The Big Adventure

shala_moo

Great review Goldie xx

Hope you have as brilliant a 2015 :T:T

Watty1

Great review Goldie.


Cheers to 2015 ! x

maggiem

Good to read the review Goldie. You have been so organised about the process; I look forward to reading more about your retirement in 2015.

I often read but rarely post. I'm coming up to retirement, my OH already has taken retirement as he is a little older. I used to look rather enviously at those retiring but as I am getting closer -September 2016 is my earliest date - I am wondering just how I will cope without the social activity of work. Full time is probably too much, very stressful at times but I have worked part time in the past and felt much less one of the team. I just wondered whether you have had any doubts or whether you have always been certain retirement is what you want?

I suppose part of my wondering is because I think my OH has found retiring more lonely than expected, probably because we moved into Europe for my job just as he retired.

However reading of your adventures and those of others considering retirement is very helpful, thank you

Karmacat

Maggie, thats when I plan to retire - well, end of August 2016, anyway I'm thinking I'll probably have to continue to do online work though.

Not really surprised your OH is a bit lonely after retiring if he's doing it in a new country - can he/you speak the language? Or is there an expat community? I'm planning to spend chunks of time in Spain, and at my sister's cottage in France, so I'll be working on the language skills a bit myself, though I have some basics.

Goldiegirl

maggiem wrote: »

I'm coming up to retirement, my OH already has taken retirement as he is a little older. I used to look rather enviously at those retiring but as I am getting closer -September 2016 is my earliest date - I am wondering just how I will cope without the social activity of work. Full time is probably too much, very stressful at times but I have worked part time in the past and felt much less one of the team. I just wondered whether you have had any doubts or whether you have always been certain retirement is what you want?

I suppose part of my wondering is because I think my OH has found retiring more lonely than expected, probably because we moved into Europe for my job just as he retired.

I think the social side of work is a good point, and shouldn't be under estimated.


I always knew that I didn't want to work until state retirement age, and always hoped to be able to stop work at some point in my late 50's.


I worked full time until the age of 50, when my colleagues and I were made redundant from a job I'd been in for 28 years.


So that social side of things ended - although we still see each other for meals and things, from time to time


I then started a part time job for two days a week for just under 5 years and although I liked my colleagues, I never got that attached to them, so I was able to leave the job without much soul searching. As you say, being part time often means you are slightly less part of the team


If I'd been in my previous job, it would have been a lot more difficult to make the decision to leave. If I was still there, I have a feeling I would still be working full time, although, I might have done a phased retirement, and may have dropped to part time when I reached 55.


As it is, with only working the two day week, I'm used to being at home a lot, so retirement isn't such a shock to the system.


If anybody is thinking of retirement, a period of part time working before you finally stop can be a good way of easing yourself into your new life. I found that I didn't really mind not being so much part of the team, as I began to think more and more about retirement.

Goldiegirl

Thanks for wading though my year in review everyone - I think I'm a bit like my dad - once he started writing about something, he could go on for pages. Which used to be handy for some of my English composition homework. I used to get him writing for hours on delightful subjects such as the 'life story of a twig'!:rotfl:


Anyway, brace yourself for more - tomorrow I'm going to post my plans for 2015!:eek:


I've taken inspiration from many posts about de-cluttering.


I've been doing this on and off since I joined eBay in 2009, but there are still things hanging around which are surplus to requirements, often things which have survived other de-cluttering attempts.


I was thinking of doing a daily de-clutter, and aim for 365 items.


But, I want this to be the last big de-cluttering year, so I'm going to aim for 500 things or batches of things, to be de-cluttered in 2015.


I've given myself a head start - Today I've decluttered a mound of magazines and leaflets, various notebooks and 2014 diarys, plus a couple of odd clothes, not to mention the couple of bits that I've sold on eBay this week.


So far I'm running at 9/500.


At the start of November, I ordered a £10 JL voucher from Ipsos I Say - it finally turned up today. It took so long I'm nearly at the next payout date

Karmacat

The 2015 plans are the *best* thing to look forward to :j

500 things ... I think I'm going to have to join you ... oops

Have a lovely evening xxx

newgirly

Brilliant review Goldiegirl girl :T wishing you all the best for 2015.

Goldiegirl

Good morning everyone and Happy New Year:beer:


I usually spend the 1st January of any year in a state of mild surprise that yet another year has passed in a super-fast blur.


It doesn't seem that long ago that the year 2000 was an impossibly futuristic date. Then 2000 finally arrived, with all the worries about the 'millennium bug' - all that was 15 years ago. Where does life go? Mental note to self - try and live in the moment and enjoy each day fully.


I'm just about to tinker with my signature and update it for the new year.


