BPX073: A Good Day to Die

[gunrock]

She sounds formidable!

[dataDave]

I'm looking forward to retirement. I'll continue to work my ass off hoarding as much nice stuff as possible for another 15 years and then transition over to commission painting miniatures for as long as my hands and eyes will carry it.

[fishbowlhead]

Ill be fine, i have a good short term an long term business plan, which is paying off nicely now, i’ve been buying up the factories around me giving the business and myself long term assets to own and sell off if need be, or if i want. Then there’s the prospect of selling the business entirely if my kid (kids if multiple) don’t want to take it over and run it.

But I enjoy what i do, so working isn’t really working for me like other people that work for someone, i go to work everyday with ideas and the means to make it happen, its fun.

[Anpanman]

Important reminder though, he might be seen as a red-tie Tory but given what the Tories have done recently, it's no longer reasonable to throw up your hands and say "they're all the same". I'll be voting for him, even though I'm not a fan, because angels fly out of his arse compared to Reese-Mogg.

He will certainly bring more accountability and honesty I've no doubt but 'they are all the same' in the context I'm talking about, I hope I'm wrong but Starmer won't put house building on a massive priority, won't do anything about state pensions or reduce the VAT rate, Corbyn was outraged when it was increased but when pressed about repealing it if he won the GE he just said 'it was too difficult'. I'm sure Starmer was shouting about it too but he's not going anywhere near it.

In short, ease of home ownership, state pension and retirement age won't improve, it's been getting steadily worse since the 60's and as per my point successive governments are all culpable in not getting a grip.
The only positive thing is forcing companies of certain sizes to have a pension scheme, most might not be earth shattering but much better than nothing.

I can't remember the last time I didn't pretty much consider 70 to be the minimum retirement age. The idea doesn't hugely bother me as frankly it seems all to common that people finally finish working and are dead within a small number of years because the switch to inactivity finishes them off. The availability of work in older age is a big concern especially since automation is likely going to wipe out many roles as well. To be honest, universal basic income feels inevitable

Great point, I've sadly witnessed it too many times where my colleagues have left and not long later they have died, though from my experience the common denominator is going from working to sitting about doing nothing all day.
My ex co-workers who have done something, taken on new hobbies or travelled have all flourished and most of those look younger and fitter to boot.
I'm looking forward to mine, fingers crossed we'll be ok.

Ill be fine, i have a good short term an long term business plan, which is paying off nicely now, i’ve been buying up the factories around me giving the business and myself long term assets to own and sell off if need be, or if i want. Then there’s the prospect of selling the business entirely if my kid (kids if multiple) don’t want to take it over and run it.

But I enjoy what i do, so working isn’t really working for me like other people that work for someone, i go to work everyday with ideas and the means to make it happen, its fun.

Superb, wish I had done what you have, really heartening - good luck with it. 10/10.

[Blobcat]

She sounds formidable!

Absolutely! Just make sure she is fighting for your side!

Having an opinion opposite of hers is a bit of a nightmare though, I'm kind of the black sheep of the family so no matter what I say or do I feel its not good enough for her but she means well, it can just be very, VERY difficult sometimes to live my own life lol!

Luckily I have no worries about her financially with her retirement, she has a smaller pension than my stepdad who was in a more senior role for longer before they met but he lost his job and worked from the ground up a few years after they got together so she is the more financially stable one with her home and investments. His old larger pension has kept him propped up enough to get by. She would have a better pension if she married and if he were to pass before her but they are both happy not getting married and personally I think that's for the best too. Its only their health and age that is slowly creeping up on them, my mother has been a very young 60 year old but her last 2 years have made that age and more catch up with cancer scares and an undiagnosed heart condition which, since taking meds for it, has made her worse for a while.

I'm hoping I can still be fit and able enough to earn until retirement age at least, I don't see many people over 50 in my job role but there are many others I could do as I get older and similar in other ways with a pay cut if I had to. I'd probably still volunteer part time if it was worth doing, I just need to be able to function long enough to get to my pension!

