What to do with all your time?

Moonwolf

Sarahspangles said:

In one of my roles I went to London from Yorkshire for meetings every week, it’s two hours by train. Once I’m retired I'm going to see whether it’s possible with a later start to avoid peak fares. I expect we’d be shattered the next day! We did a trip with an overnight stay recently but the second day wasn’t fun after a night in a noisy hotel. With a day trip, we would just need one of us to wake up before we reached our home station.

We do that every couple of years even before being retired. Take a later train, book well in advance at the cheapest possible time, arrive in London around lunchtime. Have a late slow boozy lunch somewhere busy and people watch. Check in the hotel, go to a show.  The next day (or two) do tourist stuff, last year we took a boat from Westminster Pier to Kew. A nice meal somewhere in the evening. The next morning a museum or gallery then train home. Pre book everything for the best price.

You get less time in London so you effectively lose some of the savings. An early train out and late back would give you three days instead of 1 and two halves, but our method is less tiring.

Sarahspangles

LHW99 said:

Sarahspangles said:

LHW99 said:

pterri said:

LHW99 said:

Ibrahim5 said:

In our company there were two of us famous for cycling. I commuted to work, did my shopping etc all on a bike hardly ever using my car. He went out in lycra on a Sunday and went round in circles. We had nothing in common. I do so much cycling anyway that I am not attracted to cycling just for fun.

Bikes always did use to be a means of transport - I used one exclusively for my first real job. Now it seems bikes are "just for fun". Personally I prefer a good walk, or swimming if I'm in the mood.

Erm….,what? Cycling as recreation is as old as the bike. Cycle racing, group rides, cycle clubs, cycle touring, bike backing. At some point an idiot will decide to organise a cycle race around France, stupid idea. Who would be interested in that 

I can only assume I was significantly deprived as a youngster. There was nothing like that in my neck of the woods as a teen. My bike was purely to transport me somewhere I needed to get to, and get me home again. Normal clothes, bike clips, wet weather gear if necessary. That was the same for my mates as well, and AFAIR no-one I knew watched (or participated) in anything of the kind.

It must vary between areas. My urban bit of Yorkshire is in pedal range of national parks and people cycled for leisure as well as sport. Lads I knew who were Scouts graduated to youth hosteling by bike and I think the Clarion clubs started in the North. You did have to be relatively keen, to get a racing or touring bike; a Raleigh Chopper wouldn’t get you far. I don’t remember it as a spectator sport though, no velodromes round here. 

We were about 10 mins walk from the beach, but about 10 miles from the nearest town / civilisation along a busy road. Friends were a 15 minute walk to the next village so walking was very much "the thing", particularly as not everyone even had a bike.

I don’t remember people cycling to school or work, but we had great bus services and you could get a Metro card for buses - no underground or trams here, even now - so bikes were for leisure. It was a real shock moving to Cambridgeshire as a graduate. I bought a bike to get to work, on excellent cycleways, but we were really stuck for longer journeys without a car. Back in Yorkshire, the mayor is trying to rebuild the bus service we use to have.

LHW99

Sarahspangles said:

LHW99 said:

Sarahspangles said:

LHW99 said:

pterri said:

LHW99 said:

Ibrahim5 said:

In our company there were two of us famous for cycling. I commuted to work, did my shopping etc all on a bike hardly ever using my car. He went out in lycra on a Sunday and went round in circles. We had nothing in common. I do so much cycling anyway that I am not attracted to cycling just for fun.

Bikes always did use to be a means of transport - I used one exclusively for my first real job. Now it seems bikes are "just for fun". Personally I prefer a good walk, or swimming if I'm in the mood.

Erm….,what? Cycling as recreation is as old as the bike. Cycle racing, group rides, cycle clubs, cycle touring, bike backing. At some point an idiot will decide to organise a cycle race around France, stupid idea. Who would be interested in that 

I can only assume I was significantly deprived as a youngster. There was nothing like that in my neck of the woods as a teen. My bike was purely to transport me somewhere I needed to get to, and get me home again. Normal clothes, bike clips, wet weather gear if necessary. That was the same for my mates as well, and AFAIR no-one I knew watched (or participated) in anything of the kind.

It must vary between areas. My urban bit of Yorkshire is in pedal range of national parks and people cycled for leisure as well as sport. Lads I knew who were Scouts graduated to youth hosteling by bike and I think the Clarion clubs started in the North. You did have to be relatively keen, to get a racing or touring bike; a Raleigh Chopper wouldn’t get you far. I don’t remember it as a spectator sport though, no velodromes round here. 

We were about 10 mins walk from the beach, but about 10 miles from the nearest town / civilisation along a busy road. Friends were a 15 minute walk to the next village so walking was very much "the thing", particularly as not everyone even had a bike.

I don’t remember people cycling to school or work, but we had great bus services and you could get a Metro card for buses - no underground or trams here, even now - so bikes were for leisure. It was a real shock moving to Cambridgeshire as a graduate. I bought a bike to get to work, on excellent cycleways, but we were really stuck for longer journeys without a car. Back in Yorkshire, the mayor is trying to rebuild the bus service we use to have.