I'm going to keep 'retired' on there, because it gives me pleasure each time I look at it.


I'm deleting Sealed Pot membership - as I mainly spend with cards, I hardly ever put any money in my pot, so I'm barely a member of this challenge. Although, I will put any coppers in my pot throughout the year.


I'm keeping Virtual Sealed Pot - There doesn't seem to be a thread for this for 2015, but I'm just going to do it on my own behalf, as I like this weekly Tilly Tidy for savings


New things being added - De-cluttering totals, as this will be a big focus for 2015. Three more things have been de-cluttered this morning so I'm up to 12/500 at present.


I'm also having a section for 'Additional Funds Generated'. This will be my net eBay sales (both my things, and the percentage I get from selling my friend's things), cashbacks, surveys, vouchers, matched betting (if I ever get started!), etc, etc. I've included the eBay items I've sold this week, so I can start at £8.55. There's no target as such, I'm just curious to see how much extra can be generated.

Goldiegirl

I thought I'd post my plan for the year here. I was alarmed when it ran to 26 points, but most of them are things that I do already, so I just wanted to remind myself to carry on.

Year Plan 2015

This year’s challenge – to lead a comfortable new retirement life on an income of approx £18500 for the year.


In line with our new status as a retired couple, I’m not having a load of targets and goals.But, I don’t want to be aimless either.So I have a list of aims that I’d like to do, some more important than others, but I’m not putting pressure on us to achieve everything.


Aims


1 Most important of all – ENJOY RETIREMENT


2 Learn how to be retired.Remember that it’s not like being on two weeks holiday from work. We have time to do things, and some days we might not do anything at all.


3 Budgets.I’ll divide the budget into four areas – bills (a set amount is paid to the bill account each month to cover all bills), petrol, groceries and everything else.But the budget is going to be a loose one.As long as the total monthly expenditure is less than our total income, that’ll be fine.If we are over one month, but under the next month, that will also be fine.This will allow us flexibility.


4 Shopping.We’ll try a different approach this year, by trying out different supermarkets, now that we have time to shop around.I envisage one shop a week when we visit the store, with periodic big re-stocksdone online, or possibility by visiting the store. Although this is not a target, I’d like to see the monthly average grocery figure fall below £246, which was 2014’s average


5 Consider joining C0stC0 for the re-stock shopping.


6 Do proper meal planning, so our one shop a week will include everything we need.


7 Remember to look for offers and use vouchers as appropriate.But don’t get too caught up in offers so that I end up buying things that I already hold a large stock.


8 Remember to use £Co


9 Carry on doing spending diary – This will help me know exactly how we stand as the month progresses


10 Carry on with household diary – all appointments, things to do, things to remember, meal plans will go in here.This helps me feel in control of my life


11 Carry on with freezer inventory, so I feel in control of my freezer!


12 Grow our own – increase the amount of home grown vegetables/fruit


13 Go down to one car – this will be one of the first things we do


14 Savings. We are unlikely to save much money for the next couple of years.I feel slightly :eek: about this, but I need to get used to the idea.I’ll carry on with the Virtual Sealed Pot and my Little Xtra Fund for any extra money that comes my way from various initiatives.


15 Make the most of the savings we hold, by monitoring interest rates.We are allowed to use our savings for holidays and large purchases if we want to!


16 Do surveys up to next pay out point, then consider whether I want to carry on – it’s a lot of work for little reward


17 Carry on eBaying – both my things and items I sell on behalf of my friend


18 Carry on de-cluttering. I’d like to increase my focus on this area, with old clothes that are no longer suitable, the garage, loft and shed all in the firing line.I’d like to aim for 500 things or batches of things to be de-cluttered in 2015.


19 When garage de-cluttered, consider buying a new freezer, as our current freezer is far too small.Also consider putting up shelving for better storage for bulk items like toilet rolls to clear space in the house


20 Use stash of toiletries, tins and laundry products


21 Fitness.Continue with low sodium diet (this one is essential).Also get walking regularly and drink more water.Both are good for me.


22 Have days out. Ensure we get better use out of our National Trust and English Heritage memberships.Take lunch with us when appropriate.


23 Energy consumption.I’ve accepted this will probably increase over 2014, as we will be home more.However, I’d like to aim to keep gas consumption under the 2013 high figure of 1869 units


24 Learn about matched betting, and start placing bets when I’m confident (this one could take some time, and may not happen at all!)


25 Set up a household manual, a central reference point for all utilities, accounts, and where things are kept.I’ve been saying I’ll do this for the last 5 years, so I’m not confident about this one!


26 Remember to check weekly MSE email.





I think that’s quite enough for one year!