How to Get Through The Tough Times The Old Style Way.

kidcat

Difficult split, he wanted the frying pan, and when she refused he took the lid, I assumed it was to cause inconvenience, but she didn't miss a beat and just used the rug. Of course maybe he thought she would use the frying pan and then he could take that but realistically he was a psycho so its difficult to understand what he was thinking.

ginnyknit

Well Kidcat, I hope your friend is happier without him and has applied the same logic to the rest of her life as she did to the lid. I mean that most sincerely, some men think that women will fall apart but often they find how much easier life is after all they suffered before.

Had a tiring but lovely day. Just baking a loaf for breakfast then its off to beddy byes - oops am spending too much time with little people :rotfl: Made macaroni cheese with bits of bacon and leftover mushrooms, scraps of cheese,then foccacia to serve with it - I can honestly say thats the best mac and cheese I ever made. It cost pennies to make maybe thats why it tasted so good. Got 10lb of spuds cheap the other day from Mr M so have to cook them and freeze them all tomorrow as part of my latest round of pennypinching tactics. Things are tough here at the mo (as they are for many here) but I am determined to say I did my best and not be beaten.

ceridwen

Gintotmelinda wrote: »

Hello everyone

Happy Mother's Day!

I was having a good day small presents from my grown up children, little gift from OH then WHAM! I have just read in the Mail on Sunday that the coalition govt have got a bill going through that will mean I won't get my pension until I'm 66! It's bad enough being in the cohort that had their pension age moved from 60 and in my case to 64 ish but this is a shocker! Apparently it is women of 56 and 57 who form a group that Age UK have said will be affected by the proposed and I quote "draconian measures". Age UK are asking for us to be given some protection.

It is being suggested that we urgently lobby our MP's as this bill is not yet through Parliament.

Tough times ahead!

What do you peeps think? Are there many 56 and 57 year olds out there? Contact your MP!

Gintot

I was surprised and shocked to see that women as old as 56 and 57 were being affected when I read that originally I must admit...I had assumed that anyone who had reached their 55th birthday would quite definitely be untouched by this.

So - I do hope that this will be changed and the age of those affected will be brought down to a maximum of 54 years old. Personally - I would not have looked to impose a change on anyone over 50 - as I still regard everyone over 50 as "early retirement agegroup" (though that almost feels like showing my age/time to "throw yet another brickbat at the Baby Boomer generation for our assumptions about life" to say that...:cool:).

Lets hope the Government backs down on this and decreases the age of women affected by this. After all "The Government (political party deleted)" got away with not allowing peeps to have the "bits and bobs" of income attached to their State Pension until their revised State Pension Age as it is:eek:. I thought I was pretty au fait with things - but I was one of the women astonished to find out recently that not just had my State Pension been postponed back those years back, but the "bits and bobs" had been too - as we won't be getting the Free Bus Pass or Winter Fuel Allowance till our (revised) State Pension Age either. I'm not sure about whether extra help with Council Tax if applicable waits to kick in until State Pension Age or still starts at 60? I'm also not sure about when free pensioner prescriptions kick in either (ie whether its 60 or State Pension Age)?

ceridwen

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Yes, I am one and fear that I'll be working (if I can find any work at all) until I drop dead.

Must admit it was a shocker to see in the "This is Money" website that they are predicting that there are some people currently alive who might not be allowed to get their State Pension till 77!!!!!!!! (ie those currently teenagers or younger). Many people simply won't reach retirement even if the age raise stops at 70 - as they will be too worn out/ill/lost the will to live to do so.

Most of us don't want our jobs - at least not on a full-time basis - and the way we cope with having to do them is that we are promising ourselves a reasonable number of years at the end of it where we will do as we please. It does have to be borne in mind that statistics apparently indicate that many people are in quite poor health from about 75 onwards, so if they are made to wait too long for retirement a lot of people won't be healthy enough to enjoy their retirement at all.

What would I say to young people now in view of this? I think, in their position, my intention would be to try and find work that I actually liked doing (ie because of having to do it for so many years). Many in my generation made that trade-off of "I'll get as much money and/or security as I can from jobs - even if it means I'm bored stiff/hate the job/etc - and will be free to do what I please in retirement". If that trade-off no longer applies - ie it would be a case of being bored stiff/hating the job and getting very little healthy retirement at the end of it - then I would be looking for a way to "earn my living" personally that didnt involve the bored stiff/hate it factor - so that I could tolerate so many extra years of having to work. Thats just my take on how I would handle things if I "had my time again" personally - others may make different decisions as to how to handle an estimated 50 or more years of having to earn a living and in a rather different economic climate to the one we've had for the last few decades.

