The Retirement Thread

[Dave7]

@dickyknees
I know I asked you previously but have I got it right that you live not far from four mile bridge ??
My daughter and SiL are talkingout moving to Anglesey and have asked if we would go with them.
We have had lots of holidays around the Porth Daffarch area and came close to buying a bungalow there some years ago.
However, I am 73 now and a bit long in the tooth for uprooting.

 

[Dave7]

I dropped MrsD off at the hairdresser in town. You get 2 hours free parking in the Asda complex so I stayed there.
They have an offer on........3 ready meals for £5.50 and the way we are one of them with some veg does us.
Sat in the conservatory with a Cognac now.

 

[Dirk]

@Dave7

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

Back from a pootle, turned out surprisingly sunny, very pleasant in fact, but the met office app wasn’t wrong when it forecast a ‘feels like’ temp of 1 degree ! Managed to avoid the muddiest of the local roads so the bike is still relatively clean

 

[Dave7]

@Dave7


View attachment 556241

Okay I suppose.

No.......looks good.
Chilli ??
And the beer is ??

 

[Dave7]

Back from a pootle, turned out surprisingly sunny, very pleasant in fact, but the met office app wasn’t wrong when it forecast a ‘feels like’ temp of 1 degree ! Managed to avoid the muddiest of the local roads so the bike is still relatively clean

You sure in wasn't a donder ?

 

[Dirk]

Okay I suppose.

No.......looks good.
Chilli ??
And the beer is ??

Yep....Chilli.....was very good.
Otter Ale.

 

[numbnuts]

I've been for a walk and now have a cup-of-soup to warm me up

 

[gavroche]

Just started Molly's 2000 pieces jigsaw and I might finish it by Christmas 2021 !!

 

[ColinJ]

My mates irritating and pompous brother in law, who is 2 days younger than me and refuses to use the internet (doesn't own a smart phone, tablet or PC - he just gets everyone else to sort stuff out for him)...

I have people phone me who DO have tablets, PCs and broadband... "Colin, what is...?"

As they are asking the question I am already typing the exact words into the Google search box... 3 seconds later, I reply - "It is the protein that..." [or whatever...]

They ask how I find the information so quickly and I tell them that I use Google to find the answer. And also point out that it is quicker to do that than to phone somebody and get them to do it for them!

The next day, same thing... "Colin, who was...?"

... thought that you just got the state pension automatically and he would get the headline £175. Last week it was explained to him that you have to apply for it and that he'd been contracted out during his job with the local council.

He's claiming that he didn't get a letter inviting him to apply, but, knowing him he probably saw HMRC on the envelope and tossed it in the bin.
He's now blaming everyone but himself for the fact that his pension will be delayed and will be far less than he expected.

I assumed that it would just appear automatically too! It's just over a year until I get mine so I will have to watch out for that nearer the time.

I have a small private pension which I DID get sent notice of. I had forgotten that it started at 60, so that was a nice surprise.

 

[Dirk]

I assumed that it would just appear automatically too! It's just over a year until I get mine so I will have to watch out for that nearer the time.

Get on the Govt gateway now - lots of useful information there. You can get your accurate forecast, see any NI shortfall and claim your pension there.

https://www.gov.uk/browse/working/state-pension

 

[Deleted member 1258]

An 0843 number by any chance?
Cost to call back, between £5 and £15 per minute, or part thereof. At best a short message saying they called you.

0843 and 0845 numbers, I know they're a scam thats why I've ignore them, I've had a call from a 0117 number this morning, I was out on my bike and didn't hear it but the phone has flagged it up as spam.

 

[ColinJ]

Get on the Govt gateway now - lots of useful information there. You can get your accurate forecast, see any NI shortfall and claim your pension there.

https://www.gov.uk/browse/working/state-pension

I checked... Adequate NI contributions record, and due to get £175.20/week. That, plus my £12/week private pension is almost exactly what I spent last year, so I should be fine.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I got a bimble in this morning, 54 miles out to Twycross and back, it was p*****g down first thing but by half eight it had stopped so I got my gear on grabbed my bike and headed out, by half nine the sun was out and I had the breeze at my back making for a pleasant ride out. Leaving the cafe and it had clouded over and the wind had freshened making for a hard ride home, my usual route back would have had me turning right out of the cafe then left and right to ride through Little Twycross and Bilston but they had the road closed so I had to use the A444 then turn left onto a road I hadn't ridden before before turning onto my usual route home. My route included descending Purley Chase on the way out and climbing it on the way back, the first time I've ridden it on the fixed this winter, and the first time since I changed to gearing to give me a 44x17 68 inch gear, I was half expecting to end up walking but managed to climb it though it made me puff and pant a bit. Thats another good morning out on my bike, hard work at times but enjoyable.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I checked... Adequate NI contributions record, and due to get £175.20/week. That, plus my £12/week private pension is almost exactly what I spent last year, so I should be fine.

Another one to check out is pension credit, if you haven't got shed loads in the bank and you qualify it will give you a little bit extra each week, get your council tax paid and the dentist and glasses bills paid, I'm on a state pension, have a small private pension, £60 a month, and not a lot in the bank and was able to claim the pension credit.