How much pension for a comfortable life?

Bad form to brag and boast about having a fortune in the bank, even worse, complaining about a job she doesn't enjoy....let someone else have the job.?

It really makes me sick to hear some people boasting about their income,even in a roundabout way.

In the real world we have to scrimp and save for everything, my friend cannot go out as she is disabled and her savings from selling her business and house have run out, yes she gets money for her disability but after paying a carers hourly wage and lunch she hasn't much change from £100. Therefore we should regard ourselves luck that we have our health even on a low wage and not worrying about a shortfall of a few thousand like the OP.
I don't begrudge those who have worked hard and I hope they live to enjoy their money but most of us will have to rethink our outgoings when we retire. Good luck on that one. I'm off now to seen what bargains the local charity shop has,then to see what asda has marked down today, btw I work hard for my pittance and have never had more than £13.000 pa.

I have tried a couple of times to write a message on this thread, but I am struggling to find the right words to describe my feelings.

How ridiculous to say you can't retire yet, when you are so well off. I wonder what your aunt would think about you not making use of her fortune (your word) to enable you to retire?

Why on earth does your husband fear poverty when you have so much money? Does he not know how much you have or something?

The amount you could pay for Class 3 Voluntary Contributions must be a drop in the ocean for you, yet you don't consider this is an option for you.

You know damn well you have more than enough money to retire now and live a very comfortable life.

Well said Ethel. I am continuing to work but am well past retirement age. I too will just have the state pension. I would feel that I'd won the lottery if I could expect the amounts some gransnetters mention! As for the husband - he has an ugly soul, the love of money and all that....

Love it ethel , my position too . State pension, single and happy as Larry .

For Ethel.

It's all relative isn't it. I expect if you had been a billionaire, you would think yourself poverty-stricken if you were down to your last fifty million or so.

My own view is that everybody should have somewhere decent to live, which they can afford to heat and maintain properly, a reasonably good diet, enough money to buy clothes appropriate to the season, to use public transport - or maintain a car if public transport is unavailable, and money for essential white goods and furniture and inessentials such as days out, presents, a TV, one annual holiday etc. It is impossible to quantify such an amount because, to some extent, it depends on where you live. In areas where the cost of living is high - such as London or other major cities, even discounting housing costs I consider the amount needed for a fairly comfortable retirement would be at least £2,000 per month.

Try facing retirement with no pension apart from state. Some people on here don't know they are born, worrying about holidays, cars etc. The only thing I'm glad about is I don't have a miserable old bug get of
A husband.

Well, no comments since Sunday from the OP. Is she genuine?? ?

Goodness me, I have read all the posts and not sure if this lady is genuine. If she is , then I feel the pension aspect is the tip of the iceberg and there are more fundamental issues to be addressed, one poster asked whether maybe the husband's insistence on working to increase their pension to 30K was really another way of keeping the lady working, and out of his way ! Must say, this definitely is what I would be thinking too. I genuinely can't get my head round the fact she is in a job, by her own admission, she doesn't enjoy, yet is incredibly wealthy and won't ever have to worry about bills or keeping a roof over her head. Surely, she should be resigning from her job, and enjoying her remaining years, however long they happen to be.

I took early retirement as I could no longer cope with the stress of my job, and the health issues it brought. My husband and I " did the sums" as recommended by my very caring GP, and discovered if we made some cutbacks and " sat on an egg less" it was doable. I don't regret a second of it, ok, we cant afford perhaps to go on lavish holidays or eat out or buy expensive gifts, but we have fun, we love each other's company and we have all we need. We help our children too with free childminding and other little extra 's and we couldn't ask for more .

I hope if this lady is genuine, she seeks the help she needs from a professional She sounds lonely to me, and not entirely happy either .

Please accept my apologies if I have assumed wrongly.

What you need is a good financial adviser. I might be wrong but reading between the lines I think your husband won't let you retire!.
Just wondering what his reaction might be if you told him you had decided to retire and that you actually do have enough money, which is true if you take your savings into account.
You can't have it all ways. You could sell your house and downsize for instance, you need to be realistic.
£30.000 might seem like a fortune to some people, just depends what your used to, your lifestyle. HL are excellent advisers if their in your neck of the woods.
If you don't enjoy your work get out now and have some fun while you still can. Go on holiday, that sort of thing?.

Typical conversation.
After a shopping session.

" I found a really nice dress that I liked", "Good, did you get it ", "No it was too expensive" ---- hits head on wall.

Oh wobbly the fun of the game is finding the bargain! The joy of the hunt is getting an expensive piece of clothing at a discounted price!

Please will you ditch her and marry me??

I am always telling Mrs P that she is not spending enough, when it comes to clothes, she is always looking for a bargain rather than just buying what she really likes regardless of price.

Put £50000 into premium bonds, tax free and who knows, you may win £1 million and then definitely have a worry free life.

Retire and enjoy, you do not know what is around the corner!

Why not buy a flat or house with some of your large savings and rent it out. That will boost your pension.

Good for you aggie get spending. I am in a similar position as my H never goes out and I have been severely restricted for some months now but hope that will soon change. All the fivers for two coffees soon mount up when you don't go out.
I am another one though who can't believe how this thread has run, I cannot believe it was serious in the first place unless the OP is very insecure and wanted to be assured she was very well off or she wanted to divide opinion.

OH was viewing his bank statements today and told me I am not spending enough!! DD1 was there and fell about laughing . Since he is unable to get out now , my sister takes me shopping once a week and we have lunch out , so no shop raids in between !Mind you he hasn't seen my account , it is building up towards a big spend later this year when the new house starts , not bad for two pensioners lol

This has become an amazingly long thread, mainly because most of us cannot believe how anybody would not be able to manage with such large amounts of money in their accounts.The short answer ( given many times ) is 'of course you can' ....hardly a problem is it?

I'm of the opinion that one can start hoarding money n the same way as other possessions. Done in the mindset of lack in the past, but we have to keep in mind that life doesn't go on forever and we have to make our present as good as possible.

We live in a nice house have our son with us we do not take any money from, we have two cats, take a short holiday in UK each year, we have days out, are in a lunch club, and occasionally go to the opera. We live on £19,000. after tax and are very comfortable.

We have to manage on less that £15,000. We have a comfortable house, a nice car (which is mine - bought with inheritance from my Mother) we never eat out unless we are away on holiday (on the south coast in a nice hotel) - for no more than 3 days. We never have takeaways because we eat very well at home and cook together. Our neighbours seem to have many holidays - cruises, far off places etc. Quite frankly I don't know how they afford it. Having said all that - we are very happy together, have four children - scattered over Europe whom we see from time to time and chat with regularly. Sometimes I feel like Cinderella who never got to The Ball - but I have much to be grateful for - I am loved and appreciated - and I am in good health.

I agree with many of the comments that you can easily live on 18K a year, my pension is less than that and my salary was never 30K as your husband thinks you need. Do you really need 2 cars? I am single and any couple will have a much better income with 2 pensions. You have plenty of assets and savings but you don't want to touch them. However it only costs around £700 to buy each extra NI year, which is not a great deal, to give you the full pension whilst retiring now and living on your husband's 18k a year until you are 66.
Your letter makes me wonder if there are some issues between you and your husband and whilst you say he worries about money it seems you do as well.
If I were you I would consider seeing a financial adviser for advice on savings, pension etc. Your bank may offer this service free or you can pay for more objective advice.