Setmefree's Diary: MFi5 journey

EssexHebridean

Cracking thread!! It did amuse me to see that on several occasions you have overpaid substantially more than our monthly household income though!!!

Glad to see your energy use reduction is going well - we're trying to bring ours down substantially too - although with rather less precise calculations than yours - for a start I flatly refuse to not use my dishwasher!!! We are making an effort to turn off lights, use less lights (we used to routinely turn on both lamps in the front room in the evening - now it's just the one) and cut back on how much we turn the hot water on now though. We don't have central heating, so gas is just for cooking round here - not much we can do to reduce that!

Might have to invest in some of those dryer balls before the winter......

Little_Mama

Hi all,

Re the dryer balls, yes they work but they are very noisy when they are clunking round in the machine. I now only use mine when it's the bedding that needs drying, I decided to invest in a clothes dryer for the conservatory instead.

Enjoying the thread, keep up the good work!

LM

setmefree2

EssexHebridean wrote: »

so gas is just for cooking round here - not much we can do to reduce that!

According to the old style board you make sure that the flames don't lick up the side of the pan - as this is a waste.:rotfl::rotfl:Don't you just love MSE:D

EssexHebridean

LOL - yes, knew about that one......I can remember my Nan lecturing me about having the gas turned up too high years and years ago!! I also batch cook a lot more now too - and that obviously keeps the costs down also. We always used to use the kettle to boil water for veg etc, but have now realised it's almost certainly cheaper for us to boil the pan on the hob instead!

StuartGMC

setmefree2 wrote: »

Pension
I put all my pension into cash this month. My pension has no funds for Russia or Latin America, otherwise I might have put some money in there. The only emerging markets fund it has is Asia and Pacific. I will probably leave it in cash until Autumn, maybe even until Christmas. We'll see.:o

SMF2, I think you were wise to keep pension in cash as markets look set to be "difficult" for the next 18months. At the moment we are continuing to purchase funds while they are cheap, and also because this is our "extra" savings for long term not our pensions. We hope to keep our nerve to December with the hope that this will assist in the pound-averaging, having been caught with the recent down turn as we bought into Russia and additional Latin American units just before they both dropped 12%... :rolleyes:

Anyway, assuming we keep this money in funds for the next 10yrs plus contributions to Cash ISAs as well in a few years time (see my updated thread) then "hopefully" it will lead to an improved growth position. As they say buy cheap, sell high... but it does take some nerve when seeing those red numbers in the conditional cells on the spreadsheet!

I hope all is well, and sorry I didn't think to note the cycle-to-work scheme previously.

setmefree2

StuartGMC wrote: »

SMF2, I think you were wise to keep pension in cash as markets look set to be "difficult" for the next 18months. At the moment we are continuing to purchase funds while they are cheap, and also because this is our "extra" savings for long term not our pensions. We hope to keep our nerve to December with the hope that this will assist in the pound-averaging, having been caught with the recent down turn as we bought into Russia and additional Latin American units just before they both dropped 12%... :rolleyes:

Anyway, assuming we keep this money in funds for the next 10yrs plus contributions to Cash ISAs as well in a few years time (see my updated thread) then "hopefully" it will lead to an improved growth position. As they say buy cheap, sell high... but it does take some nerve when seeing those red numbers in the conditional cells on the spreadsheet!

I hope all is well, and sorry I didn't think to note the cycle-to-work scheme previously.

Hi:hello:,

Anything to do with shares seems difficult at the moment - tis true that many argue that you have to stay in the market to catch the bottom and then the subsequent rise. But TBH the funds offered on my pension really look like they have no chance of making any money for ages so I couldn't see the point in leaving the money there. I know inflation eats cash but it seemed like the least worst option for me:rotfl:

The cycle scheme seems great. I PMed Martin Lewis' Team to say "look at this great scheme" but apparently they don't like it 'cos the bike's "hired". But Mr SMF2 did it anyway. He got a £500 bike for half that, and gets to pay it off over 12 months through his monthly salary. At the end of it he pays a small sum to his company and it's his (but it's his anyway) - seems like a great scheme to me:D. Anyway, he loves his new bike and had a 25 mile run into the centre of London yesterday. Mr SMF2 likes bikes like you like cars;):D - He's a big kid!

All The Best

SMF2

StuartGMC

setmefree2 wrote: »

The cycle scheme seems great. I PMed Martin Lewis' Team to say "look at this great scheme" but apparently they don't like it 'cos the bike's "hired". But Mr SMF2 did it anyway. He got a £500 bike for half that, and gets to pay it off over 12 months through his monthly salary. At the end of it he pays a small sum to his company and it's his (but it's his anyway) - seems like a great scheme to me:D. Anyway, he loves his new bike and had a 25 mile run into the centre of London yesterday. Mr SMF2 likes bikes like you like cars;):D - He's a big kid!

Yes, but you are lucky his bikes are much cheaper than my car... BTW has he thought of a bespoke, carbon fibre hand built bike for several thousand? Of course you can't get this on the cycle to work scheme but it must be on his "wants" list or is that the "bait" to be taken once mortgage-free?

setmefree2

StuartGMC wrote: »

Yes, but you are lucky his bikes are much cheaper than my car... BTW has he thought of a bespoke, carbon fibre hand built bike for several thousand? Of course you can't get this on the cycle to work scheme but it must be on his "wants" list or is that the "bait" to be taken once mortgage-free?

Lol:rotfl: He'll have to wait awhile for that:D I don't know what we'll do when we are mortgage free - it'll be soooo strange. We have been trying to be MF for 5 years already, it's a way of life - even our kids talk about it.....it must be great though:rolleyes:

All The Best

SMF2

EssexHebridean

LOL - I hope Mr SMF2 doesn;t read these boards or he'll be getting ideas! Designer bikes indeed!

setmefree2

EssexHebridean wrote: »

LOL - I hope Mr SMF2 doesn;t read these boards or he'll be getting ideas! Designer bikes indeed!

Lol:rotfl:- Luckily Mr SMF2 wants to be Mortgage Free as much as me:D