Profit

[MrGongGong]

You're being naive. It's a marketing tactic utilised to increase market share. It's not about offering cut price services to the less well-off.

Have you always been so cynical?
I know it's hard to believe but some folks actually DO want to prioritise things other than extracting as much dosh out of people as possible.

[Beef Oven!]

Have you always been so cynical?
I know it's hard to believe but some folks actually DO want to prioritise things other than extracting as much dosh out of people as possible.

I was thinking of high street barbers who are in a cut-throat busines (did you see what I did there?).

I don't think I'm being cynical, I think I'm viewing business for what it is.

You're just a hopeless romantic, MrGG

[Richard Tarleton]

There's an element of both in it.... Some businesses offer discounts to pensioners at certain times of day or certain days of the week (pubs, cafés, barbers, B&Q) so as to capture their business but a times when they won't get in the way of proper customers and clutter the place up - the technical term being "time rich cash poor". So if Cali is prepared to don his old raincoat and shuffle in for an early tea, or confine his DIY shopping to Wednesdays...

[Dave2002]

Thank you for your concern and advice Dave.
I should have made it clear that I am leaving via voluntary redundancy/retirement scheme,not for actually ill-health reasons.
Yes,in August there will be a 'restructuring/cost cutting exercise' of sorts taking place where I work,something I am more than happy to not be a part of.
I have applied for early retirement a couple of times since reaching the age of 55 and been refused,now it has been accepted (my current health situation has swayed their decision I think) and that suits me fine.
I can now concentrate on getting better without the worry and stress of work

Glad that it's going to work out for you, and hope you do start to feel better. You will probably find that you have to consult a solicitor to fine tune your package - this is often a legal requirement for "restructuring". Some solicitors may offer to get you a better deal, but they may charge more. Some may also suggest stonewalling your employer - but there's a danger that the employer may then threaten to keep you on, and you're probably not going to want to do that.

Different people have diferent wishes and requirements. My father enjoyed ten years of retirement before the "normal" age, and I really do think he was happier. A lot of my friends have done early deals, but it does make sense to do a deal at the right time. Some had short term concerns about money - making sure they could pay a mortgage, for example, during a gap period with lower income, but most have managed pretty well. One friend simply wanted to go, being thoroughly fed up, and retired, but she could probably have waited a few months and been over £30k better off. A few others were re-employed as consultants after a while, and it helped them - but they did it mostly on their terms. One fell into a small elephant trap, as when he went back to "his" office and received his remuneration for the work done some while later, he discovered he'd been charged for office space, heating, lighting and use of facilities etc. The solution is presumably to make sure any charges are clear, and charge a higher rate to cover them. Another friend whose circumstances changed dramatically is now picking up consultancy regularly, including foreign travel, and it probably helps and suits him, and gives him more interesting things to do.

Everyone's circumstances and needs are different.

[MrGongGong]

I don't think I'm being cynical, I think I'm viewing business for what it is.

I think you are making the mistake of assuming that all businesses have the same priorities.
This book might be useful for you

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gertie-Gus-Lisl-Weil/dp/0819309117

[Beef Oven!]

I think you are making the mistake of assuming that all businesses have the same priorities.
This book might be useful for you

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gertie-Gus-L.../dp/0819309117

Something fishy about that book. Steer clear of it, I'd say.

[Beef Oven!]

I think you are making the mistake of assuming that all businesses have the same priorities.

I'm thinking of commercial businesses. This is why I said what I said about barber shops. They are commercial businesses. Shortened version is 'businesses'.

[MrGongGong]

I'm thinking of commercial businesses. This is why I said what I said about barber shops. They are commercial businesses. Shortened version is 'businesses'.

I think you are making the mistake of assuming that all businesses have the same priorities.

[Beef Oven!]

I think you are making the mistake of assuming that all businesses have the same priorities.

All commercial businesses are in business to make money, profit. If there is something I am missing here, you must clarify.

[MrGongGong]

All commercial businesses are in business to make money, profit. If there is something I am missing here, you must clarify.

Making a profit is one of the reasons people have businesses, it's not the only one.
Some of us do some things for a financial "loss" because we regard other things as a "gain".

[ahinton]

Making a profit is one of the reasons people have businesses, it's not the only one.
Some of us do some things for a financial "loss" because we regard other things as a "gain".

Quite right too; yes, of course commercial businesses need to generate financial profits but, as you rightly note, that's not all that they have to do. There's also the case of state-owned and run businesses such as NHS; whilst ther funding is such that they're by no means as dependent upon profiteering as other businesses that are not state subsidised, they are still supposed to run like businesses otherwise they'll neither generate value for money for the users or their shareholders (the taxpayers) nor be in a position to improve services by investing income in their provision. Also, NHS could hardly be expected to function in a businesslike way if it were funded by the taxpayer alone; taxpayer funding is a fickle mistress, given that, in bad economic times NHS' services are perhaps in the most demand, tax revenues are at their lowest because there's less money to tax.

Of course NHS is not a "commercial business", but everyone wants it to succeed and, in order to do so, it must be run in as businesslike a way as possible.

But let's not get into that kind of thing, otherwise the dreaded "politics" might risk entering (or beinbg shoehorned into) the fray; it's back to retirement (not that I'll ever experience any such thing)...

[Beef Oven!]

Making a profit is one of the reasons people have businesses, it's not the only one.
Some of us do some things for a financial "loss" because we regard other things as a "gain".

Not commercial businesses. By definition, they are in business to make profits. Have you a dictionary around the house?

[MrGongGong]

Not commercial businesses. By definition, they are in business to make profits. Have you a dictionary around the house?

You are still assuming an awful lot methinks

[Beef Oven!]

You are still assuming an awful lot methinks

I'm assuming no more than commercial businesses are primarily concerned with making profit. Your high street barber is in it to make a profit - he is not a social service, he is a commercial businessman.

[Anastasius]

Making a profit is one of the reasons people have businesses, it's not the only one.
Some of us do some things for a financial "loss" because we regard other things as a "gain".

All businesses or charities have to either make a profit or have a rich sugar-daddy or enough people willing to put money in.