So - I do feel sorry for peeps already worrying whether their State Pension Age will be postponed AGAIN! on the one hand and even sorrier for those who are younger still....and then remember the obscene amounts people like bankers, etc, are being handed as bonuses and the amount thrown away on however-many-wars the powers-that-be currently want to involve us in and wonder why....

silvermaid

MrsVP how horrible for you. It is awful how these people shake our feelings of security and damage our hard earned belongings. We must get an alarm fitted I think:(

Kidcat - what a horrible man:( and what a resourceful friend:)

I had a lovely day yesterday. Ate with both DDs. DH cooked. DS phoned and DD1 gave me a lovely bunch of flowers. No cards or presents as we don't bother with that. (In fact DD1 often brings me flowers - if she sees a bunch and thinks they would be nice for Mum:))

Looks like a good drying day, so I know what I will be doing later - playing with the big yellow ball:)

Ilona

ginnyknit wrote: »

Got 10lb of spuds cheap the other day from Mr M so have to cook them and freeze them all tomorrow as part of my latest round of pennypinching tactics. Things are tough here at the mo (as they are for many here) but I am determined to say I did my best and not be beaten.

That's all anyone can do, do their best and keep positive. Attitude and frame of mind is all relevant. I was lucky to have been born at the right time, 1949. By the time I had reached 60 and had been working for 45 years, I'd had enough. I have always chose work that I enjoyed doing so I think I am lucky in that respect, even so, I was ready to finish. The work was physically and mentally demanding, long hours, but the pay was quite good, single female doing what has always been seen as a mans job.

My friend who is just 60 has to work on a bit longer. She is juggling three part time jobs as well as looking after an elderly mother, I do feel for her when she is so tired. It doesn't seem fair that people have to work on when their mind and body are screaming out to stop.
Ilona

GreyQueen

Morning all! Mrs VP, sorry to hear that you have had some halfwit bust your compost bin lid by using it as a ladder. It's very unsettling to have criminals around your home whilst you and your family are sleeping. I'd be tempted to follow the tips of the others and leave a soft cover over it like a rug. It'll stop a re-run. Someobdy messed around with my compost bin on the lottie last year, which I call the Dalek. It has a screw-on lid and someone went on there and unscrewed it and screwed it back cross-threaded. Can't imagine what they thought I kept in there other than rotting veggies. :rotfl:I also have people who unbolt my little plastic greenhouse even in the winter when it's completely empty. It messes with my head. Maybe that was the idea.......;)

Years ago, my parents were having a one room extension built on the back of their terraced house which is a magnet for prowlers as there is a plantation of trees (unlit, natch) just over the garden fence. Well, as part of the works there was a 10 feet deep soakaway hole dug to handle the guttering run-off and before it was backfilled with stones it was a perfect "bottle dungeon". I used to go out there every morning for the few weeks of the job (I was site supervisor as the parentals were both at work) in the idle hope that we would have trapped some numptie overnight. Alas, we never caught anyone. The bloke next door to them was working 2 jobs to pay his mortgage after the girlfriend moved out and when he came back from Job Number 2 (club doorman) he let his Rottweiler out for a late run in the very well-fenced back yard at 3 am. Guess what she brought in with her? One of the two thieving beggars who'd been breaking into his shed! He left the dog standing over the thief whilst he called the Police and they arrested him. The other villian did a runner but his mate shopped him. One of them lived across the road. The Rottie's owner got into trouble with the Police for having a "dangerous" dog detain a burglar and he ended up with a caution. Am I a crypto-fascist or is that just plain WRONG?!

Ginnyknit, how are you managing to do so much with a broken collar bone? I'm impressed.

Ceridwen, you don't automatically get help with your council tax because you reach pensionable age. It's a means-tested benefit which means if you've got the money you don't get it at all. Pensioners are treated much more generously than non-pensioners on low incomes in that capital of up to £16k is disregarded (it's up to £6k for non-pensioners). So, the calcs are run on your capital and income and you might get nothing at all even if you're 99.

Another bad night with I.B (2 on the trot) so feeling a bit less than bouncy and Monday is always mayhem at t'office. Cunning plan made yesterday afternoon is that my pal and I will jointly go the the lottie (hers is near mine) after work and squeeze in an hour or two now that the nights are drawing out. By committing to take me up there, she feels that she'll not slack off herself. Headology at its best. Yesterday was sunny and warm but clouds brewed up at 4 pm but the rain didn't start until 7.15pm. Sounded like a good drop fell which is badly needed.

I now have peas, courgettes and butternut and turks turban squash in pots in the greenhouse and some more land to clear. Suddenly the gardening is picking up speed. Oh, and some shallots to re-plant as the birdies have tugged a few out. (Memo to birds; eat the ruddy wireworms not the ruddy onions).

