Thrifty in my 60's

I_Love_comps

Next year I reach 60. I have never been bothered about the other big O birthdays . Being 60 does bother me, for various reasons. 1 My father died when he was 60. 2,It is the decade you retire in 67 for myself.

I am going to start saving and being thrifty, 
Also what did you all do when you were 60. I have arranged to go to see my favourite band with my hubby next year with an overnight stay. I will also arrange a family meal for family and friends on the day.

Benefits of being 60 
discount off food at Iceland on a Tuesday
Not having to pay for prescriptions

I have pension coming in to which will give me more income until retirement. So I shall be putting some of that into savings.

My thriftiness starts now.

Floss

I'm going on a cruise in my 60th birthday month next year. I am planning to drop a working day a week next year too and am also about to pay off my mortgage & will use that money to top up my pension pot so I can retire at 64.

Brie

An internet friend started a 60 things at 60 thread that we took great delight in.  One thing was to receive 60 postcards from 60 different places! Well that set us all off when we were on jolly hols!!  She also had on her list to design and make her own bra which I thought was really wonderful! (everyone who hates bra shopping put their hands up now!)

What I didn't do (& should have) was double check my pensions.  I actually had one that I could have started taking at 60 but the pension admins had given me incorrect info so I delayed and missed out on 5 years of payments - yes the pension increased in that time but the money would have been handy and the tax implications were, if not significant, interesting.  So do a financial check, including SP forecast.  

I always say I was blessed in that having found a new job at 60 I was then starting to think about how I would bow out of that at 66, 67, whenever. The blessing was that they then made me redundant at 64.5 so gave me a great whacking cushion for going into (semi) retirement.

Brambling

I'm another one 60 next year I get a company pension from a previous employer so I'm dithering on early retirement or going part time.  

Having just come back from holiday with some one over 60 I've seem the benefits of concessions for some places the most I think was £4 cheaper, she also gets them at our local theatre and there is the benefits of senior railcard. 

Brie

Oh and - you are not your father. You didn't live his life, his experiences and deprivations or excesses.  So put that aside.  (easy for me to say - my dad died at 76 and my mom is still kicking along at 94 - I'm hoping I take after my mom and am making my financial plans on that basis.)

Hattie627

Where I live you used to get free swimming at council swimming pools at age 60. I signed up for it and then the councillors, in their wisdom. decided to end it 7 months after I turned 60. They also ended free swimming for children at the same time, It was at the time explained that over 60s from the "affluent" areas were disproportionately using the free swim pass. I don't know what the statistics showed for children. 

Floss

Brie said:

An internet friend started a 60 things at 60 thread that we took great delight in.  One thing was to receive 60 postcards from 60 different places! Well that set us all off when we were on jolly hols!!   

I'm pinching that idea!

mandy47

I'm 60 next year. So is DH. We're planning a big holiday. We compromised on holidays this year to put the extra cash towards next year. 
I don’t shop at Iceland but I'm looking forward to free prescriptions. 

Gem-gem

If you live in London / Greater London you can pay £10 a year and get an Oyster 60+. This entitles you to free travel after 9:30am on trains, buses and tube all within Greater London. My husband saved a fortune each year. 

The first year, both him and his friend went on days out travelling around the underground going to the end of the lines and riding different train lines. 

Hopefully it will still be around when I reach sixty. 

Katiehound

Hattie627 said:

Where I live you used to get free swimming at council swimming pools at age 60. I signed up for it and then the councillors, in their wisdom. decided to end it 7 months after I turned 60. They also ended free swimming for children at the same time, It was at the time explained that over 60s from the "affluent" areas were disproportionately using the free swim pass. I don't know what the statistics showed for children. 

I am almost certain that this was the result of a government policy or, govt no longer provided the funds to support local council. I remember you could present your bus pass and get a free swim and I did that in several parts of the country

Gem-gem

Regarding regarding Iceland, we don't buy their ready meals etc but DH has found that with the discount it make things like butter and eggs sometimes cheaper than the other supermarkets.