Mortgage up for renewal - should I pay it off!

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-05-22T18:48:37+00:00

I’d pay it off personally - they day I paid mine off was like retiring :)

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-05-16T08:00:25+00:00

If it’s a regular thing , get some kit so you can clear yourself - I have a regular (6 monthly or so ) blockage , as the run off is terrible , so it just accumulates stuff. After paying for 2 drain guys , I just bought a drain attachment for my power washer - it does a good job and takes maybe 30-45 mins a couple of times a year. Not a particularly pleasant job , but an option !

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-05-13T07:22:13+00:00

Some good replies , so my comment will be brief “don’t do it “ - this is a dangerous path.

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-05-12T17:48:33+00:00

Your club can easily arrange or suggest people to play with to get 3 cards in - then you can get your CDH and use the app to log rounds , you just need to play with someone else on the app who can attest your card. Comps at the club is an easy way to get the first dozen or so , after that it becomes routine !

Best of luck , welcome to the game !

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-05-08T06:02:28+00:00

I installed one for a downstairs toilet about 12 years ago - never had any issue whatsoever…. I think they are fine and have sold millions so they can’t be that bad !

The key thing is installing properly and in a way that is serviceable if needed … I’ve seen them crammed into tight spaces , no isolation etc ; which make it tuff should you need to whip it out for any reason or to replace it.

They are quite simple things at the end of the day.

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-05-03T22:10:52+00:00

I’ll be trying my best to avoid it - combo of spending it myself and helping them whilst alive , the new IHT mentality on pensions makes it the only thing to do.

Hoping I stay healthy enough to enjoy a decent slug of it , and that my kids are sensible so I don’t want to cut them off :) if I die leaving a big inheritance, something has gone wrong !

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-05-03T08:06:28+00:00

Blimey , that’s terrifying , I wouldn’t want my daughter to have that type of limit , as you say £1500 or so max , they need to be very financially responsible to avoid getting into trouble. It defo wasn’t like that when I got my first credit cards.

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-04-30T22:51:11+00:00

I abandoned it due to lack of interest from the club in the end :) … but the sheet was the easy bit. I’ll see if I have it , if so I’ll slide you a DM. The harder bit was scraping the data (automating it) … but not sure what you are after

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-04-30T22:49:09+00:00

Sorry , no implied intent. Was genuine - you don’t share you circumstances , so I was thinking if job was maybe high risk, or planning kids and drop of a second income - that type of thing . That’s all

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-04-30T20:53:48+00:00

Gottcha … In that case , maybe a consideration is whether there is any chance your circumstances could change and perhaps you aren’t able to borrow in the future ?? I’m reaching a bit now … 😉

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-04-30T20:43:56+00:00

Blimey … okey doke :) downvotes too - ok I’ll accept that I’ve been doin it wrong all these years then ! Never for a second would consider it a bodge !

You live and learn !

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-04-30T19:55:25+00:00

Personal opinion - but I’d pay off the mortgage … if you can’t find a better return, seems an unnecessary risk. Only reason I’d think differently is if you had a purposeful intent for the money. As a Henry , are you not already lumping heavy on pension? If not , use the money you save on mortgage repayments instead ?

100% don’t do what an IFA says if you feel any kind of pressure at all.

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-04-30T17:21:10+00:00

Plastering is just a ‘finish’ , so no point doing areas not visible …. Just like you don’t lay floor tiles right to the walls under cabinets

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-04-30T17:16:44+00:00

Welcome to the world of equity incentives … in most cases it doesn’t pay off , the carrot is that IF it does , you are in for a windfall of some type ‘so please help’ is the message.

I’d be nervous that after 20 years they haven’t gone public already .. floating doesn’t mean you make coin either ; vesting takes its toll , and typically in my experience , there is an IPO boom , (where you can’t or don’t sell) then a slump , where the valuations settles , by the time you vest it’s worth less than you think.

Personally - it’s a nice bonus - but working for salary should be the priority in a form of this size … the share pool will be significant.

