When to slow down

Last year I lost my brother and today I said goodbye to my sister, the last couple or so weeks I have been serious thinking of cutting back my working days and hours obviously bills have to be paid so can't retire and still too young for that but don't want to knock my socks off then go toes up. 

Is there any members out there felt this way or have already gone down this route or anybody's thoughts on going part time 5 hours a day for 4 days a week approx, understand this isn't a option for some with young families but more the people that have no or non dependants children. 

Looking  maybe getting a campervan and geting away weekends enjoying enjoying life a bit more.

That's really sad mate, my heart goes out to you!

Some older people swear that keeping going is the thing quite literally keeping them going. Had you chosen to work in a factory you wouldn't suddenly be able to go PT necessarily. You would however have the back up of sick pay and holiday pay should you need it but while in work the physical demand on your body would always be the same.

What about employing someone so you still complete the 8 or 9 hours work say in 5-6 hours. The wage cost would be less than literally losing part of the work. I know you work with your boy at the mo but perhaps another lad completing each job with you could take some of the load off?

P4dstar said:

That's really sad mate, my heart goes out to you!

Some older people swear that keeping going is the thing quite literally keeping them going. Had you chosen to work in a factory you wouldn't suddenly be able to go PT necessarily. You would however have the back up of sick pay and holiday pay should you need it but while in work the physical demand on your body would always be the same.

What about employing someone so you still complete the 8 or 9 hours work say in 5-6 hours. The wage cost would be less than literally losing part of the work. I know you work with your boy at the mo but perhaps another lad completing each job with you could take some of the load off?

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Have thought about this as I know I could have a couple more vans on the road within a year,  have enough work now too justify two vans but do I want the added stress of employing I’m not sure I do ? like most have done my best for my family but now thinking the wife and I should being enjoying life more as she is now working part time and no one knows what’s around the corner. 

Sorry for your loss rip


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Den said:

Have thought about this as I know I could have a couple more vans on the road within a year,  have enough work now too justify two vans but do I want the added stress of employing I’m not sure I do ? like most have done my best for my family but now thinking the wife and I should being enjoying life more as she is now working part time and no one knows what’s around the corner. 

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I feel you mate. My wife lost both her parents at the age of 4 so she knows how short life can be. I plan to retire at 55. There are definitely stresses with employing, can your boy not step up and run this bit? If the eventual goal is to not work and have an income stream then it would be good to have someone you trust calling the shots?

@Den really sorry for your losses, I guess it's a tuff one, you may have to sell off some work maybe to allow you to work hours to suit you more and your son to take over a larger part of rounds on his own and maybe your son might be okay with taking someone on part-time with him what with him being younger and maybe more eager to put more hours in as you have mentioned previously. 

Den, this is exactly what I have done.

I had a very large round which used to get me quite stressed trying to keep up with it, I had gone down the route of employing but just wasn’t working out. They always started off ok but invariably started to take the pee after a while.

I sat down one day and went through all my work, marking off the lower paid ones, customers I didn’t like and pain in the ass jobs.

I then sold those jobs and made a few bob out of that, what I have now is a round that takes me from 8am -1pm x 4 days a week.

I was in a fortunate position in so much as I have worked hard for 18yrs and had paid the mortgage off and have a few bob in the bank.

I do a fair bit of Softwashing and pressure cleaning during the summer months which certainly bumps up the earnings, but i consentrate on WFP Wcing during the winter.

Im not greedy, as long as I can pay my bills, buy my motorcycles and go on holiday a couple of times a year I’m happy.

No point in being the richest man in the graveyard, 

Sorry to hear that mate.

I’ve decided to slow down a bit. I don’t work weekends anyway, more to life, but stopped taking on new work a few years ago.

I have a worker who does any ladder work for me and when I reach 55 (52 now) I’m going to 4 days a week.

I have a big pension that kicks out at 60, so that’s the very latest I’m working to.

After that, my wife and I will be travelling around the world, health permitting.

I personally think if you push yourself to hard in middle age it will effect your later years 

Dennis Taylor said:

Den, this is exactly what I have done.

I had a very large round which used to get me quite stressed trying to keep up with it, I had gone down the route of employing but just wasn’t working out. They always started off ok but invariably started to take the pee after a while.

I sat down one day and went through all my work, marking off the lower paid ones, customers I didn’t like and pain in the ass jobs.

I then sold those jobs and made a few bob out of that, what I have now is a round that takes me from 8am -1pm x 4 days a week.

I was in a fortunate position in so much as I have worked hard for 18yrs and had paid the mortgage off and have a few bob in the bank.

I do a fair bit of Softwashing and pressure cleaning during the summer months which certainly bumps up the rankings, but consentrate on WFP Wcing during the winter.

Im not greedy, as long as I can pay my bills, buy my motorcycles and go on holiday a couple of times a year I’m happy.

No point in being the richest man in the graveyard, 

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Nice name by the way, 

Them hours would defo suit me perfect.

I would pass the bulk of the work to my son who is only 33 so has plenty off go in him.

Have been thinking of getting a bike again recently haven’t had one on the road for a few years, the only thing is all my old friends don’t seem interested anymore  plus not sure I would be safe either as I have got older lol. 

Your right about the richest in the graveyard. 

The campervan is a great idea. My mate and I do jobs together and he bought one but the only problem is his sons are always wanting to borrow it at weekends in the summer. With the Scottish highlands short on BnBs means folk are resorting to campervans and I know folk who rent them out.

Very sorry to hear mate, I've always had the work hard play hard philosophy but they're both getting harder to do. Fairly certain you'll make the right decision for you and make it work.

My biggest worry is what am I going to do when I can't continue doing what I do now. The last 35 years have been working hard and drinking hard with golf and holidays thrown in. 

Part Timer said:

Very sorry to hear mate, I've always had the work hard play hard philosophy but they're both getting harder to do. Fairly certain you'll make the right decision for you and make it work.

My biggest worry is what am I going to do when I can't continue doing what I do now. The last 35 years have been working hard and drinking hard with golf and holidays thrown in. 

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Just drink hard ?

steve garwood said:

Just drink hard ?

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Bit like the chicken and egg, don't know if it started with working hard and needed a drink to relax or drinking and having to work hard to pay for it. Trying not to downplay the OP original post subject. 

Sorry for your loss


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Sorry for your loss @Den I'm a big believer in 'working to live' not 'living to work'. It's a balancing act isn't it. Currently, I work from 9am till anywhere from 2pm-3pm working flat out without any dinner or breaks. I can get my round finished usually within 3 days. That's during the week. The reason I keep my round like this is because I also work weekends as a semi professional musician. My point is I don't want to work flat out all week on the windows, then all weekend too. There's more to life than money and work. I'm a keen photographer too so I like to get out with my camera when I can. Having early finishes allows me to do that. 

Which brings me to my point...there's more to life than work. If you can, enjoy life doing what you love to do!