My Redundancy Diary

SlopingBird

daisyf wrote: »

I specialise in fundraising andy

You have to be positive and it takes a lot of planning when you are being made redundant I'm setting myself up as a freelancer - today I have a course at the inland revenue on how to become self employed. Already completed four business link courses which were really helpful. Now need to sort my website and marketing Exciting stuff and can put my house in order ready for when I leave......

Hi Daisyf

Exciting - and a bit scary too.

I've wanted to get out of this job almost since day one (seven long years ago) but single parenthood, lack of alternative opps, etc kept me there. Now the end is close (last day in work will be May 25 or 26) I have to admit I'm getting quite jittery at the prospect of freedom.

Like you I'm hoping to use this opportunity to develop a freelance career (copywriting, editing, proofing, etc) and I've done some of the free courses, but as the days pass, I keep finding myself going into freefall panic. Is this normal?

I've always been a really motivated person but instead of using the bank holidays to write my website (as I'd planned), I've just been prevaricating and find jobs to do around the house and garden.

Will someone please reassure me that I'll be okay when the big day comes - and I'll rediscover my energy levels (which seem to have abandoned me right now!).

Thanks again Andy for this thread.

beansy

Hi Slopingbird

I have no doubt you will and won't look back regretting it.

You have done the hardest bit and that was making the decision!

Everyone I bump into that have either retired or taken early retirement say the same thing "If I knew then what I know now I would have done it sooner", without exception.

Obviously, as with all things some of them have taken a good break, then got a little less demanding/stressful p/t job just to keep up their standard of living and keep the brain active.

I think what you are planning is a great idea, flexible, to suit you.

I run an Admin bank cover in the Trust where I work which is made up of various people that for one thing and another don't want regular work and they come in - sometimes at short notice - to cover A/L or sickness, anything from a half day to a week and sometimes longer by agreement. But I know of one of my colleagues who had expressed an interest in coming onto the bank when she retired but she found an alternative job. This entails her working almost full time from mid/end of Nov to middle of Jan in our local Savers store filling the shelves etc.

For her this is a much better option because she probably works the same number of hrs pa that she would for me but this then gives her the rest of the year to enjoy herself in whatever she wants to do giving her time to go on well earned holidays/w.e. away with the extra money she has earned without leaving her short.

Experience has told me the best people to ask when in this position is the ones who have done it and got the tee shirt.

Changing the subject slightly, what you are experiencing isn't unique to retirement, I am sure there are times we all feel like this when having to make important decisions in our lives, we always seem to find more important things to do to divert us from facing up to them.

I know, I do it all the time, LOL.

Keep us informed and when you need that extra bit of a push or encouragement we are all here for you - and don't forget one day this could be us.

In fact, my oh is waiting to hear what is happening in his dept. He works for our local authority and they have asked for 3 out of 6 to take early voluntary retirement and they have to be gone by the end of June, 1 May today!

I am trying not to worry about it too much as I need to remain calm for his sake but it is like treading on egg shells as I try not to ask too many questions at the moment as he gets all anxious. The sun is shining and we have our health so what more could we ask.

So I do understand a little of what you are going through and am willing you on.


Kind regards
:smileyhea

daisyf_2

Do you know slopingbird I feel exactly the same as you in freefall panic.

I loved my job so wouldn't have left - but had to choice whether to reapply or go - the set up seemed unfair as there was only a couple of team members who had to reapply for their jobs and the others were okay - i couldn't work in that situation.

I''m currently designing a website - well like you sloppybird it is in my head but finding hard to do the work

Had an email from a work colleague saying to ring them about an exciting opportunity - it was my first quote as a consultant - see what that brings. Also have some opportunities coming up in July - so it is exciting but scary at the same time. I've also got a part time job already secured which will enable me to pay my basics

think I am going to enjoy myself and glad to get out of the public sector politics xxx

SlopingBird wrote: »

Hi Daisyf

Exciting - and a bit scary too.

I've wanted to get out of this job almost since day one (seven long years ago) but single parenthood, lack of alternative opps, etc kept me there. Now the end is close (last day in work will be May 25 or 26) I have to admit I'm getting quite jittery at the prospect of freedom.

Like you I'm hoping to use this opportunity to develop a freelance career (copywriting, editing, proofing, etc) and I've done some of the free courses, but as the days pass, I keep finding myself going into freefall panic. Is this normal?

I've always been a really motivated person but instead of using the bank holidays to write my website (as I'd planned), I've just been prevaricating and find jobs to do around the house and garden.

Will someone please reassure me that I'll be okay when the big day comes - and I'll rediscover my energy levels (which seem to have abandoned me right now!).

Thanks again Andy for this thread.

Andyboy

• What do we want?

• What do we need?

Reading through the recent posts (thanks to all) there seems to be a common thread...sometimes when we are put in a scary and stressful position it brings out the best and worst in us.

i keep saying if you have a chance take a short break. By all means bear in mind the importance of maintaining your commitments (mortgage, bills etc) but look at your life and answer the Question "how happy was i really?" Learn to Accept the position you are in and start looking for the positives it may bring.

