Model Railway Forum

Its great being retired...........My index linked company pension went up 3.1% WOW .....Then tax went up 3%. Well the chanceller really has his finger on the pulse. don't he. So no increase this year either.

sandy wrote: ↑Tue Jun 14, 2022 6:29 pm Its great being retired...........My index linked company pension went up 3.1% WOW .....Then tax went up 3%. Well the chanceller really has his finger on the pulse. don't he. So no increase this year either.

It’s likely to be a problem for many of us. My pension is set by the inflation rate in August each year.....but it’s capped at 5%. That’ll be fun next year.
I saw the crisis coming so I negotiated some additional hours in my evening job before they could ‘economise’ at work. Although I get my state pension next year, I’m considering staying on for a few token hours just in case.

Same here Sandy but can’t complain, still spending too much on this hobby. Not using the car very much, only did 3500 miles between MOTs, not sure why.

over here we get cheap car insurance, provided you keep mileage under 8000 per year. there is talk of us not getting pension increases, but so far so good.

Unfortunately the cycle of working longer, contributing more and getting less looks likely to continue for the foreseeable future…… now looking at a plan for continued part-time working rather than stopping completely…… Probably better as I have worked full time since leaving school at 16, so would be lost if I suddenly took full retirement.

Also, don’t get me started on Car Insurance….. have an Aviva multi car policy with daughter at Uni…… she is now over 21 and has 4 years No-claims discount, whilst I have 14 years NCD…… no changes or claims since last year, so it goes to figure that the renewal that I just recd has gone up 20% !!!…… must be covid, the cost of Diesel or perhaps a war premium adjustment…..I can assure you that I will be unrelenting in my efforts to spend my cash elsewhere

They count on people not checking prices elsewhere come renewal time, and just letting it roll over for another year. I’m sure there is/was rules coming into place that didn’t stiff existing insurance customers so much at policy renewal.

Hound Dog,
do NOT just renew with existing insurer every year. Always use comparison web sites. Over the last few years our car insurance premiums (we have two cars and both of us drive both) have either come down in price or up by just a few pounds. Check out the Martin Lewis MoneySaving web site, there are some great tips there on how to reduce your premiums.

TWD is absolutely right. Every year I engage in a ritual ‘courtship dance’ with my insurers and their competitors and regularly switch between Aviva, Churchill and Directline.
Do the same with my satellite TV - at the end of my contract last month with Virgin, told them I was going back to Sky and they immediately chopped £50 off the monthly bill and upgraded the package.
And then there are the energy suppliers although I stick with the main players rather than the smaller suppliers who have proved a little fragile in recent months.
Now if only I could do the same with diesel for the car.

Walkingthedog wrote: ↑Tue Jun 14, 2022 8:08 pm Same here Sandy but can’t complain, still spending too much on this hobby. Not using the car very much, only did 3500 miles between MOTs, not sure why.

Your not the only one I bought my car new August 2020 and it has only just over 10,000 on the clock. When I was working I used to clock that up in a month.

Apart from going to work I didn’t use the car much at home, mileages went down by two thirds on retirement.

Might not be able to drive at all soon if they can’t sort out an eye problem.