Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

HairyHandofDartmoor

Delichon said:

Great news about the 29 years of full NI contributions although I recall you saying you hadn't had a paid job for years before you started your current one.  I wonder how the 29 years of contributions accrued.  I hope they haven't but do you think they've made a mistake in their calculations?

Keeping everything crossed for some Government help for your business and good news from nPower.  If you really are in credit and haven't arrears to pay off any more you'll be able to switch providers and save yourselves a fortune in the future.

Thanks Delichon . I've been self-employed for seventeen years and I've been paying voluntary NI contributions all that time. I worked in paid employement for six years before I had the children. They even seem to have included the Saturday job I had for two years whilst I was doing my A'Levels, which seem a bit odd.

It does seem more years than I expected though so I hope they haven't made a mistake. Do they make mistakes frequently? I've still got eleven years to work before I'm 67 so I'll be paying NI all that time anyway so hopefully I'll be okay even if they have made a mistake.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Nicnak said:

I agree with Delichon. We are needing a small amount of people more because we have not enough staff. So many of them are shielding that we just couldn't operate without bringing in the same staff all the time so hopefully that will be the same for you. 

Great news about the self employment and hopefully the gas and electricity bill does go down from what you are paying. I agree though, that I would wait and see. x

Thanks Nicnak . Fingers crossed anyway.

badmemory

Don't forget with NI to count all the child benefit years from DS1 being born to DS3 being 12, plus the 3 years from 16-18.  But not the 3 years at uni.  It is surprising how they add up.  I suspect you have paid voluntary contributions when there was no need to!

HairyHandofDartmoor

That must be it then Badmemory 🙂. It must be all the child benefit years and the two years I spent doing A'Levels. Thanks for explaining that.

[Deleted User]

Really interesting to read all the facts about how all different phases of life contribute to future state pension rights.  I hadn't a clue!!!  I just assumed you had to be in employment and paying 'normal' full NI contributions all your working life to qualify for the full pension.  Good luck, HH, I hope it works out really well for you xx

Incidentally (what a nosy individual I am, sorry) are the grants DH will receive towards his business during the current crisis repayable eventually or are they no-strings-attached lifelines?  I know some of the 'loans' that are available to businesses are repayable later.  The problem as I see it is, with the country (and probably the whole world) heading for a mammoth recession, how long will it be before businesses become viable again and can repay these 'loans'?

HairyHandofDartmoor

Delichon said:

Really interesting to read all the facts about how all different phases of life contribute to future state pension rights.  I hadn't a clue!!!  I just assumed you had to be in employment and paying 'normal' full NI contributions all your working life to qualify for the full pension.  Good luck, HH, I hope it works out really well for you xx

Incidentally (what a nosy individual I am, sorry) are the grants DH will receive towards his business during the current crisis repayable eventually or are they no-strings-attached lifelines?  I know some of the 'loans' that are available to businesses are repayable later.  The problem as I see it is, with the country (and probably the whole world) heading for a mammoth recession, how long will it be before businesses become viable again and can repay these 'loans'?

Thanks Delichon . I hadn't got a clue about NI either.

Because it's a grant it doesn't have to be repaid, but it's only for three months so I'm not sure what will happen after that. Imagine being a self-employed hair dresser or driving instructor right now 😱.

HairyHandofDartmoor

I had fifteen children to look after again today but the caretaker helped me again. I went in early again and got out all the equipment in advance, but the caretaker helped me put them away afterwards. It's back down to nine children tomorrow so I'll be fine on my own with that number. It's a lovely sunny day today ☀️ so it was nice being outside, although I was too busy to appreciate the sunshine really because of having to keep yelling "Move away from 'thingy' you're too close!" and "Keep your distance from each other!" And when I wasn't doing that I was wiping trike and scooter handles as they wanted to keep swopping 😱 .

It's really mind boggling to imagine how we would cope with having all the reception and year one children back in June. We used to have eight children to a table at lunch, but at the moment it's only two children to a table, so I can't imagine how long it would take for them all to eat lunch in our tiny dining room, we'd need about four shifts and it would take approximately 80 minutes for them all to eat and that's just two year groups 😱. It's ridiculous really to think it could be done safely 😱. It depends upon how serious they are about keeping children apart because I don't see how it can be done if we keep them two metres apart.

Anyway I can recover now 🙂. It's ridiculously exhausting but I think it's all the social distancing thats causing it.

Willowtree222

I agree, it's practically impossible to get them to socially distance when they're all in. 
I don't envy any school having to put these plans in place! 
Glad it's only 9 tomorrow x

Sun_Addict

I certainly don't envy you controlling that many young children right now, good job the caretaker was able to assist.  

mummytogirls

My headteacher has gone against BoJo and only invited year 6 and keyworkers back! The LA have backed it and we just have to wait to see if we have a backlash from the parents. Its ridiculous isnt it!!!!! xx