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

Larumbelle

Bah, I am not allowed to return to work until I can sit down for a whole shift :mad:

On the plus side, they said my job is not in jeopardy and also that people want me back because I do so much work lol

mardatha

The front line secret weapon of the Mardatha household war on the tough times -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51405939@N02/5581595973/

GettingItRight

I have also noticed in recent months that slowing down by 10-15mph on a 40 mile car journey to-and-from work can save me enough fuel to easily get another extra car journey to work with every tank of fuel I buy. This in one month is a minimum extra of 3 days, which in I estimate is a saving of around just under £15. I realise it really does pay to think about fuel economy, especially with the big increases in the cost of petrol.

Charis

GettingItRight wrote: »

I have also noticed in recent months that slowing down by 10-15mph on a 40 mile car journey to-and-from work can save me enough fuel to easily get another extra car journey to work with every tank of fuel I buy. This in one month is a minimum extra of 3 days, which in I estimate is a saving of around just under £15. I realise it really does pay to think about fuel economy, especially with the big increases in the cost of petrol.

That's interesting, because we always used to be told that the optimum speed for driving, ie the speed at which we would use less petrol per mile was 56mph. I doubt many will be currently driving at much higher speeds than that, especially in town or on single carriageways, so has that advice changed?

Gear changing has certainly undergone a revision since I learned to drive, so I wouldn't be surprised if modern engines have a different optimum speed.

suzid

I was listening today to a minister talking about the latest news on pensions. They're bringing in a new pension rate starting 2016 to simplify the current system. Yet folk getting their pensions before this date will still be on the old system. I've only just had a form through telling me that I'll get my pension starting Jan 2016 so what's the betting all this will come in from the April and I'll be on the old system. However my biggest gripe is that with the ever rising pension age and the fact that I'm 16 years older than DH, if he has to work until he's 70 I'd be 86. In effect we'll never have any quality retirement to spend with each other, if we both live that long .
I worked as a home carer before having surgery for prolapses and being told not to work in jobs involving lifting or standing. That ruled out the majority of the jobs I've done through out my working life. I could probably still get a job as a carer because the turnover is huge as it's so demanding both mentally and physically, but to expect people to do that line of work into their late 60's is madness. The elderly spouses of my clients were often so worn out themselves it's a wonder they could carry on, and some even died before the one they cared for.
As usual it's those who do the caring who get the rough deal - not enough contributions due to looking after families, young, disabled and old and saving the state a fortune.
Rant over - sorry

ChocClare

mardatha wrote: »

The front line secret weapon of the Mardatha household war on the tough times -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51405939@N02/5581595973/

Stop showing off about your tomatoes, mar Didn't I have to speak to you quite severely about this only yesterday?:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: - didn't I tell you mine are only about an inch high, and you're in SCOTLAND, for heaven's sake !!!

Anyway, mar's arctic tomatoes aside , we have quite a few "older" carers working in our Home. There are probably at least half a dozen 60+ "girls", and two RGNs who are 69 and 72 respectively. The two latter are powerhouses of energy - neither is married, and neither wants to retire. So I guess it depends on the person - we have others who are quite happy to whittle their hours down to nothing so that by the time they're 60, they're hardly working at all.

What worries me more is what my 19-year-old son is going to do. He is working p/t for Sainsbury's at the moment (which he HATES with a passion) before he goes up to University in October. I quite like his working for Sainsbury's, as he's just presented me with a discount card :T. In the same breath, he told me he's going to chuck it in in June before his exams

When he qualifies in 4 years' time, will there be a job for him? He is a canny lad and very intelligent, so if he had been born 30 years earlier, I'd say, he'll go far. Now, I'm not sure there'll be anything available for him to go far in.

(I suppose it would be VERY cynical of me to suggest that the government will eventually issue a batch of winter 'flu vaccine which turns out to be contaminated and kill off most of the elderly population?)

I remember watching a programme YEARS ago (possibly Panorama) which said that the whole of Europe was running out of available pension/health service money and would all go bankrupt between 2010 and 2015 because of dwindling working population having to support an ever larger ageing population; and that the country which would hold out the longest would be the UK (maybe even just England now as this was before devolution) thanks almost entirely to John Major, who had put (*insert clever but unpopular thing here, can't remember* :rotfl:) in place during his time as Chancellor, which would mean that the UK/England should hold out until 2020.

