Jobs in your 70s

[Bansheed]

Due to years of overspending and hiding debt my mum and her DH are now down to their last 11k of savings. Mum is distraught, her husband is 72 and has basically has just lost another 20k. He is fit and healthy but obv a financial twat.

They have a very small house. And a small private pension, which my brother and I top up every month.

He wants to work now but I don't live in the UK and have no idea what to suggest. Part time would be enough to try and start building up a nest egg.

It is a shit show, but we are were we are.

Any ideas for work? Or how to get it?

He was in marketing and comms. I suggested the local supermarket. How does that work? Are there agencies?

Any online ideas?

[Bansheed]

@User1529865

It sounds like they have enough money for a fairly basic lifestyle anyway which would include having some heating on in winter and a reasonable food shop, it's the extras they won't be able to have

It is exactly this. I asked to see their finances and they are genuinely down to the last pound, every month.

The comments about how long can he realistically work are also true. He needs to do it to build up their savings for a few more years.

He won't change. I accept that. So I am going to give my mum access to a bank account in my name. She can coose what she spends it on, conditions never work but if she saves some, she will get peace of mind.

She is an artist, older than him and worked until her midsixties, when she bought a business, which failed. She is becoming more popular and getting comissions now too.

I don't know why they are still married tbh but I suppose now she is almost 80 and not in great health, it is too difficult to think about starting over.

[Cupcakequeen75]

@PuppyMonkey

Don’t you still have to do those horrendous online applications to get into a supermarket job? Where they give you loads of scenarios and it’s impossible to pick the correct answer?

Exam invigilator would need a DBS so that will take some time.

Has he not got some contacts from his career who might help with putting some freelance projects his way - maybe writing stuff?

Did your mum ever work?

Plenty of people in their 70's & 80's working at our local supermarkets (not at Lidl though!).

I applied for some supermarket jobs when I first (early) retired and yes, regardless of the company it seems they still have these tests.
I quickly worked out that the "correct" answer is where you help the customer and/or colleague but avoid going to your manager.
I never went for a role though as the jobs being advertised were for odd hours/shifts (filling gaps in rotas) rather than a straight 8hr daytime shift.

[LynetteScavo]

Many people spend their last penny each month - your concerns seem to be that your DM doesn't have a huge amount of savings. If you're so concerned, then give her some savings, don't hand out money so her DH can continue to enjoy himself.

Why does she even need savings? I've know children of elderly parents financially pay when necessary, for home help, house repairs etc as the parents (though no fault of their own) had insufficient savings and pension.

[TallerThanAverage]

@Bansheed

It is exactly this. I asked to see their finances and they are genuinely down to the last pound, every month.

The comments about how long can he realistically work are also true. He needs to do it to build up their savings for a few more years.

He won't change. I accept that. So I am going to give my mum access to a bank account in my name. She can coose what she spends it on, conditions never work but if she saves some, she will get peace of mind.

She is an artist, older than him and worked until her midsixties, when she bought a business, which failed. She is becoming more popular and getting comissions now too.

I don't know why they are still married tbh but I suppose now she is almost 80 and not in great health, it is too difficult to think about starting over.

But what happens when he inevitably finds out about the account that you are giving your mother access to?

She’s almost 80 and not in good health, could they qualify for attendance allowance?

[lookingforMolly]

I believe they could apply for universal credit i(pension tax credits) as their savings are less than 16k and the house is not taken into account.
They are more well off than my mum who has only the state pension, no private pension.

[lionsleepstonight]

I think they are taking you for a ride.

£20k blown on hobbies and down the their last £11k?

State and private pension and own their home?

Get subbed by their 2 children?

They need to down size and live to their means like everyone else!

[AdaColeman]

Perhaps they should consider getting advice about managing their debt from one of the free debt charities such as StepChange? Or look on MSE for ideas of how to reduce their debt, as it must be costing them a fair amount in interest each month to service that amount of debt.
Have they considered using some of their savings to pay off part of the debt? StepChange would advise them about what was best to do about that.

Another thought is to check on one of the benefits advice websites to make sure they are claiming everything they are entitled to, pension credit for example.

[lionsleepstonight]

Somehow they've made their problem your to fix.

The parent / child dynamic has swapped.

Unless you and your DB are mega wealthy shouldn't you be utilising your money for your own retirement rather than giving it to too people to spend on frivolities?

[DozyDelia]

Polling station work is infrequent and not well paid.

There are many shops that employ older people.
B&Q does I'm sure, and all the supermarkets.
They need to look online at the careers/job vacancy part of the websites, or even go into the store and ask.

Garden centres?

Cafes?

Dog walking/ pet sitting/ looking after gardens when people are away?

[DozyDelia]

@DozyDelia

Polling station work is infrequent and not well paid.

