I was on the Government website the other day, gritting my teeth and paying my half-yearly Self Assessment tax bill, while I was there I decided to nip over to the Pension page to double check on the date of my retirement. Somebody had said that things had changed yet again for those of us of a certain age, but no ... I'm still due to retire a month after my 66th birthday.
And GOSH isn't that creeping up fast!!
Alan is just over a year older than me and will be retiring first if he decides that he actually will retire this time so that made us sit and have a really good conversation, working out exactly what we have coming in and what our retirement might look like. It's not too bad really as we will both be getting an individual full state pension and of course Alan has a Navy pension, but as two self-employed people we have had to set up other provisions to keep us afloat for the future and that is something that we will always have to keep an eye on.
... and no matter what I did I just could not get it straight.
Just one of the downsides to a kitchen that is just six foot wide with cupboards on one side and a breakfast bar on the other. 😄😆
The after photo is slightly deceptive as the two glass storage containers from the top shelf are currently in the fridge full of leftovers!
Sue xx
You're so young!!
ReplyDeleteCan you say that again but LOUDER 😁😃
DeleteYOU'RE SO YOUNG (in comparison!!)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad all those decisions are behind me now.
xx
Haha, I wish I felt 'so young'. 🤣
DeleteI see my favourite piece of kitchen equipment in your cupboard! We a a large an small Remoska and they are in constant use. Going to be more used than ever with fuel prices rising. Catriona
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be without mine, they are so versatile aren't they. 🙂
DeleteI received my first pension payment in February this year and was so excited, we have been living on husband's pensions, state and a couple of small private ones for five years, I also was entitled to Carers Allowance for my son but had to lose that once I started getting the pension despite the fact that I am still his primary carer. I was a bit miffed to start with but we are still better off and I am grateful for that as it means we can afford the increase in energy bills and increased food and fuel prices but are still careful, We are one of the lucky ones, listening to the radio this morning and hearing about the ambulance crisis ( we have had to use them often ) it makes me worry for the next time we need one but we have been given a supply of oxygen and emergency medication so at least when his oxygen levels drop too low we can mostly cope until a crew arrives but one thing that does worry me is when he has severe head injuries following a seizure and now people with suspected heart attacks are being advised if possible to get a friend to drive them to hospital. So I suppose there is always a balance to be had but for some poor people the weight just stays on the down side, I might have lost some money but I am still more fortunate than most. On a lighter note ,I love a tidy cupboard but why can't men put things back in the right place or why just balance them on the top or just leave them out for us to put away ---- grrrrr x
ReplyDeleteOh, gosh ... it's all so messed-up isn't it. You should definitely still get carers allowance, just because you have 'retired' doesn't mean you are not doing a full days work as a carer and in the process saving the NHS and other organisations a small fortune.
DeleteThe ambulance service along with the police are stretched to absolute breaking point aren't they.
Interesting that Catriona commented on the Remoska - I was going to ask how much you use it - I've often wondered about getting one, these days folk are talking a lot about Air Fryers - another mystery to me!
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales
I would say that I use it almost every day. 🙂 They are brilliant and so easy to wash-up as they are non-stick. This is my second one, Alan has the first as he used it a lot for meat dishes when I was at the caravan. I treated myself to another when I had a £20 and a 20% off coupon.
DeleteI use mine for all kinds of cooking and baking. This week I have made 10portions quorn mince, scones, cooked potatoes and. Eg each day, roasted a chicken in the big one, poached pears and rhubarb, heated a quiche. It’s endlessly useful and if you become a Lakeland member you can usually wait for a money off deal. We also use it in our motorhome-it travels in the oven in a padded bag I made for it. Catriona
Delete"Air Fryer" was really poor branding, people think they are just for chips and chicken nuggets etc. Actually they are a small, energy efficient oven. I now only use my big gas oven for baking Sourdough bread, everything else is done in my Airfryer..... scones, muffins, roasts, pizza,
DeleteI did briefly consider buying an airfryer, then I realised that the Remoska did virtually everything the same. Both are really useful gadgets aren't they.
DeleteWow thanks for the info and ideas about Remoska and air fryers everyone
DeleteAlison in Wales x
Yes, it is good to look ahead and try to plan out your finances. I always wish I could know when I might die so I would know if my pile of money will last!?!
ReplyDeleteI had to google Remoska as I didn't know what that was. Interesting!
P.S. You ARE young!
I wonder how differently we would all live if we knew our expiry dates?
DeleteExactly!
DeleteI love all these 'you're so young' comments as I am about the same age as you! Smaller spaces lead to regular decluttering, it seems like, and that is just the motivation that I need.
ReplyDeleteEveryone has almost got me believing I am young ... my poor back is screaming otherwise. 🥴
DeleteI love my Remoska and use it most days!
ReplyDeleteSnap ❤️
DeleteBang up job on the cupboard cleaning. I always seem to have trouble getting clear pictures... My hands must shake as I push the button.
ReplyDeleteYou are young.
God bless.
After about 6 attempts to get a straight shot I thought I would just use the crooked ones. 😄🙃
DeleteAge is just a number. 😁
What a coincidence, I checked my pension again yesterday, I last checked in 2016. I did take a big gulp when the first thing I saw on the home page was pension age to rise again. Fortunately this time it doesn't effect me. It has been moved twice so far, meaning a personal loss of around 60k. I've not long to go now til I can claim, months rather than years, and I wanted to check how to claim. It's all in order.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad it's all in order for you this time. The Government really played unfairly when they upped the pension age didn't they, it was so unfair. It should have been rolled out MUCH slower so that not so many losses were incurred to the people that had been paying a full stamp all their working lives and were expecting to retire at sixty.
Delete