Paid off the £31,000! BUT - still scrimping!

redofromstart

Catching up, glad to hear you have a firm date now.

Ooh, Kiss Me Kate needs to go on my track down and watch list.  Thanks for reminding me.

badmemory

They may not be able to tell you exactly how much because the state pension goes up in early April & they don't like to give ballpark figures cos people whinge at them.  But it isn't hard to do it yourself (for a ballpark figure).

Seasidegal58

Thanks @Sun_Addict @redofromstart and @badmemory

@badmemory – I'm presuming that final figure will be slightly higher than the estimated figure they gave me last year.  I won't get the full amount as I contracted out of SERPs and also paid the reduced Married Woman contribution back in the 70s for some years.  It will interesting to see the final figure as previously  (a) they sent me an estimation one year that was for a retirement date in 2035; and (b) they sent me another that confirmed I would receive a full State Pension! 😳

At last it’s the weekend!  It will be a quiet one (as usual lately), but at least it's the end of work for two days.  A busy day today – I didn't get a chance to go out lunchtime.  When I put the bin bags out it was bright out though felt very cold  

Anyway at least the plumber popped around and fitted my shower head back – he's done lots of jobs for me and my family and didn't charge me – wouldn't even take something for a drink. 🌟 Anyway there's a few jobs I want doing in the bathroom, i.e. new taps and some grouting, so he's going to contact me in a few weeks when he's finished his present big job to agree a date. 

Anyway some thinking to do over the weekend as to what I'm going to do with the workplace pension as I think I'll not be drawing down on it yet.🤔

Tonight, I'm going to watch some more episodes on iPlayer of the new BBC drama, 'The Terror' which I'm enjoying.

doingitanyway

Your plumber sounds lovely.
Your trip to the dentist made me smile. What has the world come to when such a visit is classed as a social event??

Have a lovely weekend.

beanielou

Also liking The Terror.
Enjoy your weekend 

milann

The trips we look forward to your dentist trip and I’m at the hospital an hours drive away next week.....exciting 😂😂😂
I couldn’t get into The Terror but I missed the beginning so maybe I need to give it another go.
Not long until you retire. It sounds as if you are getting organised for it.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Good news about your work bonus and your vaccine 🎉. My DH didn't get much of a reaction when he had his AZ one apart from being tired for a couple of days. It varies a lot from person to person.

You  must be getting excited about your retirement now and hopefully you'll be able to do a bit more by then if the restrictions are relaxed a bit 🙂.

enthusiasticsaver

Exciting news that you are on the retirement countdown.  I remember that.  Happy days.

What is the financial advantage in leaving your occupational pension untouched?  Are you retiring on your NRD or early?  From the sound of it if your state pension is due to be paid you must be at your NRD too although obviously if you have a DC scheme leaving it invested if you do not need it is better but I thought you were civil service which is a DB scheme? 

Seasidegal58

Thanks @doingitanyway @beanielou @milann @HairyHandofDartmoor and @enthusiasticsaver 😀
I know, it's sad that dental and hospital trips appear to be classed as social events these days!🤣. I even took great pleasure in putting on a full face of slap on my visit to the dentist - foundation, full eyes and lips etc!  Not something I've been doing much of lately!💄

@enthusiasticsaver - I have a DBS from one of my previous employers - I'm not civil service - I've nearly always worked in the Financial sector and the DBS resulted from this - it's going to form the large part of my income when I retire. I could have taken it out at 60 but left it until 66 to coincide with when I'm eligible for my State Pension in April.  I also have a DCS from my current employer which has been invested in low risk investments for the last couple of years as the original idea was to buy an annuity to complement the above.  However it's looking like I will be able to manage on just the DBS and State pensions at the moment so buying an annuity seems a waste if I don't really need the extra income plus bond yields aren't great at the moment and have hit annuity rates hard. So I will need to move the DCS into something with more growth and then look perhaps to drawing down at some stage later when needed - even perhaps using some of the DCS towards an annuity then if rates ever improve. 

Today was quiet - housework, a walk up the high street to the greengrocer and back and read my book this afternoon.  Broccoli pesto pasta for dinner! 🥦🥦🥦

Munchin

Hi SSG

I just drafted a comment and lost it (I’ve been out of diaryland for too long ). Fantastic news on your retirement date and I’m sure you are counting down your days. I agree with the meh comment - lockdown 3 has been tough. I was at the dentist last week for a check up and it felt good to be at the appt because it felt like a return to normal. Settling back in to your diary and cheering from the sidelines.