I am financially comfortable. Inflation is biting me hard. What next?

balmaiden

We have, reluctantly, been spending some of our savings. There just doesn't seem to be any point in hanging on to our money like grim death. When the old man and me gave up work 4 years ago we have survived on the interest from savings, a couple of small private pensions and the rental income from a small house we own. I never invisaged a day when I would dip into our hard won savings but for us that day has come.

We have replaced our sofas ( daughter has benefited by having the old ones ) will be getting new carpets, are replacing some window panes which have misted up, will be buying a new garden shed. These are things we were going to do in the future but watching our savings " diminish" made us think why wait? so we haven't.

missile

A. Savings may not last for ever,.
B. We certainly will not.

I guess the trick is to ensure A does not run out before B :rotfl:

balmaiden

Very true missile. I think being diagnosed with early breast cancer this year has made me think that maybe I might not last as long as my savings!!

Errata

Sorry to hear that Balmaiden and I hope things are going well for you I had lots of plans for my savings but discovered last year that being diagnosed with cancer puts a whole new spin on things.
I'd like my cash to last as long as me, with absolutely nothing left over for anyone to fritter away. I can do that very easily myself

John_Pierpoint

kittie wrote: »

. Personally, I want to be able to choose platinum standard care for either dh or I (or both) if it were ever needed, so will always make sure that enough is safely put by and that includes the value of our home.

Good luck.

My late uncle was stuck "bed blocking" in the local West of London hospital following what we thought was a TIA (mini stroke) bu t was actually an inoperable brain tumour.

The prognosis was 6 weeks and as nobody had power of attorney, there was (I now know) zero chance of getting lasting power of attorney within a couple of months.

So the NHS discovered that there was a provision for "continuing health care" (CHC) in such circumstances. They had an "arrangement" with what had been a luxury 1930's private residence. It had been extended and converted into a care/nursing home with 44 residents.

http://www.bestcarehome.co.uk/services/view/arbrook-house

I don't think that I could fault the home, for what it was, it was top of the range.
However the much vaunted lounge with bar was occupied by one old woman asleep in front of the telly.

Lunch one would hope to be the social event of the day and visitors paid about £5, which included a drink of whatever you fancied. However less than half the residents made it to the dining room and when the numbers for supper were collected it was in single figures.

There were three tables where visiting relatives were lunching with their inmate. There was another table of 6 - 8 who were having a sociable time, but the rest just ate in grunting communication or silently and alone.

After helping to feed and wine my uncle, the three of us found a wheel chair and were the only people to go outside into the late summer sunshine. With some bread from Lunch, I managed to get the fish in the lake rising - as Uncle had been a keen angler.

I think what I am trying to say is that in our twilight Shakespeare got it right "...sans eyes, sans teeth, sans everything", Decrepitude is a great leveller.

I was left wondering if the fees of over £1,000 per week were really value for money in terms of the inmate or were they guilt money paid by relatives, unable or unwilling to care for the old members of their family ?

lilac_lady

Errata wrote: »

Sorry to hear that Balmaiden and I hope things are going well for you I had lots of plans for my savings but discovered last year that being diagnosed with cancer puts a whole new spin on things.
I'd like my cash to last as long as me, with absolutely nothing left over for anyone to fritter away. I can do that very easily myself

Same thing has happened to me, Balmaiden and Errata.

It has changed my outlook and I'm trying hard to be good to myself but finding it quite hard.

I'm going on a shopping trip next week and if I see things that I really want I'm going to break the habit of a lifetime and buy them!

:j

Errata

lilac_lady wrote: »

Same thing has happened to me, Balmaiden and Errata.

It has changed my outlook and I'm trying hard to be good to myself but finding it quite hard.

I'm going on a shopping trip next week and if I see things that I really want I'm going to break the habit of a lifetime and buy them!

:j

Go on - have a fritter . It can be hard to break the habit of a lifetime, but with determination it can be done
I hope you also are faring well these days. Quite a little club, aren't we

missile

balmaiden wrote: »

Very true missile. I think being diagnosed with early breast cancer this year has made me think that maybe I might not last as long as my savings!!

I am very sorry to hear that. I do know the survival rates are very much better than they once were, particularly when diagnosed early.
I wish you well.

[Deleted User]

balmaiden, much luck and love to you, stay positive if you can

bond cash is now tucked away in a more flexible account with NR at 3.11% but grhhh is still going to lose value. Re tv, we went to costco yesterday and the same tv is £400 more expensive considering we got several extras, including a good wall bracket also free setting up and delivery and he spent a good hour with us. Also much dearer in john lewis. Full marks to the `local` store and we have now been back and upgraded our relaxing furniture, which we will give away. We have ordered 2 top leather recliners as our present furniture is just too much furniture in our tiny snug. Also another leather `blanket` box from ebay, our third from the same seller as fantastic quality for the price and that`ll be multi purpose in the snug as they are well padded and for sitting on. One in the hall already and one already at foot of bed

Thinking about future heating too as we have no gas in the village. We have a wood pellet stove which needs bags pouring into its hopper and we sometimes just need to boost the room temp by a degree or two, so the wood stove is too much heat at times. It is all about buying a tonne on a pallet and then shifting a tonne to storage, across a gravelled communal area. Ok now but not later in life. I bought a dyson hot(very very expensive) as I had been looking at the dyson fan last summer and thought `what a good design`. The hot also works as a fan but is the most efficient and speedy form of electric heater that I have ever used. 15 minutes and the big L shaped lounge/kitchen gets to temperature as does the snug because I just leave the snug door open. It works so well because of the excellent insulation of course but is working out very much cheaper than the wood fuel and electricity involved in running the stove. I bought another one so the bathroom can be pre heated in just 2 minutes and I`ll be buying a third to complete a whole house system. The cooling fan aspect was also remarkable

seven-day-weekend

We saw a Dyson Hot at Grand Designs Live and were very impressed with it. Excellent piece of electric heating.

The flat our son is moving into has storage heaters and we were going to get an extra one installed but will get one of these instead.:)