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

Seasidegal58

enthusiasticsaver wrote: »

My DD had one put in at the end of last year and a friend and my hairdresser and they all said the same. October is the magic month.

That date is definitely going into the calendar.......:)

enthusiasticsaver

Seasidegal58 wrote: »

That date is definitely going into the calendar.......:)

There are quite a lot of threads on MSE about it as well. Our plan is to line up our builder and get the design team in August/September. You know Howdens only sell through a tradesperson presumably?

Seasidegal58

That's sounds like a good plan. I do have a builder in mind - my sister employs him for jobs at her work and he's also done work for both her and me over the years so will be using him as my Howden's "link"

I'll also have a look at some of the threads you have mentioned

Thanks very much again ES!

Seasidegal58

My friend and I were given a free drinks voucher each in Pret on Monday when we had our lunchtime coffees so tried to use it today (in true spirit of a NSD!) However, the nice guy in there told us to keep them and gave us free lattes anyway! What a result!:j
At the weekend I was discussing with DD and her OH my retirement plans. In nearly three years when I get my State Pension I will retire - the idea is I will have a year living in my current home as I'm very fond of where I live, but don't really get the chance to take advantage of my town because of my long working hours. After a year I will sell up and move in with DD whilst I look for a new home to buy in her town - where incidentally property prices are very much in line with my own town. I love it where she lives and it was always the idea to move to be nearer to her and OH when the time comes. They eventually want to move to a more northern, rural destination when they both retire - so I might be seeing in my old age in a country abode!

In the meantime, as I now have funds for the new kitchen, I'm changing my signature on my "Next Scrimpy Goal" to reflect a new title - "Ad Hoc Savings for Retirement - which will be my pot to build up some savings for things like the extras I will need when I move, etc, so I won't have to dip in the emergency fund. I'll probably need to stop it at certain stages, i.e. when I need to redecorate the flat before moving, but at least the fund will be building up!

HairyHandofDartmoor

Your mother's day weekend sounded lovely and the new kitchen sounds lovely too, very tasteful.

I like the sound of your retirement plans. I won't get my state pension for thirteen years; am I very sad to be looking forward to getting money I don't have to work for? :rotfl:

Seasidegal58

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

..... am I very sad to be looking forward to getting money I don't have to work for? :rotfl:

Not at all! In my book Hairy we've paid our dues over the years in tax so have worked for it!:D

redofromstart

I agree with you Seaside, I worked hard for the right to claim that money, eventually. Even if they do keep on pushing the date back

Seasidegal58

Thanks redo - I live in fear that 'they' will push my retirement age back further just as I'm coming up to retire!

Busy day today in work, but ended up a NSD! I joined my friend at lunchtime for her clothes shopping trip and lived vicariously through her!:D

Got home to revised Council Tax invoice for the next year - up £3 per month!

Had someone come round to measure up for my new front door so now wait for quote. He didn't have any door numbers that I liked so will get one at the weekend.

Running late after he left - just finished oven chips, egg and peas!:)

HairyHandofDartmoor

I would be devastated if my retirement got pushed back, I can't retire until I'm 67 as it is and I'm looking forward to it :eek:. My mum retired at 60 and is 82 now!

My council tax has gone up too :mad:.

I hope you find a nice door number.

badmemory

I do my budget Jan to Dec so of course don't know what the council tax will be. This is the first year in over ten that I have underbudgeted. It's over 6% up. I know the council can't help it, they've also shut over half the libraries, the situation is becoming dire for anyone needing help of whatever form.

The company I worked for before I retired all gone, one pay rise in the last ten, just bought out because one of the owners (51%) wanted to retire. So bought out asset stripped & bye bye.

Thankfully "I'm all right Jack" except that I don't actually feel alright. I used to think that when I retired I'd be able to stand there with a banner protesting life's injustices, but I think eveyone now is too battered to have the energy to object.