I'm Free to Do Whatever I...... Anybody else?

missile

Maybe a new thread on how to earn a crust for the unemploy..ed/able

lessonlearned

Hi all

Six months ago my husband became ill & he hasn't been able to work since then. At the same time I lost my job - it never rains but it pours!!

His illness has forced us to re-evaluate our lives. Although we had already began to tire of the rat race and had started making plans to retire or at least scale down when he was about 55, we now realise that this will have to happen much sooner. (He will be 50 soon and will be able to start drawing a small company pension so that will help).

Here's the plan.

We are hoping to sell our UK property and downsize to a smaller one and then divide our time between here and our small apartment in Spain.

My husband intends to study. He has a Geology degree and after a lifetime working in IT he wants to build on his degree and do some further study or research in Enviromental issues.

After a lifetime selling property both here and abroad I am going to start my own property development business. Nothing too high powered - I don't feel the need to build a property empire!!

We are also keen car booters and collectors. We are going to continue buying and selling all our "treasures". I am also a qualified beauty therapist with a special interest in complimentary medicines, so I can also practice this as a further stream of income.

Neither of us are materialistic and we are both OSers, and are keen to adopt a simple and "green" lifestyle - not just to save money but as a better way of living.

We both have lots of interests - diy, gardening, sewing & crafts (me) reading, etc. None of these costs much & most of them actively save money.
The most expensive hobby or pastime we enjoy is travelling & this doesn't have to break the bank now that we are now longer tied to school holidays.

I am sure that we will be able to live simply but well, using our combined knowledge and wits to make a reasonable living. If it's honest, decent and legal I'll give it a go.

I am quite keen on writing and might try and have a go at that (magazines, newspapers etc - don't see myself as a novellist I'm afraid). My husband fancies a bit of film extra work when he gets better.

Will we miss being wage slaves - don't think so. There's so much to see and do.

seven-day-weekend

lessonlearned wrote:

Hi all

Six months ago my husband became ill & he hasn't been able to work since then. At the same time I lost my job - it never rains but it pours!!

His illness has forced us to re-evaluate our lives. Although we had already began to tire of the rat race and had started making plans to retire or at least scale down when he was about 55, we now realise that this will have to happen much sooner. (He will be 50 soon and will be able to start drawing a small company pension so that will help).

Here's the plan.

We are hoping to sell our UK property and downsize to a smaller one and then divide our time between here and our small apartment in Spain.

My husband intends to study. He has a Geology degree and after a lifetime working in IT he wants to build on his degree and do some further study or research in Enviromental issues.

After a lifetime selling property both here and abroad I am going to start my own property development business. Nothing too high powered - I don't feel the need to build a property empire!!

We are also keen car booters and collectors. We are going to continue buying and selling all our "treasures". I am also a qualified beauty therapist with a special interest in complimentary medicines, so I can also practice this as a further stream of income.

Neither of us are materialistic and we are both OSers, and are keen to adopt a simple and "green" lifestyle - not just to save money but as a better way of living.

We both have lots of interests - diy, gardening, sewing & crafts (me) reading, etc. None of these costs much & most of them actively save money.
The most expensive hobby or pastime we enjoy is travelling & this doesn't have to break the bank now that we are now longer tied to school holidays.

I am sure that we will be able to live simply but well, using our combined knowledge and wits to make a reasonable living. If it's honest, decent and legal I'll give it a go.

I am quite keen on writing and might try and have a go at that (magazines, newspapers etc - don't see myself as a novellist I'm afraid). My husband fancies a bit of film extra work when he gets better.
Will we miss being wage slaves - don't think so. There's so much to see and do.

As mentioned above, my husband writes for an expat newspaper and a friend of ours has been a film extra on the odd occasions they make a film in the Tabernas Desert (where the Clint Eastwood Westerns were made). We intend to have a go at the film extra sometime....good fun and you get paid 50 euros a day which isn't a bad rate here in the sticks!

Good luck with your new life.

SkyBlue_2

I too, a single parent, have retired much earlier than I intended to because of ill health. Fortunately, my pension isn't too bad, and if my adult (student) children weren't still at home I'd be a lot better off....However, I can't pull the rug from under their feet just yet, so I am dipping into my meagre savings to make ends meet. I really do need to go back to work so that I can supplement my pension and have enough in the current account each month to see us through.

However....two years down the line and I STILL wake up with a sleepy grin on my face every morning because I don't have to get up and rush out of the house, and spend the day confined to the workplace. I always said freedom from drudgery and routine was priceless, and it is!

The day is my own...and I must admit, I am often guilty of wasting those days...but so what? I worked hard and raised three children and kept a roof over our heads, so if I choose to be idle, on my PC, reading, watching TV, gardening or doing puzzles rather than cleaning the house - does it matter? Now I can choose when it suits me to do things, and I have no pressure as I used to every weekend when I worked full time, when so much needed doing before Monday came around again.


Must admit, I do miss my work colleagues. I am fairly gregarious by nature, and one day can run into the next unless I make plans as to how I'll spend my time when I get up. My partner (we don't live together as yet) envies me my freedom....but I tell him, even with all this time on my hands, some days go by without me achieving anything. Company would make retirement easier I think - but I do like my peace and quiet and solitude every now and then.

