It's time to turn into a frugal Fred to get ready for retirement

cuddlymarm

Hi everybody 😃

I hope you don't mind but this diary is more for me to keep me on track but if you feel free to join in with my ramblings that would be lovely.😃

Well time is ticking by and we are not getting any younger so it's time to clear the debt and plan for our retirement. The government says 67 is both mine and OHs official retirement date but too many people we know are popping off or just getting too ill to work so we are aiming to retire completely at 60. We are both 54 at the mo so the time has come to squeeze the pennies and cut down on waste.
That said we still mean to enjoy life so are getting on with our bucket lists. We have been saving to go to Australia for 5 years now and go in March ( OH and his brother have cousins out there they've never met so 2 ticks off the list in one )
I'm unemployed at the mo so plan to look for work when we come back and then the credit cards will go and the savings will grow. I am determined.

So in the meantime I mean to stretch the food money as far as poss. OH is onside so my meal plan will be very make do. Also with the weather being so mild the electric and gas will be used as little as possible.

Anyway I will attempt to pop by every day to keep on track
TTFN
Cuddles😃😃😃

cuddlymarm

Just started as I mean to go on. I walked the extra few hundred yards to the cheaper milk and only bought what I needed ( I looked straight ahead and no yummy little extra jumped into my shopping basket )

We are naturally frugal people and don't spend loads on our shopping anyway so it will be the little savings that will make a difference. In the past I've bought ready prepared veg when you get twice as much if you prepare it yourself, also making sure there's no waste. Most food will go into the freezer and fruit will tend to be canned in juice rather than having it sat in a fruit bowl.

Better get on
Cuddles ��

cuddlymarm

Hi everyone

Well no no spend days yet but now the freezer is looking fuller again ( I'd defrosted it before we had been away to stay with my eldest) so I've now done an online shop and am going to see how long I can make it last. I've started on my menu plan for now until we go on holiday next month and aim to just top up as needed.
The shop cost just over £46 and I went over it with a fine tooth comb so that I didn't buy any cakes, biscuits and made sure everything was the best value of what I wanted.
It's not been too cold this afternoon so I've sat under a snugly blankie so that will be a few pennies saved on heating. Not enough washing to fill the machine either so that can wait and we are having baked fish so the mushy peas can go in the oven to heat up ( not much saving but it will add up in the end)
I'm aiming for a NSD tomorrow so watch this space
Keep warm and safe in this odd weather 🌧🌬❄️🌬🌧
Cuddles 😃

melanzana

I took early retirement mid fifties. I have no children so that may be a factor for some to base their views on.

For five years before I went (I knew there would be a bit of a package offered to 55s and up every few years) I started my plan.

Paid down debt. Overpaid the mortgage, got it paid off before I retired. Hard work but worth it. Paid off anything else that was lurking around aswell.

On my full time salary I got everything that needed doing in my house done. New windows, floors, bathroom, doors, etc. etc. I also changed my car six months before retirement. Hoping this will take me a good few years into retirement.

Set up an emergency fund for retirement, to cover anything not covered by house insurance. Religiously paid into that and it's separate, only for such things. Eg new white goods, car repairs, the unforeseen things that need money immediately.

Save every penny I could. The pot. Still had holidays, but the last minute variety cheap as chips, and off season for the school holidays, so all good. The pot is my happy fund, and I continue to pay into it.

Early retirement can be done. Maybe not by everyone, but it's possible.

You have to plan for it, make your decision, and when you feel right about it, then GO.

I wish you well OP.

enthusiasticsaver

We are also planning for retirement. I am 56 next week and OH is 58 in October and we are planning for retirement in 2017 or 2018 for OH and probably 2020 for me as I only work part time anyway. OH's job is much more stressful than me and he has very good occupational pension whereas mine - not so good.