I've never voted Tory, but thanks for that, John :rotfl:

However, I shall be 58 in 2020. Which means my chances of getting any sort of pension (at age 66 or 67 or whatever it is) are looking Pretty Slim.

mardatha

...Nevermind pet. Here, have a juicy freshly-grown-just-off-the-vine tomato. Take yur mind off things :D

ceridwen

anguk wrote: »

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!

A very good post:T

I certainly don't want to fall into a "gender stereotype" here:eek: - but clearly I am aware that my parents know very well that one of their children (ie myself) is living nearby and both feel reassured that they know that if either of them is in hospital I will be in there every day and eyeing up whether I think they are being cared for in a way that meets my expectations and, if they arent, then there will be "hell to pay". Think they've both come to appreciate that there is a positive side to a daughter that will argue "till the cows come home" if she is sure she is right:rotfl::rotfl:...and my expectations re health care are pretty darn high for "nearest and dearest" as well as myself:D.

I am obviously aware that my parents are "angling" for greater input from me as they grow older - and, because I know they are basically determined to remain as independent as they possibly can in every way, then I don't think it's unreasonable of them to expect a bit more "input" as they and I grow older. I even find it amusing that they regard it as "light blue touchpaper and stand back" if there is any prospect of major "battles" with "Authority" possibly in the offing...I have the feeling that I am regarded as the "nuclear option" if the powers-that-be are trying not to provide whatever-they-should-be-providing on the one hand + person who tells them what their "rights" are and asks if they are "claiming" them on the other hand:rotfl:. This is probably not unusual for middle-aged people with elderly parents...and I do admit to wondering just who will "stand up" for me when I am elderly myself:( - but, oh well, that is how life is and "cross my parents - and you cross me too" - so I look out for them, as most of us do.....

Also - it is very true that many people who are old enough to be grandparents DO provide all sorts of childcare for their (adult) children - and just where will that come from if the "grandparent" age group are having to work on at a time that they would have expected to retire????? A teacher acquaintance of mine already commented recently that a good 50% of children arrive at school at age 5 unable to do very basic things (eg dress themselves, feed themselves, hold a basic level conversation, etc) and the teachers are having to drop the idea of "teaching" to some extent and do belated "substitute parenting":eek:. There will be an element of children having been born for the "wrong" reasons there (ie as a means to Council housing) - but it simply CANNOT be the case that 50% of them in a reasonable area (as this is) are in that position. It must be the case that the parents of some of these children have simply not been in the position to teach children all they are expected to know of "life skills" by the time they reach 5. This is where grandparents are SO valuable - as they will usually dote on their grandchildren and make sure they HAVE learnt all these "everyday skills" and hopefully have a "head start" as well on what the grandchildren are expected to learn at primary school. So - what happens if these grandparents arent available - because they are still having to do a job?

charlies-aunt

Since our private pension schemes went down the tube in the late 1990's, DH and I are resigned to 'death in service' but hoping that it will mean that we'll stay fitter and more mentally alert for longer - tbh I'd rather be busy with a full home and work schedule than stagnating in front of daytime tv when I'm 66. My M-I-L retired at 55 and has pootled through the last 30 years in little old lady mode... :eek: n-n-n-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!! B-o-r-i-n-n-n-g-g-g-g! :eek: its existing, not living! :eek:

Its not the years in your life but the life in your years

ceridwen

charlies-aunt wrote: »

Since our private pension schemes went down the tube in the late 1990's, DH and I are resigned to 'death in service' but hoping that it will mean that we'll stay fitter and more mentally alert for longer - tbh I'd rather be busy with a full home and work schedule than stagnating in front of daytime tv when I'm 66. My M-I-L retired at 55 and has pootled through the last 30 years in little old lady mode... :eek: n-n-n-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!! B-o-r-i-n-n-n-g-g-g-g! :eek: its existing, not living! :eek:

Its not the years in your life but the life in your years

Hmmm...:think:..well my thoughts are that people are going to vary in that respect and some clearly WILL go into "little old lady (or man!)" mode as you put it...but that is something that IS their choice to make ultimately and if it makes them happier than having to hold down a job - then each to their own...

Personally - I am looking forward to having a good chance of the time/energy to pursue new ideas/interests/etc:T:D and have some good role models in that respect:D.

I think its very much a case of "horses for courses" and what suits some won't suit others and that for every person who goes straight off into "little old lady/man mode" there will be others who think "YAY - at long long last I can operate at MY level - rather than having to put up with a low-level bore the blimmin' pants off me job level" and are positively delighted not to be judged by the (low-level) job they do anymore - but get judged by THEMSELVES at last....:beer::D:beer::D - as the reply to "what job do you do?" can just be "Retired - and loving it:rotfl:".