The cost of living

northernsoul

Atush
Thanks for your concern
I had what was thought to be a mini-stroke (TIA), but after many tests no proof was found. Then a year later i started to have a terrible pain in my chest, prompting several visits to the A&E. More tests followed but nothing was found. In general exertion brings on my chest problems, but not exclusively.
I took the government test where they, for example, ask you to pick up an empty cardboard box (who gets a job picking up one cardboard box a day). I was deemed fit to work so they stopped my benefit. No test takes into account the cumulative effect of doing repetitive work nor how i feel sick many times. At least most of the time i feel ok when i am doing nothing, but most of the time when i am doing something i do not feel well. They, doctors, hospital, seem to think i am lying because they cannot find anything wrong with me.
Anyway, thanks again, but my point was about how millions of people survive on much less money than what most people talk about here. The average pension pot is 30K.

atush

Personally, as a former research biologist, I am more worried that you undiagnosed with a possibly serious condition.

I'd be back at the doctor, asking to be referred to a specialist as your symptoms sound like they need further investigation.

Yu may have to wait a bit, but at least your name will be on the list as you will be waiting on any case.

And I too am amazed that many can get by with practically nothing. Wouldnt work for m for many reasons, one is that i live in a very expensive area (petrol is much more, food is more etc) in a house that is expensive to run.

Will be off loading the house once I have done it up, but still will have higher than average running costs, plus the need of at least one long haul a year (to get to my home country).

But am very impressed with others ability to live on very low incomes.

HappyMJ

atush wrote: »

Personally, as a former research biologist, I am more worried that you undiagnosed with a possibly serious condition.

I'd be back at the doctor, asking to be referred to a specialist as your symptoms sound like they need further investigation.

Yu may have to wait a bit, but at least your name will be on the list as you will be waiting on any case.

And I too am amazed that many can get by with practically nothing. Wouldnt work for m for many reasons, one is that i live in a very expensive area (petrol is much more, food is more etc) in a house that is expensive to run.

Will be off loading the house once I have done it up, but still will have higher than average running costs, plus the need of at least one long haul a year (to get to my home country).

But am very impressed with others ability to live on very low incomes.

I don't need a car...I haven't owned a car in years. When I had one it was costing a fortune in repairs, maintenance, depreciation and fuel. What would I need a car for? The shopping is home delivered, isn't food priced the same no matter where you live, we typically use the train when we go on holiday, we use buses and coaches for day trips and we use a plane or a ferry when we go overseas. Taxi's and Private Hire Vehicles are cheap enough for the last few miles.

I don't need or even want a big house. A small energy efficient house is just fine. We don't try and save energy and our gas/electric bills are running at an annual average of £41 per month for a 2 bedroom property. There's only the 2 of us. That's all we need. My mother lives alone and still has a huge 4 bedroom house I was living in 25 years ago for god knows what reason. I've suggested she sells it and downsizes but she complains she would lose all of her means tested benefits so refuses.

fatbeetle

I don't need a car...I haven't owned a car in years. When I had one it was costing a fortune in repairs, maintenance, depreciation and fuel. What would I need a car for?

Where we will be living will be 2 miles to the nearest pub, 4 miles to the nearest small shop, 11 miles to the nearest supermarket/doctors/cinema/small town. Bus services 2x daily.

Guess why we will need a car?

atush

don't need a car...I haven't owned a car in years. When I had one it was costing a fortune in repairs, maintenance, depreciation and fuel. What would I need a car for? The shopping is home delivered, isn't food priced the same no matter where you live

I live rurally with very little public transport and none nearby.

And no, food and petrol are different prices in different areas. Bread here costs at least double.

westv

I couldn't bear to spend my retirement miles from anywhere.

Johnny_Doe

Funny how we're all different, the more rural the better for me!

ex-pat_scot

westv wrote: »

I couldn't bear to spend my retirement miles from anywhere.

whereas I can't wait! Nowhere is truly isolated (OK Knoydart, but elsewhere in British Isles there are plenty of people wherever you look).

HappyMJ

fatbeetle wrote: »

Where we will be living will be 2 miles to the nearest pub, 4 miles to the nearest small shop, 11 miles to the nearest supermarket/doctors/cinema/small town. Bus services 2x daily.

Guess why we will need a car?

I like how you've mentioned the pub first. I like to spend my time in the pub with friends. Obviously that means no driving. I'm 400 metres from a pub (actually several pubs depending on which way I walk).

I live 200 metres from Asda or Tesco (not that I ever shop there the shopping was delivered to me by Morrison's this morning), town is just past that spanning the next 1200 metres. The bus station is in town 600 metres away with frequent departures over 30 different routes. The railway station is a mile and a £3 taxi ride away.

atush wrote: »

I live rurally with very little public transport and none nearby.

And no, food and petrol are different prices in different areas. Bread here costs at least double.

I couldn't live in a rural location with no-one around.

Why is bread double? Do you not have at least one supermarket that delivers to you? That would annoy me no end....

If I did live in a rural location yes I agree I would need to budget to spend twice as much as I do now. Probably much more. I wouldn't be able to afford to retire to a rural location but that's not what I want so I'm not bothered.

To me living on the state pension of £155.65 a week is very easy. Many pensioners around here have more than enough money. They have so much they seem to be in the pub every day....at least every day that I visit and I visit the pub 3 times a week. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

edinburgher

Why is bread double? Do you not have at least one supermarket that delivers to you? That would annoy me no end....

Extra fuel costs of getting the produce to the shop, very common in far flung places, we've been on holiday in enough Scottish islands where you basically bought what the shop had, not what you want!