Over The Hill
Guru
- Location
- Ridden off into the sunset
I have had my share of financial ups and downs. Here are a few thoughts.
Pension
What is it doing, most are barely earning anything. If you look at what a pension is supposed to do, paying a house off is a much better prospect. Basically is your pension going to perform better than your house? Probably not. I would not worry about the pension at the moment and keep the house. (Pensions and buying houses are actually very similar. Paying off the mortgage gives you the "pension" of a free house). Silly to let go of a great investment of a house (long term) and keep a crap investment of a pension. This is assuming it is a standard pension you can opt out of, some state schemes are a better deal.
Work/Earnings.
Can you earn more money? Any option to get promoted or jump accross to a better job, perhaps use the year at your parents to study? I made a very radical career change at the age of 40 which involved a lot of study while I had a family and two kids to support. Just you to look after living at home sounds easy!
Future
Most people who have been in a relationship tend to get into another one fairly soon after, once they have got over it. You seem to assume you will not by what you say. Why not look at it on the assumption you will?
Social Life
Think out of the box. Social life need not cost money. Instead of sitting in a pub, work behind the bar. Why not get a job behind the bar at a local golf club. Meet lots of possible new partners and earn money and have a social life. Taylor this to whatever you can do or are looking for.
Mortgage.
Have a real good look at your mortgage and see if there are better options out there. Are you in a fixed rate that will soon drop out to standard rate? I have a mortgage which dropped by £350 per month recently when it did this. Try seeing a broker (dont pay any fee to them) to see if they can find a product that costs you less.
Dreams
Great to have them but really they need you to be in a stable position and to then put aside the requrement to fulfil them. Get the foundation sorted and then build the dream. Dont mix the dream in with getting the foundation in place.
I hope this makes sense and there is something in there that helps.
Good luck. Things do get sorted!
Pension
What is it doing, most are barely earning anything. If you look at what a pension is supposed to do, paying a house off is a much better prospect. Basically is your pension going to perform better than your house? Probably not. I would not worry about the pension at the moment and keep the house. (Pensions and buying houses are actually very similar. Paying off the mortgage gives you the "pension" of a free house). Silly to let go of a great investment of a house (long term) and keep a crap investment of a pension. This is assuming it is a standard pension you can opt out of, some state schemes are a better deal.
Work/Earnings.
Can you earn more money? Any option to get promoted or jump accross to a better job, perhaps use the year at your parents to study? I made a very radical career change at the age of 40 which involved a lot of study while I had a family and two kids to support. Just you to look after living at home sounds easy!
Future
Most people who have been in a relationship tend to get into another one fairly soon after, once they have got over it. You seem to assume you will not by what you say. Why not look at it on the assumption you will?
Social Life
Think out of the box. Social life need not cost money. Instead of sitting in a pub, work behind the bar. Why not get a job behind the bar at a local golf club. Meet lots of possible new partners and earn money and have a social life. Taylor this to whatever you can do or are looking for.
Mortgage.
Have a real good look at your mortgage and see if there are better options out there. Are you in a fixed rate that will soon drop out to standard rate? I have a mortgage which dropped by £350 per month recently when it did this. Try seeing a broker (dont pay any fee to them) to see if they can find a product that costs you less.
Dreams
Great to have them but really they need you to be in a stable position and to then put aside the requrement to fulfil them. Get the foundation sorted and then build the dream. Dont mix the dream in with getting the foundation in place.
I hope this makes sense and there is something in there that helps.
Good luck. Things do get sorted!