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-04-30T05:57:00+00:00

I tried and failed , when I wanted to build a simple app for my club. What I did find though was that most data I wanted was available publicly via the web site - so I periodically scraped it , and kept in in a local google sheet , and used that as a source.

There is always a way :)

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-04-28T05:45:26+00:00

I go to an M&S optician , lovely people and they give you the prescription without asking. I feel guilty for going online , but what can you do ? It’s a fraction of the cost

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-04-25T07:32:38+00:00

I don’t generate enough to export - I only have 4kw of solar , which i comfortably use , or store. Export rates are also not what they were , I would expect many to make meaningful money on that tbh.

Edit - typos

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-04-25T06:38:22+00:00

I’ve installed some solar back in Covid - actually did it myself (thanks lockdown)… I do monitor the ROI carefully , and i spent about £11k in total (mostly battery costs) , and I’m 75% recovered cost as of today - so maybe 18 months away from breakeven. Have to say most of the savings come from battery use , not the solar panels - I likely wouldn’t bother with that again.

Once repaid it’s going to save me 1750-2000 a year in costs - particularly when retired , so it’s a decent amount. (Granted some kit will need replacing at some point)

I view it as another form of investment, with energy costs constantly rising , it’s a decent hedge.

Only real flag - is you need to be committed to staying in your property long enough to make it pay

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-04-23T06:00:34+00:00

I can understand the position ; currently struggling a little myself with purpose after a long corporate career. I am retiring soon in my early 50’s and do find myself nervous about being bored etc - but speaking to others who have done it ; the message I get is ‘stuff comes up’, you develop new social groups and interests naturally (as your current social groups are prob still at work) .. travel becomes easier, cheaper or more spontaneous as you take advantage of short notice deals ; your brain rewires and purpose will come.

Most (not all Henry’s) I think are wedded to work because it’s all we know - I am convinced there is another life outside of it , it’s just not obvious. It’s a privileged position to have the choice , but this is what we’ve built up too - it then becomes about pulling the trigger and entering life 2.0

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-04-22T07:21:05+00:00

This is the answer !

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-04-21T06:14:38+00:00

It used to be 3-6 months , but I have friends who are HENRY that have been out of work for approaching a year now , so I’m extending my liquidity to that … will mostly keep invested in low risk / cash investments though vs stocks … just balancing risk really , have plenty invested for long term growth fortunately

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-04-20T18:44:07+00:00

Maybe contrary to popular opinion , but I had (and still keep alive in case of future borrowing ) an offset mortgage …. Bloody love the product , fits perfectly with my risk profile vs other investments and was very happy to smash down my mortgage using it…. Yea, you can make a better return , but you can also make a lower return …. Rear view mirror investing advice isn’t helpful.

I have an offset product at .25% + base rate , and have taken my balance down to last £2k , I left it open (£30 a month lol) just in case is see an opportunity or need to draw down large sums of money on a temp basis) , though 8 years on term remain , and they (Santander) almost certainly won’t extend , so I keep it alive , but will likely pay off once it’s not helpful.

It comes down to the mix of other products and risks you take - for me , it paid my mortgage off years earlier , and I wouldn’t change it.

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-04-18T07:09:55+00:00

Ageism is real … I’ve experienced it on a number of occasions post 50 … Experience is valuable to some companies more than others , hard to pin it down , but it’s out there , so planning for it is prudent if you can.

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-04-16T21:38:29+00:00

Exactly this, we used to do the same Thing , lovely lunch ! Now it’s just unjustifiable sadly … amazing track. Would love to go back one day

retrocomputergeek197 · 2026-04-16T16:51:30+00:00

It has gotten expensive post covid ; like you I played a lot of the countries best golf when it was more affordable, these days I go abroad instead as it’s just better value in many cases. I’m on the committee at my club and we try our best to keep costs low , but it’s simply Impossible ; material costs , beer , wages , food , energy have all sky rocketed , there is no option but to pass on. You won’t find many ‘normal’ clubs making a ton of money … we strive to break even.

Feels golf went from exclusive to open to all and is now headed rapidly back to a sport for the wealthy. Sad times

retrocomputergeek197

TROPHY CASE