The march to financial freedom

Ali-OK

Evening all

Today's update:

- Tests done, including needle ones, they were quite painful at times. But all clear as results are instant on screen
- Extra thyroid blood tests, got results tonight and they are clear too.
- Possible next steps are 2 other tests (one calcium) to see if I have the gene for hemiplegic migraine and if it's familial, as my brother has these but his are more severe and less frequent compared to what I get and my father used to get them (but was never officially diagnosed). This is looking like the strongest avenue to next pursue.

- DS still got caught by Languages teacher and a lunchtime detention :mad:
- I fired off an email tonight comprising of notes from the 8am meeting including actions and outcomes at that point, plus what happened today. With the intention of turning up again at 8am tomorrow to resolve
- Cue a 1 hr phone call with Head who was still in office, read it and has promised to sort tomorrow. If not, he knows it's fireworks from me. He is a very good Head to be fair and a small enough school to know pupils and parents well. He has also marked DS as a Young Carer due to my health issues. He is used to me being calm, not irrate and stressed (obvs doesn't know me well :rotfl:)

- Mum had x-rays today. She has pneumonia on top of the PF. Bad news but in reasonable spirits considering. Prognosis debatable.

Financial
- Bank account checked, use and pay off monthly CC payment went today
- Freepostcodelottery and other draws checked
- Inbox Pounds up at £9.93 - moving up quicker with the changes to the daily search

Work
- More of it in.

Think thats it. Bedtime soon, should sleep well

liltdiddylilt

Glad to hear all of your own results came back normal and there is a new and hopeful looking avenue...

Not so good news bout your mum. I am sorry hun. I hope she is comfortable and they are fixing her as best they can.

As for the supermarkets... FundsNetwork & Old Mutual Wealth are the two most used, the former much more so these days in our company. There are others that I wouldn't discount, Transact etc. The problem with going direct instead of via these people is that often the fees are higher because they only really pay attention if you have got a few hundred thousand+ in there. Not to mention being tied to just that company! I remember phoning about a client who had half a million in shares in a particular provider and I was spoken to so badly. When I came off the phone boss explained it was because it was small fry, not worth them bothering over at their end... :eek:

As for DS and teacher... :eek: - I am glad you are on it poor kid, but headteacher does sound nice!! xx

beanielou

Blimey a real mixed bag then.
Hope your ma is comfortable.
Hope you get DS's teacher sorted out.

stepuptothepl8

Hurrah for head teacher and hugs for you and your mum. Glad your results were good though. Xx

Ali-OK

Happy Hump Day all

Missed updating yesterday, visual aural and migraine late morning and left side probs, so a tough rest of day with work meeting, but got through it. Reckon Lilt passed it on :rotfl:

School and DS are resolved satisfactorily, expecting a call from Headteacher on the detail, but pleased DS came home happy last night and today :T. DS says attendance confirmed as calculated wrongly, Languages lesson he had to attend but she was a changed person, detentions dropped and she even let him use his glue stick :eek: Let's see how long it lasts as today wasn't quite so good with her as yesterday, but still better than normal. English is still being investigated, but overall quick action taken and he's happy, so that's the key thing.

Evenings seem to be taken up with a round robin of phone calls to see how Mum is. No real change there.

Today the excitement has been the IFA visiting Well, more the pension pot potential with moving it and increasing contributions. Haven't committed to it as there's a figure to investigate, but subject to that and a bit more research on the provider he's recommending, there's the potential for a pot size of close on £200k at age 65. That's by doubling my contribution to £250 nett which I am committed to doing whoever the plan is with.

A few things I did right given my complete lack of pension knowledge at age 23 was 1) start a pension, 2) contract out of SERPS and 3) have automatic 5% increases on payments. Today I feel like a grown up with slightly better knowledge :rotfl:

The downside of such an increase to monthly payments is there will be less to throw as OPs to the mortgage, but I'm comfortable with that given it'll be done and dusted by 59 latest, now looking at 57 I think, rather than my challenging self set target of 54. I'm mid-forties. 47 is mid-forties isn't it? :rotfl:

But, think of all the additional spreadsheet fiddling I now have to do :rotfl: . Shall be in my element :rotfl:

Other financials then:
- bank account checked - 47p from Qmee and £3 from P!necone are in - do I TT to ISA or put to mortgage OP..hmm, some strategising to do
- freepostcodelottery checked
- Inbox Pounds - up at £10.07
- Change bucket now has £1 in 2p's to bank
- 20p roadkill found

Filled up with fuel using an 8p off a litre voucher and also the 10x points, costing £33.96.