We are living on what I anticipate our pensions will give us in 2.5 years time (or rather OH's pension and my part time salary). The difference between that and our current income is being saved at the moment. We have no debt or mortgage now but we do like our holidays and although we are not wasteful and I shop frugally we like the odd theatre trip and meal out. That has to be worked into our retirement budget.

cuddlymarm

Hi everyone ��
I'm feeling good about my day. Healthy eating going well, first no spend done, menu plan done for the next week and a half.
Our plan is to live on as little as possible until the credit cleared and emergency savings looking better.
OH has been watching Sugar Free Farm and now wants to cut down on processed food ( I don't think it's realistic in real life because eating out would be a nightmare but eating a more natural diet has got to be good)
I'm hoping for a fine day tomorrow because the washing basket is starting to overflow and I'm trying not to use the tumble dryer.
I don't need anything tomorrow so I'm aiming for another NSD and to do a bit more work on my menu plan.
Keep warm and well everyone.

cuddlymarm

Hi guys

NSD 2 now achieved. Washing done but my living room now resembles a laundry and the evening meal now organised so time for a nice cup of tea.
It's not a very exciting day today but I'm content.
My diet is going well, the if I don't buy it I can't eat it school of thought works so far ��
Time for my nice cup of tea ☕️
Keep well guys
Cuddles

cuddlymarm

Good morning everyone 😃
There's not really been much to report, life's not very exciting at the mo. Anyway the NSDs are going well, and the diet is going well ( I thought I was going have to buy more holiday clothes but I went through them all and I have enough so that's one less expense )
Today definately won't be a NSD with 5 birthdays between now and when we come back off hol and OH needs new socks and undies so we are off into town for those.
Anyway better go for now
Cuddles 😃

cuddlymarm

Good morning everyone😃

Today is absolutely freezing, outside looks beautiful with the blue sky and frost but unless absolutely necessary I won't be stepping outside today.
The food is still stretching out well, bacon and egg with bubble and squeak for tonight.
Today will be another NSD and hopefully tomorrow too. We have a Christening on Sunday which means trundling up north and a stay in a hotel for Saturday night but it will be lovely to see the family cos the littlies are growing up so fast.
I'm getting quite excited about going to Aus now, it has been in the planning stage for so long but all I need is bug repellant and to get the Aussie dollars changed and then we are ready.
Anyway better get on
Keep warm and well everyone
Cuddles😃

cuddlymarm

Hi guys��
Well I'm back from our weekend away with the family. It was lovely to see everyone, the baby was beautiful and beautifully well behaved with the vicar who in turn was good ( have been to christenings where the vicars don't seem to like kids before now) with all the kids, making it a nice occasion.
Unfortunately my waistline has suffered a little because all we seemed to do was graze all weekend. Anyway back to normality now. I collected a prescription and topped up the kitchen while OH was having his eyes checked, now back home. Tea is prepared, and what I had planned today has been done so now I'm having a nice cuppa with my feet up.
Boy is it cold here, a nearby lake is frozen in places with grumpy looking geese walking about on top. I've not seen that for a few years now.
Mr T timed it nicely with a money off voucher arriving as I was ready to leave so I now have enough food to last til the weekend for just over a fiver.
I'm aiming for a couple of NSDs this week so will report back when that happens.
Keep warm everyone
Cuddles ��

cuddlymarm

Morning all 😃
Not popped by for a few days so I thought I'd say hello 😃
NSDs going well ( ish ) 11 done and I'd only aimed for 10 so that's good.
I've finally got my head round the fact that I can't really start getting rid of the credit card debt until I come back off holiday.
But I'm just about organised now and all the little bits and bobs for the hol are bought so I shouldn't need to spend much now.
I'm running the freezer down in case of power cuts while we are away and apart from bread and milk should probably be able to stretch what I've got out to last the week.
We are off up north tomorrow afternoon because the OHs brother and wife that aren't going with us to Aus are sorting photos out to send to the cousins over there and it will be nice to have a photo of all of us to leave with them. Facebook is a wonderful things at times allowing OHs elder brother to track down their cousins that they have never met.
The rest of the week will be cleaning and getting the house straight before we go.
Anyway the sun is shining and there's jobs to do so I better go.
Bye for now
Have a good and frugal day frugallers 😃
Cuddles 😃😃😃