Now I'm 50 what can I get free or discounts on

sheenaf

I am at last free of the curse although it went on in fits/starts/stops til I was 57! Fortunately for the last couple of years I was prescribed a form of HRT which kept the periods brief and slight. Worth checking with your doctor if this would be appropriate for you. My Doctor told me not to worry about getting pregnant because he and myself could make a fortune selling the story.

My fifties were not great - made redundant and forced into a low paid, low status, job which I hated, plagued by stress, depression and family bereavements. I quit work when husband retired (18mths ago) and in spite of reduced income life is GREAT. We like to travel and can find bargains because we can go any time and book last minute deals. I turned 60 this week and now have a pension almost as big as my last salary, a free travel throughout Scotland bus pass, a garden full of fruit and veg, a bunker full of free logs, free prescriptions and lots of time to peruse MMT. Life begins at 60.

seven-day-weekend

I have not had any HRT as I have not had very many symptoms and I always think you can't keep replacing the hormones for ever, so best not to start unless absolutely necessary.

My sister is 73 and still on HRT!:eek:

I would not want to do that for twenty years.

hilary1

Who remembers dreading the stories of pmt, pain and bloating when hearing about periods?

Well the Menopause for many people is over dramatised. When I had a blood test a couple of years ago I was told I was POST menopause.

Yes I had had some hot flushes, which I was expecting around now at 52. And my OH said I was quite touchy for a while but to be honest I havent particularly noticed.

Some of these things are down to attitude of mind. If you believe you will feel awful you will. I have never believed in the terrible PMT which a lot of people use as an excuse to be nasty natured. Yes hormones can play havoc but I've always had a positive attitude to the menopause - you cannot avoid it.

Now its come and gone and I didnt even really notice.

Just remember - you hated having periods, well now you dont. No more tampons or pads to buy, its great.

Moneyfacts_2

This may be of interest...

Three new savings accounts aimed at the over-50s have been launched since September, signalling that competition is rife, comments Moneyfacts. "There are currently 27 providers offering 47 specialist accounts for the over 50s market, with a range of terms, minimum balances, notice periods and account restrictions," says Rachel Thrussell, Head of savings at Moneyfacts. New accounts from Nationwide and Coventry are paying market-leading rates. Thrussell adds, "Consumers opting for these specialist accounts should not assume they are getting the best deal available in the market as, although the rates may be competitive, better deals may be found in accounts open to all ages."

You can compare over-50 accounts, and open-to-all savings accounts here, http://www.moneyfacts.co.uk/savings/bestbuys/default.aspx

Hope this is useful,
M

Bambam

When I was 49, last year, someone told me that life now begins at 50. Kids have left home, mortgage coming to a close, holidays to look forward to etc. What a joke! We've never had so much money coming in, but so little to show for it. Government want more and more from us; still have a 23yr old at home; financing our 20 year old through uni; car (1.2cc from new) now costs a fortune to maintain - mainly due to labour charges; the prospect of working till I drop (will I ever retire?) worried sick about pension/healthcare/utility bills. What is there to look forward to? Still, I've got my OH (52) - we can always sit with 1 bar on the electric fire, wrapped in tartan rugs and worry about it together! lol

Fran

Bambam wrote:

car (1.2cc from new) now costs a fortune to maintain - mainly due to labour charges;

Cars nowadays are much better than they used to be, it shouldn't be costing you a fortune to maintain, have you looked around at other garages? Next time you need something doing perhaps you could phone three or four and see what they quote. (I've yet to find a garage that I trust!)

Bambam

Thanks Fran. That is exactly what we have decided to do. Although the car is not quite 6 years old yet, and to be fair we were expecting things to start 'going' on it but the last two years we've forked out a small fortune. Since May this year alone just over £1200. I think our dealer realises we know absolutely nothing about cars and if he told us that the 'flange tippett thingies that bolt the major sprockets to the whatsits in the extra engine strapped to the exhaust system' needed replacing, we would believe him. Infact (now don't laugh) last year we needed some work doing on the car again and he told us it was because we didn't carry many passengers in the back seat!!!! (Oh! go on then, have a laugh!) lol Because its a main dealer and we bought it from them we thought they would be honest with us, after all we will change the car again someday soon but we certainly won't be buying another V.... Its getting to the point where maintenance costs are exceeding the value of the car. Don't know if its the same your way but now if a car has its MOT and you take the car away and phone around for quotes to get it done cheaper elsewhere, you now have to pay the full price for a re-MOT. Is this another 'no win situation' for consumers?

seven-day-weekend

Do not ever take your car to a main dealer once it is out of warranty, you can get it done for a third of the price elsewhere.

We're really pleased with our eight-year-old Seat Alhambra; we took it for its ITV in Spain(MOT) and here, if cars are old and just scrape through they get six months MOT; if they are newish and just scrape through they get one year; if they pass with flying colours, whatever age they are they get two years.

I'm delighted to say ours got two years!

shopndrop

I have just phoned around about a service for my son's car. Volkswagen want about £220 to service a 3 year old Golf. A local independant garage said about £100. Guess which one we will use.

CannyAnnie_3

Fran wrote:

Cars nowadays are much better than they used to be, it shouldn't be costing you a fortune to maintain, have you looked around at other garages? Next time you need something doing perhaps you could phone three or four and see what they quote. (I've yet to find a garage that I trust!)

I have though... After getting my fingers burnt after some shoddy garage maintenance some years ago, I asked around all my friends for recommendations. The (small, private, independent) one I finally settled on has done me proud ever since. He has occasionally done things for me for NOTHING now, if they are small jobs, he will tell you honestly what is the matter with your car, how long the flange sprocket or whatever is likely to last, when it will probably need replacing, and how much it will cost when it does. He is now a family friend and gets invited to parties etc! Don't be misled by the "blinding you with technical jargon" type, the small independent garage is much more likely to be a real craftsman who takes pride in looking after his regular customers.

Incidentally when I was on hols in the Peak district this year, I found another one - when the exhaust went on the car, this place replaced it while I and my son walked round the dale for 2 hours, and only charged me for the parts not the labour.