a day in the life of a baby boomer - please give some info

mystic_trev

Interesting thread. I've not been here for a while, as this boomer is reasonably well off, and been away!

I retired a 42 (14 years ago) mainly thanks to being involved in an MBO in 1985. Company floated in 1996, and the rest (as they say) is History. There was no way I was going to carry on working in the City. Getting up at 05.30 and not getting home until late!

The last decade and a half has been great. I've managed to indulge my love of Travel, and have been to over a hundred Countries, many of them several times! No dependants, so I can do pretty much what I like.

When I'm at home I spend time tinkering with my investments. I own four and a half properties including my main residence. Two are rented out, one my brother lives in rent free and the other one I live in. Don't ask about the half, that's a long story!!! I've been bearish on property for a while, and although I can't see big drops, I somehow doubt prices will keep up with inflation, which is why I'm spending more time dabbling with Equities, which I think will out perform Property for the next five to ten years.

All in all, can't grumble

treliac

lostinrates wrote: »

And those are the ones whose parents care enough to bring them to the library. I also wonder abut things like osteoporosis...not enough gently concussive exercise...the sort you get waking to school...to increase bone density.

My mum has osteoporosis. It's not preventable by simply walking more, although weight-bearing exercise is helpful. Osteoporosis is a complex, often hereditary condition.

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/osteoporosis/page2_em.htm

The leading cause of osteoporosis is a lack of certain hormones, particularly estrogen in women and androgen in men. Women, especially those older than 60 years of age, are frequently diagnosed with the disease. Menopause is accompanied by lower estrogen levels and increases a woman's risk for osteoporosis. Other factors that may contribute to bone loss in this age group include inadequate intake of calcium and vitamin D, lack of weight-bearing exercise, and other age-related changes in endocrine functions (in addition to lack of estrogen).
Other conditions that may lead to osteoporosis include overuse of corticosteroids (Cushing syndrome), thyroid problems, lack of muscle use, bone cancer, certain genetic disorders, use of certain medications, and problems such as low calcium in the diet.

lostinrates

treliac wrote: »

My mum has osteoporosis. It's not preventable by simply walking more, although weight-bearing exercise is helpful. Osteoporosis is a complex, often hereditary condition.

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/osteoporosis/page2_em.htm

Thank you for the clarification. DH's aunt, who died this year, had it, as did her mother.

treliac

vivatifosi wrote: »

To be fair Cleaver, I think Pastures may have a point. I saw an Office Manager job posted recently on a job search engine for a location near where I live (hence no link, you'll just have to take my word for it) for £18k. That's in Hertfordshire. The same job for a different local employer may well have paid £18k in the 1990s. I think there is an extent to which some bad employers are taking the p!ss at the moment.

You've made some excellent points viva. I would add that

• Pay is generally being held very low and in expensive areas people have an even harder battle to achieve/maintain economic independence.
• I'm aware of a pattern whereby companies are using the downturn to their advantage by trimming staff numbers and witholding pay rises, even when they are doing well and have no need to add to worker stress. Executives are not having to suffer though. There's a definite dearth of 'we're all in it together'!

treliac

lostinrates wrote: »

Thank you for the clarification. DH's aunt, who died this year, had it, as did her mother.

Sorry to hear that lir. For my own part, I'm doing all I can by way of preventative action.

lostinrates

treliac wrote: »

Sorry to hear that lir. For my own part, I'm doing all I can by way of preventative action.

Exactly. Good diet, exercise etc you can control to risk manage. Inheritance you can't.

FWIW a couple of years ago this aunt went youth hostelling in Russia. She was a game lady.

treliac

lostinrates wrote: »

Exactly. Good diet, exercise etc you can control to risk manage. Inheritance you can't.

FWIW a couple of years ago this aunt went youth hostelling in Russia. She was a game lady.

Yes, and It's fortunate that we have such easy access to information today that our elders didn't.

Your poor aunt's health must have deteriorated rapidly then. It's good that she had some great experiences so late in her life.

lostinrates

treliac wrote: »

Yes, and It's fortunate that we have such easy access to information today that our elders didn't.

Your poor aunt's health must have deteriorated rapidly then. It's good that she had some great experiences so late in her life.

Sadly, she was not so old. Born in '46. Indeed, she too was a boomer! She went to russia with a hiking stick and a neck brace!

treliac

lostinrates wrote: »

Sadly, she was not so old. Born in '46. Indeed, she too was a boomer! She went to russia with a hiking stick and a neck brace!

What an amazing lady!

tangerine2

I would consider myself and my husband to be your typical babyboomers. I was born 1946 and my husband 1945, parents married after the War. My husband's retirement date was last August when he was 65, but has been doing 3 day weeks work to wind down slowly. He is waiting to be called back for another 3 month contract at the end of January if the work comes in. Either way he isn't bothered as he has a good pension having been in the Company pension scheme since 1970 so with the State pension he gets a bit more than he did when working because he isn't paying NI or pension payments anymore. We married late 60s and had 2 children now in their late 30s. We bought our first house in 1969 for £4750 and sold it in 1982 for £26,000 then moved to a 4 bed house for another 8 years, sold that for another fat profit and now live in a nice detached house, but still owe a few grand on it which will finish soon. we could pay it off but keep the money in the Bank. I was a stay at home mum by choice but had a couple of part-time jobs along the way but found I preferred to be at home, so I don't get a full pension and claimed off OH's NI contributions last year. We are both in good health, never smoked or drank much. We have just bought a new car 60 plate Honda which we are enjoying, still have money in the Bank and the pensions come in and top our savings up. We are really comfortable. My OH's mother, 95 is a bit of a worry for him as she gets older and more reliant on him and his sister. Mine are both dead. We were able to help my son a bit with his flat rental and furniture but he refused more than he needed. We aren't great travellers but will venture out more now that we have the time and I expect he will give up working completely next summer when the weather gets better.