On the subject of pensions, I'm currently due to get mine at 66 but am fully expecting to have the rug pulled from under me again. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a situation in which there was not a set pensionable age but you worked until you were permanently signed off as unfit and only then allowed to draw a pension. For people with intensely physical jobs that could easily be a decade or two sooner than for some others.

Every action has unforeseen consequences. If you cannot look forward to a few years of liberty in the last decade or two of life when your health is still tolerable, the daily grind becomes harder to stomach. Might people go on a lengthy spell of travelling as youngsters and do only minimal paid work to keep them in the basics? If you won't get to have the use of a pension for a fair few years, what motivation will there be to save up for one? Some pepole go into lines of work which are fairly low-paid because there is a secure pension at the end, so they are deferring gratification for long-term gain.

You'll have the situation where grandparents cannot help with their grandchildren or even visit them much. Where charities which rely on the vitality of the young-retireds (say 60-70) cohort go unstaffed. What if you run a business whose model is catering for the leisure needs of this age group? I wouldn't want to see the situation which we had prior to the introduction of old age pensions where you worked until you dropped, and, if your family couldn't keep you thereafter, went into the workhouse.:(

Gawd, that's depressing. If I had my life over again I'd've not bothered with college, travelled the world and been no worse off than I am now, he he.....:rotfl:

ceridwen

GreyQueen

Re the extra help available with Council Tax for pensioners - Yep...I know about the means-testing (hence I wont be due for any personally....)...but pensioners are allowed higher incomes and higher savings than non-pensioners and still qualify for that help. Hence - whether I wonder whether the help (if applicable) starts at 60 on the one hand or State Pension Age on the other hand...?

ceridwen

GreyQueen wrote: »

On the subject of pensions, I'm currently due to get mine at 66 but am fully expecting to have the rug pulled from under me again. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a situation in which there was not a set pensionable age but you worked until you were permanently signed off as unfit and only then allowed to draw a pension. For people with intensely physical jobs that could easily be a decade or two sooner than for some others.

Every action has unforeseen consequences. If you cannot look forward to a few years of liberty in the last decade or two of life when your health is still tolerable, the daily grind becomes harder to stomach. Might people go on a lengthy spell of travelling as youngsters and do only minimal paid work to keep them in the basics? If you won't get to have the use of a pension for a fair few years, what motivation will there be to save up for one? Some pepole go into lines of work which are fairly low-paid because there is a secure pension at the end, so they are deferring gratification for long-term gain.

You'll have the situation where grandparents cannot help with their grandchildren or even visit them much. Where charities which rely on the vitality of the young-retireds (say 60-70) cohort go unstaffed. What if you run a business whose model is catering for the leisure needs of this age group? I wouldn't want to see the situation which we had prior to the introduction of old age pensions where you worked until you dropped, and, if your family couldn't keep you thereafter, went into the workhouse.:(

Gawd, that's depressing. If I had my life over again I'd've not bothered with college, travelled the world and been no worse off than I am now, he he.....:rotfl:

Actually GreyQueen - I am convinced the only reason there IS still a fixed State Pension Age that is set for us all (at whatever age) - rather than that "work till you are too ill to do so" scenario is because the powers-that-be know that even those of us who are responsible/prepared to work to "pay our way" would put our foot down and simply refuse to "be responsible" any longer and would join the F*ckless Minority and said powers-that-be certainly don't want more intelligent/articulate/presentable type people joining forces with the F*ckless Minority - because the whole of Society would come pretty promptly to a crashing halt if we refused to "Be Responsible" anymore and had the articulacy/determination to use the law if need be/presentableness that we would come over pretty darn well if up against the authorities;):D

anguk

Ilona wrote: »

My friend who is just 60 has to work on a bit longer. She is juggling three part time jobs as well as looking after an elderly mother, I do feel for her when she is so tired. It doesn't seem fair that people have to work on when their mind and body are screaming out to stop.
Ilona

That's a very good point, many women in their 60s care for elderly parents, what will happen to them? The knock-on effect of a later retirement age could mean that those in their 80s may have to rely more on the state/local authority to look after them because their children are unable to retire.

As others have said retired people often care for the grandchildren while their parents work, it's mostly the retired who staff charity shops etc. And the thing is once retirement age is put up I can't ever see it going back down, no matter which party is in power.

I'm going to drum it into my kids to either get a job they love so they'll be happy doing it until they drop or save, save, save so they can take early retirement.

For my parents generation early retirement was about 50-55, for my kids generation I can imagine early retirement being when they've reached 70!