Work less and play more.

How I started my frugal and simple lifestyle. It's ten years since I retired, In preparation I cut my working hours to part time, which reduced my income. I learned to live on less money and documented the changes I made, on a blog.
www.meanqueen-lifeaftermoney.blogspot.co.uk

[@dawnmorandin541]

3 years ago we decided we had had enough, sold the house, quit my job, moved to a cheaper town, retired and loving it. We've been frugal all our lives and it has paid off big time. love your chats.

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

I think there comes a time in everyone's life when you've had enough. It could be sooner rather than later for some, others may work on far past retirement age. Some people may fear stepping out into the unknown and leaving the safety and security of a job they have done for years. I have never felt like that, I have always been able to move on to the next chapter in my life.

[@alitristan1933]

Don't ever stop being you!

[@lulucly]

I agree - if you dont spend it, you dont have to earn it. I have been a fan of yours for years. Thank you for all of the wisdom!

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

Thank you. xxx

[@dotleaing3137]

A very happy belated birthday Illona. I'm three years behind you. I hope I'm still rockin it when I'm 72 as you are. You're my inspiration Cheers.

[@karenaustin7088]

Great post Leona ,I’m in mid 50s a care worker which iv done all my life and looked after both parents, iv v been feeling for sometime iv had enough ,I been working 3 nights a week and getting very tired and little time for much else I have two dogs which I love to walk,last week I just thought enough is enough I’m going down to part time I’v been trying to be very frugal learnt a lot from yourself and other bloggers,iv decided time is more important after loosing parents and brother ,

[@thebestisyettocome4114]

A very self-disciplined lady. From across the pond, all the best. Elmer

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

And all the best to you, Elmer. Thanks for popping in.

[@kitchenworker446]

You are so right about not allowing work to dominate your life. I work part time and have very little money, However, I envy the fact that you were able to retire and get your pension at 60. I have to keep working until I am 68 before I will get my pension. I would love to be able to stop work but can't. ( I am 58 so would have been looking at 2 more years before the govt moved the goal posts so now it's 10 more years, not 2!) There is also talk of the retirement age being put up to 70 - so I may not even make it!

[@cathharouche6427]

In 🇬🇧 Devon. on Hols from Australia 🇦🇺 June 2022 watching you on my I Pad ……. I start the day with you …My Friend and feel happy 😊 Thank You 🙏 I follow your tips ✅

[@veevee111]

Thanks for sharing your no-spend strategy with the KZbin community. Four years ago I went 'cold turkey' on impulse shopping because disposable money was simply no longer available to me. I eventually got used to not shopping and when I found myself tempted, I took time to think, did I want or need the item? I usually found that I really didn't need it; I was looking for a feeling of being rewarded, honestly. Also, living in a one room studio apartment helps to keep to my budget since there literally is no more storage room. If I cannot designate a spot for a new item then I do without, even if I do need it. Keep up the good work and keep posting videos, I love seeing your chipper attitude. I send you blessings from the States 💜

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

The hardest thing is knowing the difference between a need and a want. I remember saying to my mum when I was little 'I want ..bla bla bla'. Mum always replied, 'you don't say I want, you say, please may I have'.

[@TheNari82]

Great video like always ~ I stopped buying and start making my own different bits and pieces. I don’t do new trends or fads. I’m 36 and I have old fashioned views and ways. I learn a lot from people slot older than me and have followed in my grandparents foot steps.

[@ruthie2222]

Would love to hear your diaries from the 60s/70s 😊

[@sorayasongs]

Thank you for sharing, this were the good old days. I'm expected to work till I'm 67!

[@veemcg3682]

Well done you! Ive worked very hard all my life as well and when I started retirement was expected to come at age 60 but though I am now retired I am told my retirement pension will not kick in until I'm 67 nearly 68! Trust government to shift the goalposts long after the game has begun. I've always been thrifty and never missed a payment so thanks be to God my mortgage is paid off now. I do however struggle to keep up with all the maintenance issues and we're it not for my brothers would be in dire straits. I'm not wasteful in any way but am finding the current situation very stressful. I've beaten cancer had a total knee replacement due to severe arthritis and spent 5 months in hospital recently with endocarditis septicemia valve issues brain infection and cardiac surgery. Your channel is helping me get a bit of perspective back and try to keep myself moving through this time tiny step after tiny step.... Thank you for that and God bless you. Vera

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

Hello Vera. You've had a rough time, things can only get better. I should be spending money on my house, but I don't. It is still standing and functional, that is enough for me.

[@603kimcrafts9]

Very nicely done! Thank you.

[@pamelataylor7865]

So inspiring!