I spoke with a lady locally who has just found out that her 22 year career could end soon with the closure of the business. She keeps thinking what can i actually do outside of my own area of expertise and how can i earn the wage that I am on now in the southwest? I tried to help her manage her earning expectations but we all need a different income to survive.

I am still enjoying my break but like others have waves of concern. Trust your instincts but don't beat yourself up for a little procrastination (providing you don't make it a habit!) You know better than all the experts in the world what you really want and all you need to do is start figuring a way of getting it. Be it more time with the family or setting up your own business, something good always seems to come from something bad IMO.

Now I just need to decide the best way to pay off the mortgage......;)

Andyboy

Yesterday was my first real day classed as unemployed. Mixed feelings all around. My red payout has now arrived and only been taxed according to the old system and not under the new (see post #36) .

Managed to open new bank account to access decent interest and get 0% credit card with not transfer fees. I have done this now as I imagine that my credit rating may be hit when classed as unemployed!

i now need to crack on with applying for TECH IOSH and also sort out any tax credits we may be due. No doubt our hard work leading to us having some savings and my redundancy payout will class us as not needing any help even though we are both currently unemployed. i'll let you know how i get on.

I haven't given up on the idea of having at least the whole of summer off with family and am looking forward to some much missed walks with wife whilst son is at school. It was also great when asked if could help brother in law yesterday to be able to say yes!:j i am still realising how little time I had to do anything other than work and need to keep this in mind. Still trying to think of what i could do if I decided to set up my own business.......at least I have plenty of time to plan it now! :rotfl:

getmore4less

Anther thing to do is all the jobs that might come up in the next year or two.
Thinking about a redecoration of a room do it.
Planning something for the garden do it
anything might need fixing soon, repair now.
etc.

Then if you go back to work there will be no jobs to take up the spare time.

Andyboy

So here i am phoning HMRC regarding change of circumstances ( needs to be done within 1 month of stopping working if anyone didn't know) and have fought my way through the "press 1 for....press 2 for....press 867 for....." finally a human to speak to. "hello" they say and i reply the same. "Hello is there anyone there? Sorry i can't hear you and will have to terminate call." they come backwith.

This happened twice on 2 different phones but the 3rd phone (mobile) worked. After a brief reason for calling and much sympathy from the lady on the other end I was told that they would have to ask a few personal questions to confirm my ID before proceeding. No problem i thought and we continued....."DOB?...thanks that's fine....Who do you have mortgage with....oh we don't have them on the system.....we'll try there name before they were taken over a few years back....oh that's not on there either. i'll just put you on hold a minute and come back" So I waited, laughing to myself but wondering how much it might have cost had I used the suggested 0845 number and not the 02etc one I found.

"Thanks for waiting. can you tell me the age in years and months of the child on the claim" I replied without hesitation to which they said "are you sure it is different here" and proceeded to ask the same question verbatum ( as if some miracle would ensue and my boy had gained a year or 2 or lost that odd insignificant month?)

This continued to the point that I was awaiting some camera and a voice saying you have been framed or just kidding, but alas it was all too real. Eventually the questioning ended and the lady said that's fine you have passed. I was flabergasted when she then asked why I was calling....."redundant, remember!" screamed in my head but luckily didn't come through the vocal chords. :mad:

The part of my life that was used up in this way ended with her saying "I'll just have to put you on hold because i have to leave my desk for the next bit" What the......was it tea break time or was the pen was locked in a secure compound at the other side of the office? She eventually returned to state that nothing would change for 4 weeks and we would be notified if there were any changes to our payments.

Good luck all ye who dareth phoneth the tax credits crew. I am still laughing really which makes me realise how chilled I must be.

Undetered I might contact Jobseekers tomorrow...not today, that would be too much fun at once. :rotfl:

daisyf_2

i had to put my first expression of interest for a self employment job - ready to start in July - not done one before but hopefully will get the right results... had a good clear out of my desk today - there was paper flying everywhere xxx

MightyMythop

I had a meeting today with a woman from a company called Penna. They offer support & guidance about how to get back in the job market, self-employment, cv writing, interview techniques and millions of other things. I'm lucky that my company pay for this. I'll be utilising them to the max I think!!

I've also now had one interview & 2 aptitude tests this week with 2 local firms which were encouraging. I'd love to take time off after my leaving date of 7th July but I'm doing all I can to get sorted out by then.

I'll enjoy time off after I get another job! Besides, we've seen another house we like so I've got to get another job so we can live our dream of buying a wreck and doing it up!

MissMuppet

Well I've decided to do something a bit adventurous... I am going to move to France!! I leave work at the end of July with a years salary, I have already started learning French and as soon as I have the money I'll do the CELTA qualification so I can teach English out there to start off with. My Mum lives out there and I've just come back from a weeks holiday, it confirmed that I wanted to do it as well. The aim is to get over there either at the end of this year, or the beginning of next... ideally with the majority of my redundancy money to keep me going until I can set myself up in a job.