Ready to retire

We both appear to be more suited to a life of retirement than we are to a life of working full time. EJT can't get up (often) and feels devasted for much of the time. Whilst I am perfectly capable of getting-up and staying-up, it's remaining adequately motivated that's my stumbling block recently. I often think the Shipyards crest (Staffordshire Division) would feature the moto "Vere can non exsisto arsed"* because so much of life is druggery and struggle.

In the press there is a great deal of discussion about planned pension reforms for the public sector. In this current climate it seems obvious that the government are going to contribute less, we (the workers) are going to have to pay more and work until later in life.

Six months ago I received a pension prediction that suggested a fair lump sum & monthly income and a retirement age of fifty-seven; meaning that I am rapidly half-way through my career. Even on receipt it appeared to good to be true, and that certainly appears to be the case now.

I am concerned that it seems certain that as my wage is reduced as part of M.O.C, so my pension contributions will increase and this will leave us worse off month by month. Where would that leave us if we had children?

We live a very privalidged life and some coat cutting would certainly do us no harm. But I tend to feel that our life-style is to compensate to a certain degree for what we haven't got, and our life-style isn't as reckless as many of our family & friends. I will increase my contributions if necessary and will continue to work as able, but currently I can't see myself working beyond sixty.

Oh quis mos fio nostrum?*

* Really can not be arsed! * Oh what will become of us?