Tales from The Shire

Fortune_Smiles

2021 - Better than Expected

I hadn't expected much of 2021, however, now I've read back over my diary I can see we achieved far more than we set out to:

Wealth

• I became a pensioner 😲 and started drawing two defined benefit pensions.  I also reviewed all of our pension provision so we know what we have, when we can take it and have a few options going forward
• we overpaid £17,224 off the mortgage 🥳 a large proportion of which came from my pension lump sum.  We have now paid 34% off the mortgage and are 60% mortgage neutral with other savings
• Uncle F came to live in our annexe and we supported him to start a new life following the breakdown of his relationship.  Overall this has probably had a negative impact on our finances, however, it was the right thing to do and we are pleased we were in a position to help out a member of the family when they needed it
• we'd reached 100% of our emergency fund target in 2020 and had planned to increase the target by 25% in 2021.  However, towards the end of the year we decided to divert that increase into home improvements
• we replaced 7 windows (our goal was 3)
• and 4 field gates (our goal was 3)
• decorated our guest bedroom, cloakroom, kitchen and living room
• re-organised our guest bedrooms and bought several items to make them more user friendly
• replaced a macerator
• replaced the bathroom fans and a light switch
• put new blinds up in the kitchen
• and new curtains up in the dining room and guest bedroom
• replaced a broken freezer in the barn
• bought a staddle stone as our Christmas present to sit by the front door.

I am so pleased (and surprised) that we've done all this.  It's so much more than we hoped.  It did mean diverting some funds away from OPs and savings but I think we achieved a better balance as a result.

Health

• the year started well and I was practising yoga regularly.  However, I kept breaking myself.  Minor injuries that took longer than they should to heal.  It turns out that this was all menopause related and I've now started on HRT which should resolve the issues
• we walked FDawg daily
• but not enough to get my weight down so I'm no further forward with that goal 🤭
• Uncle F's situation took up a lot of my time this year but I managed to ring fence some time for myself and for Mr F and I as a couple
• and of course we got jabbed - 4 times 😲 2 x Covid, 1 Booster and a flu.  We may have managed to escape Covid but we have had two bugs - the last of which was a bit suspicious.  But - we haven't been seriously ill or ended up in hospital and I'm very grateful for that.

I'd say I've maintained in this area rather than improved so it will have more focus in 2022.

Happiness

• in the first part of the year we kept connected with friends and family through video calls and outdoor visits.  People came and set up tents in our field or parked camper vans on our driveway.  We used our fun money to send gifts through the post.  Later we were able to go out more, have people to stay and even had a weekend away to visit the Younger Fortunates
• we kept the weekends weekends by ordering in Sunday roast dinners, going for walks, drinking wine, playing board games and watching films.  I attended a wedding and we had a few days out and went to a ball
• I joined my writing group meetings by video call and, later, we met up
• Mr F created an art nook for me.

We've been able to socialise far more this year and have felt less isolated as a result.

So 2021 - you've been pants in some ways but much better than expected in others. Overall, going back over my diary has been a positive experience this year.

Bring it on 2022

Fortune x

savingholmes

Glad you were able to enjoy a good Christmas with family and now get to relax again. 2021 list sounds lovely. I know it wasn't without hard work and effort so well done.

Fortune_Smiles

When nothing is sure, everything Is possible

There will be many variables for us to contend with in 2022 so some of our goals for this year are intentionally vague.  We'll review them regularly and I'm sure distinct paths will emerge in time.

Wealth

• overpay the mortgage by 10% in January 2022.  This is the maximum we are allowed to pay in any calendar year whilst on a fixed rate.  We have savings ring-fenced for this purpose
• pay Mr F's tax bill - £1076.20
• overpay the mortgage by whatever OP savings we have accrued by end August 2022.  This is when our fixed rate ends and we want to get the mortgage down as much as possible then so that our monthly payment becomes more manageable
• we originally planned for Mr F to become self-employed at that point.  However, without the travel, his job has become far less stressful, so he's now thinking he'll 'ride the donkey until it drops'.  We'll keep the situation under review for now.  Covid will have an impact of course and the decision may be taken out of our hands anyway as the company is currently restructuring... again 🙄
• if Mr F receives a bonus this year we'll instal a new, outside boiler.  Our current boiler is about 15 years old so due to be replaced plus, by moving the boiler outside, we'll gain a proper study rather than our current study/boiler room
• a large fence between us and our nearest neighbour's property came down in Storm Arwen so that will need replacing and the boundary fences will continue to need maintenance
• we've asked Young Decorator to refurbish the Annexe windows
• Mr F would like to instal some additional home security
• the annexe needs decorating
• how much/little home improvement gets done this year will depend on Mr F's employment situation.

