Good call on that one! We both have our own 'work room', and batter our iDevices in isolation [occasionally posting links to each other by email ;)] ... and we sit side-by-side at the big iDevice when there are matters of joint concern, like holiday planning.

In each other's face all the time demands a very high level of compatibility!

(Incidentally, I think that may have been the first post that mentioned the OH's perspective on proceedings. ;)

Keeping occupied is no problem. The problem is Mrs Wader envisages the end result but pays no attention to how the project may be achieved. Then, when work is in progress she will either change her mind or load the next job.


After building a number of decorative walls around raised flower beds came the utility room enlargement project. Before that was complete came the new garage door, a new front door, a new door in place of one of the garage doors, then lining a 'blind wall' with insulation, and presently dry walling her conservatory.


Note it is HER garden, HER utility room, HER front door, HER conservatory.


Now if you were single or newly divorced THEN you would have a problem.


For pin money I have a regular job as a Poll Clerk, steady work, once every couple of years :) and also as an exam invigilator. You would be surprised how many organisations need invigilators.

In response to some of the later posts.

I have a few big projects on the go - stuff I want to do. The lovely Mrs C has thousands of her own. Therefore we are never bored. Quite often, Mrs C wants stuff done on her projects right now. No problem, we'll do that stuff today. It's not a problem. Our time is our own.

- retiring @ 50 cannot be good for anyone - mentally, that is. You are far far too young to do sweet FA @ 50.

Thomas Coupling! Those two statements are not linked in any way! I retired at 51 and have never felt so mentally stimulated since I was at Uni. I won't go into detail about how I spend my day but rest assured that from the moment I get up (at a time of my choosing) to moment I turn out the light my brain is active and happily engaged on a variety of tasks. I simply stopped paid employment at 51 and no longer had to deal with the brain-dead mental pygmies who seemed determined to thwart best practice in my chosen profession. Believe me, working is not the secret to mental wellbeing!!!

absolutely, totally agree...

I retired at 47 and that was way too late.

That's it in a nutshell.. No more reports to write with the deadline looming, no more meetings in MB, no more niff naff - our time is ours to fill as we wish.
How many times have I heard a retiree say - "How on earth did I find the time to work..?" - I've said it myself.
The one thing I found difficult to calculate before we moved here was working out if we'd have enough income to live here in the way we want to live. In the end I needn't have worried.
This week saw us out on our terrace for the first time this year having an apéro in the evening sunshine.. can't put a price on that..:ok:

hmmmmm...........I don't remember saying I was going to do "sweet FA"..........Mrs MD wouldn't let me get away with that......but thanks for the input TC.

I'd always planned to retire at 57 - it seemed like a good age, and circumstances conspired to make it very convenient. However, I looked on it as starting a new career, and found it helpful to maintain a regular routine - being in the workshop by 0830, an hour for lunch and knock off at 1700. The difference is, if something else is more attractive, I'll do it. I guess I work at enjoying my retirement.

I have about 18 months to go to retirement. Five years ago, I started thinking about it, but couldn't imagine what it would be like; now, I can't really wait.
I have been told that, if you are in a relationship, it will tend to become "bigger" - fortunately Mrsr1 & I are very good friends.

A very cheeky Mrs TM hung up a sign depicting:

Retirement
Twice as much husband
Half as much income

Which thankfully, is technically incorrect. ..... and besides which, she is at work and I am enjoying the sunshine :ok:

Oh look at the time. Tea & toast at ten! The only thing about the Army that ever impressed me.

"For better, or for worse", but not necessarily for lunch every day!

This is one of the more interesting threads I've come across on here for a while. My job ended last week due to health reasons so I find myself in a semi-retired state in my late 50's. It's so new that I can't bring myself to call my status "retired" yet.

Mrs P6 retired about five years ago so she has developed a good routine while I've been at work Mon-Fri, so now I'm developing my own, around hers so that we have our own space and don't tread on each others turf.

I've had three months off work before it ended so I've had time to think things through and mentally plan ahead. Finance is the main thing that came to mind and once I'd worked out how that would come together, the rest seems quite easy.