[Neon Ignition]

My Mum is one of those people who was convinced that she would be dead by 55 because one or two others in the family died around that age so she was always focused on that age and went through a high anxiety phase as it approached. Once she sailed past that age she's taken a very contradictory view where she gets fed up often because she says there's nothing to look forward to and every day is the same etc but is also actively against holidays or hobbies etc. Walking from their house to the shop at the end of the street? Nah, too far! And she's not even retirement age yet.

It's bled over to my Dad who still works 12 hour shifts etc but over the last 3-4 years he's had mounting lower back issues that led to surgery to replace part of his lower spine with a metal bracket. That's pushed him well into the same mindset even though he's more mobile than he was pre-surgery (he's convinced he's not even though its visible he is from a mile away) and still has a few years to go. It's clear that they're both going to reach the age where the day asks nothing more of them but to sit in the living room and breath oxygen and that's all they'll do.

I wouldn't go anywhere near describing myself as active but it seems obvious that if you have all that free time then making use of things like the swimming baths, your car if you have one to get out for a walk somewhere, hell - even the OAP rate at the cinema just to get out your house for a bit etc is the bare minimum.

I suppose I could keep sending the kids round to their house... that'd keep them active

[Asura]

I suppose I could keep sending the kids round to their house... that'd keep them active

Admittedly I was worried about my parents in retirement too, until one of my siblings had multiple kids and that's kept them busier than when they are at work.

It's morbid, so naturally I don't like to dwell on it, but by the time those kids are adults, the problem won't be a problem anymore, so it's turned out for the best, even if they both complain about being busy all the time.

[QualityChimp]

My dad had a degenerative disease (think multiple sclerosis) and my Mom cared for him until he died.
Then she cared for my Grandad until he died.
Then she died of cancer.

I'm absolutely gutted my folks didn't get some time in retirement together to just enjoy being with each other.
I feel they were robbed of that due to those health reasons and I really don't like the idea of me working until the bitter end.

I really need to investigate what my pension is doing and how I can improve it, but my work is a bit rubbish with information and I just feel I'm lurching from month to month staying afloat, rather than able to squirrel away a nest egg.

I'd love to be able to retire earlier and spend some time sorting out the things that really matter.

Like finally 100%ing EDF5.

[Anpanman]

My dad had a degenerative disease (think multiple sclerosis) and my Mom cared for him until he died.
Then she cared for my Grandad until he died.
Then she died of cancer.

I'm absolutely gutted my folks didn't get some time in retirement together to just enjoy being with each other.
I feel they were robbed of that due to those health reasons and I really don't like the idea of me working until the bitter end.

I really need to investigate what my pension is doing and how I can improve it, but my work is a bit rubbish with information and I just feel I'm lurching from month to month staying afloat, rather than able to squirrel away a nest egg.

I'd love to be able to retire earlier and spend some time sorting out the things that really matter.

Like finally 100%ing EDF5.

Sorry to hear about your mum & dad, mine similar didn't get a chance to enjoy retirement.

Look at what you are paying into your scheme as a % of salary and also what your company is paying in. Ask if you can increase payments and if so does your employer also increase its rate.
NOTE: I'm not asking you to increase your payments, just if it's possible.
Ask about AVC's, Added Voluntary Contributions and also ask does your employer contribute if you do.
When at some point you do have spare cash OR get a pay increase you could think about dumping it into your pension. The pay increase option is the best one - if you've never had it you won't miss it.
I realise that pensions can seem really boring but believe me at a certain point in your life you will become very interested in them.

EDF5 is virtually impossible, from memory I have one level left on Inferno and it's luck rather than skill to get through it.

[Cepp]

I worry about my parents, both have a lot of health issues especially my mum. They both seem to think they'll be fine post retirement but I'm not sure, although my dad will probably try and work until he drops dead regardless.

As for myself I'm not sure. My company has a generous pension scheme but I need to up my contributions or sock money away elsewhere. I think it's best to just assume the state pension won't exist by the time I retire and if it does, that's a nice little bonus.