Dinner is some yummy lamb steaks with veg and mugs of tea have mostly been swapped out for boiled water with a teaspoon of honey (Sburys Bascis languishing in the back of the cupboard) and a chopped strawberry - I've found my new addiction :rotfl:

Somehow managed not to spend any other money in the last 2 days as well

in_need_of_direction

Of course 47 ( reached by me last month) is mid forties.

supersaver1000

Just popped by and was pleased to find a lovely positive post. So organised as ever and pleased DS is doing well. These little things are sent to try us aren't they. DD had a little blip but is back on form again, scary that adulthood approaches but it's lovely too.

I've reduced my tea consumption and now drinking more water, so feeling lots healthier too. Amazing how these little changes hav such an effect.

:):)

Ali-OK

in_need_of_direction wrote: »

Of course 47 ( reached by me last month) is mid forties.

Ooh we are only days apart in our birthdays. Wish I could say the same for pounds and the mortgages. A bit of spreadsheet fiddling already and I don't think my OPs will drop too much. Will be not at all if I can grow the business a little bit more

supersaver1000 wrote: »

Just popped by and was pleased to find a lovely positive post. So organised as ever and pleased DS is doing well. These little things are sent to try us aren't they. DD had a little blip but is back on form again, scary that adulthood approaches but it's lovely too.

I've reduced my tea consumption and now drinking more water, so feeling lots healthier too. Amazing how these little changes hav such an effect.

:):)

Thanks SS - I am taking a leaf out of that - I need to see more of the positive and get back to mindfulness as it works

Glad to hear about DD and agree with you. How do we let go when they get there?

I'm really enjoying water now. Always liked it's cold, but less so in recent years, so my new found drink is perfect. I tried lemon in it, but it just tasted like Lemsip :rotfl:

Ali-OK

Afternoon Diary and what a lovely sunny one it is again here

Weekly food shop done and spent £26.74, higher than I'd like but included a large dog food bag. The cupboards are quite empty though whilst the fridge is bulging - a sign of the different goods I am buying to avoid gluten.

Work is busy and providing nothing moves out of this month it's looking like a fairly decent take from the business :T. Certainly more than I'd projected before my holiday.

DS is due home soon as they close school early on all Parents Eves, so we can have an early dinner tonight of chicken thighs and veggies.

I've played with the mortgage spreadsheet based on OPing £250 per month and wrapping the interest difference into it each month and it's looking like the end date will move out to October 2023, so an additional 10 months, but still 4 years early :j I'd be happy with that

As we know, life changes so anything could happen. For starters, there's concrete posts and gravel boards to pay out for the garden before the sleepers (that have slept on the patio for the last 6 months :rotfl:) can be put in. Artificial grass cost will come down as DIYers are doing all the base work. Can't wait for the garden to be done and finished :j

Ali-OK

Woop, the weekend is here :j

Busy billable work day - seem to be more of those rather than half work, half admin/skive I used to try and organise for Fridays. Business banking shall be done in the morning.

Pension stuff re-hashed by IFA and received, digested and many thanks to Lilt and colleague for their thoughts and time given to it. I owe you mrs :beer: . I now have yet another plan :rotfl: and the right one for me I reckon .

Dinner is pork steak and veggies. I've got an avocado and red pepper to work into a weekend meal and will seek out a website where I can input ingredients and see what recipes it throws up. Failing that, I'll just eat them snack style :rotfl:

Financials then:
- Bank account checked, paid myself expenses and mortgage interest has gone out to other current account which will go by DD on the 28th. Capital payment is still going to be £920 on the 29th :j
- Freepostcodelottery and draws checked
- Inbox Pounds - moving on up at £10.20
- P!necone - another survey in and completed, that's another £3 to me :j

Weekend - when I think it's going to be a quiet one, my list tells me otherwise :rotfl:. A small expense is expected in town (nail file and cuticle stick), housework, work stuff and any number of things that I keep putting off :rotfl:

Looking back on the week healthwise, I've faired very well - only 1 'off' day which is a good ongoing improvement. Gluten free is suiting me too and is continuing

Happy weekend all