Frugal in retirement

Caramac

Hi, can I join you?

I will be 60 this year and currently work 30 hours a week. I intend to work for at least a couple of more years but really need to start cutting down on expenditure. We are not extravagant but I’m aware that I could cut back without difficulty quite easily. We are also intending to downsize from a family home to something more easily maintained.

I’ve set myself budgets for the main areas of my spending as previously as long as we paid the bills and met savings targets I didn’t mind. Last year was expensive as I bought a new car and we had an additional holiday abroad booked on impulse. My main areas I could cut back on are clothes and books, including Kindle books.

I’m another who doesn’t like driving much but I live in a village where the bus service is getting worse every year, plus I do like the knowing I have transport if needed.

cuddlymarm

Hi guys
Welcome to all newbies, the more the better.
OH is well,but sore after his shoulder op last week. I must admit that I miss having a lift to and from work and I think we will keep a car as long as possible. He won’t be able to drive for at least a few weeks so I’ve bought a weekly pass which allows as many journeys as I want on the bus and tram in our local area. At £15.25 I don’t think that’s bad at all.
I needed bread and milk today so spent the princely sum of £1.91 ( one of the packs was 28p because it was short dated, shame there weren’t more of them)
We have been living frugally that long that it’s second nature. We eat well, don’t go without heat or anything necessary and have the occasional treat.
My online shop arrives tomorrow evening so we will be well stocked up again. In emergency I could easily go for a few weeks with only needing milk and veg.
I’m squirrelling away the money for our hol in July at the moment so every penny spent is thought about first. Part of the fun is the looking forward too I find.
Anyway I’d better go for now
Keep fruggalling frugallers
Cuddles

buildersdaughter

I'm lucky to live in an area where game is cheap. Pheasant breasts cheaper than chicken, and 660g. venison mince (4 x 2 meals) for £4.50p.
Our favourite recipe is frying up onion, garlic & chilli, adding the mince, then a mix of soy sauce & oyster sauce to taste, then add a portion of frozen green beans & serve with rice. Have run out of beans, so today I added a handful of peas and a good lot of chopped parsley from my deep bed.

frizz2

Hi Everyone,
I have just booked a mobile home "Sun Holiday" To France in September for a week with Ferry included, for £240. We are staying in Normandy so not much driving to the campsite. I am looking forward to it already and hope to go to lots of local markets for fresh produce and maybe some fabric.
I love sewing and I am using up some of my stash of fabrics to make a quilt for my son. I am trying to use what I have and keep spending to a minimum.
It is great to hear what other people are doing and it definitely encourages me! My husband and I are also members of the National Trust and I often plan UK holidays around staying in a hotel and visiting National Trust Houses and bringing a flask and picnic.

PipneyJane

frizz2 wrote: »

Hi Everyone,
I have just booked a mobile home "Sun Holiday" To France in September for a week with Ferry included, for £240. We are staying in Normandy so not much driving to the campsite. I am looking forward to it already and hope to go to lots of local markets for fresh produce and maybe some fabric.
I love sewing and I am using up some of my stash of fabrics to make a quilt for my son. I am trying to use what I have and keep spending to a minimum.
It is great to hear what other people are doing and it definitely encourages me! My husband and I are also members of the National Trust and I often plan UK holidays around staying in a hotel and visiting National Trust Houses and bringing a flask and picnic.

I love Normandy. Know it fairly well. Have you been before? The roads are good and the drivers are generally far better behaved than in Britain. I've never been hassled on the roads there.

Everywhere you look is history. All the D-Day sites are worth a visit, as is the Bayeux Tapestry. Bayeux also has a huge branch of Carrefour, several very nice clothes shops and is (maybe) half an hour from Omaha Beach. Google Maps will navigate for you for free AND have you in hysterics mispronouncing some of the place names (it thinks they're English).

There's a great market at Port Bail on a Tuesday, another in St Mere Eglis on a Thursday and a small one in Picauville on a Friday.

HTH.

- Pip

frizz2

Hi Pip,
No I have only been for brief day trips, so don't know it well. Thanks for the ideas. I will visit the places you mentioned. Looking forward to it!

nannygladys

Hi everyone
Im being very frugal in retirement this month as I have three big bills coming up in the next 3 months, I thought it was 2 but I had overlooked one, so Im eating from what I have in and Ive hardly been out of the house since Christmas, but I love crafting so Ive been busy sewing, knitting and trying crocheting. When I have enough for the bills I will still be very careful so I can go on a few trips.
I also have a lottie so that will need a bit of attendance in the next few weeks but that wont be costing me much money! and I need to go through my seeds to see what I need to buy.
My other big expense is my little caravan that I have on a site as a seasonal so as soon as that opens I will going to it for a few days a week, (I may as well use their leccy, well I suppose I pay for it in the rent!!) but its my bolt hole away from my home for a while and I love it.
Anyway time is creeping away from me.
Nannyg

Allie65

I would like to tag along if that is ok. Planning to reduce my working week to 3 days in September and hopefully be in a position to retire the year after if I can save to pay off finance and live on my pension. I will then be 55. Here’s hoping!

cuddlymarm

Hi guys
Welcome Allie65. My OH retired at 55 and loves it. It’s definitely a different way of life because you have much more time to fill but less money. However it’s an idea to cut back before you retire to give you an idea of what it’s definitely going to cost you to live. You lose work expenses but gain extras such as heating all day, going out, filling your time.
I still work time to pay for lovely holidays and treats ( and to fill my time) that we wouldn’t be able to afford. OH rebuilds old motorbikes and does occasional contract work for an old boss, but a lot less stressful than his career that had made him ill.
We live quite frugally anyway and am attempting to eat less meat. Today we had baked mushrooms with leftover veg chilli for lunch and cauliflower cheese for dinner. Cheap and cheerful and warming in this freezing weather.
I hope everyone is keeping warm in this cold weather. We had a few flakes of snow this morning and the weatherman says it’s going to stay cold for at least a couple of weeks so the bootie slippers and throws are out . We’re lucky our little flat is easy to heat and well insulated.
I try to keep my freezer and cupboards full so that I don’t need to shop if the weather is really bad.
I hope all you retirees and those working towards being retired are keeping well and warm.
Cuddles

v1ckyt

Hi all, I love the idea of being ale to retire or at least cut down working at 55, so am uping my pension contributions to try and make this a possibility. The thought of working to 67, my current state retirement age, and beyond is not appealing, so I am going to watch and learn from you chaps.
Vicky