Bits & Bobs
Something I forgot to mention last week - I actually applied for a job! One of the small local libraries wants a library assistant 26 hours a week so I thought what the heck.I was last at work at the end of March 2005 although I was paid up until 12 September. My Job Seeker Allowance stopped after 6 months so now I sign on just to get my stamp paid. My redundancy insurance will stop paying in Sept so I thought I really ought to actually look for a job of some sort. Trouble is, I quite like not going to work although I do miss the social side of it.
I checked with Abbey (my last employer) & it seems I can start taking my pension when I am 50 in August. Then they gave me options which is never a good thing. If I leave it until my normal retirement age of 58, I can draw a pension of almost £9k, if I take my pension now it will be about £5k or I can take a walloping great lump sum (equal to a years salary!) & a pension of £4.5k'ish. Armed with my trusty calculator & assuming I live until I'm at least 70, I will get more money in the long run if I start taking a pension when I am 50.
So now do I take the lump sum & perhaps only have to get part time work or do I take the lump sum, invest it & but maybe have to get a full time job?
My friend who is quite financially whizzish says take the lump sum, invest it & it will earn enough interest to make up the monthly difference in the two pension amounts. Her other point was that you don't know what is going to happen to you so take the money. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!
Then the local paper came & I saw a job I liked the sound of. The drawbacks are that it is full time & may include so weekend or evening work. But it sounded so interesting - Registrar of Birth,s Deaths & Marriages. The money isn't brilliant but with my pension, I'll almost be back to my last pay packet & I really do like the sound of it.
Just did a mini themed release in Homebase. We are finally getting someone in to tart the bathroom up (only been waiting 2.5 years) so went looking at heated towel rail doodahs. I left a copy of Curtains in a bedding display & Don't Try This At Home in one of the bathroom settings. I still have to wait until I think no-one is around though.
Managed to get more plants. Now to find somewhere to put them.
I checked with Abbey (my last employer) & it seems I can start taking my pension when I am 50 in August. Then they gave me options which is never a good thing. If I leave it until my normal retirement age of 58, I can draw a pension of almost £9k, if I take my pension now it will be about £5k or I can take a walloping great lump sum (equal to a years salary!) & a pension of £4.5k'ish. Armed with my trusty calculator & assuming I live until I'm at least 70, I will get more money in the long run if I start taking a pension when I am 50.
So now do I take the lump sum & perhaps only have to get part time work or do I take the lump sum, invest it & but maybe have to get a full time job?
My friend who is quite financially whizzish says take the lump sum, invest it & it will earn enough interest to make up the monthly difference in the two pension amounts. Her other point was that you don't know what is going to happen to you so take the money. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!
Then the local paper came & I saw a job I liked the sound of. The drawbacks are that it is full time & may include so weekend or evening work. But it sounded so interesting - Registrar of Birth,s Deaths & Marriages. The money isn't brilliant but with my pension, I'll almost be back to my last pay packet & I really do like the sound of it.
Just did a mini themed release in Homebase. We are finally getting someone in to tart the bathroom up (only been waiting 2.5 years) so went looking at heated towel rail doodahs. I left a copy of Curtains in a bedding display & Don't Try This At Home in one of the bathroom settings. I still have to wait until I think no-one is around though.
Managed to get more plants. Now to find somewhere to put them.