Enjoying Retirement
Discussion
OldSkoolRS said:
Nowhere to have a bonfire in our garden, not that the neighbours would be impressed, so I have little choice. Still it helps line the boot for me for the other stuff.
Lucky for me we don’t have any close neighbours….just as well as Mrs S thought I was building one of those warning beacons from the Lord of the Rings!
OldSkoolRS said:
GT3Manthey said:
Longy00000 said:
Argh yes the joys of a tip run. Many a blessed hour doing that and then usually having to clean the car out again afterwards
If it’s not been mentioned already you now have to book 
I can see my fly tipping happening
Wow...having to book !
Not up norf, at least not yet, just turn up and skip it into correct recycle bin and off you toddle.
So a booking system will be on its way soon, another way of tracking us and no doubt followed shortly with a disposal fee to be paid at time of booking. You can just see where that's going.......
Not up norf, at least not yet, just turn up and skip it into correct recycle bin and off you toddle.
So a booking system will be on its way soon, another way of tracking us and no doubt followed shortly with a disposal fee to be paid at time of booking. You can just see where that's going.......
Longy00000 said:
Wow...having to book !
Not up norf, at least not yet, just turn up and skip it into correct recycle bin and off you toddle.
So a booking system will be on its way soon, another way of tracking us and no doubt followed shortly with a disposal fee to be paid at time of booking. You can just see where that's going.......
We don’t have to book but do have to list our car registration numbers (up to two per address) to prove we are residents and thus council tax payers in the county.Not up norf, at least not yet, just turn up and skip it into correct recycle bin and off you toddle.
So a booking system will be on its way soon, another way of tracking us and no doubt followed shortly with a disposal fee to be paid at time of booking. You can just see where that's going.......
The booking thing was brought in during Covid...they just haven't lifted it since. As I say though it beats queuing up for ages on an ad-hoc basis, though I used to tend to try to nip down late afternoon mid week, even when I was working rather than waste my weekend in a long queue. Now you just pull up at your allotted time (half hour window), show your email and in you go. They never seem to rush you to get out in your time slot, so even if you arrive just as it ends it doesn't seem to be a problem.
We'll have to call you Lord of the Rings now Skeeterm.
Anyway I seemed to have dragged this thread off to 'enjoying recycling' sorry about that.
We'll have to call you Lord of the Rings now Skeeterm.
Anyway I seemed to have dragged this thread off to 'enjoying recycling' sorry about that.
OldSkoolRS said:
The booking thing was brought in during Covid...they just haven't lifted it since. As I say though it beats queuing up for ages on an ad-hoc basis, though I used to tend to try to nip down late afternoon mid week, even when I was working rather than waste my weekend in a long queue. Now you just pull up at your allotted time (half hour window), show your email and in you go. They never seem to rush you to get out in your time slot, so even if you arrive just as it ends it doesn't seem to be a problem.
We'll have to call you Lord of the Rings now Skeeterm.
Anyway I seemed to have dragged this thread off to 'enjoying recycling' sorry about that.
Oddly enough wasn’t a thing during covid here . The lazy gits just closed down but I think it gave them the idea it was the way forward. We'll have to call you Lord of the Rings now Skeeterm.
Anyway I seemed to have dragged this thread off to 'enjoying recycling' sorry about that.
No need for it where I am but they’ve rolled it out regardless.
Maybe as previously mentioned it’s yet another way of tracking your every move .
OldSkoolRS said:
The booking thing was brought in during Covid...they just haven't lifted it since. As I say though it beats queuing up for ages on an ad-hoc basis, though I used to tend to try to nip down late afternoon mid week, even when I was working rather than waste my weekend in a long queue. Now you just pull up at your allotted time (half hour window), show your email and in you go. They never seem to rush you to get out in your time slot, so even if you arrive just as it ends it doesn't seem to be a problem.
We'll have to call you Lord of the Rings now Skeeterm.
Anyway I seemed to have dragged this thread off to 'enjoying recycling' sorry about that.
Ours was made book only during Covid…which I kind of liked….but they have relaxed it now - so back to a few queues if you pick the wrong time.We'll have to call you Lord of the Rings now Skeeterm.
Anyway I seemed to have dragged this thread off to 'enjoying recycling' sorry about that.
Of course, those enjoying retirement can pick the right time and relax
Back on main topic: just one week of more plotting and much packing & re-packing, before we take off on a 2 month Interrail adventure!
