To feel quite well.off , but td i really am not!

[Geewhizzr]

We are early 60s.
Retired from carees and work part time in the toursist industry.
We have 38 k in bank, own own house.
We have a joint pension ,now of just under 2k a month , which will be boosted by state pension.
We live simply, in a rural area.
We go out a lot to live music ,but watch the pennies.
We cannot do holidays abroad, but have a small caravan .
I feel quite contented with this.
However , its come to my notice that quite a few people have significant savings and / inheritances , and that we are considered to be not well of or even vulnerable. We wont inherit as relatives are to spend money on care costs.
It did not occur to us to save for that. I am wondering if i / we have been unreasonable in our own little bubble and if we need to actually work full time/ career jobs again ..aibu to be suprised that we are considered financially vulnerable by the very comforrtable around us.. iabu to ask for some peespective?

R

Wish we has saved for potential care now.

your lifestyle sounds lovely. There’s no way I’ll be able to afford to retire by my early 60s

If you’ve not got the savings to pay for your own care you’ll still get it but you’ll have less choice as to who and where it is provided.

We both work part time . In less stressful jobs. Not our career jobs .mw jobs .

What kind of perspective are you looking for? Do you want a string of posters to detail all the ways in which they have less or money than you?

If you’re happy, can afford to maintain your house, socialise and enjoy your holidays, why worry!

People have been agast at our percieved lack of savings. Thats what has made me wonder ....
Are we silly
We have never been money driven ,but i feel it gives a lot of aasurance to those around us that never have to think about it. E

Sounds good to me. Im plan is similar. Although nothing is certain. I'm hoping to be mortgage free early 60's. Do minimum wage job and get state pension and my private pension to top me up of about £1.5k a month. I can also down size when I need too. But you know what happens to the best laid plans. Enjoy each day you have

Eg i shower ,no baths now. Cook frugally.it not even on their agenda.
Also they eat out as a norm , not a treat , weras its a huge treat in my view.

So what do you want people to say? That that’s no life and you should go back to work so you can afford to eat out? You seem perfectly satisfied! Until people told you you didn’t have much… how do they even know??

I think you need to get out from your very narrow social circle and burst your bubble. Which frankly reading a newspaper or Mumsnet should have done anyway. You sound privileged and embarrassingly under-informed.

No mortgage, nearly 2k in pension income plus pt wages x 2 and no dependents sounds like a dream to me.

How come you can't afford baths?

FourTeaFallOut no dont want details.
I am wondering if we live in a very affluent area , one in which its the norm to.retire early and be v comfortable.. it has started to concerne that we may have made mistakes and we need to build funds OR Is it that it is simply that living where we do is skewing my peespwctive (. Ie i thought we were ok but friends consider us in a vulnerble position as we ' only' have a small savings pot.( when i ,in my head thought it waa safe/ ok)

We can afford baths. If that was or choice. However, as we go out to pub gigs at least

Ooops! At least once a week or twice, that comes to about £ 8o a month. We chose to spend our money on fun rather than baths. !

You sound like you have a comfortable, nice life 🤷‍♀️

But no offence meant, I hope when I get into my 60's, I'm way past giving headspace to what other people 'perceive' me as.

If you're happy with your lot, own it. If you're not, change it.

An annual pension of £24k a year is equivalent to about £600k pension pot, so I'd say you were significantly better off than the average.

Apologies for "annual" and "a year"

MassiveSalad22 it came up last week . A friend waa talking about her finiacial advisor. I aaked for the name of advisor , but she said it wasnt worth it for the amount we have. I then asked another friend did they have one.. oh yes.. and it dawned on me ..

@MomwasCasual 👏🏻

Testina wdnt say i am priveledged. We both worked in very very tough careers that almost cost us our health .
I agree thatt i am under nformed .. this is part of why i raised the question .

@Geewhizzr if you unexpectedly need money for care, do an equity release on your lovely paid off house 🤷🏻‍♀️ The rates are punitive, but with no dependents who cares?
Don’t you realise that most posters would give their eye teeth to be in your position?

My mum neither MIL is in her 60s, and she doesn't have a pension pot or savings 🤦🏻‍♀️ I think maybe you need to get out of the rural circle of friends and be out in the real world. You have a lot more than others. Its just never enough for people who have money.

Are you still paying off your mortgage?

If not then you should easily be able to afford holidays abroad or you could be putting £500 away each month and still live comfortably.

Having 38k savings is much more than anyone I know so I think you’ve done well to save that amount.

You are on a decent income at £2k a month but you are by no means rich and you still have to budget and probably won’t have as luxurious lifestyle as some of your friends.

Ww have adult dc. At any point we may nees to help them . They cant addord a house atm ans rent but if they get married , need rental deposit or help for a house deposit , then I would want to help .

Wow yes sounds amazing. We won't have anything like you have when we retired (on state pension only.) Our income isn't a lot more than your current pension and we have to pay for 2 kids/mortgage etc!