Now there is little cash avaialble, the joys of shopping are few and far between. I used to treat myself to the odd thing or two when I hit the high street. I can't do that any longer! I might take myself to town for a coffee and a trip to a book shop of the library, but I am still finding it hard not to go into shops and buy things at a whim. Window shopping is SO difficult when you have been used to having money in your purse!

The good outweighs the bad though...easily. Money isn't everything and I am learning to tighten my belt.

Just having that second cup of tea firt thing in the morning, whilst I listen to the radio and watch the birds in the garden, knowing everyone else is rushing to work and most likely stuck in a traffic jam, is a priceless feeling.

tanith

Skyblue I totally agree with you , we are in a very similar position except my husband is still working and I only have a grown son living at home still...
But you are so right about being able to choose when to , or not do chores.. and I find some mornings I have sat for an hour or more over breakfast, paper and bird watching, then the day is my own.
I do agree that the days seem to meld into each other unless I plan to do something each day, I can visit my older sister more often now I hardly saw her when I was working and we are planning to travel down to Wales together to visit our other sister in the Summer something unthought of a year ago...I am also able to keep a closer watch on my daughters who have 7 children between them and give a hand occasionally picking up my grandchildren from school or taking them swimming ... but like yourself I do like my own company and take time to 'Smell The Roses' nowadays....:T

lessonlearned

Enjoyed your post SkyBlue and agree money isn't everything - not by a long way. However, you mentioned that you are having to dip into your savings and that you need to go back to work to earn some money.

Just a thought - have you made sure that you have claimed all your benefits. You mentioned that you have health problems - it might be worth double checking everything. Citizen's Advice Bureau should be able to advise you.

Good luck.

SkyBlue_2

Thanks for that advice lessonlearned.

I feel I should be entitled to Incapacity Benefit as I face another op sometime in the near future ( and am recovering from a big one I had in December.) Right now there is no way I can work, although I desperately need to boost my income. (I can't even do much housework, but I am not complaining on that score! )

I do feel trapped. I need to work - my teacher's pension, although reasonable just doesn't cover the mortgage and bills on my four bed house. I can't downsize either. I have three 'young adult' children 18, 19 and 22, who are all students. None earn much from their part-time jobs, (in between their studies) and I can't downsize as they all need a place to live! They pay me a paltry rent - a token amount - (which I hate taking because I know how hard-up they are too) but it is fair and proper in the circumstances.

I am not sure what the breadline is in this country - but I think I live below it now, and have been keeping afloat because I have savings. Those are fast dwindling though.....and it's very worrying.

I am not afraid of hard work...I taught for almost thirty years, kept house and raised my children whilst looking after my old Mum. Now life should be easier - and it is, in that I don't have to rush off to work (hurray!) but I can't travel, treat myself to things, or even afford to go to the hairdressers! It's horrible watching every penny and going without when I have been used to having more or less anything within reason if I saved up for it!

Life is for living though - and I do tend to bury my head in the sand a little when it comes to finances. Money isn't everything ...but it's terribly worrying when there just isn't enough to go round!

Seems my pension is enough for me to live on, according to the powers that be, so now, when I am on my uppers, the state isn't there for me.

I'll just have to sell my body I reckon, although I am not sure a plump 52 yr old woman is to everyone's taste....... :-) (If only I could afford a red light-bulb for the porch lamp!)

Charis

SkyBlue, have you used Martins link to the Benefits checker?

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?newsid1047513100,1583,

You might be entitled to more than you think.

lessonlearned

Hi Skyblue

Don't know if you know this but my understanding is, if your are under the state pension age, and therefore not in receipt of state pension, you can still get Incapacity Benefit even if you are in receipt of your private pension.

IB is related to your own NI contributions, so provided you have enough credits I think you should be able to claim (unless your employers are paying your salary whilst you off work). Contact your Jobcentre plus or download an application form from their website.

There are reductions if your pension is over a certain amount. I think you can have a pension of up to £85 per week, anything over that you still get IB but it is reduced pro-rata, up to a certain amount when it does cease.

Sorry that is a bit vague but I can't remember the exact details. Don't just assume your pension is too much. I'm sure there will be more detailed information on the benefit website (see the other posters link).

Also, have you tried Disability Living Allowance. This is not means tested and is therefore not affected by your pension. Don't forget to try and get help with your council tax too.

Good luck with this.

My husband has been ill for about 8 months now and it is surprising how much I have had to learn, in a very short space of time. It can be very complicated and I often feel that I've had to jump through hoops, but generally our local council and jobcentre plus have been extremely helpful.

This website and all the MSE tips have been an absolute Godsend. I think we would have gone under by now if it wasn't for all the info and help I've received.

Long live MSE

seven-day-weekend

Your Incapacity Benefit is reduced by 50p for every pound over (I think) £85 that you receive in Occupational Pension.

So whether you get any money or not will depend on how much your Occupational Pension is.

My husband loses £27 from his IB because of the amount of his Teachers' pension.

Having said that, it is still worth claiming IB, even if you don't get any money, as you get your insurance contributions credited.