And so it begins: The Pig Vs The Mortgage

pinkypig

Hello 😀

Just settling down after a busy but productive day.  We are both shattered! When this project is finished we are going to perfect the art of doing nothing for a while because neither of us is very good at that 😂

Our hard landscaping prep is all done ready for the nicer jobs that will see it coming together ( it has been quite the journey for a number of reasons so it will be fantastic to get it done ).

The rest of the garden has been cut back and the green bin is fit to burst and ready for collection next week.

After doing the garden tidying jobs and while OH was doing all the really hard work I sorted through the fridge to make sure nothing went to waste .There was a lot of random veg from my TGTG box so I had to do a bit of creative thinking.

Other than that we walked the dog, have had a visit from my sister so we stopped and had coffee in the garden and had our morning coffee and cake sat in the sun too. So all in all we’ve had a really lovely day.

Tonight was pizza night and we are just settling down to watch our current series.  The wood burner is on, the decaf coffee is brewing and life feels pretty good.

Today’s small steps to happiness and financial freedom included;

Coffee in bed 

A run in the sunshine 

A NSD

Nice updates from DD who is having a weekend away and is really enjoying it.  She’s worked so hard recently setting up her own business it’s nice to see her relaxing.  Like mother like daughter - she was still reading in bed at 9.30 😂

Made a huge pot of soup, roasted lots of vegetables and put them in the freezer for lunches and easy dinners during term time. This also filled the oven up as I was putting it on for the pizzas and if it’s going on it’s going to be full!

Made a rhubarb and ginger crumble as part of fridge clear out

Bang bang cauliflower prepped and marinading ready for tomorrow.

Made pizza dough and a sourdough loaf.  

Got two loads of washing line dried.  Towels are a bit damp but they’ll go in front of the wood burner later.

Bathed a very smelly dog 🤢🤢

I’m now curled up on the sofa in my pjs and will not be moving until bedtime.  Lovely 😊 

PP x

Karmacat

That sounds a really lovely day, full of love and accomplishments.  Hope tomorrow is just as good  

pinkypig

It’s been great Karma, very busy and still away to go but it’s getting there.  That part of the garden has been in a state of upheaval for 18 months so I’m so grateful to finally have it taking shape. OH has worked so hard !
Hope you’ve had a lovely weekend too x

pinkypig

Hello 😀
OH is just finishing off after a very long day and has battled on in the rain for the last couple of hours.  He’s an absolute star.  

It has been a day of pottering for me which has been nice.  I’ve made and iced two birthday cakes and made a batch of brownies for DS and OH. I’ve also made us a really nice dinner as OH deserves a treat after all his hard work.
There’s no money news but as always, when you add up the little things there has in fact been progress towards my big financial goals as a result of my little thrifty habits 😀.  Today’s baby steps included;
Coffee in bed 
A NSD 
A catch up with DD and her BF
Hoovered downstairs 
Changed the bed (washed on quick wash with half the amount of detergent- was perfectly clean and smelled lovely and fresh after being line dried).
HM birthday cakes much cheaper than shop bought.
As the oven was on I did a batch of granola using things from stores, baked some potatoes for lunches and made bang bang cauliflower with TGTG box cauliflowers abd a crumble with foraged blackberries and brownies for treats .
Walked the dog
Caught up on my marking.
HM soup for lunch with YS rolls
A special dinner of some of OH’s favourite things, all from stores.
Had my first pumpkin spiced latte of the season (HM of course!).
Garden taking shape - it’s going to be fantastic to have it done for next spring and summer .
I’m now off to run OH a bath.  The stove is lit and some of my 8 hour tealights are making the house look very cosy ready for a late dinner and a a bit of our latest series .
Happy Sunday 
PP x

Cheery_Daff

Love your little list of habits aiming towards your big financial goals 😊😊😊

pinkypig

Cheery_Daff said:

Love your little list of habits aiming towards your big financial goals 😊😊😊

Thanks Cheery 😀.  The big steps just feel so big sometimes and the goals so far away.  My little steps remind me that I’m heading in the right direction, even if it is slowly! 

Hope all is well with you x

pinkypig

Hello 😀

Today has involved lots of pondering of the financial variety.  I’ve been trying to order my thoughts regarding retirement which feel so jumbled at the moment.

I’ve gone right back to basics and now have a good idea of the income I would like in retirement.  I think it’s sensible (and hopefully realistic) as it covers all my bills, including the annual ones and allows me a really generous amount for grocery, personal spends and travel. It felt good to at least get this first step clear.

I then began pondering big, expensive things that will crop up in retirement like replacement boilers in my house and the rentals, replacement car, tiled roof that won’t last for ever etc.

There’s also the updating of kitchens and bathrooms on the rentals .  I think I’ve just about got to an amount that might be needed  and this would be my (hopefully) bullet proof emergency fund in retirement.