[@joymaxfield7589]

You are so wise thank you x

[@pas6862]

Great advice. Love your videos! Good wishes to you and your kitties xx

[@twelvesmylimit]

You're fantastic, 'Mean Queen'. Great to hear your story again. Enjoy your upcoming birthday. 😊

[@lanabrooks1554]

Always enjoy your videos. I have to constantly rein myself in with spending as I am also retired. You are always an inspiration. Keep doing your videos.

[@pumpkingirl-ln3eo]

Hi Ilona, I've been a follower of your blog for many years and I always feel good after reading whatever you post. I either learn something new to try myself and/or get inspired by your words/actions. You are one year older than me so even though my childhood was spent in America, we both grew up in 1950's and 1960's and surely have similar memories of what the world was like back then. One habit I recall from my parents was living within their means and rarely indulging in buying unnecessary items unless it was for Christmas, birthdays or other special occasions. And since I came from a family of 9, whatever could be handed down to the next sibling, was. Thanks for all the time and work you put into your blog and videos. And even though they are an online dairy for you, they help so many of us out here. I hope you are having a great day in wonderful England! Hugs...Nancy from Northern California

[@ruthie2222]

Agree, spending can be an addiction

[@Signedpeach]

Nice to hear about the frugal stuff again, very much needed in this current climate. Looking forward to seeing what you are up to in the garden this year x

[@nzmentoring2769]

Thank you so much Ilona from New Zealand; wonderful advice on simple living; a thousand thank yous

[@bdaina]

Love your videos :)

[@dawnhall1678]

Always enjoying your videos and all that you share. What you share helps so many, you inspire me. Thank you!

[@charlottetaylor2546]

I say this all the time but you really do brighten up my day x

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

Thank you. That's my aim, to have fun while living a frugal and simple life.

[@cristinaevans139]

As soon as I ❤paid off my house I told my boss to shove it where the sun doesn’t shine and became my best friends carer that was 17 years ago.I live simply old car old house only one bathroom no pool …but I am debt free🎉it can be done..just like you say❤

[@dalyjohnm]

You're brilliant :-) not mean at all .. frugal ? Yes !! Wishing you a Merry Christmas from Ireland

[@tinalemna7998]

I’ve been a fan of yours for years too! You have so much wisdom and common sense. Such a great outlook on life too. Love listening to you Ilona. 💜

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

Thank you. xxx

[@cherokeestrong442]

Your blog is wonderful! I have been following you for years and have incorporated many of your money saving tactics into my own life! Keep up the good work!!!

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

Thank you, I'm chuffed. xxx

[@bumboseat1235]

This is great advice. Wishing you the best of luck xx

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

Thank you.

[@user-ig6mw1kc5t]

Hi! I like your videos/ I always watch them with pleasure! Thanks!

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

Thank you. xxx

[@Joyce-id3dr]

Thanks for sharing your story. What I like is your not on here looking for money from anyone and as you said you (as are the rest of us) responsible for ourselves. I can't believe when I watch someones youtube channel and they tell how much someone sent them. One person had 2,000 dollars sent to her and so much free stuff just because she whined she was so broke. Who's fault is it when you're in your fifties and haven't saved a dime but you sure did have a good time for years as she has said although not in those words

[@annem5899]

Just love your videos,I am trying to stop spending trying lol,but you are inspiring me x.

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

Thank you for your comment. Try and keep track of what you are spending your money on. Write it all down in a notebook. Then read it. You will ask yourself, did I really need that?

[@summeronmars9663]

Spending can become a habit I would say that's most people's problem and boredom that's another cause, especially with mobile phones makes it so easy if you're tempted to spend look at all the stuff you've bought, didn't need and is cluttering your life

[@carolinecoffey2373]

Hi I’m new to your channel thanks never too old to learn I’m 53!

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

Hello, and welcome. Nice to meet you. Have a browse. We never stop learning, even me at 71.

[@aprilbaxter2578]

I love your outlook on life! I started watching you about a year ago, and I check back regularly. I loved especially your outdoor sun house. I could just kick back and relax there. I think I'd probably move a little cot out there and take a little afternoon nap. You are so creative. Did you do all these crafts before, or did you just do a little experimenting with things as you went along?

[@joysmith6013]

Great chatty video.

[@lesleygilbert1945]

I'm just like you Ilona and living quite happily on my pension. We just had thunder/lightening/hailstones etc - at least the gardens will get a drink at last and hopefully enough for the farmers. Also might stop any more fires on the moorlands. Fingers crossed eh :)

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

We have had storms here, the garden needed a drink.

