Navigating the ups and downs

rollercoasting

A productive day yesterday. Filed a ton of paperwork and cleared out the old stuff too. Lots of firelighting material. Changed some final addresses, hopefully the last!

Also did a very grown up thing and looked into my pension and what it will give us....long and short of it being that if I up my contributions by another 5% (I give 10%, my company give 10% atm) then we will be on track to get 15% lump sum and then an annual income of £25k. This includes state pension. My pension has to cover us both as DH doesn't have one or earn now. He will get state pension though. I can increase it when I next get a pay rise (April!) And then I won't probably even notice it. Feels good to have a plan. :money:

Back to work today and the weather is gloomy. Home made soup for lunch.

Igamogam

rollercoasting wrote: »

A productive day yesterday. Filed a ton of paperwork and cleared out the old stuff too. Lots of firelighting material. Changed some final addresses, hopefully the last!

Also did a very grown up thing and looked into my pension and what it will give us....long and short of it being that if I up my contributions by another 5% (I give 10%, my company give 10% atm) then we will be on track to get 15% lump sum and then an annual income of £25k. This includes state pension. My pension has to cover us both as DH doesn't have one or earn now. He will get state pension though. I can increase it when I next get a pay rise (April!) And then I won't probably even notice it. Feels good to have a plan. :money:

Back to work today and the weather is gloomy. Home made soup for lunch.

Oh I have been doing the old pension calculations...........I fully intend to go early and I am not waiting until my state pension is available....really want to live a little:D I have a final salary pension and like you my OH has a very small pension - periods of study and redundancy and making the decision to work PT in a low paid civil service job to get a work life balance! I plan to buy a van and b00ger off around Europe for 6 months....OH can come if he wants otherwise I will get a dog I have told him! well thats the plan........who knows what the future holds really but like you say it feels good to have a plan!

rollercoasting

Love a plan! 6 months in a bus sounds awesome....i get what you are saying about going early, but the fact is I love my job....right now that is. I may feel different when I'm pushing retirement mind! Don't leave going too late, you never know what's around the corner. My grandad died 4 years into his retirement that he worked his whole life for. I think I'd rather work longer and take breaks along the way.

My dh thinks pensions are a waste of time so tend to make these decisions solo. I'm sure he'll enjoy spending it though when the time comes!

Xxx

Igamogam

rollercoasting wrote: »

Don't leave going too late, you never know what's around the corner.

We were talking about this at work today.Apparently those in my age bracket are having to work until 67 to get state pension and then are predicted to live until 78....life expectancy changing and all that................so you work all your life probably and then get 11 years off. Hmmmm yes I love my job too but I dont live to work...definitely going early!

rollercoasting

Well it's been ages. Life has been busy!
October was a super expensive month so we are looking POOR right now. Got full cupboards but only £25 in food budget until 21st. I am waiting for some work expenses to come in so fingers crossed on that!!
Started buying Christmas presents - thankfully for the main family we have a secret santa limited to £50, so instead of buying 4 presents we only have to buy two for max £100. I've got one of them already, so just one to go. After that it's presents for DD & SS - all fairly simple, and I;ve a few things put away already. Dh and me won't bother - we're aiming to buy a trampoline for DD's 4th birthday in March so we are saving up for that (and we both love trampolining so a present for us too!)

Just going to try and keep a low profile for the next month.
MOT due in December - need to check exactly when. I have £250 put away for this - and will be putting another £150 away at end of Nov - so crossing my fingers that this will be enough. I am supposed to also be saving up for a new car - aiming for next Christmas, but it all keeps getting used up on maintaining this one. SIGH.