FIRE friends & family

JoeEngland

JoeCrystal wrote: »

It is not that sad, primarily if you rely on work for social interactions. But yes, I do get what you mean though. The main reason I work is to pays the bills and to have holidays aboard during the year.

I'm not a particular socialable person but I've found things to do which also give social interaction, so it's possible to have social stuff outside work but you have to go out and find it. Again I think it comes down to gumption and having the imagination to find things to do.

enthusiasticsaver

JoeEngland wrote: »

I wonder what people like that are actually living for. If they don't have the gumption to find things to do then it seems as if they just consider themselves to be worker drones. How sad to be in this world and not to want anything other than to work and fit in a few things around that.

I agree that you need a bit of gumption to be prepared to take up new hobbies, join new social groups and be a bit pro active in not letting life drift along. I retired last year and determined not to stagnate and took up rambling, joined the U3a, set myself a challenge of walking the south west coast path and making much more use of my National Trust card and visiting local gardens, and there are lots in Devon and Cornwall. I have got much fitter and tend to have at least one thing on every day if I want to. There are groups I belong to, friends I can meet up with for coffee or lunch and if all else fails I have the gym and pool/spa which we are members of or I go out walking. I have made lots of new friends and kept up with some of my work colleagues but not many to be honest. That chapter of my life is closed. I also look after my grandchildren one day a week. Some of my friends do nothing except see the odd friend and babysit their grandchildren. That is not what I retired for but I assume they like it.

fred246

Anonymous101 wrote: »

The balance point is key. Living life to the maximum through your 20s/30s/40s doesn't equal spending all of your income at all for me. It does include spending some of it though and not squirreling away every penny.

An income of £22K is approx £1500 per month take home. £100K is roughly £5.5K per month. It's pretty easy to see how you can have a good life and still save a reasonable amount. I've had a great family life with kids and retired early. It does mean that high earners can have long retirements while it's impossible for lower earners. One day when I was leaving another colleague who earned much more than me told me he was skint and his big mistake was paying for private education for 4 children. Sort of his fault. Another low earner came and wished me all the best. I had no advice for him. He could never have retired early whatever he had done.

jimi_man

Mick70 wrote: »

the alternative view could be that someone doesnt fully enjoy their 20s/30s/40s when far more active and life truly is for living, at the expense of having more money when in their 60s/70s ? who would be the fool then ?
Need to strike the right balance

I agree completely. The balance is crucial. Over on the Mortgage Free Wannabe board, it seems to be populated with people who take delight in living on £2.37 a fortnight and indulging in activities such as something called ‘batch cooking’, forgoing holidays, and generally leading a pretty miserable life just so the mortgage can be paid off a bit quicker. The same seems to apply to maxing out the pension, just so people can retire early. How depressing.

Sea_Shell

One persons "depressing" is another's "empowering".

We should only look at our own lives, lifestyles and happiness levels, no be continuously comparing ourselves to what others do or don't have/do.

So what if they CHOOSE to go to Gran Canaria on holiday and not the Maldives.
So what if they CHOOSE to drive a Ford and not a Mercedes
So what if they CHOOSE to batch cook to save TIME and money

Some people would see that lifestyle as some sort of self imposed purgatory....but others see it as freedom of choice.

Not to mention being against "consumerism for the sake of consumerism" in these days of "awareness", which may not be their prime objective, but is a consequence of.

Pollycat

jimi_man wrote: »

I agree completely. The balance is crucial. Over on the Mortgage Free Wannabe board, it seems to be populated with people who take delight in living on £2.37 a fortnight and indulging in activities such as something called ‘batch cooking’, forgoing holidays, and generally leading a pretty miserable life just so the mortgage can be paid off a bit quicker. The same seems to apply to maxing out the pension, just so people can retire early. How depressing.

I 'batch cook'.
Not because it saves money but because - to me - it's easier to chop a load of onions, mushrooms or whatever all at once and cook up various meals that go into the freezer and saves time so we can spend that time doing more important things.
I do it as an alternative to cooking every evening.

If you worked out how long it took you (or your wife) to make a portion of bolognaise (or whatever) and how long it took me to make 6 or more portions, my way would be less time consuming per portion.

It means we can go out for the day and come home knowing that there's something home-cooked in the freezer.

Nothing depressing about that.

Anonymous101

Pollycat wrote: »

I 'batch cook'.
Not because it saves money but because - to me - it's easier to chop a load of onions, mushrooms or whatever all at once and cook up various meals that go into the freezer and saves time so we can spend that time doing more important things.
I do it as an alternative to cooking every evening.

If you worked out how long it took you (or your wife) to make a portion of bolognaise (or whatever) and how long it took me to make 6 or more portions, my way would be less time consuming per portion.

It means we can go out for the day and come home knowing that there's something home-cooked in the freezer.

Nothing depressing about that.

Same here. We batch cook. Much easier and more economical in terms of both time and money. We don't buy any of the boil in the bag or microwave food. We do our own, much cheaper and better for us. We have a freezer full of plastic containers with portion size meals ready to go.

Silvertabby

“ I 'batch cook'.
Not because it saves money but because - to me - it's easier to chop a load of onions, mushrooms or whatever all at once and cook up various meals that go into the freezer and saves time so we can spend that time doing more important things.
I do it as an alternative to cooking every evening.

If you worked out how long it took you (or your wife) to make a portion of bolognaise (or whatever) and how long it took me to make 6 or more portions, my way would be less time consuming per portion.

It means we can go out for the day and come home knowing that there's something home-cooked in the freezer.

Nothing depressing about that.
Originally posted by Pollycat

Anonymous101 wrote: »

Same here. We batch cook. Much easier and more economical in terms of both time and money. We don't buy any of the boil in the bag or microwave food. We do our own, much cheaper and better for us. We have a freezer full of plastic containers with portion size meals ready to go.

And here. Funnily enough, I'm just about to set to to make a load of turkey burgers to 'batch freeze'. I buy lean turkey fillets, and mince them myself - that way I know exactly what is in our burgers, unlike some of the cheap shop bought offerings.

Sea_Shell

I'm about to a make a Chilli con Carne. It makes 4 portions, so 2 will go in the freezer. Makes perfect sense.

Hardly depriving myself!! Especially as we have a Merlot "breathing" while I cook!!

Pollycat

Glad to hear that 'batch cooking' is alive and well and considered a good idea. :T

Here's my recent 'freezer fillers' - from another thread posted yesterday:

Pollycat wrote: »

Oh.
I so have cashmere envy.
No idea if the freezer trick works - and after 4 days of slaving over the cooker and putting 4 lamb sheperds pie bases, 4 beef, 5 pork and 8 single portions of corned beef hash in the freezer, I really don't think I could fit even a drop-dead gorgeous cashmere jumper in.
But if I'd had the chance to buy one, you can bet it would be in there, cuddling up to something or other.

I also do my own mashed potato, swede, parsnip, carrot and turnip for pie base toppings.

It's superior to the stuff you can buy.
I'd find eating a shop-bought shepherds pie pretty depressing.

Like Silvertabby, I make my own burgers.
You know what goes into them and I can add different herbs and flavours.

I also buy large beef joints from the butcher and cut it up myself.
That way, I can do slices for braising, big lean chunks for goulash, lean strips for stroganoff and grade the rest for other dishes e.g. scrappy bits for pie bases in the slow cooker.
Of course, cooking and messing about in the kitchen is one of my hobbies.
I can understand how other people may find it boring.