We only have 10 days at the start and 5 at the end planned…the 45 in the middle will be sorted out as we go
Ever so slightly daunting - I last went back in ‘87, & I’m pretty sure this will be a very different experience….but a good chance to wander about, randomly seeing lots of Europe we haven’t been to
We have plans to catch up with pals we haven’t seen for a while: Valencia, Kosice, Budapest, Prague, Nurembourg, Amsterdam will hopefully see some shared beers
Offspring about to look after the house, due to their movements with their jobs, so that will work well.
Finance meeting (between the two of us!) on Weds to figure out what is needed for the main direct debits whilst we are gone. Barclaycard & Chase for main travel cards (with Tesco/Monzo/Starling lightly loaded as backups).
Back to checking my kit list. 55l rucksack for me - aiming for under 12kg…41l rolling case for MrsMikeIOW
I’m treating it as one giant expedition, although I’ve been told we don’t need the trangia or storm shelter
Bloody council tips.
Pre-Covid, yes there were large queues on weekends in the summer but the council staff love this new booking system because none of them now have to manage the queues, they can now stand next to the skips, smoking roll-ups and police what goes in what skip.
We are now limited to one visit per week, so if you have a big garden/DIY project you have to store all the waste in your garden and trickle feed it to the tip by weekly visits, by which time it will be soaking wet.
Also, picture this scenario: You wake up and it's a dry sunny day and you think, right let's get that big DIY/Garden job done, previously you went to the tip at the end of the day with he rubbish (even if there was a queue). You could go the next day too if needed, and the next (still not going to be 52 trips per year though). Now you go on-line and discover there are no slots available at the tip for ten days, brilliant. Also, they are closed Wednesdays, no doubt so the council workers can catch up with their inclusion and equality courses.
When the booking system first started there was a council worker stationed at a barrier checking everyone's email booking. They soon found that task too tedious so they added a QR code to your email and installed a QR scanner. Council worker can now retreat to a little hut and drink tea and read the Daily Star and wait for the occasional driver who is too thick to figure out how to scan their QR code.
Also, what is all this checking post codes nonsense anyway? Was it really a problem where people were sneaking into tips from outside their post code area? Why would anyone do that? And the numbers were surely small. Say ten people a week were sneaking in from another area, using that logic then is it not likely that this was reciprocated by ten people sneaking from your area to another area? Balancing out this whole post code pirates nonsense?
For me, this whole council tip drama has been one of the worst hangovers from Covid.
Pre-Covid, yes there were large queues on weekends in the summer but the council staff love this new booking system because none of them now have to manage the queues, they can now stand next to the skips, smoking roll-ups and police what goes in what skip.
We are now limited to one visit per week, so if you have a big garden/DIY project you have to store all the waste in your garden and trickle feed it to the tip by weekly visits, by which time it will be soaking wet.
Also, picture this scenario: You wake up and it's a dry sunny day and you think, right let's get that big DIY/Garden job done, previously you went to the tip at the end of the day with he rubbish (even if there was a queue). You could go the next day too if needed, and the next (still not going to be 52 trips per year though). Now you go on-line and discover there are no slots available at the tip for ten days, brilliant. Also, they are closed Wednesdays, no doubt so the council workers can catch up with their inclusion and equality courses.
When the booking system first started there was a council worker stationed at a barrier checking everyone's email booking. They soon found that task too tedious so they added a QR code to your email and installed a QR scanner. Council worker can now retreat to a little hut and drink tea and read the Daily Star and wait for the occasional driver who is too thick to figure out how to scan their QR code.
Also, what is all this checking post codes nonsense anyway? Was it really a problem where people were sneaking into tips from outside their post code area? Why would anyone do that? And the numbers were surely small. Say ten people a week were sneaking in from another area, using that logic then is it not likely that this was reciprocated by ten people sneaking from your area to another area? Balancing out this whole post code pirates nonsense?
For me, this whole council tip drama has been one of the worst hangovers from Covid.
Edited by Senex on Monday 20th March 09:38
Longy00000 said:
Argh yes the joys of a tip run. Many a blessed hour doing that and then usually having to clean the car out again afterwards
Beauty of having an older ( classic ) Defender - tip runs , dog carrier , horse things picker upper etc and probably still worth the same or slightly more than I paid for it.Senex said:
Bloody council tips.
Pre-Covid, yes there were large queues on weekends in the summer but the council staff love this new booking system because none of them now have to manage the queues, they can now stand next to the skips, smoking roll-ups and police what goes in what skip.
