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Learning to live my dreams not trample on them

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  • savingholmes
    savingholmes Posts: 29,087 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Thanks BZ.

    Just seen that the base rate has stayed the same which is fab news as we pay 0.95% above base rate.

    I did consider posting my SOA again but tbh we're not that willing to change suppliers at the moment... we've done all that. I may change my mind on gas and elec tho once OH has done the meter readings and we find out how much we're really using... I think we are probably underpaying at the moment... I think the way prices for fuel keep rising we are going to have to be using jumpers and blankets inside even more...

    Energy saving actions
    1. Need to try and get OH to bleed the radiators before winter - as the ones in the front room and our bedroom hardly let out any heat - I then put the gas fire on in the living room which puts up our costs more.
    2. I also need to check whether OH laid all the insulation that I bought last year. I think he's moved it out of the shed which will definitely help - but I don't think he's rolled it out and used it yet! Let's hope he has.... He has apparently put some above our bedroom but think he has literally just stood them up above our room... Hopeful that it will save us money once he's done it properly.... I got them on offer in about January - and they claimed that you would get you cost savings back within a few months - let's hope that's genuine.
    3. I have my own blanket in the front room and so does DD bless her as we spend the most time in it :rotfl:It matches with our sofas
    I'm still not dressed. I've had a few crunchy nut cornflakes dry :rotfl:and coffee to get me going but am thinking of making another smoothie (with probiotic yoghurt). Need to take antibiotic and all my other tablets for this time of day. Good news tho - not taken my painkillers yet... Last took Diclofenic at 6.30pm last night so pleased with that..:j. Think will take some paracetamol and see if pain kicks in later or whether can go without it... I would be surprised tho as really needed to take painkillers at teatime yesterday. But it depends whether any of my pain is due to the infection and how much impact the antibiotic is having too...

    Want to try and do some cooking this afternoon. May also walk to school to surprise DD and get some coffee and sugar on the way back with the kids... Better get a scoot on - not done anything yet and still want a shower etc.
    Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
    1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £171.8K Equity 36.37%
    2) £2.6K Net savings after CCs 10/10/25
    3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £27.9K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.25K) = 34/£127.5K target 26.6% 10/10/25
    (If took bigger lump sum = 60.35K or 47.6%)
    4) FI Age 60 income target £17.1/30K 57% (if mortgage and debts repaid - need more otherwise) (If bigger lump sum £15.8/30K 52.67%)
    5) SIPP £5K updated 10/10/25
  • savingholmes
    savingholmes Posts: 29,087 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Well honesty

    ~Well Groceries minus pens was £104 on Monday
    We spent another £50 yesterday which was groceries and bits for the shower etc
    I've just spent around another £12 now - getting 2kg sugar, 1.2kg plain flour, oranges, 2 baguettes, 2 x 3 mini baguettes for packed lunches (freeze some), oranges

    So real grocery spend this week has been at least £166 since Monday... Its no wonder we have no money...

    Planning to make do some bakings have swapped plums for apples with next door neighbours so want to make a crumble... and perhaps some even sponges
    Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
    1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £171.8K Equity 36.37%
    2) £2.6K Net savings after CCs 10/10/25
    3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £27.9K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.25K) = 34/£127.5K target 26.6% 10/10/25
    (If took bigger lump sum = 60.35K or 47.6%)
    4) FI Age 60 income target £17.1/30K 57% (if mortgage and debts repaid - need more otherwise) (If bigger lump sum £15.8/30K 52.67%)
    5) SIPP £5K updated 10/10/25
  • savingholmes
    savingholmes Posts: 29,087 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    DS went back to the shop as we ran out of garlic... Still haven't bought coffee

    Today I've spent £18 - £10 of which was towards hampers/xmas (4 mugs and a storage canister from wilkos Live Laugh Love range - want to put some retro sweets in the mug - not sure yet about the canister) and £8 of which was tubs and a bottle brush. Hopefully now tho I can cook my plums and apples and freeze them for use later in the year...

    We also went to the carvery for lunch which with drinks came to £11 - and on top of that bought polos and water x 2 at the hospital for another £3.20.

    Good news is that the specialist said my recovery was normal, my scar was healing brilliantly and my insides are good too. Apparently the pain that I'm feeling could carry on at some level for another 3-6 months and doesn't mean anything is wrong... just normal healing process. He said I was fine to drive so have done a couple of short journeys... He said I should monitor how things go and ask GP to refer me back if I had any issues or concerns... He was absolutely lovely and even told me his Christian name... He had read thro my notes and remembered I hated hospitals and tried to make it as quick and painless as possible...

