Had a mortgage too long - it's going, going, gone!

Ali-OK

Worst around here with the winds was a few trees down closing roads. Glad it's calmed down, waiting for the big drop in temps now from 15 to 5 if we're lucky and the S word has been mentioned :eek:

Ha, no Xmas decs up yet! Only 12 sleeps to go though

I've found that £21 and some :j £10 in 50p's from change bucket, £6 from P!necone as just done 2 surveys that came in tonight and they'll be £6+ from T$B interest. Liking my round numbers it's £1k capital going Monday 30th - which means interest will be 20p more than the optimum as I can't get it to them on the 28th as it's a Saturday...grr, a con really as it is a working day these days.

Made progress by accident in the panic/driving stakes - took betablocker 30 mins before needing to drive, but meeting had to be put back by 2 hrs and I still managed it ok :T CBT by phone this week and have been ok'd for a course of it :T

Work has been busy and similar again next week - all good for the finances, though possibly a new plan of what I pay myself may emerge to being a consistent amount - which will end up being enough to cover SOA. This is so I can get higher commitments to pension and savings of sorts.

Met a new IFA - really like what he does and how he does it and he didn't gulp at my wants for mortgage freedom, options to retire early, DS sorted/settled post further education and cash and investments and IHT planning. It costs of course, so he's putting those fees together and I even like how he plans to lay those out. Decision shall be made once I've got that.

Financials then:
- bank accounts checked
- freepostcodelottery checked
- Inbox pounds- £12.08
- Qmee still 72p
- 2 x Pcone surveys = £6
- £10 in 50p's to bank

Had NSDs yesterday and today, expecting one tomorrow unless I do the fuel fill up.

Reading around diaries, think I'm nearly caught up and somewhere close to having my 2016 goals in mind. Annual review will come over Christmas, though if MollyM is still reading from afar :wave: there's still no tall, dark, handsome fella on the horizon :rotfl:

hiddenshadow

Sounds like good progress on all fronts!

Ali-OK

Happy weekend all :j - but what a chilly one! Jumpers and thermal socks on here

IFA fees have come through :eek: I've got to be brave and go it alone I think. I have goals, I've got a fair idea of splitting between Pension -Cash- Investing-Mortgage OPs. 2 of those have certainties, 1 is as safe as can be (PPP) and Investing I need to take a leap of faith and just do it . I've had some good advice already on IHT planning and need to check/sort a few things with Accountant too.

I'm seeing Man from the Prud early next month, so I think higher contributions to my current PPP but in different funds with the right lifestyling for age are the way to go there.

Had State Pension Statement arrive as well - have 32 qualifying years, that makes me feel old :rotfl:, but contracted out has reduced the S2P/SERPS to only £10.30 additional per week on the max basic. Will be interesting when the new figures are available next Spring.

A good morning for bargains - ordered 8 books for DS that he wants, all paperbacks but difficult to get hold of and brand new they're ranging from £13 to £21 each on Am@zon :eek:. Paid £48 total inc P&P, 5 used and 3 new - which I found at @ £6 each elsewhere. That's his Christmas stocking/bag all sorted now.

Cashed out 72p from Qmee, then picked up another 11p with the book searching

The change bucket yielded £20 - £10 in 50p's and £10 in 20p's so have banked those.

Quiet weekend with a plan to start on Christmas cleaning and a batch of chilli to make. Done a de-clutter/tidy up of the jumper drawers and coats cupboard - nothing to get rid of but all tidy and shredded/filed/tidied up paperwork too.

Luckyinlife

Happy Weekend ali :]

Great shopping iv picked up about 12 things this week really cheap so am landed :]

I hope the meeting with IFA goes well and you get a plan together :]

Brogden

I have seen my new IFA too Ali.

As I mentioned, I am just trying to get 'sign-off' to transfer out of a DB scheme. It's funny because he seemingly sort of presented the service and charges on the assumption that I wasn't looking for ongoing advice on funds and 'holistic' planning and didn't try to get into every area of my life :eek:!!

I don't know if that explains why the service and communication is now p*ss poor !! It certainly makes one feel unimportant and insignificant, even when agreeing to a fee of possibly £3,000. I sense that IFA's are under huge pressure and don't know what they should be doing for the best.

This is big ticket stuff for me and possibly the biggest financial transaction of my life and I need it to be sorted. Within reason I will push this along with this IFA to get the transfer done in hopefully January. If the communications and basic etiquette do not improve then I will on principle have to stop and start again .

It is very frustrating Ali. Sorry I should have put this on my own thread but I did think of your experiences as the last 10 days has gone by !!

Broggers

Ali-OK

Glad you shared here Broggers, sorry you didn't find it a satisfying experience though

I suspect it's that old thing of one offs and not that interested or the holistic approach and very interested, but both charge a fortune! Seems to be one extreme or the other.

Yours is a huge decision, I can mitigate against my smaller one with other plans. Not so easy for you. Hope it comes good though

supersaver1000

Just popping by to say Hi, glad to see that you are still the picture of organised awesomeness as ever :T

Ali-OK

Lovely to see you SS - thanks for popping in :j Hope all is going well for you

Trying to be organised here way too much deliberation going on that seems to take up countless hours and doesn't produce anything! Least I got the batch chilli made last night and 4 went into the freezer

One decision made though - we've tickets booked for 'The Lady In The Van' this afternoon.

Here, I've posted a birthday card/cheque off (2nd class stamp of course ) and now need some more stamps for the postal Christmas cards.

Up to date with the routine housey tasks now, but not achieved much else - except an awful lot of spreadsheet fiddling to try and achieve financial balance next year. I find it far too easy to sit around and be glued to the laptop

Financials:
- bank account checked
- Inbox £s - at £12.48
- Qmee - new pot at 11p

Better sort some lunch and see what snacks and drinks we'll take with us to the cinema

Ali-OK

Enjoyed the film yesterday and surprised at DS picking it, but full price tickets cost £13. Wish we could get there during the week and use the Meerk@t Movies, but his late school finish and sizeable homework pieces tend to leave him short on time. My Mum wanted to get more stuff for my Christmas bag but I've said no, so she's going to give extra to DS - I've to get him a £35 Cineworld voucher so that'll keep him in films for free for a while

Finally been to S'bugs and used Double Up on clothing to get DS a Star Wars t-shirt so that was a good freebie worth £10 for his Xmas bag, then spent a whopping £70.05 on Christmas lunch stuff - now got 3 lunches to do (13th, 20th & Christmas Day). 2 x large beef joints, 1 x small frozen turkey, 60 sausage and bacon wraps, desserts, condiments, drinks that were on offer. Think I've everything except the fresh veg now.

Financials:
- bank account checked
- freepostcodelottery checked
- Inbox £s up at £12.77
- Qmee still 11p

My zip broke on my handbag a while back but still been using it up until today, as I've resurrected an old one. I really want a Better Back Bag (to avoid the shoulder/neck pain I get) but at £165 for the leather one it's way too pricey. Then I was going to buy one out of Xmas money last year but they were out of stock. Then I recently received an email to say they were back in... oh what's a girl to do! Probably go for the cheaper version in material over Christmas seems a good compromise.

Still on track for £1k capital to go next Monday to the mortgage :j

Watty1

Can you get the zip replaced in old bag?
Just a thought?