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EH - Essex > Hebrides...the next step of the adventure?
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Thanks L & SH - I'm stupidly excited now - seems a long while since we were last over even though in fact it was only December into January! Working until 4.30pm today then it's time to hop in the car, get home, get the big car loaded and away we go!
The using up of what we have in continued as forecast last night with the couscous/lamb/marrow/beetroot thing - I threw in some frozen mushrooms to heat with the veg too as what started looking like a reasonable amount of marrow shrunk a lot in the pan! Very tasty - topped it off with the usual toasted seeds etc plus the big blob of coleslaw each on the side - and that did indeed see off the final scrapings from the mayo jar.
Also took the time last night to prep this evening's pasta salad to turn that into even more of a quick win - it will just need rocket tossed through it tonight before serving - ideally I need to text MrEH when I leave here to ask him to get it out of the fridge though so it's not quite as cold when we eat it. Other than that all cleaning/tidying etc got done last night - I can't bear the thought of returning to somewhere that's not at least moderately spick and span!
MrEH got paid today (hurrah!) so the remaining small surplus got dumped across to the Marcus account. The CC money shuffle as also now all moved through from Pending to hit the account as well so I can see that somewhere along the line I was out by £5.72 - I'm not going to worry about that though - it's little enough that it will just trickle over from the joint account on the date the DD gets taken so that's fine. I've taken the decision to move the electricity money into the buffer account today too rather than needing to remember it in the next few days while we're travelling, settling in etc, so that's another job ticked off.
MrEH filled his car this morning - nearly £60 was a little bit ouchy but better than it would have been a few weeks back for sure. It'll be interesting to see where diesel prices have got to further north and also over on the islands - PetrolPrices is currently suggesting we can expect to see around £1.94 p/ltr (MrEH probably paid 181.9 this morning although I've not confirmed that with him - but that gives you an idea of the price difference).
Nothing further from UW - I'm not surprised - I suspect the hapless advisor who came back with the pure baloney that was their assertion that the meter reading was out of range went and spoke to someone about it and got told they'd likely caused all sorts of hassle - although actually it's far more likely I suspect that in fact nobody in their customer service department has a clue what's going on. More annoyingly it means I'll have to keep a closer eye than usual on my emails while we're away to see what level of nonsense they've come up with next. Sigh.
I may pop in here while we're away, but then again I may not - we'll see how it goes.🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her8 -
Have a fabulous time up north, @EssexHebridean. I'm sure you'll find something to enjoy every day. On our holidays (which is helpful for the budget!), I often find these are completely free moments of joy......
things like seeing first ever avocet walking up to us across the mudflats, finding a new hagstone or more pieces of sea-glass on the beach, watching a storm out at sea, etc. I'm easy to please these days, aren't I?
F x2025's challenges: 1) To fill our 10 Savings Pots to their healthiest level ever
2) To read 100 books (36/100) 3) The Shrinking of Foxgloves 6.8kg/30kg
"Life can only be understood backwards but it must be lived forwards" (Soren Kirkegaard 1813-55)3 -
Happy happy holidays.Enjoy muchly.I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.
Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
"A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.
***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb. ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.2 -
Enjoy your holidayAchieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £174.8K Equity 32.77%
2) £1.6K Net savings after CCs 14/8/25
3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £25.3K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.2K) = 31.1/£127.5K target 24.4% 15/8/25
4) FI Age 60 income target £16.5/30K 55.1%
5) SIPP £4.8K updated 29/7/251 -
Happy holidays.
We have found on our travels that fuel prices are all over the place at the moment.
We paid £1.75 per litre for diesel at one of our local stations before we set off. But saw prices as high as £2 per litre on the main routes.2 -
Enjoy your trip 👍January spends - £587.582
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Hope you have a fabulous time!! 🥳😁DNF: £708.92/£1000
JSF: £708.58/£1000
Winter season grocery budget: £600.85/£900
Weight loss challenge 2024: 11/24lbs
1st quarter start:9st 13.1lb
2nd quarter start:9st 9.2 lb
3rd quarter start: 9st 6.8 lb
4th quarter start: 9st 10.2 lb
End weight: 8st 13lb
'It's the small compromises you keep making over time that start to add up and get you to a place you don't want to be'2 -
Have a great time , wave when you pass through north west if you go that way.Life is an adventure, never stop exploring.2
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Happy holidaysDebt free and Keeping on Track2
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Have a lovely holiday!Mortgage free 16/06/2023! £132,500 cleared in 11 years, 3 months and 7 days
'Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.' Ernest Hemingway2
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