    Right well plans for the rest of this afternoon... get started on stewing apples and plums, make some fruit crumbles and eve puddings using the individual ramekins we've got from M&S dinners for 2 (and those we were given by a friend). Have give away 2 carrier bags of plums - and so now need to pick more but plenty left on the tree. Woke up today and there was another bag of apples outside my door LOL.
    Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
    1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £171.8K Equity 36.37%
    2) £2.6K Net savings after CCs 10/10/25
    3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £27.9K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.25K) = 34/£127.5K target 26.6% 10/10/25
    (If took bigger lump sum = 60.35K or 47.6%)
    4) FI Age 60 income target £17.1/30K 57% (if mortgage and debts repaid - need more otherwise) (If bigger lump sum £15.8/30K 52.67%)
    5) SIPP £5K updated 10/10/25
  • tirlittan
    tirlittan Posts: 3,397 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker Debt-free and Proud!
    Hope the pain doesn't carry on that long or at least drops down to more acceptable levels.
    DEBT FREE OCTOBER 2012!
    Proud to have dealt with my debts!
  • Hi SavingH!

    Sorry I haven't been on. My screen broke on my PC and then had awful troubles with my MIL when she was over here. Apparently over here to help but sat on her behind most of the day and had dinner served up to her every evening. She promised to do my ironing last Saturday and left yesterday and left the pile of ironing too!

    Sounds like you have been doing a lot of financial thinking and have a plan, which is good! I am glad the cleaner is working out well. That must be a load off your mind!
    Total (Aug 19):€58,567 Now:€26,947
    DFD:Nov 22/June 22
    Mortgage: €199,712
    MFD: March 2042/July 2034
  • savingholmes
    savingholmes Posts: 29,087 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Hi Tirl - yes I was a bit shocked at the 3-6 month bit!! It has improved over the last week or so so lets hope that that's a worst case scenario

    Hi CMD nice to see you back. It's so annoying when you have pc problems isn't it - its like a lifeline has been cut off. My mum would be just like your MIL which is why I've not had her over while I was ill. My MIL would chuck stuff out without permission so she's not been either LOL but OH has dropped DD at hers and she has helped out a lot of the summer that way...

    I'm going to walk to pick DD up soon from school - once I'm back at work I won't be able to... It's also good for improving my fitness levels as it is 1.2 miles by the time I've walked there and back

    Hope you all have a good weekend. I've just been sent a text to see if we are going to the Korean evening at church... I didn't know anything about it... Perhaps I need to catch up on my emails LOL. If there is food involved may go... If it is just to see a presentation I think I will give it a miss LOL
    Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
    1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £171.8K Equity 36.37%
    2) £2.6K Net savings after CCs 10/10/25
    3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £27.9K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.25K) = 34/£127.5K target 26.6% 10/10/25
    (If took bigger lump sum = 60.35K or 47.6%)
    4) FI Age 60 income target £17.1/30K 57% (if mortgage and debts repaid - need more otherwise) (If bigger lump sum £15.8/30K 52.67%)
    5) SIPP £5K updated 10/10/25
  • savingholmes
    savingholmes Posts: 29,087 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Did Mr As price guarantee and will be getting £2.29 voucher which is nice

    DD was way over-tired when I walked to get her from school - so at one point made her sit on a wall for 5 mins til she stopped cried. Had lots of sympathy for DS as she cries so easily!! She just works too hard at school and then is completely over-emotional. She also says she has blisters and they've popped - so will give her a bath later and then have a look at her feet... Need to get community physio's number and give them a ring and see if they can help at all - as it may be that she still needs inserts in her shoes...

    Had to give DS £7 today to buy 2 lots of PE socks however both kids took packed lunch which saved me over £4 so not too bad...

    Still not done anything with the fruit. I have unpacked the dishwasher and put it on... I am currently wading thro 5 school letters and a newsletter... They want £10 for a school trip already and want DD sing at a concert with her classmates and up to 10 other schools... It's all go!

    Luckily for me they've both gone upstairs so I am having some peace...
    Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
    1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £171.8K Equity 36.37%
    2) £2.6K Net savings after CCs 10/10/25
    3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £27.9K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.25K) = 34/£127.5K target 26.6% 10/10/25
    (If took bigger lump sum = 60.35K or 47.6%)
    4) FI Age 60 income target £17.1/30K 57% (if mortgage and debts repaid - need more otherwise) (If bigger lump sum £15.8/30K 52.67%)
    5) SIPP £5K updated 10/10/25
  • savingholmes
    savingholmes Posts: 29,087 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    OH took some stuff back to Mr As the whole point of him going was to get the cash back on to our card - but he didn't bother to check he had the receipt and so I also didn't get a full refund for what we actually paid which is very very annoying. I do now have £40 on a card to spend in Mr As tho - so will probably end up buying DS some new school trousers - the onese I bought him at the end of last term aren't long enough and possibly some new shirts... I haven't bought him any new ones for this term yet...
    Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
    1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £171.8K Equity 36.37%
    2) £2.6K Net savings after CCs 10/10/25
    3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £27.9K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.25K) = 34/£127.5K target 26.6% 10/10/25
    (If took bigger lump sum = 60.35K or 47.6%)
    4) FI Age 60 income target £17.1/30K 57% (if mortgage and debts repaid - need more otherwise) (If bigger lump sum £15.8/30K 52.67%)
    5) SIPP £5K updated 10/10/25
  • milann
    milann Posts: 11,506 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Hi SH - glad to hear the recovery is following the 'normal' route. It is surprising just how long it takes to recover fully from surgery and some injuries. Remember to take it easy but keep on the move - a bit like a balancing act LOL. I found hoovering and 'proper' sweeping the very last things to get back to normal and that took a long long time.

