Frugal in retirement

Ilona

v1ckyt wrote: »

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

Hi. I can thoroughly recommend cutting down on working hours at 55 years of age. I did it, and felt a wonderful sense of freedom. I said to myself, if I don't spend any money then I don't have to earn it, so I stopped spending on everything but the essentials. Every penny was accounted for, I learnt the difference between a need and a want, and only bought what I needed. Now at 69 I am in a better place, have savings, and can afford treats. Go for it.

ilona

bouicca21

Our favourite recipe is frying up onion, garlic & chilli, adding the mince, then a mix of soy sauce & oyster sauce to taste

A belated thank you for Buildersdaughter for this tip - spotted YS game casserole in the supermarket and that mix works really well.

vodkawitch11

Hi Everyone,

Really cold here now and walking the dogs this morning was a real wake up call that winter is now here.

Spent a nice few hours organizing my holiday this year, a frugal one of course.
Planning to go on a train trip through the Alps with my sister, we never go on organized tours, we just book ourselves and stay in budget hotels or hostels.
Will be going mid September so its every penny in the holiday pot.

I have the heating on low but as the washing is drying in racks in front of it I`m wrapped up in a cosy throw. Best thing about winter I think. I also have a chicken curry in the slow cooker and a good book waiting to be read.

Love being retired.

Goldiegirl

I usually go out for a walk each day, but it's so cold today I really couldn't be bothered, so decided to stay in the warm

I do the Walk 1000 Miles challenge each year. What I don't do in winter, I make up for in summer. Last summer, we took the train to a town on the Kent coast, then walked along the coast to the next station for the return home. For most outings we took our own lunch. My husband has an Over 60's rail card, so they were reasonable priced days out. I will qualify for the Rail Card next year, so it'll be even cheaper in 2020.

vodkawitch11 wrote: »

Love being retired.

Me too !

I love the freedom it has brought me.

Karmacat

vodkawitch11 wrote: »

Spent a nice few hours organizing my holiday this year, a frugal one of course.
Planning to go on a train trip through the Alps with my sister, we never go on organized tours, we just book ourselves and stay in budget hotels or hostels.
Will be going mid September so its every penny in the holiday pot.

Ohhhhh! I love this sort of holiday, I always used to do it before budgets and health intervened. Now I'm retired, I've started to go on holidays again, but they're with my sister, and they're cruises. However, I've got quite a bit better, and my sister has been away on holiday with her daughter, and with our relatives elsewhere, also fairly expensive compared to what you're describing. I think I'm going to branch out, back to the budget trave and budget hotels that I love.

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.

My sister and I have just booked a Sun holiday in Kent, and we're booking another in Suffolk later in the year. I want to go to France with them next year - there's a little town called Isberques, near Calais I think, where an Irish ancestor was born because her father was in the British Army - this is 1818 we're talking here - I want to just take in what the area's like.

plumduff55

Hi, I am now two weeks into my self imposed car ban and I'll give you my thoughts so far.

1) I'm quite happy not driving.

2) I was very tempted to drive yesterday as I ran out of Co-op Non Bio washing powder. A little thing you may think but my skin is very sensitive and this brand is good for me. The co-op I go to is only a 10 minute drive from the house but extremely difficult to get to via public transport. There are two other co-ops but these would mean taking two buses and over an hour each way. Anyway Mum saved the day (possibly) and gave me Persil Non Bio to try as it suits her sensitive skin as well.

3) This made me think of another problem. My GP Practice is only 3 miles away but if not driving it would be a two bus 30 minute journey each way. If I was feeling ok I could walk, if not I would need to book a taxi from a nearby town.

4) I was at DGD's birthday party during the week and was chatting to ddil's auntie who is younger than me with arthritis in the same joints but much more severe. Without her car she would be housebound.

These are my thought after two weeks - at the end of the month I shall read these posts and decide.

I love being retired as well. Even after 3 and a half years I still can't believe how lucky I am to have this work free life xx

cuddlymarm

Good morning guys
It’s been absolutely freezing here the last few days and showing no sign of warming up. I must admit OH not being able to drive (due to a shoulder op) has been annoying at times, but we are lucky to have decent public transport here and if necessary an occasional taxi won’t break the bank.
It shows we can manage if necessary.
We had a smart meter fitted on Monday and it shows just what uses the most electric. Also it makes you think about turning things off.
It’s SW weigh in this morning, I’ll be happy with a maintain. I’ve had too many cups of hot chocolate and a bit much stodge this week I think.
I hope you are all keeping well and warm guys.
I’m afraid this thread isn’t the most exciting but it’s nice to have like minded souls to chat to.
TTFN
Cuddles

Goldiegirl

cuddlymarm wrote: »

Good morning guys
It’s been absolutely freezing here the last few days and showing no sign of warming up. I must admit OH not being able to drive (due to a shoulder op) has been annoying at times, but we are lucky to have decent public transport here and if necessary an occasional taxi won’t break the bank.
It shows we can manage if necessary.
We had a smart meter fitted on Monday and it shows just what uses the most electric. Also it makes you think about turning things off.
It’s SW weigh in this morning, I’ll be happy with a maintain. I’ve had too many cups of hot chocolate and a bit much stodge this week I think.
I hope you are all keeping well and warm guys.
I’m afraid this thread isn’t the most exciting but it’s nice to have like minded souls to chat to.
TTFN
Cuddles

I think its the time of year, I'm sure we'll get more lively when spring comes and we can get out and about more.

The only mildly exciting thing we've done this week is to wrap up warm and walk to the local shopping centre for coffee in M&S (using M&S Premium Club vouchers)

vodkawitch11

Hi karmacat

Sure you will be off on your budget travels soon. My sister and I did the Wild Atlantic Way for ten days in 2017. Loved it, stayed in budget hotels. Public transport is so cheap in Ireland compared to here too.

So wet and miserable today but it will soon be spring folks it is already getting a little lighter in the evening. Still so much to learn about stretching the pennies, someone asked me what I would use for frugal snacks. I said crackers as a large pkt of own brand crackers are 40p. They said they would make pancakes without using eggs and they work out about 1p each. Just add bit sugar and drizzle of lemon.

Mmmmm back to the drawing board for me then.

buildersdaughter

Thank you plumduff for updating us. We use Ecover products and buy them in bulk, would that be an option for you?
I do a once a month run to our local wholefood co-op to stock up on Ecover stuff, bread flour, and their delicious dried fruit etc. They do deliver which I have taken advantage of after an operation, but usually we do a circuit once a month to stock up at places some distance from us: Lidl, Waitrose, the wholefood co-op and finish with lunch at a special cafe we like.