After August we will need to review how much we want to overpay the mortgage, save and spend.  It's possible that we would be able to completely pay the mortgage off in 2 years from then.  However, if we gave ourselves more fun money we could maybe take a holiday, experience new things, treat the Younger Fortunates and still pay it off in three years.  It will all come down to lifestyle choice I think.

Health

We are both in general good health but have had some niggles this year and know, we're not going to get any younger.  Our diet (except at Christmas) is good but I would like to get more exercise so that I can continue to stay mobile and active.  A first grandchild is being planned so that's becoming even more important 😁

• re-start yoga practice
• start belly dancing 😂  I used to go to classes years ago and it was such fun.  Not sure I'd be brave enough to do it in a class environment now but I have a new DVD to try
• continue to walk FDawg each day
• maintain the garden.

Happiness

A lot of our time last year was spent supporting others so I'd like to do more for us, as a couple and as individuals, this year.

• write
• paint
• have date days - at least one a month
• explore the walks around the Shire
• visit friends (rather than them always coming here - which we love, but can be hard work sometimes)
• have more fun.

So that's the start of my thinking.  I might pop back and change this post if anything else occurs in the next few days.  And we might need to review things entirely as circumstances change.  But, you have to start somewhere.

I started my first diary here in 2012 😲 - ten years ago 😲 and it's certainly helped to keep me on track.  How things have changed since then and how far we've come 😁

Good luck to all with your 2022 plans.

Fortune x

savingholmes

Love your headline... Well done on all your achieving and good luck with your plans... I started on here in 2008 and have repeated debt cycles before my lightbulb came on and stayed on... As you say - huge progress since then though for you and me.

Fortune_Smiles

savingholmes said:

Love your headline... Well done on all your achieving and good luck with your plans... I started on here in 2008 and have repeated debt cycles before my lightbulb came on and stayed on... As you say - huge progress since then though for you and me.

It just goes to show how having a focus and written goals really do help you to change your life.  Plus all the support here of course 😊

A very different year ahead for you SH - how exciting!

Fortune x

Cheery_Daff

Ooh Fortune, what lovely lists! So good to look back and see all you've achieved in 2021, I love your health, wealth and happiness categories. I do so much adore seeing people's achievements for the year written out in a list. Look at all the things you've done in your home! And how much financial progress you've made! 

And plans for next year look good too. Love your plans for belly dancing! 😊😊

Fortune_Smiles

Cheery_Daff said:

Ooh Fortune, what lovely lists! So good to look back and see all you've achieved in 2021, I love your health, wealth and happiness categories. I do so much adore seeing people's achievements for the year written out in a list. Look at all the things you've done in your home! And how much financial progress you've made! 

And plans for next year look good too. Love your plans for belly dancing! 😊😊

I find it balances my view of the year when I read back through my diary Cheery - I always feel we haven't achieved much but then realise I've forgotten quite a lot.  Twelve months is a long time when you've a memory like a sieve 😆

I'm embracing the uncertainty ahead too.  I've no idea whether our aims will be achieved next year as there are so many variables.  I'm particular conscious of the cost of lliving increasng.  So I will drift along in what I think is the generally right direction until clarity arrives 😆

Fortune x

Jessy103

Lovely updates, fortune and I wish you the best for 2022 x

Fortune_Smiles

Jessy103 said:

Lovely updates, fortune and I wish you the best for 2022 x

Thank you Jessy and to you too.

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

Mini Goals

Having decided some goals for next year there are some more immediate concerns for now:

• rest
• recuperate
• repurpose (leftovers)
• reorganise (the house)
• rewind (lots of telly to catch up on)

So:

• I've had a pj day
• and a long, hot, bubble bath
• tidied the living room, hall and dining room bit by bit each time I was passing 😆
• found some sulky mushrooms in the fridge so added them to some leftover cheddar and filled croissants for breakfast
• decluttered the last two slices of Christmas cake
• used up the remaining pate, cold meats, open pickles, a baguette, some bits of cheese and a little fruit for lunch
• made Broccoli & Stilton Soup with buttered rolls for supper using broccoli donated by one of our guests and Christmas stilton (we have rather a lot of cheese left as I ordered some by mistake 🤭)
• watched the new $haun the $heep program
• and, of course, posted my review of last year and our 2022 goals
• I'm also currently decluttering our door step prosecco 😁  We ran out of fridge room over Christmas so put bottles of fizz outside the back door.  I found an open magnum of it there this morning 😆

Not a bad list for a lazy day 😁 Tomorrow may be a lazy day too if I drink all that prosecco 😲

Fortune x