Anyone live on £900 a month?

I retired from Teaching at 54 . I wanted to look after my mother who only lived nearby. It seemed like a longtime till I was 60 to receive my pension.
I was always a fan of Martin Lewis and with his help sorted outthebest deals for everything .
Good luck

Hello
I believe that vampirequeen has given the best solution.
I had an industrial injury and never went back to my job (or drove a car) after it. I was on sick leave and paid 6 month full pay and then 6 months half pay. I was then sent to Occupational Health and put on retirement due to ill health. This gave me an enhanced pension at 61 instead of 65, so only 4 extra years to be enhanced by. This made it more viable to County (I had worked in the school for 21 years) as it was only 4 more years to increase it by.
You have some savings which could help out if you find the 6 months half pay tight financially.
Things which may be financially ok now may look different in 10 years time, so do everything to make life financially viable for the longer term too.
I assume that your job is what is affecting your mental health, hence the suggestion re full and half pay as well as Retirement Due to Ill Health.
I don't know about PIP but expect that others on this thread have given you good advice.
I have a DWP weekly payment for Industrial Injuries Ill Health. I had to go to quite a lot of assessments over a year/18 months but after that I no longer have any assessments to attend and have the money paid weekly. I just have to let them know if I improve but unfortunately I haven't; in fact I'm worse!
Take care of yourself and all the best for the future whatever you decide.

8K could be a lifeline if something breaks down and needs replacing, plus running a car is very expensive if that needs repairs.....can you cut down on car use where you live ? either by walking to the shops or taking a bus ? If rural, then you don't have that option of course. £900 is probably like the OP says, more than some have to live on ....but only you know how much your bills would mount up to each month. You cold ask Citizens advice about any benefits, and MIND the mental health charity, if they are aware of any benefits you could have ....even if it is only things like day clubs they will pick you up and take you to (when we are allowed out again that is !) ...walking is good for mental health, if there is somewhere you can safely walk to on your own, or where you know for instance, that there will be others around, i e dog walkers.....or a river to walk by ....even in town you can wander round the empty streets and get a takeaway coffee. You can also see if there are others in your position you can talk to sometimes ....it helps ! what about volunteering (when we can !) in a charity shop, animal refuge (animals need cuddles and kindness bless them) .....I am sure if you do some research you can find something to fill your days with that won't cost a fortune. Aldi for shopping, some lovely stuff in there... was surprised at what I found and Poundland for bits and pieces .....time to wander round what shops are open for what you need is also good and saves money from just going to your usual supermarket (oh and the reduced shelf in the supermarket is a good place ...find out what time it is filled !) I used to get off the bus in town when I was a single parent, stop by Tesco and would find lots of other NHS staff from my hospital there as well ....queuing up for the out of date today stuff ! It meant we could maybe have a steak or fresh chicken breast, veggies and even sometimes a cream cake for dinner at half the price ! Good luck ....

I have lived on under £900 a month for the last 5 years I have porridge and two slices of bread and butter with marmalade for breakfast, I always cook a good lunch with meat chicken potatoes and two veg or something with pasta the for my tea I have a very nice salad with some
cold meat and a slice of bread and butter and I also have 5 pieces of fruit a day and it does not have to break the bank.
I read that some parents cannot give their children breakfast to go to school I could feed a child breakfast for a week on £2.47

MaggieTulliver - I feel for you and right up until your last post I was going to say it looks like you have it all worked out and just need reassurance to do it. Along with the good advice and pointers already mentioned it sounded like taking the plunge and leaving was for the best for your recovery.

My thoughts have changed now having read that you love your job and that is not what is affecting your mental health. It seems you are living in what is giving you concern. If you leave work, which sounds like it may be your safe place, you are putting yourself full-time in what concerns you most, the house and possible or imagined repairs needed.

I think it might be prudent to get estimates for the repair concerns you have. Maybe get one repair done at a time. As worrying and difficult as this can be you will feel much better as you realise that your concerns were maybe not as large as you thought.

Please try and take this step first before you make any rash decisions that could affect you more.

My thoughts are with you but you always know there are folks on here to help.

