Was it the "Nice Decade"?

Kez100

Apart from the stresses and struggles of being a junior partner and a dodgy endowment, yes a good decade. Bought my house cheap have no debt to speak of except a low mortgage and a repayment business equity loan with three years (of fifteen) left. Have managed that alongside bearing a young family - both just about to leave primary for secondary. However, I have sacrificed the expensive travel and material goods to allow me to do all of that on a part time basis to ensure we live within our means and save too. I'm happy with my lot.

PasturesNew

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

Why not meet some new people? Join a yoga / pottery / dancing (whatever floats your boat) class.

I'll cover it with a couple of words rather than taking this interesting thread off topic. It turns out I'm an Aspie. So while I've tried a couple of things, it wasn't good. And as a rule of thumb: nothing floats my boat. I like the idea of being interested in something, but I lack the interest in pretty much everything.

mircea

PasturesNew wrote: »

For me a big downturn. Moved to a rural/remote area, got a job 100 miles from there but company was taken over, couple of OKish jobs after that then working 200 miles away. Then the dot com bubble burst and I couldn't go that far any more because the rates then being paid weren't doable with the travel/hotel costs.

So tried to make the best of what I had. In/out of poorly paid, seasonal jobs. Trapped in a house I couldn't afford that needed a LOT of work that I could neither do myself nor pay to get done.

Lots of staying in/eating beans. Ended up living in one room to cut costs.

Decided enough was enough ... due to the Internet I found out that others were having fabulous lives and decided where I was was preventing me having access to anything (jobs, people, things, life). So sold up.

So I have my STR fund. And that's it. I feel I "missed out" somewhere on all the fun people were having. And the stuff/gadgets etc.

Now wondering "what next".

Still single. Always was. Now living in a city, but not going out as I don't know anybody and going out on your own isn't good, or mostly even possible. But glad I chose to sell up/move. I'm sure something will turn up.

Bless - I somehow figured all this out from your replies to people's postings. Not bitter at all, are you?

Phirefly

While the economy affects us all profoundly, I hate generalisations as we're all at different stages of our lives and whats good for one etc etc. For me it was a decade of huge growth, graduating from university, building my career, starting what (I hope to be) a lifelong relationship, buying my first house and culminating in starting my own business. Exhilirating? Exhausting? Exciting? Yes. Nice? Not really!

A 'downturn' in the economy isn't necessarily the end of the world. As a contractor I'm busier than ever before as in-house design teams are eradicated in favour of outsourcing. Nice

PasturesNew

mircea wrote: »

Not bitter at all, are you?

No why would I be?

Happy to make your day by enabling you to call somebody that.

WTF?_2

PasturesNew wrote: »

For me a big downturn. Moved to a rural/remote area, got a job 100 miles from there but company was taken over, couple of OKish jobs after that then working 200 miles away. Then the dot com bubble burst and I couldn't go that far any more because the rates then being paid weren't doable with the travel/hotel costs.

So tried to make the best of what I had. In/out of poorly paid, seasonal jobs. Trapped in a house I couldn't afford that needed a LOT of work that I could neither do myself nor pay to get done.

Lots of staying in/eating beans. Ended up living in one room to cut costs.

Decided enough was enough ... due to the Internet I found out that others were having fabulous lives and decided where I was was preventing me having access to anything (jobs, people, things, life). So sold up.

So I have my STR fund. And that's it. I feel I "missed out" somewhere on all the fun people were having. And the stuff/gadgets etc.

Now wondering "what next".

Still single. Always was. Now living in a city, but not going out as I don't know anybody and going out on your own isn't good, or mostly even possible. But glad I chose to sell up/move. I'm sure something will turn up.

If I were you I'd look to pick up a decent place in 2-3 years time once the prices have fallen about 20% off of current (in line with most mainstream forecasts) then invest the rest of the money and look for an interesting or personally rewarding job. It doesn't have to pay well, just be interesting to you.

If you're currently not working and just living off your cash stockpile then why not just go travelling for the next couple of years? It's not going to be much fun in the UK as the place really goes to pot. If you go to a cheap region of the world you ought to be able to get by very nicely on what you are currently spending in the UK to sit around doing nothing and more importantly you'll be having a great travel experience, seeing new cultures and broadening your horizons.

Phirefly

!!!!!!? wrote: »

If I were you I'd look to pick up a decent place in 2-3 years time once the prices have fallen about 20% off of current (in line with most mainstream forecasts) then invest the rest of the money and look for an interesting or personally rewarding job. It doesn't have to pay well, just be interesting to you.

If you're currently not working and just living off your cash stockpile then why not just go travelling for the next couple of years? It's not going to be much fun in the UK as the place really goes to pot. If you go to a cheap region of the world you ought to be able to get by very nicely on what you are currently spending in the UK to sit around doing nothing and more importantly you'll be having a great travel experience, seeing new cultures and broadening your horizons.

makes sense.....

jamescredmond

a good decade for me, as well.

reduced mortgage, worked most days and travelled when I could.

started to learn another language (dutch) which is going Ok except for the bloody pronunciation.

started gardening.

watched my kids grow up.

watched HPI go stratosphoric and got hugely entertained by people who thought they'd 'cracked' it.

yes. a good decade. but as with so much in life there was an element of luck. I just happened to marry the right woman and stayed in work.

PasturesNew

!!!!!!? wrote: »

If I were you I'd look to pick up a decent place in 2-3 years time once the prices have fallen about 20% off of current (in line with most mainstream forecasts) then invest the rest of the money and look for an interesting or personally rewarding job. It doesn't have to pay well, just be interesting to you.

That's the current plan. Unless something good comes along

!!!!!!? wrote: »

If you're currently not working and just living off your cash stockpile then why not just go travelling for the next couple of years? It's not going to be much fun in the UK as the place really goes to pot. If you go to a cheap region of the world you ought to be able to get by very nicely on what you are currently spending in the UK to sit around doing nothing and more importantly you'll be having a great travel experience, seeing new cultures and broadening your horizons.

I am not touching the cash. I am earning now in 8 hours/week more than I ever was working full-time in the last 6 years. So all's good there.

I have never travelled. It can't be fun alone I bet. I'd need to be travelling with somebody because I would expect to experience problems understanding other cultures and getting by.

A hot place would be good. But I don't speak other languages. And I'd never know if I was breaking a law or not (e.g. look at our TV licence, having to MoT a car, among more complex things). I'd just get stuff wrong.

Phirefly

PasturesNew wrote: »

A hot place would be good. But I don't speak other languages. And I'd never know if I was breaking a law or not (e.g. look at our TV licence, having to MoT a car, among more complex things). I'd just get stuff wrong.

If I were you (here we go) and I was going to continue living & working as you are for the time being, I'd get my backside over to Jersey, Guernsey or preferably the Isles of Scilly. Its still UK, so the rules and regs are all the same, only the weather is infinitely better, the community is closer and you'd not struggle to find similar living accomodation to your existing... Life on Scilly can be like a permanent holiday... plus theres a ridiculous male-to-female ratio. You can't NOT find someone!! (not that I'm implying you're looking)