Preparedness for when

[Deleted User]

We're up a slope above a river in the deep south and retired too, we own the house have adequate pension income to cover our needs which have been tailored to be covered by our income and while we are able we provide as much of our needs as we possibly can by growing, processing and preserving the food we grow, processing and using and foraging (even bartering) for the wood we need to heat the home in the cold weather. We've made decisions that mean we can do this by not using the central heating and by repairing and refurbishing our clothing, foorwear household goods, furnishings and doing general maintenance on everything we own. We have a car but if we use it more than once a week here that's unusual, we do use it to visit the family though and it saves much in public transport fares and time. If I had choice I wouldn't be anywhere else, I would however buy the house next doors garden if they'd sell it and plant trees for a mini orchard and run some chickens there too, put in a root cellar in the garden and dig a well/borehole as I know there was a well between the two gardens of the cottages that backed on to our garden in the past. We're luckily content with our lot in life and very lucky to have found this village.

GreyQueen

Isn't it interesting that 2/2 responses so far are essentially happy-as-we-are but with a change or two and it would be perfect.

I'd like not to have to sell my labour. Seriously, because the ME and other health problems mean that I am limited on how much I can sell (and thus considerably poorer than I would otherwise be) and that the state has deemed my retirement the best part of two decades hence, and I may be in poor physical shape by the time I get there, and not able to lead a full and active life.

If I didn't get so tired, I'd go to an additonal archery class on a Thurs evening. I could scrape together the cash, it's just I literally don't have the energy left after work. And if I could afford a little old car again, I could get to the out-in-the-countryside archery clubs, which would be big fun.

mardatha

I think a big advantage is the mindset GQ and you've already got that. ME is killer in that it takes away a big chunk of your life. You are stuck at the level of an 80yr old, but once you adapt to that and potter through life then it's (usually) bearable. but never fun. xxx

GreyQueen

Yeah, ME is a pig of a condition and I've had it since I was 20, which knocks the youth and vigour out of you.

Howsomever, I'm long since done with self-pitying. It is as it is - move on and get over it. I've recently consolidated my hours into 4 days instead of 5; the fifth day was less than 4 hours' but there are all the allied opportunity costs and the fatigueness of getting up there.

I have to say it's fabulously-freeing to have a 3 day weekend every week, I highly recommend it.:rotfl:

Having a very low energy threshold does make a body more efficient. I think about what I'm doing. Such as I'm passing X in two days' time, so I do that other thing then or Can I arrange that I never walk from one end of my allotment to another without carrying something? Sounds daft but lots of trips up and down that 33 m plot really adds up. Or, yes I could do X but it would eat into a small energy budget and leave me too whacked to do other things which I value more highly or which have to be done.

Cost/ benefit analysis in my personal energy market.;) A manager at work remarked I had a good work/life balance. That's because I'm an over-educated under-acheiver with a slightly-abnormal set of values and interests. I don't expect to be rich but I'm always happy anyway.

[Deleted User]

GQ it's because you have a pronounced degree of common sense, a clear view of your life and your world and the intellect to know what is and is not achieveable on any given day, I would say you were a high achiever with a very sound set of values and useful interests and have achieved the balance in life that allows you to be happy with who you are and what you have, so that makes you rich beyond price my friend, well done!!!

GreyQueen

(((((Lyn)))) you're a sweetheart, you know that?

I'm presently doing housework (very slowly ) interspersed with tracking my parents' flight between 2 UK airports, and elsewise playing around on the Web. Whilst wearing my secondhand clothes and drinking tea. What could be finer - umm, perhaps adding chocolate or cake?:rotfl:

[Deleted User]

I say what I see pet, just the truth that sometimes isn't apparent when you're looking from the inside out at yourself!!! ADD BOTH!!!

mardatha

I've decided I'm just mad. But I like it.
I wish I had just a wee bit more money then I'd get an Eglu and a couple of hens, I still miss mine. But the RV built the pen with a 4x2ft door... and when I had flu and couldn't get out of bed he had to feed them and got stuck in the door and wrecked it trying to get out and got even rattier so the hens had to go after that. But I wish now I had saved up more an got an Eglu with run. A lesson on doing things properly instead of half a$$ed That's the only thing I reallyreally want lol

cornishchick

I love my home, but think I was built for retirement. I plan to retire at 50, so 4 years left to pay off my mortgage, then live on my widows pension and what I will be investing. Then do some worthy volunteering somewhere, while pottering around the home. I am re learning skills I had when younger, like preserving, and make do and mend. I have a list of new skills I want to learn as well.
So I can say, apart from missing my husband every single day, I am content with this life I have, I wouldn't change much, just the work part of it.

nuatha

GreyQueen wrote: »

I'd like to pose a question, if I may. OK, I'm going to pose a question, you can respond or ignore as you will.:p

What would be your ideal economic set-up, if you didn't have to work a day job? I'm not talking living in a tent in the woods eating mushrooms, since the amount of woods versus the amount of people in the UK is only every going to make it a minority lifestyle. Nor am I talking about life post-SHTF with a failed state and every person for themselves.

We're looking at moving in two years, somewhere which will have space for MIL to move in with us, hopefully a bit more garden and a couple of outbuildings.
I'm undecided whether or not I'll go back to contracting - the money's good, but its exhausting and it it takes a lot longer to bounce back than it used to. Having seriously reduced my work commitments when Herself became ill, I do enjoy having more time to potter and be with with Her, but it means the bank balances aren't as healthy and we've less safety margin. (It also means the mortgage will take another few years to pay off)

We don't do too badly and we fit into "essentially happy-as-we-are but with a change or two and it would be perfect" but that's largely because we make the best of what we have/are and don't see the point of trying to keep up with lifestyle choices that don't even appeal to us.