It's time to start digging up those Squirrelled Nuts!!!!

Sea_Shell

Just got back from a lovely 7.5 mile walk on the edge of the Cotswolds.

Sun shining, picnic lunch, flask of coffee. Pizza for tea!!! We've earnt it today.

Triumph13

Sea_Shell wrote: »

Just got back from a lovely 7.5 mile walk on the edge of the Cotswolds.

Sun shining, picnic lunch, flask of coffee. Pizza for tea!!! We've earnt it today.

Officially jealous. Not fair that the one day a week I work is the one day that the sun shines!
On the other hand, the income did pay for my shiny new wood fired pizza oven...

Sea_Shell

Triumph13 wrote: »

Officially jealous. Not fair that the one day a week I work is the one day that the sun shines!
On the other hand, the income did pay for my shiny new wood fired pizza oven...

You win on the wood fired Pizza Oven.....we're just having a couple of Dr Oetker frozen ones, but we do like them!! Yum!! We don't have them very often, so no harm no foul!!

There might even be a couple of Cans of Saint Etienne beer in the fridge too.:beer:

westv

atush wrote: »

I didnt hear that either.

Getting your children driving, and educated is not spoiling them.

If I had them, I'd like to think they'd be able to fund their own driving and housing.
What is it with 17 and driving? Why do some many people automatically think you MUST drive then?

atush

JoeEngland wrote: »

All this talk of the cost of having kids makes me glad we didn't have any! ☺

Too right.

All my 3 say they wont be having any lol

atush

Sea_Shell wrote: »

I don't want this thread to turn into a "my lifestyle's better than yours" tit for tat.

It's about my journey, and I hoped like minded people would want to follow how I get on, not make me feel I have to justify myself.

I appreciate some have wildly different views as to what they want their retirement to be, so maybe it would be best if they could start a thread for their circumstances, rather than belittle my choices, Rock and Roll as they are!!!

Anyway, I'm curled up on the sofa with a cuppa, watching the Athletics.

Too right. And you sound happy.

My OH has just gone down to 4 days a week this week. Fridays will be interesting. Although he is working this Friday as he doesnt want to sit home in a hurricane. I will be as i dont want to be out in one lol.

Sea_Shell

westv wrote: »

If I had them, I'd like to think they'd be able to fund their own driving and housing.
What is it with 17 and driving? Why do some many people automatically think you MUST drive then?

I know things are different these days, but I learnt at 17, but then I was working full time, paid for lessons and an old car myself. No handouts from parents for anything, other than a part contribution to our wedding.

MallyGirl

westv wrote: »

If I had them, I'd like to think they'd be able to fund their own driving and housing.
What is it with 17 and driving? Why do some many people automatically think you MUST drive then?

I guess it depends on what other modes of transport are available. My daughter couldn't wait to learn and the freedom that I have gained from it in not being 'Mum's taxi' is fab. I can go to gigs or out for a meal and not have to be able to drive and pick her up from band practices plus no more 8am Sunday morning getting her to the animal rescue in the middle of nowhere. She has friends who aren't interested and others like her who passed within a few months of their 17th.

atush

westv wrote: »

If I had them, I'd like to think they'd be able to fund their own driving and housing.
What is it with 17 and driving? Why do some many people automatically think you MUST drive then?

If you had them, you'd know better. Easy to be dismissive if you dont.

Where we live you MUST drive. Out in the country, limited to no bus service. Plus all my 3 are american citizens. And only the poor dont drive there. You can live in a city like NYC and not drive, but pretty much everywhere else you have to. So i made sure they know how. It is a life skill.

AS for paying for their own? Well i suppose they could have, but they needed to drive to school. And while they applied for Saturday jobs, there were over 50 kids for every job in a small town. One of the twins got down to the last 3 for an interview 3 times. but was a year younger than the others (Summer baby).

They managed to get summer jobs at 18, but were going to uni so had them save all their cash for that. Already had their licenses then though.

Once they started earning they had to pay for it all, incl insurance and annual service and road tax. Even with summer jobs had to pay for the petrol. Was a shock for them getting those first bills lol.

atush

Sea_Shell wrote: »

I know things are different these days, but I learnt at 17, but then I was working full time, paid for lessons and an old car myself. No handouts from parents for anything, other than a part contribution to our wedding.

Different times indeed. Cant marry at 17 now. And mine were all in 6th form. So no full time jobs.

Uni or not, once you are working full time you should pay your way, as you did and I (and my 3). But we were a few years older as we did higher education.