How comfortable are you?

gterr

Yes. All things are relative. We have a small house with no mortgage, still work part time, have bits of final salary pensions between us, some investments in lieu of other pension provision, a car that's 5 years old, and a cash buffer. We will always have to watch it, but should have enough for a holiday every year.


Knowing that we would have a low-ish income later in life has lead us to do things like have a modern house that's well-insulated (so cheap to heat) and easy to maintain. Our car does 60+ to the gallon and has low tax and insurance. We live modestly but in a beautiful part of the UK.


We have cheap hobbies. We've never had high salaries or unlimited disposable income, so we find it fairly easy to live within our means. From this year onwards we are unlikely to trouble the taxman.


And I work part time at the local CAB where we see folk in all sorts of financial trouble, usually through no fault of their own, and other folk not in debt who are bringing up families on far less than the two of us live on.


So, counting our blessings really.

6022tivo

Council Tax needs looking at. In the Labour days it was scary the way it was increasing year on year.
As a single guy who is very financially careful, works part time hours to aid charity work. Paying over £1000 a year as a single guy with no partner or kids was annoying.

chucknorris

What makes me comfortable is the discomfort of thinking, will we actually be able to spend it all?

lisa110rry

For me, being "comfortable" (and I don't mean comfortably off) means that I have no present money worries, I have a good job which pays me suitably for the responsibilities I have. I live in a village which I love at present but which will see 1000 houses being built in the next couple of years. After 28 years living in the same home, I've become one of those people everyone says good morning to, because they are a ubiquitous part of the scenery.

I have no mortgage and no other debt - can't get the hang of credit cards, though my son tells me I should use it constantly to get points or something, I just don't like being in debt.

I have two cars, both paid for but both ancient - a 4x4 for winter (13y.o.) and a roadster (16 y.o.) for summer.

I have a dog who welcomes me home each evening (even when my husband doesn't!) She and I relax by walking along the canal or in the wood.

Life is comfortable.

bigfreddiel

lisa110rry wrote: »

For me, being "comfortable" (and I don't mean comfortably off) means that I have no present money worries, I have a good job which pays me suitably for the responsibilities I have. I live in a village which I love at present but which will see 1000 houses being built in the next couple of years. After 28 years living in the same home, I've become one of those people everyone says good morning to, because they are a ubiquitous part of the scenery.

I have no mortgage and no other debt - can't get the hang of credit cards, though my son tells me I should use it constantly to get points or something, I just don't like being in debt.

I have two cars, both paid for but both ancient - a 4x4 for winter (13y.o.) and a roadster (16 y.o.) for summer.

I have a dog who welcomes me home each evening (even when my husband doesn't!) She and I relax by walking along the canal or in the wood.

Life is comfortable.

Credit cards are simple just pay it of every month!

Your cars are new, our cars are 16 and 24 yrs old the fact is I just can't find any newer cars that are any better!

Cheers fj

silverwhistle

Archi_Bald wrote: »

Hang on, you are not supposed to be happy on a zero hours contract.

You won't be if you rely on it. The poster didn't and can happily tell the employer to stuff it: a great place to be.:-)

redmalc

we are comfy ,mortgage free and savings of ten years salary,currently 59 thinking of retirement.
House worth £350K,could sell because of the high council tax of £2600 per annum.
You never know whats around the corner,only last week a work colleague who retired early last xmas at 56 had a stroke.
magic wand required

racing_blue

At risk of getting political, I also feel our discomforts are probably trivial, when compared to those of people living in Somalia, Chad, Burkina Faso. We're not going to starve or go untreated if we get sick.

I certainly feel uncomfortable when I see 150,000 migrants cross the Mediterranean in a year, many dying. Or IS rise up in Syria, doing crazy stuff, driven by religious but also perhaps economic diversities.

I have no idea how to address the imbalance that causes these discomforts but feel it is the main challenge for our generation and will be the main challenge for our children's generation too.

missyrichards

We are fairly comfortable, we have cash savings that would last us a year and about £400,000 in pensions (which we can't access for 10 years) and we have a small mortgage.

[quote=[Deleted User];68640581]"I'm not where I want to be, but thank God, I'm not where I used to be. I'm OK and I'm on my way." - Joyce Meyer
[/QUOTE]

Very true, that describes my situation.