Everyday Ordinary Man Approaching Full Retirement at 59.

savingpennies · 6 May 2017 at 8:59AM

Newly retired.
I really wouldn't worry too much about housework - it could take up all of my time if I let it and no matter how many times you dust, it always comes back again. If our place looks tidy, the washing is done and the kitchen and bathroom are clean, I feel I've done my bit. We do the cleaning over one morning in the week, when we whizz round like dervishes and then go out for lunch. Box ticked.
I claimed my pension last month and nearly had a heart attack when I read the letter telling me how much I was going to get (lump sum and monthly payment). It was much less than I had calculated. When I probed further, they had been given the wrong information by my old employer: my last few years salary had been inputted incorrectly and they showed gaps in my service. A visit to my old workplace soon sorted it out and it has now been corrected.
Warning: do check your entitlement and make sure it is accurate.

Newly_retired · 6 May 2017 at 9:23AM

Saving pennies, your housework sounds about like mine. DH has so much stuff around that it makes life tricky so the dust stays. I do keep bathrooms clean as top priority.
I am going to start looking for some singles trips, starting in the uk before I venture further afield. Almost all my travelling in recent years has been by car or local buses, so I do feel out of practice.
Sorry to hear that your workplace messed up your pension but glad it is sorted now. Enjoy!

Katiehound · 6 May 2017 at 11:09AM

Hi Newly Retired, glad to hear you are looking at singles trips.

Don't know how you feel about travelling on the water but I have become a cruise convert in the last 5 or 6 years.

Up until now I have always cruised with Fred.Olsen- they are great for singles as they make a special effort to 'be nice to them!'- there is always an intro meeting at the start so you see who is travelling alone. The clientele overall is very friendly as are the staff. The ships are modest sized so you do meet the same folk. Loads to do- talks, classes in bridge, ballroom & crafts, evening entertainments and of course ports to visit! You only need to unpack once. There are a few round UK cruises.

If you sign up with a cruise specialist travel agent (my go -to would be Ocean World Travel) you can ask them to let you know of any singles deals as soon as they are available.

The only downside is the cost- sadly travelling alone creates a big mark up. However with cruising it's still usually a reasonably priced holiday because all meals and entertainment are included but not drinks or excursions. I think Saga's price structure might be different & include more but also may be more expensive.

This is my mantra: a clean house is the sign of a wasted life
but yes the kitchen and bathroom are clean.......not sure about the rest..

pollypenny · 6 May 2017 at 8:20PM

Excelpaul, I was worried about finances after retirement, but am amazed by how we are managing.

The one increased expense is more heating, but good insulation has helped.

Much of our leisure time involves U3A which costs very little. We manage cinema trips on the Meerkats and eat out on vouchers and a Gourmet card.

Fizzy11 · 10 May 2017 at 3:17PM

My husband & I have both recently retired & we were looking forward to days out & holidays. Then at the end of April I fell & smashed my arm & elbow to smithereens so now we are housebound & my husband is learning new skills like washing & cooking. So enjoy your trips out to all the free museums, beaches & parks, the housework will keep who knows what's around the corner.

Gers · 10 May 2017 at 4:25PM

It's taken me 18 months of 'retirement' (as now do four hours of work a week) to come to terms with the fact that I have always hated doing housework and can afford a cleaner.

It wasn't too bad when I was part of a couple and we lived in an inner city flat but now I live alone in the countryside with much more opportunity for muck coming in I see it more. So, last month I bit my own bullet and employed a cleaner for once a fortnight. Her tasks are to keep the bathroom clean, the kitchen / utility / back hall clean (especially the floors) and vacuum through. If there's time left she'll do the dusting.

I'm so happy to come home to clean house, the lino floors were always the bane of my happiness.

I haven't got a bucket list, most things I was keen on doing I've done. Not that I've abandoned life, far from it. Now I am intent on seeing more of my own country (Scotland) and making time for friends and family. Can't see me doing a cruise though I do use the ferries a lot. Islay... three hours away and stuffed to the edges with whisky distilleries. :j I'm a simple woman with simple tastes, one of which is a single malt.

pollypenny · 10 May 2017 at 6:10PM

Oh, I'd have a cleaner again if I could justify it!

missile · 10 May 2017 at 10:22PM

pollypenny wrote: »

Oh, I'd have a cleaner again if I could justify it!

One of the few advantages of growing old is I no longer feel the need to justify things :beer:

moneyistooshorttomention · 14 May 2017 at 8:49PM

missile wrote: »

One of the few advantages of growing old is I no longer feel the need to justify things :beer:

I know what you mean.

Well - I'm pretty environmentally-conscious - havent got a big family (though its my choice not to have children anyway), given up flying, no car, don't eat meat, buy everything possible organic

- but I have a mini-confession to make here - ie that I did book a taxi for a longish journey I had to make recently to a train station (rather than catch a bus that would go all round all sorts of roads and take a lot longer than a car in the process). Further confession being - that I'm likely to do so again for the same trip in future.

But - with being the only consumer of resources in my house - then I reckon I'm still being pretty darn "good":)

fatbeetle · 18 May 2017 at 6:51AM

28 working weeks until I retire! I'm having at least 2 of those off, as we have mates from Ireland coming over to visit us for a fortnight.

Everyday Ordinary Man Approaching Full Retirement at 59.

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