Watching TV and being hooked on the Jeremy Kyle Show is not an option to consider, but as an alternative, I suspect that we're about to have the tidiest garden on the planet and some of those jobs around the house that I've been putting off will finally be sorted. It just seems strange right now that I have so much time to make decisions about.

Whether I look into part-time work in the future depends on whether I get bored I suppose but for now, life seems to have a bright future for me.

I left HM Forces over 20 years ago and am now approaching the last few years of my commercial flying career.

I enjoyed my time in Auntie Betty's Flying Club immensely but am very glad I left when I did. Similarly, I have enjoyed working for 4 very different airlines around the world for the last 20+ years.

I got married quite late and my wife is not from UK so we shall be settling down on our little piece of SE Asian real estate in a few years time with nice views over the Andaman Sea and all day to do pretty much whatever we want to do - together or independently.

The point I would make is that, financially, it makes sense for me to struggle on past 60 to get a much bigger retirement pot with less time to spend it and therefore a much greater annual 'income' but our currency is not the $, it is time together. And provided we can pay our bills with a little left over each month we will be extremely happy.

I am looking at permanent retirement in a couple of years at age 55.

By accident I got sidetracked into genealogy trying to find out something for my brother. I can recommend it to anyone, its really good fun tracing your family and some of the discoveries are eye opening. Both "ancestry" and "findmypast" occasionally run free access periods which will allow you to try out the system before committing to a subscription. Guaranteed to keep you busy.

Returement
 

Agree totally with all the positive stuff here. The great thing is that time is one's own to make the best of. Just back from a full month away in Vietnam and Oz (partner's son lives in Hunter Valley ) utterly amazing trip - couldn't have done that a while ago!

I am about to retire and have made a list of jobs that I need to do, Mrs BS has also helpfully made a list for me but unfortunately there are no jobs that appear on both lists!

Got that from Milady Teeters once.

We were living in a fairly spacious quarter ;) but me in a busy job so didn't get back between (early) breakfast and (late) supper. Well - not normally.

Had a couple of appointments cancelled one day, so went home to sneak into kitchen to make a sarnie. Surprised by Milady:

MT: What are you doing here?

Moi: I live here! I'm making a sarnie for lunch!

roll of drums .....

MT: I married you for better and for worse - but NOT for lunch!! :=

Tengah Type (#72),

Regarding your personal hopes to equal your Great Grandfather's 46 years' Pension: I've clocked up 43 and going strong ! (Must have had far more in pension - in cash terms - than ever I drew pay in 23 years "peace[?]time" RAF service). :ok: No increment for the 5 years in war, of course (the idea was that you were just doing your patriotic duty - doesn't count for pension).

Cheers, Danny.

PS: mopardave - we meet again ! Congratulations on starting this magnificent Thread ! D.

Money
 

In the not to distant past, before the Resettlement system change, Lloyds, Cox a d Kings, ran a financial seminar. It was led by a chap Alan Green something and he had plenty of pearls.

Once you had bought the missus a conservatory . . .

Did you need two cars . . . Maybe a new job came with a car

Mess bill . . .

Running a car to work . . .

Paying less tax . . .

By the time he had gone through the list it was a considerable saving and he has proven pretty accurate. Your money does go further and stretch to cruises at times to suit you.

......and let's not forget, you just don't know what's around the corner! Out for a walk with the lovely Mrs MD the other night.......nothing unusual in that. I was left rocked and reeling when I bumped into someone I hadn't seen to speak to for 18 months or so. A very fit, former local business man.......possibly 60 years old, but no more than that. Within moments of striking up a conversation with him, I had the sickening realisation that all was not well. It didn't take a doctor to tell me this guy was in the early stages of Alzheimers.......subsequently confirmed to me by someone in the know.

Yup, life's a bloody lottery! One life......maybe it's time to live it!!

Sorry gents.....slight (heavy) thread drift there!
MD:ok:

Danny42C

Congratulations on 43 yrs pension - next target has got to be 50 yrs. Then I will try to equal that. But that will still only be the same as my working time " in blue ".

I kept seeing occasionally, a sign in cars' rear windows stating:

ONE LIFE...LIVE IT.

Then one day, not too long ago, I saw this:

One life...live it (on the front windscreen) and on the back window:

ONE WIFE...LIVID.

