Its days are numbered ...

DawnW

Thanks Tilly, I am seriously considering it - I received the welcome pack thingy yesterday. I like the sound of the regular saver. I used to have lots of these when interest rates were higher (though we also had more disposable income then, as OH was working full time). I still have one with Barclays at about 3%. I find it makes you save without really thinking about it, as the money just goes out every month by dd like a bill. The maximum you can put in these per month is usually about £250, and I think I could stretch to that ok, given I already pay that amount in to the Barclays one. It would mean fewer OPs, but my mortgage is only at 2.5% at the moment, anyway, so it makes sense to save at a higher rate.

Apart from that, I am luxuriously sitting here in my dressing gown with a second cup of coffee, instead of rushing around to get to work I have just made a £15 OP, as the money I requested from Paypal has come through :j.

I do have loads to do though, so really must get a move on in a minute. Pal is arriving today, though not sure what time. Loads of tidying up to do, a chicken to cook, washing to put on for holiday, literature reference to find for student, ring C&G for a balance (and update sig later ), got to pop in to town to pay in a cheque .....

OH has gone to his daft 1am start job, and I won't expect him back till after 7 this evening :eek: It worries me as it involves driving through the middle of London in a van with a huge trailer :eek: - not good when you are tired.

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Morning, FD regular saver is a max £300 per month if that helps at all. If your DH is a non tax payer or a low tax payer, it may be worth having one I in his name, or having one in each. Although you have to declare for tax, the interest rate is very attractive.

Sounds like you have a busy day ahead. Best wishes Tilly x

misscousinitt

Hope you have a nice time with your pal - after all your rushing about!

MCI

greent

Just read your diary from the start, Dawn. Urgh to long hours Hope you are having a lovely time on hols. Shall subscribe to further updates

DawnW

Friend has left - haven't had much chance to post while she has been here. She is a bit full on :eek: Lovely to see her though

Right, full scale panic now on as we are off to France in the morning. Packing underway, paperwork found, emergency trip to Halfords to buy yet more mandatory car accessories (Do French people really carry all this stuff around with them??), euros sourced, sudden panic about European breakdown cover sorted - at a price :eek:, dealt with some work emails :mad:.

Another friend round in a minute for late lunch (leftover chicken pie from yesterday), then more packing, panicking etc. Can't you tell, I just HATE getting ready to go away I always forget something, and as there seems to be quite a lot to put in at the last minute, the chances of that seem high, to say the least!

Round to DDs for supper so at least I don't need to cook tonight. I need to give her a spare set of keys so she can see to the chickens and water the plants in the conservatory and on the patio, if dry.

Renewed mortgage busting campaign when I get back, as it is a spendy old business, this going on holiday!

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Have a great time. Tilly x

BFM

great diary.

first direct a pleasure to bank with

i love cranberry flapjacks. my little boy (5) is allergic to eggs so I make flapjacks quite often as my kids love getting on their aprons (and rhys has a chef's hat) and helping out.

i try and make them healthier than the recipes I've seen so we can have them more often - last batch was made with a handful of sunflower seeds and some cashew nuts crushed up a bit in a pestle and mortar, cranberries and dates and replacing half the honey with a mashed up banana and they tasted great.

making food from scratch at home is so much better for the soul than nasty processed stuff we used to eat half the time or more....

Lixi_2

Hi Dawn

Just popping in to say I really enjoy your diary and have subscribed. You are so good on the cooking front with the full time job and very organised!

I am thinking about switching to First Direct too, but haven't done anything about it yet.

Hope you enjoy France!

Lx

misscousinitt

Hope you have a great holiday.

MCI

xxx

DawnW

I'm back :j

I had a lovely break, and it was great to see my friend again. Weather was lousy though (similar to here, if today is anything to go by).

The part of France we visited was lovely, and I thoroughly understand why people want to go there to live - not much traffic, gorgeous scenery, nice people, cheap property, lovely food, etc - but it is still nice to be home

A slow start today as we got home at 1am :eek:

So far we have more or less unpacked, I have dealt with all the accumulated emails (including a couple of work ones that really couldn't wait). The others can wait though - I don't go back till Thursday

I have paid the Sainsbugs CC bill in full , and ordered a book from Amazon . Only £6 though!

Also caught up on the MFW diaries - haven't you all been busy while I have been away :rotfl:

I am now sitting by the woodburner as it is cold, wet and horrible here :eek:

Several other things to do today:

Ring C&G to get a new balance and update my signature. It won't have gone down a lot, but every little helps Done, now updated signature. Not much reduction this month, but that was expected. Under 21k by next month though!

Investigate reams of post from First Direct :eek:

Read meters and enter readings on Npower's web site. Done

Take unused euros to post office and change back to pounds

Get OH to chase up the electrician who seems to have vanished off the face of the earth, to replace the light in the guest room ensuite

Shopping as stores are low. Having said that, we had boiled eggs for breakfast as the chickens had obliged, with toast made from a few slices of bread I had stuck in the freezer before we went away, and I have found a loaf of nice olive bread in there as well, to go with the saussison we brought back and some salad leaves from the garden for lunch There is supper too, sausages, baked beans and potato wedges. Not a gourmet meal by any means, but will do the job.

Still need to buy a few things though.

OH out at the moment, but was muttering something about housework earlier :eek: I think that will have to wait till tomorrow!