bobsabuilder

As title, how little work would you like to get away with and still earn a crust?

It's Wednesday today and I've already taken the rest of the week off as I've earned enough cash for me in 2 days so don't see the point of overdoing it for the taxman to take it, plus its my birthday on Sat (41)

When I was younger, I would happily work 12 hr days 7 days a week 'cos I liked the money, but these days I just cant be bothered.

We have what we want in life, couple of motors, couple of houses, 4+ holidays a year, so whats the point of working harder?

I just cannot be @rsed with working anymore so might have to bring forward my planned retirement from 50 to 45 which gives me 4 more years of work.


Whats other peoples plans?

Bob

KiwiGTI

I'll keep working as long as I can. Don't want to retire early because it won't suit me, nice to have the social network and goals/challenges that work provides.

It's actually a proven fact that early retirees die younger.

stilover

I'd like to not have to work at all, and still get a my wage, or higher.

I'm just a lazy tw@t though

ethanrob

iTrader: (3)

i have been pushing the gaffers at work for performance related pay,as im sick and tired of idle B'stards tossing it off whilst a minority run around like idiots to get the job done

I would love them to introduce it,bring it on sit back and watch the ildle T**TS try and break a sweat

mpr

If you're going to try and brag you really should be more specific.
2 cars - that could mean 2 bangers at 500 a throw
2 houses - that could mean 2 **** boxes up north for 20k a time
4 holidays - that could mean those out of the sun for a quid each

I'll work as long as I can because I'd be bored sh!tless if I didn't personally.

logiclee

Not too bothered about the hours but I'd like less stress and responsibility.

I worked all the hours in a high stress environment and had a heart attack two years ago at 35 years of age.

I still earn the same money and do the same job but I've cut back on the hours and let others do a bit more.
In two years time I'll be debt free with a few nest eggs due 5 years later. If redundancy is available I'll take it in two years which should net me around £30k.

I'll definitely look for a 40 hours max a week job that I'll enjoy, once I'm debt free I can comfortably take a £15-20k a year pay cut and have the same standard of living.
My redunancy and future nest eggs should provide OK and I have a good pension available from 50.

I'm still working hard to clear things quickly but by the time I'm 40 I'll be jacking in the stress and taking it easier.

Health is more important than wealth.

Cheers
Lee

Jap2Scrap

I like working, a lot, especially as I'm part of a double World Championship winning F1 team, but I'd give it all up tomorrow if someone offered me enough money to retire on. Being idle wouldn't suit me but there are so many things I'd like to do or try that retirement would give me the freedom to have a crack at that I'd take the risk of the odd day twiddling my thumbs.

logiclee

Exactly, I could be busy every day without going to work.

Just need the money to do the things I want to do.

Cheers
Lee

turboman786

I guess at 41 youve done a fair few years of work, and fair enough if you dont have to work too hard, I respect that and hope that I will not have to work very hard after a few years....(Im 29)

It all depends how much you need and how how much you want things....I think most people realise at some point in life that there is far more to life than material wealth.....

GC8

I feel sorry for the people hed promised to do building work for, for the rest of the working week!

Jap2Scrap

It's expected of builders anyway so I expect they're not too surprised

jods

Actually - that is INCORRECT

It is, however, a proven fact that more people die sooner if they retire AFTER 65 than before 65.

My current plan is to cut back work on my 53rd birthday to 4 days a week
54th birthday = 3 days a week
54th = 2 days a week
55th = 1 day etc

firesorter

DONT get pslewis started on us firefighters again please!!!

bobsabuilder

Sorry, wasn't attempting to brag, If I was I'd have beefed it up some.

