Do I need a FT job?

[LayeredlikeanOnion]

I've got a minimum hours job, around 10 hours a week. I don't like it that much as it involves a lot of physical stuff for other people and I am 62. However I get to do what I want the rest of the week but don't have much to spend on myself which is also fine. I have around 4k in savings and I can't add to the pot.
Should I get a full time job? Do I need one or should I wait till my pension kicks in in 4 years so I can save for my old age. I have no way of making my part time job give me more hours

You have another five or six years to state pension and that's only about 900 a month so yes to working and earning more if you can as you may regret it later when you are not able.

Ahh I missed that. I'd probably pick up another really low impact part time job. I do 8 hours a week in our local library and it's lovely, crap pay, but nice environment.

Could you get another 10 hour a week job at a supermarket?

If the only reason you're mulling this over is because you have no scope for adding to savings and you've only got 4 years for retirement/pension (that's how I'm reading it), I'd be inclined to find a small part time job locally and use the income from that purely for topping up savings. It doesn't have to be a career job with prospects if it's main purpose is for savings

On the other hand, with only 4 years to go, I'd also be inclined to just stick it out, particularly if you've no debt.

I personally would feel exposed with just £4k of savings so if I could I would try to increase that by working more now, as we are all only going to get older!

Your £4k could easily be wiped out by one big bill - roof needs work, boiler goes, car (if you run one) issues etc.

I cannot find another job that fits in with my current job as my hours are all over the place. All the PT jobs I like want set hours like I'm a school, teachers assistant etc

Can you go for a different part time job with more hours and stop doing your current one?
But honestly if you have enough to live on and the thought of living on the state pension with the addition from your private pension doesn’t fill you with dread, then just carry on as you are.

I would do more hours and if that means getting a different job, I would do that. These are the last few years you have to give yourself a savings cushion and that would be really worthwhile in older age.

It is fine before your health really declines to live on very little, but bad health costs money. My mum would have to buy a rollator and a wheelchair (and then replacement ones) and frequent travel to hospital and the GP which she could no longer walk to, to a much smaller kettle when she couldn't lift it any more, let alone the usual things like replacement boilers, new roof etc.

There's quite a big gap between 10 and 35 hours, could you work around 20 hours a week?

Or can you do seasonal work, eg something just before Christmas or in the summer and mainly use the extra money to top up your savings?

Doing physical work in menopause sucks. All my joints hurt. So I’d suggest if you think it’s too heavy for you that you continue to look for other part time jobs that have flexibility. Why do you need so much flexibility though? Is it to fit round your dc’s schedule to babysit your grandchild? Maybe your son or daughter could make some changes to allow you to take a more structured post ie regular days?

Kids nowadays expect grandparents to just be at their beck and call free of charge and plan round that staying the case. And then have more than one baby and think it’ll be fine for granny to manage two under two etc….So you might want to mention that in case shes thinking of another…

Everyone would have less stress if they only had to work 10 hours a week, but is it financially sustainable?
Your savings are not very substantial - if an emergency occurred you could easily end up without any savings. Are you OK with that?