To each of you practicing retirees: live long and prosper ;)

But think of #2 (or more) wife, married at 54/22, she could draw the widows pension until hubby was equivalent of 125 or more.

Not sure what the latest rules on remarrying are but you 50 year old on PA are hot properties.

PN

The plan was to die in bed with my 18 year old second wife on my 105th Birthday. I would have then had 50 years pension, and she should be good for at least another 50 yrs as well. 100 yrs pension - that will teach the b******* for not promoting me!!!!

Chances of finding an 18 year old when I am 105 on a Spec Aircrew pension??

There's a spring chicken/toy boy/fair use clause in '05 contributions, I'm not sure about '15 but it'll be in there too I'll be bound. If your spouse, civil partner or eligible partner is more than twelve years younger than you, their pension is reduced by 2.5% for every year over twelve years he or she is younger than you (subject to a max of 50%).

Al R

Can you please give a little more info on this quote from you in your post #60?

"AFPS 15 offers the chance of commuting income at state retirement age for yet another lump sum if that's preferable too."

Thanks

OAP

Perhaps in Atlanta, GA........:E ??

Bankok, but have a check south of the equator before you commit!

CG

OAP

If you leave before 60, your '15 benefit is an EDP stream, which only becomes a pension in payment at your state retirement age. At that point, you can convert up to 25% into a lump sum. It won't be much for most reading this.

If you don't serve until 60, your accrued deferred '15 benefits have already been quietly linked to the state retirement age anyway. So, preserved '15 benefits will be shifted to the right automatically if (when?!) state retirement age also shifts to the right.

Top of page 11: https://www.gov.uk/government/upload..._FAQs_V140.pdf

Interesting(ish) for those retiring to the Channel Islands: Guernsey has recently raised its state retirement age to 70 (as well as other measures).

http://www.gov.gg/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=94029&p=0

BEagle

Thanks for that, I nearly choked on my breakfast cereal laughing.

The 18 year old would probably be the great grand daughter.

I retired (PVR'd) at 58 years old and did not a lot for 6 months. Then the boredom arrived. I decided to go back to part-time paid work:

1. As a Registration Officer Ceremonies (ROC) for local Council. This involves marrying people, Civil Ceremonies etc. £10 per hour + 45p/mile. Great job and you can work as little as you want. It is mainly weekends though. You see all walks of life and the need for attention to detail and time awareness (just like RAF), as you may be doing 3 weddings 2 hours apart.

2. Seasonal but again great fun--invigilating exams at a local Independent school £10 again. Keeps you young and in touch with young adults-even though they see me as a fossil!

3. Playing on the AIM -- but beware it is Cowboy Country--do your own research and don't gamble the farm!

Good Luck all-just a few ideas of what I do--hope it helps someone.

PM if you need more info.

Tengah, don't you have to be wed to your bimbo before you retire? Maybe find a 12 year old in some sand pit. She would be every so grateful though you might have to abstain for the first 4 years :}

PN.....I would have spat my tea out had I not already done so thanks to cg:

I suspect we're speaking from experience here gents? Cheeky......very cheeky!!! ;)

MD

Sand pit prophet seemed to think 9 years of age was an acceptable lower limit.

I left the RAF aged 41, worked on my own projects 'till 45. Quit the rat-race and retired.


My wife still works, her choice. I never wish to work for anyone else again...I was forced to work with enough.....we'll leave that though.


I'm more than happy looking after our little girl (My wife is only 7 years younger than me, and is not from SE Asia), and restoring my collection of classic cars. I have a 64 Mustang and a 67 E-Type on the lifts at the moment. When they are finished (about 10 weeks) they'll join the other 12 in the barn. I don't sell them.

In that context, Guernsey now has a shrinking population [due largely to emigration] which makes it even harder to fund the burden of the aged.

CG #108

From visual demonstrations, in the old Bugis Street and in Patpong, the result of the full mod looks pretty convincing. However I do not have any "Hands On" experience to confirm.

PN #112

A couple of years ago my divorce lawyer informed me that the law had changed, and my ex had to be given 50% of my Occupational Pension, and that if she remarried the new husband was entitled to 50% of that!! So, I guess the same applies to me.

"12 year old from the sand pit" sounds a bit too close to Gary Glitter territory to me.