50 something man seeking to save to retire before 60!

Hi

I thought I'd better get my January payday update in before February ends.

Spending- Kept myself in check this month. Did splurge a bit with Mums' 80th last weekend but within my salary so no overspend. Got my budget for food and fuel for work, so hopefully if no unforeseen expenses come our way in the next 3 weeks we'll stay on track.

Have bought Mrs CRV a wedding anniversary present but I'd better keep that under wraps as I'm not sure if she reads this thread!

Saving- £50 put away again, January pay was my basic one so no large amounts put away. Hopefully next pay will be better with a little overtime from January and mileage so will overpay some debt and bank a bit more.

Sorting- Not a lot because I never managed to get in the loft and we've had youngest son up to stay. Have cleared my car out - a feat in itself!

Have arranged some more overtime for March, having done 4 night shifts in a row and booked a dayshift for tomorrow all overtime so only 2 days off in my weeks holiday. I am well and truly worn out this week!

Other News- Brexit- if it happens seems to be a mess! Have managed to stop myself slavishly following it all.

Mrs CRV has got her reduced hours shifts, so happy wife, happy life!

My mother was 80 on 1st February so I went to lunch on the day, then a concert with Mrs CRV in the evening and the next day we all as a family went out for dinner.

Got to go to a market this morning to pick up the last of Mrs CRV Christmas Presents- ordered a frame for a poster, made to measure for her.

Simple Pleasure- Enjoyed a LimonCello and lemonade, definitely nice but a summer drink I think for me! I did manage a couple of hours wandering around York with no particular purpose, cold but sunny.

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. – Have a great day!

CRV

Clowance wrote: »

i realise you are saving up but working so much of your time off worries me - what if you don't have your health in retirement? Live a little today as well, none of us know what tomorrow will bring. Best wishes

Hi Clowance, I do realise that too much working consistently would be bad for my health but am going to do this for a short burst only while the opportunity is there. Currently our Team is 5 staff down through vacancies without factoring in sickness and annual leave so expect this only to be available for a couple of months, then I expect I'll/ we'll be back to just the odd shift being available.

It is therefore time limited, and in my view for our hourly rate well paid, I appreciate pay per hour is subjective, my view of what is a good rate may be someone elses' view of a poor rate or even a large rate.

I do try to balance by making the most of my time off. Another downside of working overtime is of course time away from the Gorgeous One, aka Mrs CRV!

bugslett wrote: »

Part of my retirement date was set so that it coincided with the better weather. May as well do the overtime now and do less hours as the sun emerges.




That's lovely to hear.

I've been pondering about buying another house - it's so unique and unusual and ticks so many boxes for me - but I've decided against it and ermine's post on the pension board confirmed what I had been thinking, that I need to give myself time between finishing work and really embarking on major changes. However, on another small forum I was debating this with the ladies and several of them said, 'oooh, I know you like gardening but think what it will be like in ten years when you are 65'. I am going to pop over there and tell them about your cool gardening mother.:D

Bugslet as Man of Leisure also said, ignore them! They are wrong on so many levels. I as you know work in mental health, I was worried about my Mum doing too much, and had a good chat with one of my Consultant Psychiatrist colleagues about it - he has a mother around the same age.

The relevant part of the discussion was never stop or try to stop anyone doing anything that they enjoy.

Just help them do it safely. So I got Mum some step ladders with a platform for stability instead of the "normal" A frame ones so she can get up a height, hedge trimmer with a long arm for reach and a smaller electric lawn mower so not as heavy. I pay for a chap to come three times a year to do the tops of the hedges at just over six foot tall about £30-40 a time. I do the tip runs.

One of the theories about lifespan of men vs women is to simplify it, men retire and do less, women retire and do the same or more. It is the doing- housework, gardening, the doing things, cooking, shopping, hobbies like crafts that make the mind work that helps. Also the social side of things, chatting to strangers in shops, having coffee with friends, exercising dogs, joining groups such as dancing, keep fit and the like that broaden social circle and keeping up with family that counts. These are all female dominated activities on the whole, men tend to treat retirement as a long holiday on the whole and lose the routine.

The loss of a routine or purpose however loose and varied it is, is what leads to arm chair sitting and decline. Although there are exceptions that is what they are exceptions and of course the physical can interfere.

So we encourage Mum when she says I'm going to try.......... She can be hard to catch when the weather is warm and around Christmas for all of he "do's and parties" she goes to as part of her activities. She has a far wider social circle now Dad has died because she can and does please herself.

If you want to buy your ideal home do so, I love our home, on paper with what needs doing to it and the large garden we'd never take it on now- on paper if we were sensible we'd end up with a modern box, safe, little work but so dull in comparison, at least we have to think, plan and work on it. Plenty to keep us going for years!