    I regularly keep a spending diary if I think I'm getting a bit out of control with spending - started one last week again. It was going on half pay that gave me a wake up call 5 years ago after I'd had surgery. In a strange way having less cash really did me good and made me realise just how much money I was wasting. I'm on the last leg of paying everything off now, but recently had a re-think and am keeping the cash I'd saved to pay my 0% off at end of year and extending my last grand and a half to another 0%. This seems a bit mad but I know I'm going to have a big expense - a nice one- at the end of next year and I'd rather keep paying the debt I've already got (at more than min payments) and keep the cash for the expected expense rather than pay it off in November and risk not having enough saved and then going and getting a loan. I KNOW it's not the done thing but it's right for me at this moment in time.

    I was thinking of you a couple of weeks ago when dh was off and we had a 'holiday from home' - went out every day, did no housework (other than washing breakie pots) and ate out everyday - all in a mse way LOL of course. We visited a NT place towards your neck of the woods I think. I found myself watching a lady writing in a diary and wondered if it was you LOL. Then remembered I'd seen your fb piccy and it wasn't - but I did think of you!!

    That seems a long time ago now - can't believe I've been back at work a week already. There are only 6 children in the class and 3 staff but it is quite demanding and we could really do with another member of staff - all the children are very severely disabled and it is more physically challenging than I've been used to for a while, but it's really great. Staff get on well together and the kids are fantastic. Think I'm going to enjoy this year :)


    Take care and resist those sofas for now - at least until you know when you'll be back at work ;)

    Milann
    January spends - £587.58
  • savingholmes
    savingholmes Posts: 29,087 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 10 September 2011 at 8:34PM
    Thanks Milann

    Yes - I agree with you - sometimes it does make sense in the wider scheme of things to keep some debt rather than pay it off early and reborrow soon after - especially when you can get it at 0% and only 3% transfer fee.

    I am resisting the sofas for now but am thinking of asking a relative to measure up for the floors for us and see how much he would charge for fitting them. The floors in this house have annoyed us since we moved in! The carpet in the living room is hard to clean, the hallway, downstairs loo and understairs cupboard have had fake laminate stuck straight down on to the floor - there is a line where carpet was nailed onto it and it is cracked around the edges... May need to take that up if it is even possible before putting a new floor down... It doesn't have an edging strip or anything going into the kitchen there is just a gap of about 5 cm where there is nothing as well as a gap where the height of the kitchen tiles and the hall laminate don't match of at least a cm tall. If we do the downstairs may do OH' study as well as that has oil on the carpet that we think leaked from the chair. I'd like it to be the same throughout the downstairs... If we did do the floor - may paint all that area before we put new flooring down so that any spillage is on what we are tossing away.... I'd also want to paint all the doors (I think I have enough gloss paint - but would need to buy paint for the walls). I think having the flooring all match downstairs would make everything look bigger and smarter - especially if I go for a light / honey type colour....

    I think we would wait for the new year sales then before doing anything about the suite... And just try and get the best offer we can at that point...

    I've bought a few bits for xmas today - £1.50 teapot for a hamper, £1.50 lizard toy for a hamper (both from charity shops), some 3 for 2 make up in boots - plus making maximum use of £5 off vouchers.... and any added product deals. I also spent £5.25 on 5 books for me (charity shops)... I spent about £28 in B00ts - but individually the items would have cost

    DD bought £6 of stuff giving me £5 voucher:money:
    £8.98 = 3 x dazzle eye shadow at £4.49 each so saved £4.49 giving me another £5 voucher:money:
    £4 = £7 x 2 in nail varnish used 2 x £5 vouchers:money:for £14 worth of product
    I went to buy the items below but realized had forgotten to use voucher - so got her to refund and put them thro the till - she forgot to take back £5 voucher so got one twice for same purchase :money:
    £17.50 = £12.50 mascara got colour pallette worth approx £10 free, £10 eye pallette, £10 lipstick (3rd item free) used £5 voucher :money:
    and got given another one which I've saved for another day

    So in total through £5 vouchers and 3 for 2s got £70 worth of products for £30.50!

    I also got loads of advantage card points.

    I took back £19 worth of stuff to B&Q from months ago - and got some feed and weed stuff, a new hose pipe connector and some lovely violas for only about £1.27 so chuffed with that too
    Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
    1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £171.8K Equity 36.37%
    2) £2.6K Net savings after CCs 10/10/25
    3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £27.9K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.25K) = 34/£127.5K target 26.6% 10/10/25
    (If took bigger lump sum = 60.35K or 47.6%)
    4) FI Age 60 income target £17.1/30K 57% (if mortgage and debts repaid - need more otherwise) (If bigger lump sum £15.8/30K 52.67%)
    5) SIPP £5K updated 10/10/25
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