Any use?
Any use?Initially I bought a monitor thing and checked everything in the house
Yes it was great, I plugged in every appliance to it for a 24 hr period at least depending on appliance and measured exactly how many kw they were all using. Things I couldn't use it for like the oven I just took meter readings before and after usage. Didn't make them use less obviously but I could at least see what could be improved.Any use?
You can borrow a monitor from your local library. We had great fun monitoring varying appliances.Yes it was great, I plugged in every appliance to it for a 24 hr period at least depending on appliance and measured exactly how many kw they were all using. Things I couldn't use it for like the oven I just took meter readings before and after usage. Didn't make them use less obviously but I could at least see what could be improved.
You can borrow a monitor from your local library. We had great fun monitoring varying appliances.
Most have a kit (can't remember what it's called) that monitors various items to see how many kW they use and also advises you what the general usage should be.
Included also is a thermostat to tell you if your fridge or freezer are at the correct temperature.
Is that not effectively meaningless to anyone reading it?Spend roughly 20% more than when we were both in full time employment.
. . while this is eminently sensible.Doing what we can while we still can.
Have found it similar to those figures. (Not long retired - early 60s.) Spending about €21k per year personally on everything including entertainment (those Springsteen tickets aren't cheap!) Herself - who is still working full time - would probably spend a bit more annually. Unlike others it seems, I'm not afraid to dig into savings occasionally if there's a shortfall in the future. That's what it's for!I plan to retire at the end of this decade, aged 60. I calculate that we (me and spouse) will need €34k per year to live comfortably covering everything bar entertainment and holidays (will use up to €20k per year for such).
What are fripperies?Retired 20 years (early retirement at 53). Initially spent a lot of savings travelling the world and visiting relatives in Australia, New Zealand, USA, France, UK etc.
Then downsized home, moved from Dublin to Wexford, best decision ever.
Covid stopped us in our tracks, physically, mentally and loads of other ways. But, because we’ve totally reduced travel, have accumulated savings which kiddies are getting the benefit of.
We both have good occupational pensions, not brilliant, but enough for us to help others in a small way.
Have done our best to be environmentally aware, insulated house, solar panels etc.
Our spend annually on normal living (insurances, car, home maintenance, taxes, broadband/tv, travel, holidays, groceries, birthday/xmas presents etc…..) is about €35,000.
I get the OAP which is now about €14,000 per annum, so this is a big input to our income.
I think as we get older, we spend a lot less and question what we do spend money on. Fripperies no longer required, every purchase queried as to necessity, and that’s just me!
All main grocery shopping done in Lidl, whether at home, or in UK or France visiting family.
Kiddies benefitting from our quiet almost frugal living via regular transfers.
We’re still having a good life, in France at the moment, will be filling the boot up with Sauvignon Blanc at the Red Bus in Cherbourg on the way home. Sinful to pay €10 for a bottle of wine selling for €3 in France.
Long response. Hope everybody is still awake.
I paid 6K last year, it will be a good deal less this year as I downsized and the 6K was for a large old house with bad insultation. We also have water bills !given the rates at present I expect that cost to rise quite steeply to €2.5K for gas and €2k for electricity
What did you do that you could retire at 53 years of age? Did you have a defined benefit or defined contribution pension? Did you own your own business that you could sell?Retired 20 years (early retirement at 53). Initially spent a lot of savings travelling the world and visiting relatives in Australia, New Zealand, USA, France, UK etc.
I know nothing about cars but my tin can is 19 years old. Kept in a garage, taken to garage for annual service before the annual check. It's on it's last legs I assume but still going strong, and perfect for the kids to learn to drive in. One scrapped the back of it on a pillar and broke the back lights reversing in, didn't say a word to me and when I found it they told me they didn't see the pillar (white and large) in the dark. Another child did I know not what but punctured a tyre so badly we had to get a new one, and because you have to make them match it required 1.@Odea the NCTS doesn't insist on changing tyres solely because are too old. Or at least it didn't in November 2023 when I last brought a car for its NCT. I did get 4 advisories for tyres being more than 6 years old (they are actually 15+ years old) but advisories require no action.
