What age would be a realtistic age to retire from electrical contracting. How long can you expect to work to and what do you expect in the way of income? Just wondering what others think about their autumn years.

I'll be sixty five later this year and have no intention of retiring. If i'm lucky enough to sustain my present level of health I feel I could do another ten years. I've been self employed for forty years now, I had a couple of private pensions which I opted to take early (a few years ago) which helps as far as the amount of work I need to take on, which means I can arrange quite a bit of spare time so I don't feel I work that hard, should get even easier when my state pension starts,
Dave.

Dave, you make me feel pathetic!

I'm 46 this year and as I've posted on another thread, I'm not intending to carry on much longer "on the tools".

I'm just about worn out. I have limited mobility in my neck now and just wiring a pendant on a ceiling is hard work! Along with the general palour affecting the whole domestic maintenance sector I think now is the time to move on.

I work alone and I really don't see me trying to do re-wires in to my 50's.
Nor do I think I'll miss it on any financial or emotional level.

Good luck to you and I hope you keep your fitness!

Paul

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"I learned very early the difference between knowing
the name of something and knowing something". - Richard P. Feynman

Yep, keep healthy after playing Rugby for 53 yrs have started badminton to keep fit.
Delayed pension as 65 but wifey still has 10 to do so must keep on working, so just designing some new electronic controls with "Actel SmartFusion" bits. Need to keep the older grey matter working.
Rgds Gprdon.

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Helping others today enables
others to help you tomorrow.

A few years ago I was doing some work on a house where a couple of old boys were doing some blockwork, they looked like they'd been retired just a few years. I was surprised to find that the guy up on the scaffolding laying blocks was 82 and the guy knocking up for him was 77. The younger guy had had quite a large building outfit and the older guy had been one of his employees. Neither of them needed to work but I guess if you're used to physical work all your life you miss it, even if you don't have to do it.

My stepdad stopped working regularly eighteen years ago when he was 75, and only handed his AVO 8 MkIV over to me about five years ago, when he was 88.

One day I will get a battery for it....

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S George
http://www.state-it.com

Those 15volt batteries are not easy to come by now!
Dave.

The BLR121 and BLR154 15V batteries for the AVO 8 are still available from Rapid Electronics in Colchester.

There are a surprising number of AVO 8 instruments still in use out there!

I have no connection with Rapid Electronics other than as a very satisfied customer.

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Ross Currie TMIET

The BLR154 batteries are still available from RS components as well.

Regards,

Alan.

So to sum up. there's no need to consider retirement, as the job satisfaction completely outweighs the want to sit at home twiddling ones fingures. I wonder how long I could last before the urge strikes!
Cheers.

Amazing what you can do with 10 off 1.5V "button cells" - take one to bits (safely - if you are competent do to so, of course!) to see what I mean!

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Eur Ing Graham Kenyon CEng MIET

That must be the BLR154 you have been disassembling - it is of cylindrical construction, whilst the BLR121 is a rectangular block, but is probably of similar internal construction!

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Ross Currie TMIET

I am actually quite scared about the fact that I am not sure if I will have enough of a pot to ever retire!! Mortgage will be paid up at 50 (provided that I never move) and I can't see how people are supposed to save when fuel will be about £15 per litre and the powers that be are suggesting that the likes of myself will be lucky to receive a state pension at all. On the plus side, there is some cheap propertry going in Greece

I'm 30, want to be finished by 50.

With No pension, no savings, looking a bit bleak!
Could still be crawling through lofts at 70!

I know someone who used to.
His comment was 'it's bl**dy hard doing rewires on your own. I laughed at the time.
Start my next rewire next week - not so funny now!

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Norman

did plan to retire at 55, but the stocks and shares that the pension were invested in, took a good old dive, so may have to work a little longer unfortunately!

as a matter of interest does anyone still use the premium, bonds? I stick some money away every month for the kids in a scheme, that after 3 years isnt worth it, ok with premium bonds there is n o interest, but government backed so money fairly secure and a chance of winning a few prizes now and again.

regards

tony

Retirement age depends on the individual, it's a state of mind.

Some who have lived life to the full glass, changed horses and continually worked under stress, may be active for many years beyond the artificial age. Others who have enjoyed a sedentary stress free life over the years, may require hip replacements due to inactivity and obesity. The reverse may also be true, mainly - it's the genes that count.

If at an age when the cat is put in the fridge, it's time to consider the future.

Regards

http://www.moneysavingexpert.c...ium-bonds-calculator/

Martin Lewis recons you're better off doing the lottery than premiuim bonds.

how can you be better off witht the lottery, you spend £100 on the lottery and dont win, you have no money.

you spend £100 on premium bonds, you still have your premium bonds and as a bonus you may win some cash



tony

I was thinking back to his Sunday times artical a couple of weeks back where he pretty much said your better off putting your cash in a savings account. The odds of winning the lottery are much better than the PB jackpot. If you put your £100 in the PB calculator you get a 4.88% chance of winning £25 and a 95% chance of nothing.