Yes it is possible. I have to manage on my state pension and nothing else which is just under £900 if you log everything. I know tech savvy people will do it on an excel spread sheet but I use a bill book I write all utilities and expected bills such as insurance on the left hand page and then household like shopping on the right. It may sound a faff but its so easy to look back over the months and see where the money went! and also what bills to expect. If I make a saving one month its either carried over or its treat money. It also helps if you have soup weeks amazing what you save.

I live on £750 per month I’m on my own . Live in a two bed house no mortgage . I run a car and have a small social life play bowls swim and have a dog so walk everyday . I manage .

Are you in a union? My union officer was a godsend when I had to retire due to ill health.

Hi yes I retired early, another year to go before I get my state pension. Currently live on less than £900 per month, though do dip into savings if necessary. I can say happily I am glad I stopped work when I did, I feel much healthier and stress free. Yes some things I go without, but currently that’s no hardship due to all the COVID restrictions. Having time to do things like walking, reading, gardening etc without the need to rush is pure luxury.

MaggieTulliver, having read your last post, I now agree with Molly10 that it might be rash for you to retire if it means spending more time in, and worrying about, your house. I think most of us had assumed you were wanting to get away from work, but as Molly says, it looks like it might be your safe space. I think her advice is good. Wishing you all the best, whatever you decide. .

Molly10 yes you’re right about work and up until recently I did view it as my safe place. So it’s not my work that’s really causing me such distress, rather I just can’t function well enough to work a lot of the time. And taking so much time off is adding to my distress because I don’t like the fact that it means more work for my hard-pressed colleagues.

I just keep seeing problems everywhere I look in the house; I got divorced about 13 years ago and since then have neglected the maintenance (it was our family home). It really is quite tatty and probably needs re-wiring, a complete new CH system and possibly work on the roof (not to mention the tired kitchen and bathroom). I long to be somewhere which is in a as good state of repair and which will need minimal upkeep. My house is in a desirable area and I believe would sell quite easily, despite its condition.

Hello everyone! I’m new to Gransnet and live in Phoenix, Arizona (USA.) I have so enjoyed this site. I’m 60 years old, we have 3 adult children (ages 31, 27, and 24) and 2 grandsons, ages 3 & 1 (both have Autism.) I feel like I have friends across the pond who are going through a lot of similar things as I do....especially we women.

I did want to do a reply to Maggie about living on £900/month, you have £8,000 in savings, and if I’m understanding correctly you will be receiving additional pension monthly income in 2-1/2 years.
Your home is paid off, and yes your car will have costs involved. I’ve read all of the wonderful input from everyone.

Our mental health is crucial. There are always part-time ways to make money down-the-line if need be, with much less stress. Based on everything I’ve read on this thread, you could absolutely retire now. And do so with a light heart and sigh of relief.
One thing: I looked up PIP, and I think you have to apply for it BEFORE your actual pension age, in order to get it. Information is powerful, so I’d start checking into that now, regarding mental health benefits. You’ve done your due-diligence, and I think you’re fine to be done with work.
I would advise that you have some ideas written down on how you want to spend your time in your “new life.” That way you won’t be thrown completely off, with no longer having the routine you were accustomed to. Ideas: if you’re a gardener, buy a new plant or flower seeds to have ready before your last day of work, have an inexpensive journal and start writing in it when you give your notice at work...that way it’ll be continuity to keep up with after your work is done, have a planned tea-time with someone a few days after you’re done with work, so you have something to look forward to.
I hope this all made sense and helped.
By the way, I don’t know what things like “DH etc” mean. ?

Maggie it was my decision to move from my sprawling four bed house in the country to my terraced house in town that made living on my pension possible.

It was the leak in the roof that finally pushed me into the move!

Council tax, heating, petrol, food costs all plummeted by hundreds! And so did my anxiety level.

A move could be the answer?

Maggie, I do hope that you have someone you can talk this over with carefully. Even things that we like can be stressful, I think you need individual discussion to work out the right course for you.
I am sure that you are right to consider selling your house 'as is'. I wonder whether you could consider renting for awhile? It would of course, eat into your capital, but just for a few months, it enables you to look around, and spreads the stress of selling / buying.
You do seem to be using your 2 weeks wisely, considering how best to look after yourself. I also wonder if, having retired, you could take a part-time or casual job that uses your skills but doesn't put you under such stress.

