Retirement (or Last of the Summer Wine)

The least I can do for all those great photos Cliff

While on the subject of us oldies, something we weren't aware of until a few weeks ago was that you don't have to pay for a tv licence after the age of 75, even if there is someone in the house under 75. We had paid ours in advance and after claiming they sent us a refund for the overpayment of £24.

Annewiggy, there's talk of them altering that. I find the free bus pass the most saving of all, now I have a gampy leg. 26 years of state pension, 31 years of works pension so far - I can't complain.

For those of us who have the Concessionary bus pass and need to go out before 9:30 am, the 'tax' levied on us is £1. I didn't find this out till fairly recently - the bus drivers do not volunteer this information. Silence is golden subterfuge. Definition . . Subterfuge noun deceit used in order to achieve one's goal. "he had to use subterfuge and bluff on many occasions" synonyms: trickery, intrigue, deviousness, evasion, deceit, deception, dishonesty, cheating, duplicity, guile, cunning, craft, craftiness, slyness, chicanery, bluff, pretence, fraud, fraudulence, sophistry, sharp practice.

We're fortunate here that the bus pass is valid from 0900

Yes Kaga, the BBC take full responsibility for it in 2020 but they won't guarantee they will continue it, but every little helps

We're more fortunate in that there are no time restrictions in Scotland and the bus pass is issued at age 60, plus it is used for access to all gyms & swimming pools in Aberdeenshire where I go 2/3 afternoons a week!

I have only recently acquired my travel pass, and I was made fully aware of the £1 charge before 9.30 in the literature that came with it. It is also made clear on local buses where I live. There is now an option to load money on your card for this purpose, but there is no obligation to do so. I wouldn't do it as I'm never out before 9.30 anyway. As for 'subterfuge', I absolutely disagree. This £1 fare is actually a new concession, as prior to its introduction you had to pay full fare before 9.30. The drivers, by definition, have to give the information, as they need you to pay the £1 in cash if you have not loaded your card. It is a good idea and a money-saving innovation. Some folk will never be happy, I suppose.

Hi all The West Midlands 'region issued' bus pass is valid from 9.30am until 11pm every day, plus no time restrictions at weekends or bank holidays, anywhere in England. A perk is that it is valid on all trains & trams, running & stopping inside the West Midlands area. In April of this year, National Express (the local services) added a £1 bolt on anytime facility, so anyone with a bus pass can start a journey at any time, but pays a £1 for each bus boarded. That is fab for early morning hospital stuff.

Hi all, Retirement or "Last of the Summer Wine". Life remains a learning curve for most us, even as we age. The last three years have sharpened my focus on the reality of what previously was just a concept. When I joined the forum, I was greeted by a member who I love dearly, who was coping with having to live as a single person. I'm amazed that I still have Pam, without going into her details. Just two months ago, Pam was so weak, I was doing everything, yet whilst I was a bit off colour around Christmas with Covid, Pam was rising to do what she could. Last weekend, she was doing everything, me limping around with gout. As I'm typing this she's cooking a Saturday breaky, to match anything anywhere. I could bring my faith element in at this point, but that is unfair to you, a captive audience almost. We are so accustomed to coping with life & issues, as we are, not thinking that our circumstances can change in the wink of an eye. So my question is. Those who are couples, those who are single, please share how you cope with facing the future if circumstances change. I've an idea of who in our membership might be single, so how do you cope with illness or incapacity. Please share. Love Philip.

Physical incapacity is easier to solve than mental deterioration for someone on their own. I think that writing some instructions may help - eg I'm allergic to pineapple and hate tea. Other than that, keep in touch with family and friends. Put up a list of emergency contacts where first responders can see it. One practical measure for any age of adult, regardless of a partner, is to have a go bag. That is a ready packed bag with essentials like a list of meds and allergies, underwear (with functional elastic), more than one set of PJs (that fit), slippers, crossword book (or whatever entertainments you enjoy), money, etc. That bag is very useful if you end up in hospital and need to survive until someone close can organise something better. Ideally you take the bag with you to hospital but failing that, someone can collect it for you - so leave it in a place that's easy to find. Tell your friends and relatives where it is. In any crisis and you need to pack in a hurry, it could serve as the start of any rush out the door (eg flooding).

Hi all, The housing market is constantly in the news, predictions of a price crash, whilst for the first half of this year, the market is booming. Boom or bust? The pandemic has messed fluid contractual arrangements, but the issues affecting prices are very complex. One issue is the bubble of war baby homeowners, that's contracting, accelerated by that dreaded equity release, which is bringing more houses onto the market. Which way is it going to go? Average mortgage payments in the UK at present are around £750 per month, roughly in line with average UK monthly rents. That is the most reliable indicator of the way property prices are moving. Folk will always need somewhere to live, there's no alternative to either buying or renting on volume at present. Fluctuations there will always be, I believe. Park homes & variants on container living appeal to some, but have never yet taken over from bricks & mortar in volume. The line of property values & rent costs, follow a North to South transition, as it has for ninety years or more. Boom or bust? What's on the wireless!

Very deep stuff for a Saturday Philip. Housing value is unlikely to fall much while there is a big gap between supply and demand. In certain areas it might flatline for a while. Flats are a different matter and anything affected by cladding is in trouble. Various changes by government have made renting out more problematic for the honest but the dishonest or the well funded find the rules no barrier to making money. Two areas to avoid are Park Homes and retirement flats, unless people are very sure that they suit them. The rules are very onerous not just for living but also when it comes to selling. We almost bought a flat for my aunt that would have evicted her almost immediately because of minimum mobility rules. There would have been an exit fee on top of a huge cut of any profit made, not that would have been one. The building owners could even prevent a sale. For Park Homes the rules reduce the potential market (some have no dog rules) and the park staff will steer potential buyers towards their own properties. Some sites only allow owners to occupy for a restricted number of days a year. For both types of properties read the legal pack cover to cover and talk to a solicitor to understand what it means.

Hi all, It's a rather miserable weather day to day, so get your colouring books out, a few crayons, French for pencils & colour in the patterns. Investment Advisors One of the areas of finance that I'm weak on is investing. Ah! I'm in good company though, because when you call your investment advisor, first question is "Why are you not a millionaire?" He/she might have an address in Whitestone, or Stivichall or Styvechale, but please don't be fooled. A high proportion of posh homes are on maximum equity release where they don't own as much as the wallpaper. As well as your colouring book & pencil, pull your little handy calculator into reach on your table. That's about the best advice. All an advisor can do is spell out risk & what's available. That way, we avoid scams. It's your dosh, & your decision. Now colour in the flower heads.

Hi all, A lesson that I learnt right at the start of my accounting career, is not to count chickens until the eggs have hatched. Whilst this applies very much to personal circumstances, businesses would do well to note. The first of my modified pensions hit my bank this morning, spot on to my calculations. So that is a tick. By the end of this month, I'm hoping for a few more ticks as hopefully the eggs all hatch to my calculations. I was quite excited this morning opening my banks & seeing the new value credited. Do you remember your first proper wage packet? Mine was £2.17.6d. Good day all. If you do on-line banking, please check regularly. Errors or scams get difficult to sort, once the trail goes cold.