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getting old
Jay Le Huray:
last month I turned 66, when I reached retirement last year I decided to sell half of my business and just work part time i.e 50%
In the space of 1 year I have gained more work and I'm now doing about 70% of what I used to do rather than the planed 50%
My wife who is almost 62 works alongside me and it's fair to say we are both beginning to feel it now, everyday it seems to get harder as the bones begin to ache and age takes over.
We plan to work until she gets to pension age which has now been increased to the age of 67 (very unfair) so maybe another 5 years by which time I will be 71,
my question is does anyone know of any other cleaners working to that ripe old age ? oh and BTW we are WFP and no ladders
zesty:
Definitely think about what equipment you are using, are you making sure to use the very lightest pole and brush?
Also an electric hose reel will help a lot.
Fair play to you for carrying on!
Jay Le Huray:
--- Quote from: zesty on June 23, 2019, 09:23:52 am ---Definitely think about what equipment you are using, are you making sure to use the very lightest pole and brush?
Also an electric hose reel will help a lot.
Fair play to you for carrying on!
--- End quote ---
good point about the electric reel, this is something we have been thinking about, as for the poles and brushes, we do keep them light as possible (no more sill brushes)
nathankaye:
Learn to say "No" as well.
Do you need the extra new work your taking on? If not, then stop doing so and make it more manageable and perhaps cut your working hours per day a little if you can and take the rest.
What poles do you use?
Respect to you both as well. I know in theory I wouldn't want to be working into my 70's (I'm 41) but the reality is, I hate doing nothing and so the chances are I will be working in some capacity
Spruce:
--- Quote from: Jay Le Huray on June 23, 2019, 09:21:48 am ---last month I turned 66, when I reached retirement last year I decided to sell half of my business and just work part time i.e 50%
In the space of 1 year I have gained more work and I'm now doing about 70% of what I used to do rather than the planed 50%
My wife who is almost 62 works alongside me and it's fair to say we are both beginning to feel it now, everyday it seems to get harder as the bones begin to ache and age takes over.
We plan to work until she gets to pension age which has now been increased to the age of 67 (very unfair) so maybe another 5 years by which time I will be 71,
my question is does anyone know of any other cleaners working to that ripe old age ? oh and BTW we are WFP and no ladders
--- End quote ---
Isn't it fun how easy it is to pick up work you don't want when some new cleaners struggle?
The other down side to working and claiming a pension is that your tax liability increases. They giveth with one hand and taketh with the other.
I get a small pension now but as we (wife and myself) haven't been paying into the system full term, its limited. I'm grateful for the additional 'help' as I'm probably doing about a 1/3rd of what I did 10 years ago. But its not enough to live off of and I'm not complaining.
So for me its "retire when I expire." ;D
I've had my old faithful 04 plate Citroen Relay fail MOT due to rust. I have had to buy another van which isn't something I wanted to do. Somehow, when you get on a bit you don't feel 'happy' making long term purchases when you know the best of your life is behind you.
One of our customers retired from plastering a few years back and still did a couple of jobs to pay for holidays. We had a chat last week and he said that there were no more holidays as he has had to stop plastering altogether. Spruce, you and I are both on the final stretch and the finishing line is not far away. My reply was that he was dead right. ;D
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