Was Mortgage Free until 52!!!

A_Frayed_Knot

So here I am again, being missing in action for quite a while. Real life or should I say Covid getting in the way.

I have been fine ElmoR, thanks for asking, hope you are fine and will catch up with your and other diaries very soon.

Work and life has been pretty hectic, doing my mums shopping for her nearly every day, time just flies by,

Work called in a helping hand when things got pretty bad but started seeing a little light a couple of weeks ago only to look like we are going in reverse.  Time will tell.

Being p/t now. it was meant to be easier to get a/l - ha - as if - gave 4 xxxx different dates only to be told, you can have "y"   wt*  Some things never change . . .

Being getting part of the garden done - opted for artificial grass for part, with the hedge being taken away - no more hedge cutting !! more fence painting however, just not as often.

Also got the eaves at the gutter line done - looking good, I think.

Being having a look at sheds - might change my mind and go for a summer house + a small shed (I need to get a lot of tools etc out of the house) so a small shed should sort out that problem, well I mean another small shed.

Managed to buy lovely wallpaper that would actually suit any room in the house, which is hard to imagine, and have now seen another paper I like that would suit another room, although I love wallpaper, the thought of changing it in a wee while, puts me off having a lot of paper in the house.

Been watching you tube a lot and have a huge amount of ideas of projects I cant wait to start - just needed all the shops open and stocked for all the materials I need.  Can't wait to get started.

Been thinking about buying some Premium bonds for quite a while, anyone any thoughts on them?

Enough for now, time for bed as early start in the morning.  

Keep safe everyone.

Suffolk_lass

Hey you, good to see you back posting! I sort of assumed work was nuts. Just to say, I moved a lump of cash-based savings to PB a few months ago (must be nearly 3 as August is their first draw!). We shall see. It was 0.01 interest versus PB  didn't take too much persuading!

bexster1975

Hello AFK
Long time no see. sorry to here about holiday date troubles. Great to hear about projects in the pipeline. Be sure to post pics of your handiwork. I have never used Premium Bonds, but they are certainly looking attractive right now. Hope work is OK today.

Bexster

ElmoR

It's great to see you posting AFK, I was worried about you being in the front line too.

Sounds like you have a lot of projects bubbling in the background. My daughter has a small amount of premium bonds (£200?) and has won £25 twice in 16 years (which she couldn't claim til she was 16 because they were in my ex husbands name and he refused to cooperate to allow her to access the winnings, grrr). I gather that some people hold £1000s of them.

Wallpapering terrifies me, my one attempt ended up like the Aero advert a few years back. My hat is off to you if you are going to do that task yourself.

ElmoR x

A_Frayed_Knot

Thank you all, what a lovely welcome back.  I did wonder if anyone would notice I hadn't been posting.

SL - you got it in one - work is nuts !!! - as for PB's, I'm 90% decided, just like to check though, incase there is something else out there.  Although I did think you were entered for the following months draw from when you bought them.

bexster - how are you doing, last I heard you were working on some plans incase this covid affected the return to schooling, and I presume hit the brakes on the property front too.

ElmoR - I feel very lucky so far, being amongst it all and still feel fine, my SIL who works in another hospital, has been told they will all be tested every week, perish the thought - it is not a nice test to have to take, let alone every week, so not looking forward to that if it comes my way.

Loads of projects waiting to get underway - can't wait.  Your daughter has had a lot more luck than me, however has a lot more PB's than me.  I was given money when I was born and my parents bought me a PB, considering they were only out a few years before it was all so new. however my £5 bought in 19 canteen, hasn't won me a penny.  I will need to try and find the details though so I can add to my collection.  Mum is looking for it now.

As for wallpapering, I have done loads, the part I hate is getting all the "stuff" out,  have actually been complimented on my decorating skills, in fact when 1st got my mortgage, practically tried everything, plastering, painting, carpet fitting, lino laying, making curtains, installing blinds, wouldn't touch the electrics (helped having a DB electrician) and gas, with any savings going to o/p the mortgage.

Disaster averted tonight when arriving home, thought I could hear what sounded like my microwave bleeping, turned out to be my neighbours smoke alarm, and she was just returning as I arrived home, long story short - smoke billowed out as she opened her door, I rushed in after her, (pathway was clear) thankfully nothing on fire, couldn't find the key for her new windows to let smoke out, alarm bleeping non stop,  it was something in her microwave that was charcoal.

So close, so lucky.

Suffolk_lass

If you register online for the NSB account, it will give you all your premium bonds and you can link any other NSB holdings too, so no need to hold the old paper documents except for posterity. I did know my holders number though.

You are right about one month. I just checked. I bought mine on 3rd June - this meant the one full calendar month evidently missed the July draw so August 4th is my first one. If you check your prize history you can see all the bonds you hold

Emmia

Suffolk_lass said:

If you register online for the NSB account, it will give you all your premium bonds and you can link any other NSB holdings too, so no need to hold the old paper documents except for posterity. I did know my holders number though.

You are right about one month. I just checked. I bought mine on 3rd June - this meant the one full calendar month evidently missed the July draw so August 4th is my first one. If you check your prize history you can see all the bonds you hold

And you can reinvest the prizes in more premium bonds automatically. I've been investing in them (as part of a general mix of different types of savings) on and off for about 15 years, no huge prizes (yet) but a decent trickle of the smaller prizes.

Getting the money out if you need to is also pretty straightforward.

A_Frayed_Knot

Thanks SL, will try that, now I have 5 days off  and that's usually my luck, to buy things a day or two late and miss a whole month, so will remember that.

Had a good old laugh when you said 

"If you check your prize history you can see all the bonds you hold"   - ehmm, what prizes would that be ?? 

However I'm sure my luck will change as soon as I buy some more, so off to have a look. 

A_Frayed_Knot

SL - After some delving, managed to get some references and no's, but none of them worked on their website, then found out although I have some PB's they would probably not have been registered in my name.  So quickly opened a new account and bought some - yipee - will buy some more before end of month just to give me a range of different nos.  Quick, easy and simple.  Looks like I have a new bug. 

Now off to find if caravan insurance covered "loss of use" while park was closed.  I live in hope.

bexster1975

Good morning AFK. I have successfully developed an alternative income strategy if things remain strange in education (and life as a whole!). As people consider home schooling, I am getting a lot of enquiries over the summer too. I am afraid house buying will be waiting. Its OK, we both have places to live, and I don't have any real home improvements needed/planned so we will wait the situation out. Great news about 5 days off, especially with the forecast nice weather this week. I only have two days work this week, but will spend time on my new projects in the other days. Glad your neighbour arrived home when she did yesterday 
Will try to log in more often, let me know how you find NS&I as I am likewise tired of earning 1% on savings.

Bexster