We were given a bus pass for school - 2 an hour, and took 3/4 of an hour to get there. Not unlike having he OAP card where I am now! However the local shops were where you got things, or mail order. Now it's local supermarkets, or online deliveries, so longer bus (or train trips) can be just for fun - when retired it's not so difficult to be flexible as when working.

GlasgowExpat2

arthurdick said:

westv said:

katejo said:

westv said:

pterri said:

jennystarpepper said:

Something simple for me, as not a cyclist.  Being able to go to the beach for a walk more, weather and daylight permitting, tide times will be more accessible, not being stuck mostly to the weekends, and it's free!  

Being able to just take a trip, mid week if the weather is nice. That alone is worth retiring early if you can afford it. If you’re in the South East then the Network Rail card will pay for itself very quickly, 1/3 off rail tickets for £35 a year. 

Or, if you are over 60, the Senior Railcard gives you 1/3 off anywhere in the UK.

Yes I have the senior Railcard combined with my Oyster 60+. That's better than the Network Railcard. I intend to do more impulsive days out once retired. 

Oh and there's the Two Together railcard if,  obviously, there are two of you.
It's a pity that there is no equivalent of the 60+ Oyster card anywhere else in the country. My brother has one and I am very jealous of him.

I am not sure but I think they may have similar in Liverpool.

We do 🙂. Free travel on Merseyrail, river crossings and local buses within Merseyside 

westv

GlasgowExpat2 said:

arthurdick said:

westv said:

katejo said:

westv said:

pterri said:

jennystarpepper said:

Something simple for me, as not a cyclist.  Being able to go to the beach for a walk more, weather and daylight permitting, tide times will be more accessible, not being stuck mostly to the weekends, and it's free!  

Being able to just take a trip, mid week if the weather is nice. That alone is worth retiring early if you can afford it. If you’re in the South East then the Network Rail card will pay for itself very quickly, 1/3 off rail tickets for £35 a year. 

Or, if you are over 60, the Senior Railcard gives you 1/3 off anywhere in the UK.

Yes I have the senior Railcard combined with my Oyster 60+. That's better than the Network Railcard. I intend to do more impulsive days out once retired. 

Oh and there's the Two Together railcard if,  obviously, there are two of you.
It's a pity that there is no equivalent of the 60+ Oyster card anywhere else in the country. My brother has one and I am very jealous of him.

I am not sure but I think they may have similar in Liverpool.

We do 🙂. Free travel on Merseyrail, river crossings and local buses within Merseyside 

For 60+?

.....

GlasgowExpat2

westv said:

GlasgowExpat2 said:

arthurdick said:

westv said:

katejo said:

westv said:

pterri said:

jennystarpepper said:

Something simple for me, as not a cyclist.  Being able to go to the beach for a walk more, weather and daylight permitting, tide times will be more accessible, not being stuck mostly to the weekends, and it's free!  

Being able to just take a trip, mid week if the weather is nice. That alone is worth retiring early if you can afford it. If you’re in the South East then the Network Rail card will pay for itself very quickly, 1/3 off rail tickets for £35 a year. 

Or, if you are over 60, the Senior Railcard gives you 1/3 off anywhere in the UK.

Yes I have the senior Railcard combined with my Oyster 60+. That's better than the Network Railcard. I intend to do more impulsive days out once retired. 

Oh and there's the Two Together railcard if,  obviously, there are two of you.
It's a pity that there is no equivalent of the 60+ Oyster card anywhere else in the country. My brother has one and I am very jealous of him.

I am not sure but I think they may have similar in Liverpool.

We do 🙂. Free travel on Merseyrail, river crossings and local buses within Merseyside 

For 60+?

.....

Yes, you can get a card from age 60

Ash_Pole

This thread is inspiring 
Being quite interested but having never had the chance to do it at school, I'd like to give A-level Economics a go. There seem to be a myriad of options for study, any recommendations?

Bravepants

Ash_Pole said:

This thread is inspiring 
Being quite interested but having never had the chance to do it at school, I'd like to give A-level Economics a go. There seem to be a myriad of options for study, any recommendations?

I'm in the middle of a course on Udemy by Prof. Peter Navaro.

Strategic Macroeconomics for Business and Investing.

He's American but economics is global and he focusses on Keynesian economics, which means Government intervention, fiscal and monetary policy. I have a couple of books on the subject, but I learnt more in the first two lessons (videos) than I ever have. It's very interesting. Udemy might be better for you to dip your toe before committing to full on qualification.

cfw1994

I’d forgotten about Udemy!
I had a work subscription to it a few years back….never really made use of it 🤦‍♂️ (too busy working🤪)

Ted talks were also sometimes rather inspiring & moderately educational.

stuart746

MOOCs (Massive open online courses) are another option - search for edX, Coursera and FutureLearn. So much free online content from reputable universities, including economics.