We are now limited to one visit per week, so if you have a big garden/DIY project you have to store all the waste in your garden and trickle feed it to the tip by weekly visits, by which time it will be soaking wet.
Also, picture this scenario: You wake up and it's a dry sunny day and you think, right let's get that big DIY/Garden job done, previously you went to the tip at the end of the day with he rubbish (even if there was a queue). You could go the next day too if needed, and the next (still not going to be 52 trips per year though). Now you go on-line and discover there are no slots available at the tip for ten days, brilliant. Also, they are closed Wednesdays, no doubt so the council workers can catch up with their inclusion and equality courses.
When the booking system first started there was a council worker stationed at a barrier checking everyone's email booking. They soon found that task too tedious so they added a QR code to your email and installed a QR scanner. Council worker can now retreat to a little hut and drink tea and read the Daily Star and wait for the occasional driver who is too thick to figure out how to scan their QR code.
Also, what is all this checking post codes nonsense anyway? Was it really a problem where people were sneaking into tips from outside their post code area? Why would anyone do that? And the numbers were surely small. Say ten people a week were sneaking in from another area, using that logic then is it not likely that this was reciprocated by ten people sneaking from your area to another area? Balancing out this whole post code pirates nonsense?
For me, this whole council tip drama has been one of the worst hangovers from Covid.
With you on this, sometimes I'd fill the car then drop it off while passing, saves a special trip. A pal however loves it because it commits them to doing something.Pre-Covid, yes there were large queues on weekends in the summer but the council staff love this new booking system because none of them now have to manage the queues, they can now stand next to the skips, smoking roll-ups and police what goes in what skip.
We are now limited to one visit per week, so if you have a big garden/DIY project you have to store all the waste in your garden and trickle feed it to the tip by weekly visits, by which time it will be soaking wet.
Also, picture this scenario: You wake up and it's a dry sunny day and you think, right let's get that big DIY/Garden job done, previously you went to the tip at the end of the day with he rubbish (even if there was a queue). You could go the next day too if needed, and the next (still not going to be 52 trips per year though). Now you go on-line and discover there are no slots available at the tip for ten days, brilliant. Also, they are closed Wednesdays, no doubt so the council workers can catch up with their inclusion and equality courses.
When the booking system first started there was a council worker stationed at a barrier checking everyone's email booking. They soon found that task too tedious so they added a QR code to your email and installed a QR scanner. Council worker can now retreat to a little hut and drink tea and read the Daily Star and wait for the occasional driver who is too thick to figure out how to scan their QR code.
Also, what is all this checking post codes nonsense anyway? Was it really a problem where people were sneaking into tips from outside their post code area? Why would anyone do that? And the numbers were surely small. Say ten people a week were sneaking in from another area, using that logic then is it not likely that this was reciprocated by ten people sneaking from your area to another area? Balancing out this whole post code pirates nonsense?
For me, this whole council tip drama has been one of the worst hangovers from Covid.
Edited by Senex on Monday 20th March 09:38
alscar said:
Longy00000 said:
Argh yes the joys of a tip run. Many a blessed hour doing that and then usually having to clean the car out again afterwards
Beauty of having an older ( classic ) Defender - tip runs , dog carrier , horse things picker upper etc and probably still worth the same or slightly more than I paid for it.Just pulling your leg...they are workhorses.....
We have a 2014 Volvo XC60 that deals with our level of garden waste admirably & doesn't take much cleaning....but is super comfy for long runs (this year to the Alps and last weekend to Edinburgh)
(also manages 6-7 big 375l bags of garden waste...but sure, not quite as capacious as a Landie!)
mikeiow said:
Disadvantage.....driving an old Defender, repairing old Defender
Just pulling your leg...they are workhorses.....
We have a 2014 Volvo XC60 that deals with our level of garden waste admirably & doesn't take much cleaning....but is super comfy for long runs (this year to the Alps and last weekend to Edinburgh)
(also manages 6-7 big 375l bags of garden waste...but sure, not quite as capacious as a Landie!)
No you are absolutely right Mike and certainly your XC60 would be much more comfortable to drive.Just pulling your leg...they are workhorses.....
We have a 2014 Volvo XC60 that deals with our level of garden waste admirably & doesn't take much cleaning....but is super comfy for long runs (this year to the Alps and last weekend to Edinburgh)
(also manages 6-7 big 375l bags of garden waste...but sure, not quite as capacious as a Landie!)