[@donnasampson3140]

Im 50 this year and have now gone part time . Im finding the job a drag and would love 2 say bye bye to work . I guess not 4 a time soon . I would love not 2 be clock watching one day . Money isnt everything . Life is worth more . No one knows how long they have . I think the pension age should be dropped 4 people 2 enjoy there retirement .

[@pamelamckenzie2685]

Great Video , I never gone mad in spending,, my clothes always come from jumbles and second hand shops I not a meat eater fish eater instead veg rice. I wished I got my pension at 60 I 62 so I not get mine till I 66, we don't get the bus pass so I walk every where. Yes I stated at the age of 15 working, I now on universal credit I hate it I have to look for work, I found some voluntary work to start end of April I want to teach children how to knit, it be a creative group I be joining.

[@cherylT321]

Did you find anyone to teach knitting to? That’s such a useful skill so I hope you did!

[@AmandaJYoungs]

Quite a long time ago, I realised that I was one of the richest women in Britain. The reason is that my disability means I can only work part-time. If you think about it, money is something that people can often make more of, by exchanging more of their time for it. Well, I can't do that, but I am rich in something you cannot make more of - my time! It's finite, isn't it? So that makes it the most precious commodity of all. I have limitations on some of the things I can do, but I spend my precious time (when I'm not working) in trying to get healthier on a low budget, enjoying my cats, reading, radio, learning 3 languages, and a modest TV consumption. I think that's probably a prioritised list, actually, although I wasn't doing it consciously. The funny thing is, if I won a huge lottery jackpot, the essential core of how I live my life wouldn't change at all. I'd still want to have my cats (I might have more!) and read my books and listen to the radio and enjoy my home. I think that's because I have realised the value of time, especially when compared to the value of money.

[@fionauk4509]

Yum yum

[@catedennis41]

Loved this. I am retired at 64. When I was working, I would judge whether I bought something by how many hours it would take me to work for it. That cut out a lot of "frivolous" buys. Now I'm frugal out of necessity, but love it. Happy Birthday in advance!

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

Good to hear your story. Exactly right, how many hours will I have to work. A good book to read is Your Money or Your Life. It's a fairly old, well known book, but it describes exactly that, trading in your time for money to buy goods. There's always got to be a balance between time and money. How much do I want or need, and how many hours am I willing to give up.

[@catedennis41]

@@meanqueensuperscrimper8908 I read that book long ago. Thanks for reminding me!

[@SevenEllen]

Why am I watching this now?! I just worked 41 hours this week! Ha ha! :D That said, I'm proud of my efforts (I'm a cleaner in a supermarket), it was physically hard work and all very good exercise. I've never earned more than £900 a month in my life, so, the extra hours will give an exciting result this time. :-)

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

Hello. The effort you put into your work will reap rewards in the long term. As you say, physical work is good for keeping fit. Keeping active and eating the right diet is good for all round health. My working life was mainly outdoors and physically challenging. I often worked 60 hours a week. This has paid off, I am 71 and in good health. Well done, spend your money wisely and you will have a good future. Best wishes.

[@shelleybean1112]

Your so right about spending money being an adiction if we spent money on a needs verses wants senario our lives would be very different

[@fionauk4509]

Been watching your videos so inspired went to asda at 7 and got £32,25 worth of food, a lot dated for may ! for. .... £5.97 !

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

WOW, well done you. Isn't it a great feeling when you beat the system. Asda is pretty good at selling off their reduced food. If it hasn't gone by a certain time they reduce it to pennies. You're onto a winner if you shop there.

[@fionauk4509]

Me and my daughter were excited doing it lol. I got beautiful cauliflowers for 10p white as snow reduced from £1 and innocent sooper smoothies for 50p reduced from over £3 dated end of may! And I enjoyed my 40p beef dinner from £2.60. I don't know why I didn't bother before considering I'm hardly rich!

[@cdogvlog5557]

If I cut my hours down at work I would lose free health insurance, so I don't think that's an option. What I'm doing instead is trying to figure out how to invest the difference that I'm not having to spend to live on to somehow create passive income in the future. I think perhaps a rental property. Did you ever think at the time of perhaps changing careers, or trying a different job. I suppose its hard to find a different job after a certain age. I live on about one third of my weekly wage at the moment. Although this is slightly skewed because i do spend bits of infrequent overtime on home projects and such, so it'd be over 1/3rd by just a little bit. I have a really tight budget, and its helped a lot by having low transport costs and no debt.

