10 years living my life with my young children Now the children are starting to spread their own wings I am "young" enough to look at more enterprising stuff if I wish. Pretty much any life plan which has you financially independent by your mid 40s is to be recommended, IMO. Don't financially plan for retirement, plan for a mid/late 40s when you can start to back off a bit and enjoy stuff while young. Obviously you must be secure by the time you can no longer work your job or at least prefer not to [65], or, if not secure, at least living within your means, but that period from 45 to 65 is a fantastic period if approached properly. It'd have been nice to be smart, but I've done ok with lucky. |
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Fri 7 Jul 17 19:29
Have to work or choose to? - sooty123
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>> >> I am firmly a no believer in the "you need a job to have >> purpose" >> >> or "if you dont work you die" mantra. >> >> Its rubbish. When you retire, you do whatever makes you happy. >> >> Being happy and content is more of a life preserver than work. >> >>> If work makes you happy, then fine, but its not a one fits all >> scenario. I think so yes, some need that buzz/stress of work to get up on a morning and through the day. I can think of a few that will struggle to function without work, i think it defines some people or at least they let it. A chap i know, his FiL did 37 in the forces and left and immediately rejoined as a reservist for a couple more years. When he had to leave on age grounds went on holiday and had a massive heart attack. I think the lack of stress, from all to nothing is just too much for some. |
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Fri 7 Jul 17 19:33
Have to work or choose to? - No FM2R
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>>i think it defines some people or at least they let it. I understand your point, however what I do defines me and work is one of the things I do. So surely to an extent that's inevitable? |
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Fri 7 Jul 17 20:42
Have to work or choose to? - sooty123
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I understand your point, however what I do defines me and work is one of the things I do. So surely to an extent that's inevitable? >> perhaps for some but i don't think for everyone. Some flit from job to job, without any particular career/job defining them. Perhaps i should have said job rather than work. Last edited by: sooty123 on Fri 7 Jul 17 at 20:43
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Fri 7 Jul 17 11:16
Have to work or choose to? - Zero
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>> And of course if older folk work for longer, and employers cant >> force them to retire, then it closes doors on the younger folk wanting a job.... Employers can always find a way to force someone to retire. |
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Fri 7 Jul 17 11:36
Have to work or choose to? - Hard Cheese
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>> >> Employers can always find a way to force someone to retire. >> That's the advantage of being self employed, you can force yourself to retire, or otherwise ... I am kind of semi-retired I guess, doing a lot less out of choice (far less travelling) and helping my wife with her business. Though I confess to finding it difficult to prioritise sometimes, should I be doing a mornings work, or should I be putting up a fence; accordingly I can be doing one while feeling a little frustrated that I am not doing the other. I also find that work sometimes comes my way when I least want it, and at other times I feel that I could be a just a little busier. I think full retirement is the answer, or perhaps, just perhaps, a few years of doing something completely different ... |
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Fri 7 Jul 17 11:38
Have to work or choose to? - Runfer D'Hills
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Oh don't get me wrong I'd retire at lunchtime today if I could and earlier than that if possible. I'd buy a Jeep, a tent and a straw hat and you wouldn't see me for dust for years if that was an option. But it isn't. So, I just have to try to enjoy my reality. |
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Fri 7 Jul 17 19:17
Have to work or choose to? - legacylad
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After the enforced sale of my business after my feeble body decided to go on a sabbatical, I've done all sorts. Workwise, and mostly only 40 ish hour weeks, 2 years in an outdoor gear shop, 4 months butter making, 3 years in a small DIY business with several extended overseas trips between jobs. Spent a month onsite converting Keld YH into a private lodge ( Keld Lodge) done lots of small decorating and building contracts, built my own extension with a qualified builder friend I backpacked the SWCP one summer, mostly camping wild. Similarly the TRT & JMT. Since early 2016 I now spend several weeks in Spain, Feb & March. I've spent most of today cleaning a property where tenants move in next week. I'm gardening for customers, 2x9 hour days this weekend and relaying a lawn next week before disappearing to Tenner Iffy on Friday. I consider myself 'retired' but rarely have time to watch any TV, or read, apart from when on holiday. I can be lazy.... spending the odd rotten dark wet winters day in bed reading until 4pm before getting up, go to the gym & sauna then my local pub. It's great NOT to have to go to work day in day out. I pick and choose but am always busy! |
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Fri 7 Jul 17 21:12
Have to work or choose to? - Robin O'Reliant
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| I'm lucky in that I do a job I enjoy, being self employed I am my own boss and the areas and the hours I work are up to me. I do about 35 hours a week covering a large area in a beautiful part of the country and come into contact with all sorts of people every day. It keeps me fit and stress levels are at a minimum, although I do have days I'd rather forget, like anyone. I'll keep going till I can't do it anymore, know way of knowing when that will be of course. Were I working in an office or a factory I'd be counting the days till retirement kicked in. |
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