It sounds like your house needs far more than your £8,000 savings spent on it. Having the work done will be stressful in itself.
In your position I'd sell, now.
Find somewhere future-proof just for you: what a treat and what a weight off your mind.

MaggieTulliver

What a huge amount of helpful information - thank you so much everyone. I’m going to give this a lot of thought over the next 2 weeks (I’m signed off sick). I do like my job and that’s not what’s making me ill but I simply can’t function at work when my MH is bad ( which is very often now).

One of the things that’s making me so ill is my house. It’s a lovely Edwardian terrace which I’ve lived in for almost 20 years but it needs quite a lot of work and I’m literally terrified of anything going wrong. I currently have a problem with my central heating which might involve taking up floorboards to lay new pipes. This has made me literally sick with worry. If I could find a little new build not too far away, I’d snap it up.

After reading this I can only think that you may be jumping out of the frying pan into the fire if you retire now.
If you are worrying about the state of your house at the moment how are you going to cope with less money and so much time to look at everything that needs doing? I can’t think that would do your MH any good at all.

Stress is worse if you aren’t in control so step up to the plate and take that control. Sell the house and move somewhere easier to manage. It sounds as though it would also give you more money to invest and cushion you in future.

Yes you can if you just watch what you are spending I’ve done this for the last 5 years . Should get my pension this year then I’ll treat myself ,

Thank you for holding my hand through this - what a lovely community we have here. It’s helped so much to clarify things a little. My home seems to be causing me more anxiety than work and maybe a move is what I should consider. I’d do it in a flash were it not for my 21 year old daughter who loves the house and it’s location (in the middle of town with everything on the doorstep). If I moved, it would be slightly out of town probably. She’s in her final year at uni though and will be putting down her own roots soon.

And yes, downsizing would allow me invest some money which would give me more options - one of them being early retirement. Sorry if I sound all over the place and I know I need time to make the right decision.

Do it! I did it 13 and a half years ago but on considerably less. I've never regretted it. I did dip into savings for luxuries and treats for the grandkids, but that might have happened anyway. But the freedom from anxiety and stress was worth far more than losing a small amount of savings.
Enjoy life. You never know what is waiting round the corner!

I do wish you well. I'm retiring this summer but under completely different circumstances.
However, it's lovely to see you respond to ideas. Most people seem to post and clear off.
Your post reminds me of the saying: Cut your cloth to suit your needs. If you do that, then I'm sure you'll be fine.
Best of luck to you!

It might be worth going over your options with a member of your local council's social services about PIP, you might be eligible for at least the lower level(s) and they could take you through the forms as to how best to put your case to give you the best chance. By the way, if they think you have a chance but get a knock back to start with then appeal this as quickly as possible, again, with help.
Other than that, it might be worth seeing which outgoings can be reduced or cancelled until you have a higher income. I'd say £900 is doable but there might not be many frills for a while.

Just to be aware you will need to pay voluntary NI contributions until your official retirement age in order to get full state pension even if you already have 35+ years.

Could you move to a smaller place still in the town centre? I am just thinking of the future, when you might not want to drive, to would be great to be able to walk to everywhere.

Also if you go for somewhere modern, smaller, easy to heat and clean, it would be a big relief to you. You might feel a huge weight was lifted. If your place is in a desirable area it will sell whatever the condition. Why not start looking at what is around.

Suze56

Just to be aware you will need to pay voluntary NI contributions until your official retirement age in order to get full state pension even if you already have 35+ years.

I might be wrong Suze56 but I'm not entirely sure that this is correct.

As long as you have 35 full years NI contributions in, you shouldnt have to pay any more /voluntary NI contributions if you stop working before your state retirement age.

What can mislead people is thinking that they have worked for and paid NI for 35 years means that each of those years is a 'full' NI year. It all depends on whether or not in taking out any private or work related pensions, you contracted out of paying full NI.

Getting a state retirement pension forecast is pretty straight forward.
www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

If you do have any years that are classed as being not 'full NI'you can pay voluntary contributions for, I think, up to 6 years after the year/s in question
www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

It feels like I’m talking with trusted friends about this decision ? Seacliff, a smaller place in my part of town would be great, the trouble is most of the housing stock is older terraces like mine. I’ve seen a lovely 2 bed new build but of course it’s on the outskirts of town. The more I think about it though, the keener I am to sell up.