It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

mardatha

Naseby I got mine from john lewis website and they are fine. Get a biggish size, the low wattage ones are dim.

[Deleted User]

I have been busy busy today doing major important financial stuff. I handle my dh`s pension fund and transferred it to a sipp three years ago, when I took it over. I have managed to keep it afloat but various things needed changing today ie selling gilts and buying pibs and pref shares. Ok strange terminology but the gilts flew up since I bought them 2 years ago and I have taken profits in all of them and re-invested some of the cash in fixed interest pibs and prefs. It needed to be done as sitting back with a pension fund is not an option. We won`t be touching this pension until my dh is 65 and it needs to grow

Now I badly need to unwind ala ceridwen`s playlist and a few candles

My dh has is hopeless re family finances so I am being utterly practical. It`s the age thing and suddenly you realise that life isn`t endless. I have been organising our savings so that he has easy access to cash if anything were to happen to me, oh bless him I have to remind him to logon to the accounts from time to time to keep his hand in. Yesterday I wrote out a list of all the bills and whether they were DD or yearly etc. All this stuff is in one notebook. Anyone think of anything else I need to put in this book? Got to be practical, if I pop my clogs first he couldn`t cope. Although with a bit of luck we`ll both reach very old age together

ceridwen

KITTIE

- instructions for items round the house
- list of contact details for important people - friends/relatives/tradesmen/etc
- details of the financial arrangements (ie where the investments are)
- Wills and Living Wills
- regular medical needs of selves/pets

I'll be back if I think of more

JillD_2

kittie I am the same, handle all the family finances, DH hasnt a clue. I must write down some stuff for him in case I get run over by a bus (or crack up from the stress of the kids ......)

Things to add to your book - does he know where you keep papers like passports, birth certificates, do you have a will, do you have any policies like endowment or life policies etc.

And does he know where the notebook is kept and of its existence in the first place LOL

I emailed a list of everything to my brother a few years ago, I really must update it.

cw18

I'm starting to compile a list of these things - but for my kids as I'm now on my own.

Struck me last Nove,ber - as I was dealing with everything after I lost DH - that no-one else in the family would probably even know which companies I use for the basic supplies (gas/electric/mobile) - though DD is on the same phone & b/band package as me at the moment, so would know that one. And as most of these only communicate via email as I have on-line accounts for as much as possible, it wouldn't even be a case of waiting for the next monthly/quarterly bill to drop through the letter box !!!

DH wouldn't have even had a clue how to claim the widowers part of my company pensions, despite one of the schemes being one he also had a preserved pension with...... whereas I was on the phone to them within a couple of days

Reading what I've just typed, it comes over rather 'cold and calculating', but I lost my job at the same time so money was a major issue - and I had to sort it ASAP so that younger DS (the only one still at home) didn't have an extra-bumpy ride through it all.

But my "issue" is that with it all being on-line, someone needs my account names/numbers and passwords..... and I don't want the kids to have those. So I think I'm going to have to give them to my parents for now - and consider asking my brother to hold them at a later date

marybishop

calleyw wrote: »

I mean this afternoon I did some washing and at about 4pm I put it out on the line until about 20 mins ago.

It is not dry but a lot drier than if I had left in doors. And is now on the airer indoors. A lot of people would have left it indoors or bunged it in the tumble drier. I really don't care how mad my neighbours think I am.

I do exactly the same, Calleyw. If it's not raining it goes on the line (OH thinks I'm mad!). But I just love the smell of line dried washing and if it gets even half dry it's better than tumbling it from wet.:)

jujudrops

My dh has is hopeless re family finances so I am being utterly practical. It`s the age thing and suddenly you realise that life isn`t endless. I have been organising our savings so that he has easy access to cash if anything were to happen to me, oh bless him I have to remind him to logon to the accounts from time to time to keep his hand in. Yesterday I wrote out a list of all the bills and whether they were DD or yearly etc. All this stuff is in one notebook. Anyone think of anything else I need to put in this book? Got to be practical, if I pop my clogs first he couldn`t cope. Although with a bit of luck we`ll both reach very old age together[/quote]

I keep all necessary detail in my printed 'Age Concern' Life book, Details are held on the site and can be updated and printed as required.

https://ageconcernlifebook.com

HTH:D

Juju

cw18

jujudrops wrote: »

I keep all necessary detail in my printed 'Age Concern' Life book, Details are held on the site and can be updated and printed as required.

https://ageconcernlifebook.com

HTH:D

Juju

Thanks for that -- it looks incredibly useful, and I've made a start on one for me :T

But I've already found a couple of snags with it that I'll have to work around :rolleyes2

(it's typical of me to 'break' systems or have 'special needs', but I have emailed to ask if they would consider updating the system slightly).

Under a number of categories (such as dependants and current accounts) it's possible to add extra 'lines' so you can record more than one -- but this function isn't enabled for pensions (I have 3 preserved company pensions) or state benefits (I have to deal with 2 different offices for Widowed Parents Allowance and Child Benefit)..... and I either need a second for IR or another under benefits for my Tax Credits !!!

[Deleted User]

A lovely day coming up here and grhhh I can`t go cycling as I have a skinned, nasty red burn right at the top of my thigh. I let my steamer cool, took the lid off and carried it to the washbasin to empty but the water was obviously still roasting as some tipped back onto my knitted acrylic skirt and quick as I was I was still burnt and its about 3" x 1" . I did it 2 days ago and my tights must have been rubbing yesterday so now its sore. Please please everyone with little ones be really really careful with mugs of drinks etc as I have just found out how a little, very hot water can destroy skin

I think I will loll about today, get going on my book for dh with help from the age concern book. Later I am going to broach the subject with dh as he has a massive lot of lovely hobby stuff in his study, he is so good that he judges and gives talks so it isn`t stuff to bag. Well it happens to us all so gettting things tidy has to help!! it isn`t morbid, just helpful

I think I will empty my winter containers today, give them a wash and take them all down to my local nursery. She did a tremendous job on 5 containers last spring and they were gorgeous and crammed full and lasted until autumn. They cost me only £40 and I was so pleased to be helping a local business. It is a real hands on place there

Rummer

Good morning everyone! Hope you all have a lovely day!