I always say a maximum of 20 miles in sufficient in a Landy although when it goes for its annual service and MOT its 30 !
No probs with our tip whatsoever in North Somerset.
VW Caravelle van, all seats folded old curtains deployed for protection, load it to the gunnels and off for a 4 mile drive, except on a Tuesday. I use the Sons van when one of the elderly neighbors has some bulky or a load of garden stuff to get rid of. We get 12 tokens a year to take his van and i can use mine any time. Picked up a very good chainsaw last time, just needed a new chain.
VW Caravelle van, all seats folded old curtains deployed for protection, load it to the gunnels and off for a 4 mile drive, except on a Tuesday. I use the Sons van when one of the elderly neighbors has some bulky or a load of garden stuff to get rid of. We get 12 tokens a year to take his van and i can use mine any time. Picked up a very good chainsaw last time, just needed a new chain.
Gary C said:
Arrg
I intended to take my pension end of Feb 2025.
Was at 120% of the LTA just before the recent announcement.
Do I now take it in Feb 2024, or risk that Labour if they get a big enough Majority in Jan 25, won't reintroduce the cap before the end of Feb.
Depends what you mean by take it, you could crystallise it in Feb 2024 but not take it to avoid the risk could you not?I intended to take my pension end of Feb 2025.
Was at 120% of the LTA just before the recent announcement.
Do I now take it in Feb 2024, or risk that Labour if they get a big enough Majority in Jan 25, won't reintroduce the cap before the end of Feb.
SunsetZed said:
Depends what you mean by take it, you could crystallise it in Feb 2024 but not take it to avoid the risk could you not?
Can you actually do this though -sounds great but not sure - I thought as soon as you crystallize some /all that means you have started to receive ?The LTA introduction was in many ways an unfair tax but I have no doubt Labour will want to reverse it's abolishment.
I already had fixed protection in place and was aware that at aged 75 if that's when I had reached the cap I would have had a very hefty tax bill.
As of today said tax bill has just been removed so I want to obviously make sure that if there is anything I can do to protect that saving then I will.
alscar said:
SunsetZed said:
Depends what you mean by take it, you could crystallise it in Feb 2024 but not take it to avoid the risk could you not?
Can you actually do this though -sounds great but not sure - I thought as soon as you crystallize some /all that means you have started to receive ?The LTA introduction was in many ways an unfair tax but I have no doubt Labour will want to reverse it's abolishment.
I already had fixed protection in place and was aware that at aged 75 if that's when I had reached the cap I would have had a very hefty tax bill.
As of today said tax bill has just been removed so I want to obviously make sure that if there is anything I can do to protect that saving then I will.
https://techzone.abrdn.com/public/pensions/Guide-p...
Surely if the LTA is reintroduced it would have to follow the same rough thought process from when it was first introduced.
That would be to say we cannot tax people for following a lawful process of accruing a substantial pension fund which just NOW happens to be larger than the arbitrary figure we the labour party have settled upon. So we shall 'ring fence' all existing funds by way of a form of LTA protection. However and funds that go past our LTA figure in the future or go above your individual ring fenced amount will be taxed.
This was largely done at the original LTA introduction so I'm sure rhe same process would be followed again upon the reintroduction of any LTA.
That would be to say we cannot tax people for following a lawful process of accruing a substantial pension fund which just NOW happens to be larger than the arbitrary figure we the labour party have settled upon. So we shall 'ring fence' all existing funds by way of a form of LTA protection. However and funds that go past our LTA figure in the future or go above your individual ring fenced amount will be taxed.
This was largely done at the original LTA introduction so I'm sure rhe same process would be followed again upon the reintroduction of any LTA.
SunsetZed said:
I'm no expert but my understanding is that in theory you can move all your (DC) pension to drawdown and then at that point it's crystallised which means that it won't need to be tested against the LTA until 75. When you hit 75 though both uncrystallised and drawdown funds are tested against the LTA so I don't know if that helps you at all.
https://techzone.abrdn.com/public/pensions/Guide-p...
Yes its when I hit 75 that my question surrounds as obviously as of today there is now no LTA to be tested against.https://techzone.abrdn.com/public/pensions/Guide-p...
We all know that there probably will be one again but as I say its what I do now -if indeed anything.
I imagine most FA's and WM firms will be coming up with clarity .
Gassing Station | Finance | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff