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

Seasidegal58

Yes you're so right redo. Unless interest rates rise very, very significantly (and I mean very, very) the pension tax breaks are definitely the way forward for me.

Seasidegal58

Sun_Addict wrote: »

What's a Japanese Mojito? The only cocktail I like is a Mojito but the usual rum/soda/mint malarkey.

I think I need to visit that pensions board for ideas - have 9 years to go.

The Mojito is my fav cocktail as well SA so I thought I would try it. Basically it uses sake instead of rum - it tasted a lot lighter and not so syrupy. It was nice but I still prefer the original!

Cumbria_lass wrote: »

Ooh SG I will be cracking on over to the blog as well . May as well start reading now in readiness for the big 60 !

Thanks for finding these interesting bits of information.

Enjoy Homeland.

Thanks Cumbria! I didn't know there were so many retirement blogs out there until I started looking properly!

Today was a miserable day weather wise - either raining or trying to rain. Also very misty both at home and in town.

I picked up my wallet though on my way in. The girls in the shop were lovely - one girl had found it on the floor so I was very lucky. The wallet itself was a gift and I also had my senior rail card, Boots, Nectar and supermarket cards in there as well. I'm going to drop an email to their head office in praise!

I saw HR today re the salary sacrifice into my pension - apparently it can all be done on our new employee benefits portal. So I went on line and increased it today. It calculated it for me and it certainly makes sense tax wise! It won't take place until the end May pay date but April's pay date is going to be a little confusing tax wise as my bonus and pay rise go in then. May's pay will give me a better idea of how everything will look. I can always increase it then.

So seeing as the bulk of the savings pot is going into the pension, I thought I would still start a little savings fund - I'll keep the £529.82 already there to start it off and then top it up with my monthly bank interest/Cashback, Tilly tidies and any spare cash I've got left at the end of the month - it'll come in handy for any techie type things I'll need going forward.

Needed a new pinky lipstick today and saw a nice Max Factor one. It was only £7.99 so not bad.

Also had my Monday coffee with my friend lunchtime - I paid today so £4.90 - she'll pay on Friday. Pret are now knocking 50p off their coffees if you bring in your own carry mug. I've got one in the back of one of the cupboards in the kitchen so will sort it out.

Milk and bread from the Co-op tonight and that's the last of the spends today!:D

HairyHandofDartmoor

That sounds like a good decision re the pension. Coffee with a friend is a good way to make a Monday pleasanter I would think .

Seasidegal58

Thanks Hairy - only thing is with the coffee, we have to sit outside Pret as my friend smokes. Which is fine when the weather's good, but today we were huddling under the awning!:rotfl:

HairyHandofDartmoor

I can see that would be a disadvantage on a day like this :rotfl: :eek:.

Seasidegal58

What a contrast in the weather! This morning was still raining, chilly and misty - tonight I came home to a lovely sunny, mild spring evening! To make the most of it I took the longer walk home so I could look across the estuary.

Nearly a NSD day but I put £1 in the meningitis charity box at the station.

Quite busy in work - getting some jobs done before boss returns from holiday next week.

Other pension provider wants sight of my birth certificate now! I haven't sent it to the third provider yet as I thought I would wait till they come out of their "blackout" period. It's neverending!

New Amex card was waiting for me when I got home so that was nice and quick. One card down and two to go!

Still reading the Frugalwoods book and enjoying it.

Have a good evening everyone!

Seasidegal58

I don't know what happened to that lovely evening yesterday - today woke up again to rain, mist and chilliness- which went on much of the day - I took the shorter, less scenic walk home from the station this evening!:)

NSD day today - also bumped up a Tilly Tidy over to the Ad Hoc Fund - PA have stRted sending me surveys again - currently once everything has been approved I will have just over £25 to wing over. Only another 2.75 to go on Optnium for a £25 payout!:j. I think my £50 YouGov payment will arrive when I'm 85.

Nothing much to report today - work trudges on - bit of a meh day.

Anyway hope everyone has a good evening!

System

Yes like winter today here as well. The forecast next week is very good though.

Your payouts are very good especially PA .

It will soon be weekend .

HairyHandofDartmoor

Warm and sunny all day here :j.

You're doing well with PA, they've abandoned me now, I knew my golden streak couldn't last .

Have a nice evening .

Seasidegal58

Yes looking forward to the weekend and hopefully some sun Cumbria!

PA is rather fickle - I didnt get any surveys from them in ages and then they all arrive together like buses!:D

Hope you're feeling a bit more comfortable tonight after your time at the dentist today.