Im almost 64 firm expect me to to run about like an 18 year old.

bendix

Lavant_Lad wrote: »

I do have a very small private pension with Scottish Widows, Ive been paying into it for the past 25 years or so.
I work for a Tea Packing Co, its all high speed hand packing and Shift Work 6---2 and 2--10.
I used to work in their Coffee Dept, suited me very well.
But 18 months ago they fully modernised the said Dept and put me back onto the Tea floor, where I am now stuck untill 65.:(

Well, there you go then.

You can use that to support yourself until you qualify for the state pension.

Until you divulge your complete financial position, it's impossible to make any meaningful suggestions. How much is the pension worth, for example?

Do you have any other savings? What about your wife?

Dawni

Lokolo wrote: »

Without wanting to sound rude about your father, but if he struggled month in month out, why did he have kids?

What an odd question! Are only people who can afford to save money for their retirement allowed to have children? Look, my dad worked day in and day out to provide for his family and provide he did. We had no luxuries, but the clothes on our backs (3 children) and the food in our stomachs, the roof over our heads and the heat from the fire were all provided by my dad. He asked the government for nothing, but he paid his tax and national insurance in the belief that after 50 years of work he would be provided with a pension that would be enough to live modestly on. If he had had money to spare he would have saved it, but he didn't have any to spare. He never had any debt, never bought anything on hire purchase, always paid his way.

I'm not claiming my father was any different from countless other people who worked throughout their whole lives for a very small wage. I personally know lots of people who are/were in a similar situation to my dad and to the OP, unable to save for their retirement because their wages are needed for everyday necessities. Sometimes I really do think one half of the country doesn't have a clue about how the other half lives.

bendix

Is it just me, or can anyone else hear the music to the Hovis adverts playing somewhere in the background to this thread?

No? Oh well. Must be my imagination.

Dawni

chesky369 wrote: »

.....why did he have kids?

You are probably quite young. Up until the fairly late sixties, there was no pill and other types of birth control were unreliable. Abortion was illegal. So there were an awful lot of unplanned pregnancies.

My parents had 3 children, my two sisters and myself. You are right about the lack of contraception and in any case our family of 3 children was seen as quite small. Many of our neighbours had 5 or 6 children and quite a lot of people had 8, 9 or even 10! We lived in a rural community where the older children in big families were a great help on family farms or contributing financially to the upbringing of the younger ones.

I'm very glad my parents didn't stop at 2 children or as the youngest I wouldn't be here.

Dawni

bendix wrote: »

Is it just me, or can anyone else hear the music to the Hovis adverts playing somewhere in the background to this thread?

No? Oh well. Must be my imagination.

No, not your imagination and I think my posts may have contributed to it.

cyclonebri1

bendix wrote: »

How do you know what the OP has or hasn't earned? He has only divulged his current (admittedly low) earnings.

You have no way of knowing what his savings opportunities were during the 45 years or so of his working life?

I find it hard to believe that there were never any opportunities during that time to put money away for retirement.

Then you have probably been more privaliged or a whole lot smarter than some others. Some folks have to survive at or near poverty level for most if not all their working lives.

I'm taking it the OP is closer to the road sweeper than the brain surgeon in earnings potential

cyclonebri1

Lokolo wrote: »

Without wanting to sound rude about your father, but if he struggled month in month out, why did he have kids?

Reported for abuse

bendix

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Then you have probably been more privaliged or a whole lot smarter than some others. Some folks have to survive at or near poverty level for most if not all their working lives.

I'm taking it the OP is closer to the road sweeper than the brain surgeon in earnings potential

The OP has a personal computer.

If that's poverty level, I'm a banana.

If you can afford a PC (presumably for recreational use because by his own admission he is a manual labourer) you can afford to save for your retirement.

bendix

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Reported for abuse

Reported for over-reacting

cyclonebri1

bendix wrote: »

The OP has a personal computer.

If that's poverty level, I'm a banana.

If you can afford a PC (presumably for recreational use because by his own admission he is a manual labourer) you can afford to save for your retirement.

You are a banana it is well proven, take it you hit the thanks button by mistake?.

You presume far far toooo much.