Cuddlymarms getting on with it diary

nursemaggie

cuddlymarm have you thought of putting your names down for a housing association house or flat.

If you are thinking move moving to the area where your son's live it will put you into a category that helps you move up the list when you get past retirement age. It is a very valid reason to move when you get older.

You should be able to find out where to put your names down by Googling something like housing Associations and the first three letters of the post code. You can then do it all on line. I am in the North West it lists do not seem to be too long.

cuddlymarm

Thanks Nursemaggie
I hadn't thought of that. We have a few years till we will need to move. Hopefully OHs job will last until we retire ( there's only 6 weeks difference between our ages so in theory we will retire at the same time )
I think I'm more upset at being reminded that we are getting older really. I've never been worried about ageing up to now

Anyway I'd better get on
Cuddles

JIL

I'm with you on that one cuddlymarm. You suddenly look back and can't believe where all the years have gone!!
I am shocked by mortgage companies at the present time. The government keep uping the pension age but lenders seem to keep it at 65.
Hope you get something sorted.

cuddlymarm

Thanks Jil

We're fine as we are really and still squirrelling away the money. One of the up sides of being our age is that we don't need much so can put away money each month and still have the occasional treat. And the main thing is that we know we will cope

Cuddles

cuddlymarm

Good morning everybody

Haven't checked in for a while so here I am again
Seems to have stopped raining here now so today I really need to get on with the washing cos washer and drier are in the shed. Also I need to make sense of the living room cos the tree goes up tomorrow ( later than normal this year, with this cold that won't go away I feel a bit yucky and just can't get motivated. )
I must wrap the rest of the pressies too ( I'm not sure whether I will have enough paper but I also have brown paper and ribbon and stickers so will make do, I'm determined not to spend any more)
Food wise I will make do now until I collect my pre Xmas shop. We've loads in and won't starve. I need to make more room in the freezer anyway because the last click and collect dates are on the Sunday before Xmas at our store so some of it will need to freeze for a couple of days.
I want to defrost the freezer straight after Xmas ( our freezer is getting on a bit and I didn't want to risk it before just in case)
I am also thinking about what challenges I want to do in the new year. Keeping my food budget low is a definate, also putting as much away as possible money wise is also the plan so I will have to think about that. Losing weight and getting fitter is also on the cards ( I seem to be full of cold all the time at the mo, not good at all)
I hope you are all keeping well and warm guys.
Better go
Cuddles

tootallulah

I bought my northern retirement house whilst living down south, would that work? You could always rent it out.

cuddlymarm

Hi Tootalullah

It's one of our ideas for the future. OH can take lump sums of various pensions from 55 so when the governments and pension firms get themselves sorted out with what you can and can't do we will get advice on what's best to do, but until them are just putting as much as we can each month.

We don't need much these days and really struggled on what we wanted for Xmas this year. When you get to a certain age I think you have stocked up on most things, you can only wear one outfit at a time, watch one tv at a time so why buy what you don't need. Saying that we will be having nice food, nice sweeties and lovely family with us for Xmas and that's what counts
Cuddles

cuddlymarm

Hi everyone

I hope everyone has had a wonderful time over Xmas

We've just finished the Xmas pud and the kids both go home tomorrow morning ( weather permitting of course ) so tomorrow is back to normal eating patterns. I still have sweets and crisps and cheeses, pates and stuff left but these will now be as meals rather than just grazing all day. I feel stuffed and bleary and my body is rebelling so it's back to the straight and narrow.
I've set my goals for the year. £25 a week to cover food, cleaning and shampoos etc and I aim to keep the electric and gas budget as low as possible bearing in mind that we can get damp quite quickly if we are not careful. Clothes, shoes etc will only be replaced if absolutely necessary ( apart from I have set myself a treat of a new piece of clothing when I hit certain weight targets)
No posh coffees, no takeaways, I will be good

Cuddles

Cwtchie

Still reading, have to say I too have been dieting and lost one stone between October and Christmas, bet I've put a but back on, feel bloated as well, anyway I also find that promising myself something nice to wear or knit when I reach a certain target works wonders

Hard_Up_Hester

Hi Cuddlymarm
I started reading along & then lost the thread, I've just found it & caught up.
I took out a 25 year mortgage when I was 50, we've been paying off as much a we can but still have some way to go. I'm now 63, my job has been under constant threat & I'm having eyesight problems so I'm not sure how much longer I can work for, I'm due surgery soon, but it could be a long wait.
Hubby is younger than me by 5 years but couldn't pay the mortgage on his wage alone. We are currently planning ways of downsizing & to that end I'm decluttering & saving as much money as I can each month.
Good luck.
Hester