There are many shops that employ older people.
B&Q does I'm sure, and all the supermarkets.
They need to look online at the careers/job vacancy part of the websites, or even go into the store and ask.

Garden centres?

Cafes?

Dog walking/ pet sitting/ looking after gardens when people are away?

I also think M&S take on retirees.

[halfsiesonapotnoodle]

@User1529865

Supermarket checkout in somewhere like M&S or Waitrose where it isn't too fast paced

I work in Waitrose and whilst it may not look fast paced to you, you're constantly stretched in different directions, rushing about behind the scenes and being made to work faster. You rarely get to just sit calmly on a checkout plus they're doing away with many of them and replacing with self service. It's a hard job to get into too. Don't be fooled! I think he's just got to look on Indeed or similar to see what's about.

[Babyroobs]

Are they in the UK, are they getting state pensions? As others have said state pensions and a small private pension must come to around £2k a month and if they have no housing costs then I don't understand the problem. A lot of pensioners have no savings so compared to many, being down to their last 11k isn't so bad. His spending however is crazy and needs to stop.

[DozyDelia]

@Babyroobs

Are they in the UK, are they getting state pensions? As others have said state pensions and a small private pension must come to around £2k a month and if they have no housing costs then I don't understand the problem. A lot of pensioners have no savings so compared to many, being down to their last 11k isn't so bad. His spending however is crazy and needs to stop.

It will depend on whether they have contributed enough to get the full state pension.

[Babyroobs]

@Babyroobs

Are they in the UK, are they getting state pensions? As others have said state pensions and a small private pension must come to around £2k a month and if they have no housing costs then I don't understand the problem. A lot of pensioners have no savings so compared to many, being down to their last 11k isn't so bad. His spending however is crazy and needs to stop.

Sorry I also should have said I would get him to look at garden centers, maybe something like delivery - lots of cafes are delivering meals to older folk, the charity I work for is struggling to recruit people to do things like home help for older people - light cleaning, preparing lunch, handyman jobs, light gardening for older people, they are always advertising and a charity for older people usually won't discriminate based on age - a lot of my colleagues are over pension age.

[Babyroobs]

@lookingforMolly

I believe they could apply for universal credit i(pension tax credits) as their savings are less than 16k and the house is not taken into account.
They are more well off than my mum who has only the state pension, no private pension.

They can't apply for Universal credit unless op's mum is under state pension age. It would be pension credit they apply for but they are unlikely to meet the criteria unless state pensions nd private pension are very low, less than £306 a week or unless one of both have disabilities which it doesn't sound like they do.

[PleaseJustText]

Are you putting enough into your own pension or is their spending costing you your future?

It would make more sense if you helped them financially when they genuinely need something like boiler repair or other unexpected bill but if you prop up their monthly spending, they'll probably come to you for that anyway.

I pass quite a few elderly lollipop ladies and men on my way to work. It seems like a good compromise for someone relatively fit. It's not enough for the average adult to survive on but would suit someone with a small pension.

[EmmaEmerald]

@Bansheed

Hi, sorry, we went out for the day. Some excellent suggestions here, the exam invigilator, elections are great! Thank you!

He spent it shopping for his hobbies. Collecting random shit. The issue was they were wealthy until their mid 50s, made a series of disastrous financial decisions and are now running out of their next egg. Re cutting back they already have. I am happy to help, it is my mother.

He needs to flog the stuff he bought.

[Bansheed]

@Babyroobs

Sorry I also should have said I would get him to look at garden centers, maybe something like delivery - lots of cafes are delivering meals to older folk, the charity I work for is struggling to recruit people to do things like home help for older people - light cleaning, preparing lunch, handyman jobs, light gardening for older people, they are always advertising and a charity for older people usually won't discriminate based on age - a lot of my colleagues are over pension age.

Thanks, some more great ideas

[lionsleepstonight]

Also petrol forcourt attendant.

[lljkk]

I quickly worked out that the "correct" answer is where you help the customer and/or colleague but avoid going to your manager.

Thank you so much for that. DS had one of these questionnaires (was a restaurant one) & we were scratching heads, knowing there must be some trick to it. I had a sense of 'depends what the business policy says' feel about the answers, and there was an escalation hierarchy to it.

OP: your step-dad can go to the job centre or get online to job hunt, like anyone else. One of my uncles is still working full time as a road builder, age 72.

[Retire50]

Do they both get full state pension and a small pension so 20k a year?

[ChrisPNoodles]

Is he handy? He could get a gardening round or do odd jobs for people like putting flat packs together. Gardeners earn £20 an hour where I live in the South West. Elderly people are always looking for people to mow their lawns.

Can't help but think that this couple ought to be able to sort out their own situation and will keep leaning on your as long as you let them.