What's the biggest mistake of your life?

[Deleted member 113659]

Sounds rather subsidised to me.

Benefit from subsidised housing discount.
Benefit from house price inflation.
Benefit from preferential sharesave scheme no doubt.
Benefit from tax breaks on pension rules.
Benefit from redundancy payout.
Benefit from generous (subsidised by the firm's monopoly when a nationalised industry?) pension fund at 50.

Now avoiding contributing via tax or NI.

I wouldn't be willy-waving I'd be keeping quiet.

The reason for my Willy Waving comment was because the thread is titled:

"What's The Biggest Mistake Of You're Life?"

Steves post just seemed to list everything that has gone right in his.

 

[Deleted member 113659]

Stay Happy...Stu's an adult, he can speak for himself.

I'll always be happy. (Even more so because it's Yaba-Daba-Dooooo Friday:bannana

And I'm sure Stu will speak for himself. But don't patronise people with silly comments like 'there are reasons and excuses' :fail

 

[renault12ts]

I'll always be happy. (Even more so because it's Yaba-Daba-Dooooo Friday:bannana

And I'm sure Stu will speak for himself. But don't patronise people with silly comments like 'there are reasons and excuses' :fail

Time to get of the stage methinks.

 

[st13phil]

The age was increase from 50 to 55 more than three years ago...so that is why I am confused.

I can only go what I was told by my employer's Pensions Dept. at the time, which was that those who had entered our scheme prior to 1986 could still retire at the age of 50 regardless of the general change of minimum retirement age to 55.

 

[Darrell]

Not sure how the pensions thing works but my buddy got made redundant from Lloyds Bank in 2009. He was 48 and has been with them since he was 16.

He bought a very tasty apt in Skiathos in about 2003. He is single and now he lives there permanently.

 

[steve333]

You're 53...but took your pension at 50...three years ago? I thought the min age to take your pension was 55?

I was on the original post office pension scheme before British telecom privatised and became BT,I was one of the very last to be able to take my pension at 50.....

 

[steve333]

You're 53...but took your pension at 50...three years ago? I thought the min age to take your pension was 55?

Should have been clearer,took voluntary redundancy on BT 8 years ago aged 45 and had to wait until I was 50 just under 4 years ago to receive it.

 

[StuartK]

My daughter, who is much older than you (just turned 29) has just gone to live and work in Oz...what's stopping you?

Well I have a partner and pets and family and I'm not a selfish person.

 

[KennyN]

Well I have a partner and pets and family and I'm not a selfish person.

Those were the very same reasons that prevented us from going to Australia around 18 years ago.

My wife is close to her sisters and I knew that she would have never settledown so far away from them regardless of what she said , whereas I am an only child and would only be leaving my parents but taking their only grandkids away from them would have been torture for them.

Around three years ago my dad passed away at which point we would have to come home anyway as there was no one left to look after my eighty year old mum .

Lots to consider when moving away , not just your own personal situation so good on you for considering others in your decision.

Kenny

 

[Steve320]

I lived in Australia for 18 months, in a gorgeous apartment 150m from Coogee Beach (3 beaches down from Bondi), and as well as working in Sydney spent two/three weeks at a time commuting / working in Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne - and do you know what - are they any happier down there with their brand of 'rut' compared to ours, given they've still got bills to pay and mouths to feed?

Yes - of course they b*oody well are!!!

Get down there anyone who is thinking of doing it! Great place to live.
.

 

[renault12ts]

Well I have a partner and pets and family and I'm not a selfish person.

You may not be...but some one else will do it without a thought for you.

Take your partner...get new pets...the family will not only visit but you'll need a diary to cope with the people who will want to visit.

 

[Darrell]

Well I have a partner and pets and family and I'm not a selfish person.

I have been down this avenue. Your family may even encourage you to go.

Mine did. Follow your dreams is what they said.

 

[Darrell]

My mum lives in France, I know it's closer than Oz but she has 7 grandchildren and sees them 2 times a year.

She was over in June and it was the first time in 4 years that she had seen my wife and daughter.

Skype, FaceTime etc etc really do help.

 

[John]

I lived in Australia for 18 months, in a gorgeous apartment 150m from Coogee Beach (3 beaches down from Bondi), and as well as working in Sydney spent two/three weeks at a time commuting / working in Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne - and do you know what - are they any happier down there with their brand of 'rut' compared to ours, given they've still got bills to pay and mouths to feed?

Yes - of course they b*oody well are!!!

Get down there anyone who is thinking of doing it! Great place to live.
.

Why didn't you stay?

 

[Darrell]

You may not be...but some one else will do it without a thought for you. Take your partner...get new pets...the family will not only visit but you'll need a diary to cope with the people who will want to visit.

Agree 100%.

 

[ChrisEdu]

Going into business with a two-faced, conniving, lying bitch.

 

[Darrell]

Going into business with a two-faced, conniving, lying bitch.

You ain't bitter are you?

 

[Steve320]

Why didn't you stay?

The project I was implementing completed, so thereafter work took me to other places, Switzerland, Singapore and our UK business were the good places, Angola and Iraq the less good. I'm now based permanently in Dubai, so much less traveling, just home for holidays to see family & friends.

 

[StuartK]

I have been down this avenue. Your family may even encourage you to go.

Mine did. Follow your dreams is what they said.

It's not family but partner won't go. We would be leaving one rate race to go to another.

I'm sowing the seeds at the moment to jog work on and open up alone. That's the key making my own decisions lining my own pockets.

 

[Deleted member 113659]

Sounds like a great plan Stu.

The good thing is that know you need to change things to make you happier. And at 28 your still very young.

Are you happy to stay in the same field? Or would you consider a career change?