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

Sea_Shell

Stunning morning for a run!!!   Bit chilly, but sunny, dry and crispy of leaf underfoot.

I love days like these.

6 miles in the bag.    Cup of coffee and a pain au chocolat is my reward 

bluenose1

Sea_Shell said:

Stunning morning for a run!!!   Bit chilly, but sunny, dry and crispy of leaf underfoot.

I love days like these.

6 miles in the bag.    Cup of coffee and a pain au chocolat is my reward 

Sounds lovely, know exactly what you mean. I did 5 miles yesterday in the woods by my house, though was more walking than running if honest, even saw a fallow deer for the second time this year. One of the benefits of getting out early when not many people  around. 

My reward afterwards was a walk to the village for brunch with a cousin, good times. 

I sometimes wonder if I will appreciate being able to do this most days when retired rather than just the weekend.        I think I will but won’t know for sure I suppose until I do finish work. 

Sea_Shell

Out of interest, and prompted by @gambleruk 's thread, I've had a look at where we were when DH gave up work and retired, 7 years ago.

Back at the end of 2015, we had a total pot of £391,000.

I carried on working (part time) for another 4 years after that, and by that time (as you'll note from the start of this thread) our pot had grown to £536,000.

During those 4 years, I was bringing in about £700-800 a month net, but making 20% pension contributions.


I know looking backwards has limited value, when our lives are ahead of us, but thought it was interesting to have a look back.


As for whether i am "retired", well as far as "officialdom" is concerned, no, i'm not, i'm a housewife, but DH at 56 and drawing a pension is "retired".    While I was still working, I seem to recall, he was "officially" a house-husband!!!

I had a "career break" from 2009 to 2012, so we have both spent time "sponging" off each other.   It was a stand in joke in our house!!!

Whatever....It worked (and is still working) for us.

Sea_Shell

bluenose1 said:

Sea_Shell said:

Stunning morning for a run!!!   Bit chilly, but sunny, dry and crispy of leaf underfoot.

I love days like these.

6 miles in the bag.    Cup of coffee and a pain au chocolat is my reward 

Sounds lovely, know exactly what you mean. I did 5 miles yesterday in the woods by my house, though was more walking than running if honest, even saw a fallow deer for the second time this year. One of the benefits of getting out early when not many people  around. 

My reward afterwards was a walk to the village for brunch with a cousin, good times. 

I sometimes wonder if I will appreciate being able to do this most days when retired rather than just the weekend.        I think I will but won’t know for sure I suppose until I do finish work. 

Oh, i'm sure you will.      

The knowledge that you can DO something when you feel like it, regardless of what the day of the week is, is very liberating.

You can also just as easily choose NOT to DO anything!!!  

Expotter

Sea_Shell said:

As for whether i am "retired", well as far as "officialdom" is concerned, no, i'm not, i'm a housewife, but DH at 56 and drawing a pension is "retired".    While I was still working, I seem to recall, he was "officially" a house-husband!!!

I had a "career break" from 2009 to 2012, so we have both spent time "sponging" off each other.   It was a stand in joke in our house!!!

Whatever....It worked (and is still working) for us.

I believe the officially approved government term is actually "economically inactive", which I'm sure is completely inaccurate in most cases (people are rarely inactive, just not getting paid for their work). There's many men, and women, out there who would have never been able to achieve what they did in their careers without having someone at home holding the fort, or managing the home office as I liked to call it. It also worked that way in my house and as long as everyone involved is happy in their situation, in my opinion, there's absolutely nothing wrong with it.
I have found, though, that many people tend to look down on those who call themselves housewife/husband. There's often an awkward Oh... after being told. Maybe that's why people would rather refer to themselves as something else.

Audaxer

Sea_Shell said:

As for whether i am "retired", well as far as "officialdom" is concerned, no, i'm not, i'm a housewife, but DH at 56 and drawing a pension is "retired".    While I was still working, I seem to recall, he was "officially" a house-husband!!!

I would have thought anyone that decides to retire early, even at under 55, can be classed as retired if they have other income, or there is other household income, and they are not claiming unemployment benefits? Just wondering in what official documents etc. can you not class yourself as retired? 

Sea_Shell

It's mainly for insurances TBH.

"Unemployed" can be a red flag.  And "retired" at (what was) 47 might not compute.

Simpler just to state housewife.

Staffordia

Sea_Shell said:

It's mainly for insurances TBH.

"Unemployed" can be a red flag.  And "retired" at (what was) 47 might not compute.

Simpler just to state housewife.

Lady of independent means?

westv

Staffordia said:

Sea_Shell said:

It's mainly for insurances TBH.

"Unemployed" can be a red flag.  And "retired" at (what was) 47 might not compute.

Simpler just to state housewife.

Lady of independent means?

Lady of leisure?
Lady who lunches?

Baileys_Babe

Sea_Shell said:

It's mainly for insurances TBH.

"Unemployed" can be a red flag.  And "retired" at (what was) 47 might not compute.

Simpler just to state housewife.

I have this problem as well. I ceased paid employment in 2006 to Home Educate our children. If I choose unemployed insurance companies, particularly car insurance, are not happy. Instead, I choose housewife for convenience despite it not being an accurate description of my role. My OH is in paid fulltime employment and does the majority of the cooking, whilst I home educate our children and deal with most of the household admin, the housework/chores are shared by everyone who lives here.