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

Hi. I didn't think about changing careers, lorry driving brought me an easy income, I could do it automatically while thinking of another life outside of driving. I still had a mortgage to pay, and changing to part time working brought in enough money to pay for that, and my utilities, council tax, and a car to get to work. My brain however still needed stimulating, I am not a puppet, so I started two part time businesses. They didn't bring in much money, but were enough to satisfy my creative streak, which was training for full retirement when I would have control of all my time. It's about striking a balance, doing what's best for yourself, and you seem to have a few ideas. The rental property idea is not something I would do. I have some friends who do this, with various degrees of success. I was only speaking about this yesterday. One friend is very choosy about the location of houses he will invest in, nice areas hopefully bring in nice tenants. Another friend has a house in a not so nice area, he hasn't had any rent for almost a year. It's been a nightmare for him, now the tenant has vacated the property he is left with thousands of £'s to pay out to repair the damage, they trashed the place. So beware, I wouldn't take on that responsibility.

[@ranatavakoli143]

i thought pension is high in U K,

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

Some people would say it is not enough, and it wouldn't be if there is a mortgage or rent to pay. I get enough to cover my outgoings and save a little, because I own my house.

[@sarahkennedy1481]

Did you pay into a personal pension in your life to supplement Gov old age state pension? Amazing retired at 60. Sadly now it is 67 or 68...too old? I may quit at 60 and go into a studio apartment or do equity release as no children to have sanity and more free time. Work kills people these days.

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

I was eligible to retire at 60 and draw the state pension. I could manage on that. I have a small top up from a pension I paid into for five years.

[@sarahkennedy1481]

Just shows how I rest of us can cope if you do it. Thank you for your honesty. I have to work until 68. Knackered at 55 already. Hard if single. Keep at it!

[@barbarella9827]

Hi Meanqueen Great advice for people who do need to watch the pennies in retirement...Would love to know your thoughts though on pensioners who don't need to be frugal have plenty of money in the bank but can't bring themselves to spend what they've worked hard for all their lives..Its kept in the bank doing nothing..Can you understand this mentality or d'you think they're bonkers! Not all have close family either to leave it too... I'd love to know your thoughts on this...💕

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

Hi. I think everyone should live their lives as they think fit. The person who has money in the bank may have plans for it, who' knows, could be earmarked for something. They could be leaving it all to the cats and dogs home. It's no one else's business.

[@barbarella9827]

Hi....thanks for your reply..The reason I raised this question is Im one of those who can struggle to splash out when I know me & my husband have more than enough funds..(both worked full time all our lives)..But I don't get why I'm like that..It'll end up going to nieces & nephews who don't deserve it (most of the time) which bothers me..so yes the dogs home might benefit one day xx

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

Thanks, now you've told me why you asked that question I can give you a better answer. Being super careful how you spend your money can become an obsession. It makes sense to save money on things which are not important, so you have money to spend on what is important. But to save as much as you can and never spend it is depriving yourself of having fun. II don't spend money on my house, it's four walls and a roof, and has all the basics that I need. It's about priorities, deciding what's most important to you. My house serves it's purpose, but I need to travel. I need a nice car so I can go anywhere I want to. I need to pay for my cats. When I retired at 60 I had no money, but now I am approaching 70 I can relax a bit. It's a great feeling knowing that I can change my car, afford to stay at nice hotels, and replace things that break. My plan is to spend all my money before I go. I haven't yet worked out how to do that, I hope I have another 20 years left yet. To get out of the mindset of saving every penny think about what gives you pleasure. If you have enough money to pay for it, then buy it. Although it's hard to break a lifetime habit give it a try. With small items at first. You want a new coat, buy it. You want to go to the theatre, book the tickets. You want to go on a cruise, choose your destination and book it. Everything gets easier with practice. Good luck.

[@barbarella9827]

Hi again..i think my "problem" is worrying we won't have enough time left to spend what we've worked hard for....We do go on lovely holidays (but love a bargain) we eat lovely food..but could do a lot more than we do already..and there lies the problem...Also I'm a "What If" person..but how great would it be to have not a penny piece left when we died... Thank you again for taking the time to reply..appreciate it💕

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

One last suggestion. I have recently discovered is the fun of giving things away, money and stuff I don't need. I love putting a smile on people's faces, it gives me a buzz knowing I have helped in some small way. Something simple like making cloth shopping bags (I get the fabric for almost nothing), and giving them away in the supermarket to someone who is juggling with an armful of items they have picked off the shelves. When I tell them I don't want any money for it, I am giving it to them for free, a smile creeps across their face. That is payment enough for me. I make charitable donations when I have a few spare £'s. Check out 'Paying it Forward', Gooooglie it. then come up with some of your own ideas. Better if you are surprising a complete stranger. You never know, it might trigger the ripple effect, and they will do the same for someone else. ilona xxx