The Diamond Club

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There seems to be a continuous debate online as to the terminology to apply to our generation. "Seniors" is a popular description and certainly better than "senior citizens" or "the blue rinse brigade." "Boomers" is widely used and clearly preferable to "the over-sixties" or even "pensioners" and don't get me started on "old-age pensioners": yikes!

As you've probably noticed I tend to use "retirees" on this blog but that's probably a reflection of my legal upbringing where there's a tradition of  adding "ee" or "or" onto the end of all kinds of words (think "mortgage" or "grant"), rather than a sensible vocabulary choice.

Recently,  however, inspired by receipt of an e-mail from that well-known do-it-yourself store, B&Q, I thought for a moment that "diamonds" could be the perfect name. With their association to sixty years what could be a better choice, assuming retirement to be the crown and we all but jewels in it?

Trouble is there was a negative side to the e-mail too as it was advising of a restriction of the benefits to members of its Diamond Club (they can currently have 10% off all purchases on Wednesdays). I wouldn't care but on the basis that you have to be sixty to join, apart from a bulk purchase of compost and yes there must be joke in there somewhere, I haven't had a chance to use my card.

The online comments about the changes seem to concur with Mister E's and my views of bargains, namely that there's rarely such a thing as a free lunch; indeed many of B&Q's wares are actually more expensive than those at the local hardware store that we normally patronise. Still it would have been nice to give it a second whirl and decide for myself.

Sadly I foresee that being at the forefront of the first generation to lose out on the date for receipt of state pension, we are similarly going to be deprived of yet more benefits in the future: that free bus pass, the winter fuel allowance and free TV licence all spring to mind. Will any of them still be around when I reach the relevant age?

Forget diamonds, with a lesser version of retirement add-ons perhaps instead the name should be glass beads!




Comments

Debra Journet said…
I personally hate the term “seniors”; way too “chirpy.”
8 August 2018 at 02:03
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