The Big Adventure

Goldiegirl

Bookworm, Hbbb, and Tilly, thank you for all the suggestions, which I'll be looking in to. I've always enjoyed filling out questionnaires, so I'm not sure why it didn't occur to me before to join survey sites.

I never even knew you could raise a bit of money by doing reviews. I always do a cruise review on a cruising forum I belong to, and last year I went through a stage of reviewing tourist attractions on TA. So it's definitely something that's up my street.

Had an interesting conversation with Mr Goldie last night. He wondered whether we might consider retiring at Christmas, basically about two and a half months earlier than we have recently been thinking of.

We'd end up with a bit less in the savings pot, but wouldn't have the winter problem of getting to work in the bad weather, getting up on the dark mornings etc.

We are going away for a week at Christmas, so that'd probably make it even more difficult to go back to work in the new year.

We are currently thinking about this...... But it is an attractive proposition.

Anyway, I'm feeling fine today. I've got a beef curry in the slow cooker, I've been out to run a few errands, and after coffee will do some of the houseworky things I missed yesterday

Alchemilla

It sounds lovely.

Goldiegirl

Alchemilla wrote: »

It sounds lovely.

The curry smells fantastic....I'm ravenously hungry now!


I've done the financials for the month, and can report as follows


Groceries £180.35 (or 55% of last years monthly average)


Other spending £ 243.60 (46% of allowance)


These figures are low, as we were away on holiday for part of the month. I'm just leaving the money where it is, as August could be over target, especially on groceries.


Money to savings £1655. Pleased with that, as I also had to pay our holiday expenditure, of a few drinks, a couple of additional excursions and tipping. Tipping is part of the cruising culture, so this is always budgeted for)


I've found a bit more money to go in to the HAF


I usually keep unused foreign currency until the next holiday, but have no plans to go to Sweden in the next few years, so exchanged my 100 Swedish Krona note for..... £7.82


Also, Cashback paid under Halifax Rewards for a purchase in June..... £3.35


(I love how random bits of money can be found!)


I've signed up for another survey site, and was able to do a few more surveys on the other sites.

giblet1979

Hi gg,

Really sorry to hear about the return of the vertigo...glad you're feeling better now.

I'd second (third?) the votes for Valued Opinions and One poll as they seem to be the only ones I'm getting anywhere with (most notably the former where I'm on £20 in a couple of month of ad hoc surveying).

Earlier retirement sounds great. Maybe, as others have suggested previously, budget as if you were living post retirement, and save the rest and see how you get on?

Hope you have a good day x

Goldiegirl

giblet1979 wrote: »

Hi gg,

I'd second (third?) the votes for Valued Opinions and One poll as they seem to be the only ones I'm getting anywhere with (most notably the former where I'm on £20 in a couple of month of ad hoc surveying).

Maybe, as others have suggested previously, budget as if you were living post retirement, and save the rest and see how you get on?

Hi, Giblet


So far, One Poll has been the most lucrative, although often I'm screened out when I tick the 'married' box, which is a bit annoying


Since January, we've been doing the living on the post retirement budget thing...... and it's been working really well.


At the moment, we are being able to save quite a lot each month, and it is nice knowing we have that security.


It'll be a big step to stop having that safety blanket of additional money each month.


But on the other hand, I REALLY don't want to work a minute longer than necessary. I'm not looking forward to the next two days at work for various reasons, and feel that I just want out.


They are nice people, and the work is interesting, but it can be very pressurised.


I'm certainly favouring finishing work before Christmas.


But today has been lovely.


This morning we went to Dobbies and had our July free coffee. But then we managed to spend £40. :eek:


We got a large bag of bird seed, but I like seeing birds in the garden, so don't begrudge that.


We got a Dianthus to replace a patio plant that had died off. Don't mind that, as I love seeing the flowers.


The rest was boring stuff like weed killer.


Mr Goldie repaired the bench in the garden, so it is now safe to sit on again, and I've been making bread and rolls, and we had chicken chasseur for dinner. (used a packet sauce mix, so no exotic creation!)


Enjoy your evening, all

giblet1979

Thanks gg, in retrospect I'm sure I knew that. I blame lack of sleep

I'm glad you had a lovely day and hope you can retire sooner X

Habibiboo

:wave:

The chance of early retirement sounds fab GG and if it's viable, the winter holiday and the case you make for avoiding the worst of having to work through the winter makes it sound very appealing.

One thing to remember (although I'm sure you've already thought of this, you're fantastically organised) isn't just the money you won't have coming in, but also to consider any extra out as a result of both being at home all day through the winter - lights, heating etc. We really noticed this once I started working from home even though I bundle up with jumpers and use the wood burner rather than put on the heating (although you can claim tax on a % of this as self employed! you don't get that as retired peeps). However, I don't know your circumstances re travel and petrol costs associated with work, it may well all balance itself out?

Sounds like a dream plan though and a wonderful Christmas present to yourselves if you can work it! Fingers crossed for you. x

BookWorm

Goldiegirl wrote: »

So far, One Poll has been the most lucrative, although often I'm screened out when I tick the 'married' box, which is a bit annoying

Hi Goldie - re: One Poll - there definitely is no logic to it then as I feel like I always get screened out for being single!

Goldiegirl

BookWorm wrote: »

Hi Goldie - re: One Poll - there definitely is no logic to it then as I feel like I always get screened out for being single!

:rotfl: it makes you wonder exactly who they are looking for!

Hi, Hbbb. Good point about the heating and lighting bills.

We have gas central heating, and the bill for the winter 2012-2013 was horrendous.

As far as I remember, it was a cold winter, and dragged on well into spring, but 'something' had to be done.

Last winter, we were a lot more careful, and were more inclined to put on a jumper, than to turn the heating up. It helped that it was a milder winter. The bill was considerably lower than the previous winter.

Currently, the house is occupied 5 days a week, so it's not too much of a jump. I expect the bill will go up, but as long as I can keep it lower than 2012-2013, I'd be happy.

Mr GG seems keen to stop work before Christmas..... He's got a letter on his work laptop, all ready to print off and give to his employer, saying that he plans to leave on 18th December:eek:

I've told him to hold fire for a little while longer.

Goldiegirl

Well that's two more working days out of the way.


I wasn't looking forward to those days, and I was probably right, for various reasons, that I won't bore you (and me) with. Suffice it to say, the 1st of the month is the busiest day of the entire month, and it was very full on yesterday.


As soon as I got home, I had another vertigo turn I had one of my tablets, and went to lay down for a couple of hours until it passed.


I might have had the vertigo anyway, but I can't help wondering whether the day at work contributed.


Anyway, that, and various other little issues in the work place have brought it home that I really need to stop sooner rather than later.


Check out my signature...... looks like we will leave just before Christmas !:eek:


With all that going on, at least it was 2 NSD's


This morning I work up feeling a bit washed out, but better now that we've been out. Will have a fairly relaxing day, just a little washing, HM pizza for lunch, a little ironing and only a little bit of eBaying.


I had a £5 off voucher for M&S if I spent £25, so we used the voucher this morning, for the monthly 'treat shopping'. We have friends coming for Sunday lunch in a couple of weeks, so also bought something for that occasion too.


I've transferred my £5.00 Hx monthly reward to the HAF, and transferred £4.94 to the Virtual Sealed Pot.


But that's about it, on the finance front


Hope everyone has a good Saturday