Absolutely. Two ace guys I took to at work, Rob used to show me where he used to live in Spain and said he'd be back there one day soon. To look at him, fit as a fiddle, wife found him dead in a chair last summer at 61. Gary, I met him and his wife cycling on the canal last summer, dead this spring, brain cancer at 58. Past 40 you've got to start living for now....
How's people coping financially at the moment
- Thread starter johnnyb47
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Absolutely. Two ace guys I took to at work, Rob used to show me where he used to live in Spain and said he'd be back there one day soon. To look at him, fit as a fiddle, wife found him dead in a chair last summer at 61. Gary, I met him and his wife cycling on the canal last summer, dead this spring, brain cancer at 58. Past 40 you've got to start living for now....
Accy cyclist
Legendary Member
- Location
- The hills of Accrington
Heck,just read this Mark and i thought i had depressive thoughts about death and those no longer here!
Anyway, i agree entirely with your last sentence. My mum and dad worked till pension age,saving money for their old age. Which meant skipping holidays and stuff. They didn't go without things,but they had that 'save for a rainy day' mentality. Dad died 4 years into his retirement,mum lived comfortably for 6 years after he died then the dementia started. On hindsight,they should've(or mum should've,after dad died) sold their house to one of these 'we buy half your house' firms,as when mum went into a home all their years of saving and being careful with the pennies went in mum's care home fees.
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If they are still in business by then
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
There's a balance to be made here. No point "living for the now" if all you're actually doing is prolonging the need to go to work into your 70's.
conversely, as you say, what's the point of penny pinching to a silly degree only to kark it young?
But the sensible middle ground isn't at all bad. I've never had car finance or an iPhone, but these are material fripperies that actually do little to enrich our lives. I've still had a mobile phone and a car, but not paid through the nose just for the latest, flashiest version of either, but for all that I've still been able to make phone calls and drive places. The result is that when I was pressured out of my job just shy of 48 I thought "sod it", and now really do live life as I want, it's just that I don't live that life driving a 70 plate Audi or toting a £800 mobile phone, which is of zero consequence to my wellbeing or enjoyment of life.
Some interesting comments on this thread.
If only we had a crystal ball!!!
I worked hard for a large company for years before a guy suggested we start our own company (he already ran his own metal fabrication company).
I clearly recall his phrase......"working for yourself you may never get rich. Working for someone else you definitely wont get rich".
I was 50ish at the time.
Everything went extremely well.
I retired age 63, 10 years ago.
Then Cancer came calling and we had a sh*t year or two but that would have happened whatever.
As I say, a crystal ball would be nice (or maybe not
)
If only we had a crystal ball!!!
I worked hard for a large company for years before a guy suggested we start our own company (he already ran his own metal fabrication company).
I clearly recall his phrase......"working for yourself you may never get rich. Working for someone else you definitely wont get rich".
I was 50ish at the time.
Everything went extremely well.
I retired age 63, 10 years ago.
Then Cancer came calling and we had a sh*t year or two but that would have happened whatever.
As I say, a crystal ball would be nice (or maybe not
)
I didn’t get rich working for myself, but after years of corporate life, it was liberating, I had freedom, I never missed the kids sports days, or school plays, we had a very comfortable living, but a different kind of stress. I did it for 12 years which was enough. The main thing for me is that I actually took that leap of faith and did it, too many people complain about their job but are not prepared to make a change, in some cases I think that’s because they’re too committed financially to a certain level of salary. I took a 50% pay cut when I started and we did manage, but it was a huge sacrifice with two very young children.
gavroche
Getting old but not past it
- Location
- North Wales
Blimey, I don't spend that much in normal circumstances !
Blimey, I don't spend that much in normal circumstances !
I’m saving around £400 a month just in Diesel.
To be fair Drago you do have about £80,000 worth of cars up your driveway though.
Chippy Dave
Active Member
I agree Mark, it’s another thing that I didn’t bargain for at this age was the amount of funerals you end up going to, none of us know what’s around the corner unfortunately, life is a gift.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Same here. Two lads from my cycling club. One literally dropped dead at 53 last year (heart attack), then another - was super fit, competed at national level, got cancer 10 years ago, beat it, was back competing, but running, again at high level, the C got him again and he died recently.
gavroche
Getting old but not past it
- Location
- North Wales
I retired 4 years ago although I still do a bit of supply work ( 2 days a week as from next September ) because I want to, no because I need to. House and car paid for so practically debt free but I am a firm believer in fate. My divorce ,when I was 35 ,cost me everything I had and had to rebuild my life from scratch. Fortunately, I met a good woman not long after. She was also just coming out of a bad divorce and had 4 children. Together, we rebuilt our lives and all our children ( my 2 and her 4 ) are all settled now and have their own families.
Fate made me meet my first wife when I was on a student exchange in the UK in 1966 and gave me two great children.
Fate made us moved to Wales in 1982 from Sussex even if divorce followed 3 years later which made me meet my present wife .
Fate always kept me in work even when times were hard and money was tight.
I believe we all have our guardian angels and mine has always been there when needed.
Despite all that, I am not a religious man, but firmly believes that everything in life is pre-destined by nature and the rules of the universe.
Fate made me meet my first wife when I was on a student exchange in the UK in 1966 and gave me two great children.
Fate made us moved to Wales in 1982 from Sussex even if divorce followed 3 years later which made me meet my present wife .
Fate always kept me in work even when times were hard and money was tight.
I believe we all have our guardian angels and mine has always been there when needed.
Despite all that, I am not a religious man, but firmly believes that everything in life is pre-destined by nature and the rules of the universe.
Chippy Dave
Active Member
Great story, and gives me hope!
Surely if everything is pre-destined then it doesn't matter a dam what you do. You can try to be a nice person or live like a right sh*t..... makes no difference as your future is already mapped out.
Nah......can't see that.
Time and unforseen circumstances happen to us all.
