Quote Originally Posted by Maurice Swan View Post
I left school the first day I could when I turned 16 (1964).....5 'O' levels over two attempts.....hated it.....got a decent job a few weeks later.......some years later decided to study for Computer Programming as that seemed the future.....no student or other loans those days.....
I'm afraid I have to agree with the comments made by Lardy. Us baby-boomers are undoubtedly the lucky generation. We came along after WW2 during a time of reconstruction and great optimism for the future. We have never been "called up" into the armed forces nor had to fight in wars (unless we chose to go into the forces of course). I went to university and had a grant to do so. OK, back in the 60's it was only the princely sum of Ł300 p.a. but it was sufficient to provide board and lodgings and travel which was all it needed to do, as I had no fees to pay. After my degree I immediately walked into a job and although I have changed jobs several times I have never been out of work. I have always paid into a private pension scheme and so was able to retire early. We are not wealthy by any means but on the other hand we do not live extravagantly either so we can manage.