In general, people cost themselves a lot of money by not being well up on cars and motoring. The suggestion in the calculator linked to in this thread that a car needs changing every 5 years is nonsense. It's even more nonsensical if someone is doing below average mileage in retirement.
A basic new car such as a Dacia Sandero should last 15-20 years. Mechanical items in a modern car should last a long time if looked after. When the car starts to rust structurally which it eventually will, then it may be time to say goodbye but that should take a long time in a modern car, At least 10 years and probably 15-20+.
IMO everyone should try to become well up on cars and motoring and develop basic skills to maintain them well before retirement. Even if someone becomes physically incapable of working on their car, being knowledgeable is a great help when dealing with the NCT and mechanics, picking a good mechanic etc.
I ended up paying €2279 for the Gas and €1303 for the Electricity in 2023I paid 6K last year, it will be a good deal less this year as I downsized and the 6K was for a large old house with bad insultation. We also have water bills !
I got some shock of a catch up bill of nearly 3 k when the energy crisis bills hit. The way it works here is you get a monthly bill of the same amount, it's calculated once a year based on prior year's consumption. Then you are sent a bill or a refund. Most years it's pretty accurate so I might get a refund of €300 or a bill of the same the the bills would be adjusted. In my new place it was suggested a bill of €175 so I upped that to €300 as I want no surprises. For various reasons and also because I like heat, the heating is on a lot. My late mother never turned her heating off, probably why she lived so long, my late grandparents would sit in the cold and put milk cartoons on the fire for heat and to save on fuel.I ended up paying €2279 for the Gas and €1303 for the Electricity in 2023
It should have cost me somewhere in the region of €1200 more, but I availed of better discount rates from Bord Gais due to moving to a smart plan with free electricity on Sunday and then also the Government energy grants of €550
This year should be a lot cheaper again not only due to the government grants but also bigger discounts from Bord Gais for availing of a Black Friday deal, falling energy prices and I'm hoping that moving from the free electricity on Sunday plan to an EV plan should help as well
Just to help balance the figures a little. Not everyone does holidays. We're both in our 60s, still working full time. I'll most likely stop later this year, OH will probably stop next year. Joint income is around 130k a year. We don't go on holidays. Retirement income will probably be around 65k a year (joint). Not planning on doing holidays then eitherI got some shock of a catch up bill of nearly 3 k when the energy crisis bills hit. The way it works here is you get a monthly bill of the same amount, it's calculated once a year based on prior year's consumption. Then you are sent a bill or a refund. Most years it's pretty accurate so I might get a refund of €300 or a bill of the same the the bills would be adjusted. In my new place it was suggested a bill of €175 so I upped that to €300 as I want no surprises. For various reasons and also because I like heat, the heating is on a lot. My late mother never turned her heating off, probably why she lived so long, my late grandparents would sit in the cold and put milk cartoons on the fire for heat and to save on fuel.
Your cost of living table was excellent. I'm afraid to say I'm way off any of the posters on here as regards costs. Gotta spend it before the box is lowered. And even then the kids are going to get a lot unless I do something spectacularly stupid. And I don't think spending 2K or 3K for one week in Egypt for guaranteed heat on 2 weeks in the worst of the winter is a lot.
Also amazed at how many posters and people in Ireland never moved during Covid as mentioned on this thread. We had loads of holidays any time we were allowed to leave. Literally would leave at the drop of a hat.
Like Eithneangela above Covid stopped us in our tracks and still is having a knock on effect to todayAlso amazed at how many posters and people in Ireland never moved during Covid as mentioned on this thread. We had loads of holidays any time we were allowed to leave. Literally would leave at the drop of a hat.
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