Paid off the £31,000! BUT - still scrimping!

Seasidegal58

@Debsnewbudget @maggiem @Sun_Addict @milann. @beanielou @Sunshine_girl2 and @Skinnylatte - thank you all so much for your lovely posts!💕

Yesterday I did speak to my colleague who will be taking over from me. We had a good chat - she seems very pleased with the idea and we agreed that before I go hopefully we will be able to go into the office one day and I can run through things with her.  

Didn't do much today - housework and watched a documentary on Coco Chanel this afternoon that was interesting. 

MSE SCRIMPY THINGS 
I finally got around to doing something with my savings that are with the NS&I Income Bond that dropped its rates to a derisory amount not so long ago. I've actually put the funds into premium bonds. It was quite easy to do on the NS&I website. A couple of clicks and all done. At least I may be in for a chance of a win now that there is a larger amount there.   The way the interest rates keep chopping and changing on the different providers I can't be bothered with them - they're so low anyway it's hardly making a difference. 

I've also ordered a new electric toothbrush and Longchamp tote bag from John Lewis with my Christmas vouchers, along with a Clinique toner as I'm running out.

Oh and DD sent me a photo she took of a lovely sparrow hawk that was sitting on their garden fence post.  Quite cheered me up!😀

doingitanyway

Wow your retirement has become real. So pleased for you. Great someone else will be stepping into your role too. Excellent all round. Donations to the hospital is a great idea. Lots of positives for you after a difficult time

dawnybabes

We’ve just taken over private health cover after DH died for continuous cover, it was mouth-wateringly expensive but I need surgery on my knee ASAP so worth it. 

Seasidegal58

Thank you @doingitanyway and @dawnybabes

@dawnybabes I have sent you a pm.

Not really a lot gone on since I last posted.  Work has been quite busy as a special project has been going on.  I must admit I'm counting the days till retirement!

I'm still waiting to hear about my vaccination.  DSis had her first jab on Sunday – she came up on the 'vulnerable list' as she had a serious illness back in her early 20s.  She has it done at a local community centre and said it was very efficiently run and she was in and out in next to no time.  No side effects either. 

It started snowing last Sunday and has been intermittent throughout the week – the first snow our area has had all winter!  It's been lying quite thick although the pavements and main road had cleared yesterday apart from around the edges.  However, we got some more snow late last night and this morning so it covered everything again.  The sun is out now so expect it will begin to melt a bit.  I can't see that anymore is forecast here although it will be very cold.

MSE SCRIMPY THINGS 

Not a lot going on here either – some birthday e-vouchers and flowers – I have six birthdays in February on the calendar and all but one are family and a BF! 

M&S also sent me some reward vouchers of £7. 

Next MSE job on the list is to speak to Sky to try and brings my monthly bill down now that I am out of contract from the last time. 

Diary catch-up time this evening!

Parkyp

Hi, sky have a deal on just now for £39 per month for sky tv (excluding movies &sports) telephone line rental and super fast broadband. I got that deal about 14 months ago on 18 months contract I hope it’s still available when my contract ends.  That’s a nice wee rewards of marks and Spencer’s vouchers. 

beanielou

Good to hear from you 

milann

That’s a lot of birthdays....my run of family birthdays runs from October to January. Just my Son in law in April then that’s it for family I buy for until mid October. We stopped buying for each other a long time ago
Dh has had a text asking him to make an appointment for his vaccine today. He went online and he has it done tomorrow so getting through them quickly - he is 67. Ds works for the NHS and had a phone call this afternoon asking if he could get to the centre this afternoon as they had spare vaccines - I presume people hadn’t turned up. So they will both be sorted. Just me out of my bubble now - I’m 62 so a while longer to wait

Seasidegal58

Thanks @Parkyp @beanielou and @milann 😀

@Parkyp - thank you - that Sky deal sounds very good. I haven't got around to calling them yet (procrastination on my behalf!) but will try later. I'm going to have a look to see if anyone else has any deals on so I can use the info as back-up. 

@milann - I'm glad to hear that your DH and DS are sorted re. the vaccine. I've heard today that my age group have been getting letters/will get letters this week re vaccine so fingers crossed.  🤞

Still not much to report - the snow here turned to quite nasty ice on the pavements so I've had no incentive to go out. It's melted quite a bit today and weather is due to turn warmer this week with rain so I'll go out for some fresh air and a walk tomorrow. 

I received some Special Amex cashback (£6.15) for the Christmas thank you bouquet I bought DSis and OH.   I then decided to treat myself by buying the whole series of 'Vera' on iTunes - £37.99!  But as I see it, (1) I've not been going out much for nearly a year, (2) it's one of my favourite TV series, and (3) I've got the spare cash, so it's worth it. 😀

DSis has just sent a little video to the family What's App group. Their new Lab puppy has arrived and she was filming him exploring his new home - he's so sweet with his little tail wagging - however all I could hear DSis (aka Catwoman) saying in the background was how he pooped in the car and whether OH could buy puppy treats that 'didn't smell as bad as those'!🤣🤣🤣. This is going to be a relationship made in heaven! Little nephew is over the moon though!💕

milann

If you enjoy Vera - why not.....you’ll get hours of enjoyment watching it. 

😂😂to the puppy antics😂😂 I’d love to be a fly on the wall and see what puppy gets up to ❤️

HairyHandofDartmoor

That's very exciting news about your retirement SSG, I'm glad you've got a definite date for it and I hope that covid restrictions are relaxed a bit by then so that you can do some enjoyable activities . 

I like Vera too and Shetland .