I’d also like enough in savings to do some ‘once in a lifetime’ type travel and I’m still pondering this.

So, I’ve a rough idea how much I need in savings and a good understanding of how much income would give me the retirement I would like.  Now I just need to crunch the numbers to see when/if  I can realistically get myself to that place.  

The good news is I’ve done all the work I wanted to on my own home, I’ve got a sound and economical little  car that should last me a good few years, I have saved to amount I wanted to give to  DD as a helping hand when she buys her own place next year so my savings goals are now purely retirement. 

My next steps are to

1. get income figures for final salary schemes at 55 and every year there after until age 60 so I can measure the impact of retiring early will have on my income.
2. Estimate as accurately as I can the same for my SIPP and my AVC now I’ve upped my avc contribution. This is more difficult as the investment markets, even in my risk adverse funds, are turbulent at the moment.
3. Look at my lump sum amounts (max tax free lump sums from the SIPP and the AVC but minimum lump sum and maximum pension from the inflation proofed final salary schemes).
4. Pull together my current savings, potential lump sum amounts and then calculate how much I need to save to get to the amount I want to feel secure and to have the funds for a bit of far flung travel.
5. Work out how much I need to save each month to hit these goals 😱

Blimey, those big steps seem big!  Best focus on a few little ones  before I feel utterly overwhelmed and defeated🙈😂

Today’s small steps to a happy and secure retirement included ;

Thinking about the Queen and her many achievements and the huge gap she’s leaving behind 🖤 

Had coffee in bed 

Went for a run

Talked through all of the above with OH as we continued our quest to create a garden that doesn’t look like a building site.  It really helps me to talk things through and he’s a considerate and sensible sounding board.

Baked potatoes filled with bits and bobs of leftovers from the fridge for lunch.  Homemade granola and yogurt for breakfast.

Made spicy lentil soup.

Breakfasts and lunches ready for the week and sorted out batch cooked dinners from the freezer.  This is getting a little low now so I think I’ll do some cooking at the weekend.

Had a nice chat with my niece.

Finished my marking.

Split some plants that were getting too dense and replanted them in areas that looked sparse.  Fingers crossed they take.

Emptied the bins and sorted out the recycling.

Filled the log and kindling baskets ready for this week.

Got one load of laundry dried outside and the second load is on the airer.  It’s not very thrifty lighting the wood burner in September but the evenings are getting so chilly here and four logs a night make the downstairs warm and cosy and get a load of laundry dry overnight so it’s spend I’m happy with for now.

It’s now time for a late dinner of hm soup and a toasted sandwich before a bit of tv before bed.

Hope everyone’s journeys are a step closer to where you want them to take you 😊

PP x

pinkypig

Hello 😀
The first day of my three day week is done!  It’s been a really good day and I’m enjoying my teaching because the kids are really nice.  The marking load on the other hand 😱😱😂
I’ve made no progress on my financial to do list and realistically it’s going to have to wait until the weekend as I’ve got a very busy week.  However, just getting to the point where I have a list of information that I need feels like a positive step forward.  When I have some free time I’m going to email both my final salary pension providers and ask for projections based on retiring at 55 so I can realistically put together an income in retirement spreadsheet.  The  TP calculators are no use as I’m in the transitional group (part final salary part career average) so I’m hoping I can get some accurate figures rather than my current ‘educated guesses’🙈
My drawdown income from my SIPP and AVC (assuming annuity rates are still rubbish and I actually go this route) is going to have to be an estimate as I’ve no idea what my fund size will be.
I’m basing my rental income on what I get now so if that goes up in the future it will be a bonus😀
Today’s small steps to a secure and happy retirement were;
A good sleep 
Took coffee, water, breakfast and lunch to work.
Cheap, healthy eats ( overnight oats for breakfast, HM soup for lunch and batch cooked baked potato, lo hm coleslaw and salad for dinner).
Marking up to date and everything prepped for tomorrow.
Went for a run 
Went to visit mum with DS who is so good with her when she gets frustrated and teary.  He’s a good lad 😊
breakfast and lunch in the fridge ready for tomorrow.
Laundry folded but not put away - must do that in the morning.
Didn’t light the wood burner as it was time for bed by the time I’d eaten and cleared away but I did hunt out my electric blanket and popped it on for 15 minutes while I popped into the shower and got ready for bed 🙄
I’m now in bed feeling all toasty and looking forward to a chat with OH who’s working away followed by a bit of reading and a reasonably early night .
Happy Tuesday 😀
PP x

Karmacat

Sounds a good day, Pinky - and how lovely to know your DS is such a star, thats really nice.

pinkypig

Karmacat said:

Sounds a good day, Pinky - and how lovely to know your DS is such a star, thats really nice.

Thanks KC .  Your days are looking super productive.  Really enjoyed catching up on your diary 😀