But to clarify for you, wife drives a 6 month old Honda CRV diesel and I drive an 8 week old Navara Outlaw (ok not technically a car but if you've been in the new ones you'd understand) plus I have a van I use for work, so around £50k of vehicles (grown out of the scooby phase now but did have a new one). We live in a nice detached house and the second house we rent out and yes the rental one is a cheapo place worth around £80k. Holidays are at least 4 as we always go twice to Austria, Winter for skiing and Summer cos we like it there, Tenerife in October timeshare villa, then for the 4th its places such as USA, Japan, Maldives, St Lucia etc, plus have lots of mini breaks such as Barcelona, Dublin, London, Munich, Prague, Cairo, NY etc etc

Is that okay for you or would you like me to fax bank statements?

I don't earn mega bucks, I'm quite reasonable with my charges, but made £750 after expenses for 9 hrs Monday and 6 hours Tuesday so that'll do me this week (its winter, its cold, I'm old and its my B'day). Although I've just promised a very good client I'll do him a job on Friday which will take me around 4 hours so not all lazy days.

Bob

bobsabuilder

I NEVER let clients down!

But I am very selective in who I work for and only take premium jobs on.

I took on a job for a business client knowing it was good money for a couple of days work (£50/hr plus materials and expenses)
Better that than working all week for the same money.

Bob

brumdaisy

I'm with you except for the tw@t bit of course....

Shark Man

Work to live, not live to work

Obviously Mr Brown wants you to do the latter. He's the queen bee and your just low level worker bees.

Meh, if I loved my job, maybe I'd be more bothered. I would set out to do something I love, but Mr Brown would tax me into banckruptcy so there's no point. So I'll just slack off, waste some time on Scoobynet and totter about in some foriegn countries for a bit, ta . As long as I have beer and petrol I'm happy.

sti-04!!

I work on average 3 days a week. Its all split between monday to friday & travelling all over is included.

27, work for one of the biggest vehicle retailers in the world oh & i dont give a ****

Shark Man

Pendragon?

If you know a buyer called Phil, tell him he's a tart. Cheers

mpr

I don't care mate, I just thought I'd give you some tips so that your bragging (not that you say you're doing it of course) would be more effective.

bobsabuilder

Ah!

So I should have mentioned the fleet of luxury cars, the extensive multi million dollar property portfolio spread accross the world and my own personal yacht moored in the caribbean

GC8

Youve missed the humour in what Ive said Bob; you must be working too hard! Take the rest of the week off.....

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

Builders do so much work cash in hand it's no wonder they can only work part time. If the tax man saw half of what they earn they'd be working full time like most people.

sti-04!!

I am having major work done on my house at the moment, if me & the builder put everything through the books there is no way i could afford to get the work done.

Dont get me wrong he is putting a percentage through, but when the work being done is running into xxxk's, not paying another 17.5% to our already rip of goverment is a blessing.

I personally dont have a problem paying some cash.

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

It's wrong though. If everybody else is paying tax then so should he.

sti-04!!

I agree its wrong, but lets be honest. If you had the chance to save yourself money & there was a 99% chance of no comeback what would you do ???

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

Of course! I aint stupid. Doesn't stop me being jealous of blokes pocking an extra few hudred a week while I see mine going to Gordon brown

sti-04!!

POC

Its rare these days to be honest, its too risky with the current 'snitch' culture. The Rev setup a line just for people to dob in fellas taking cash for jobs and they have apparenlty had to put in additional staff/facilities to handle the volume of calls!

Not worth the risk taking cash IMHO, not saying it doesnt happen, cos it does, alot!

bobsabuilder

As it happens, I have an on-going financial investigation into my last 6 years of accounts because someone grassed me up for doing "cash in hand" work. I know who did it, he's a real cowboy and I've taken a lot of his customers and put right his shoddy work!

However, I have NOTHING to hide as ALL my work is above board and legal. I've handed all my accounts over and I'm not worried about the outcome, in fact an accountant I've employed to double check things for me has said he thinks I've over paid in the past and will be due a rebate

I've worked very hard in the past and paid a small fortune to the taxman, but I'm now in a position to works fewer hours and still maintain a good standard of living. Some people do get jealous and try and stir it for others instead of getting off their @rses and working hard for what they want.


Flame me all you want for being a builder and taking lots of time off . . .
ducks
back
water
off

Bob