"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it."

greenbee

Freezer is gone and the garage is starting to look accessible

However, my brain hurts - I had a big payrise when I started my new job last year, which was great. However, as I found out at the end of last year, I'm at the point where it makes pensions complicated. Ironically, I don't have a huge pension provision as either my previous salaries were low or my pension contributions were or both. So once I'm finally earning enough to be able to afford to top up my pension, and my regular contributions and employer contributions are generous, I'm getting to the point where i'll be penalised if I contribute too much. So the pressure is on to work out how I can maximise my contributions by making use of unused contributions from previous years (I clearly should have put more in last year rather than sticking some in my ISAs), which I think will be used up over the next two years, and then working out how to make sure I stay within the limits after that (which may mean reducing my work pension contribution and the free money from my employer ). The maths is confusing, so I'm considering seeing an IFA or accountant to help work it out, I just need to ask around.

What's really irritating is that the calculations and instructions appear to be very complicated, but HMRC can clearly work it out, so why can't they provide an easy to use worksheet, pre-populated with the information they already have about you?

In other news, I've cleared out my car ready to pack tomorrow with stuff to take to my mum's, ordered another Christmas present (hopefully the last one) and the second freezer has been taken

If I have time tomorrow morning, I'll put the garden furniture I can move on my own into the garage as even if it's wet, it'll have time to dry out a bit before the rest needs to go in.

Karmacat

I'm glad for you that that freezer's gone - and the money/ pension thing, although it sounds horribly complicated, its a good problem to have. Remember to have a bit of fun and relaxation time in all this!

greenbee

Thanks KC Dresser has been collected as well, and I've put the lighter pieces of garden furniture into the garage. They're soaked, but should at least have a chance of drying out now, and when I have some help I'll get the big stuff in.

Pension stuff is still bugging me, so I need to take my laptop with me while I'm away for the next few days and see whether I can track down someone who understands the maths. I know how much I earn, how much I pay into various pensions, how much HMRC are told I'm paid (so what the salary sacrifice is), how much work pay into my pensions and how much tax relief my pension schemes collect. So I should be able to work it all out... I should be able to find out the same information for previous years to calculate the carry over... But what I really need is a spreadsheet made up to do the calculations which I can update every year for planning/forecasting.

greenbee

I didn’t get any further with the pension stuff while I was away, but I did get my mum set up with cameras, video doorbell and WiFi sockets - they just need the mounts fixing on the walls outside. I also packed up a whole lot of picture that have been in a cupboard for years and took them to the friends we stayed with on Friday who appeared delighted with them. Hopefully they weren’t just being polite...

I have also found a kitchen I like from a company I like, which I think I can afford. I’ll get an estimate in the NY, and if it looks like it’s going to be affordable we’ll then go into enough detail to get a quote. So I need to find a fitter and book them for May/June.

I’m back home, decorations are up and we have a vague plan... but it does all depend on the cooker replacement going to plan on Monday (preferably early on Monday...).

I logged on to my bank’s website today rather than using the app, hoping to see more detail about my mortgage, but it’s not much better - no record of individual OPs with dates, just the monthly amount and total OPs to date. So i’ll need to track down some kind of spreadsheet that I can use to record my random OPs and try to work out the impact.

greenbee

My brother came over today with the kids, and as well as taking a whole lot of stuff away, he brought not the electric hedge trimmer on a long pole that I'd asked to borrow, but his petrol hedge trimmer and chainsaw and proceeded to decimate the hedge... it took a LOT less time than if I'd done it, and was probably more fun for him as he didn't have to clear up after himself. I however, have vast piles of tree to process!

Some of the hazel has been chopped up already and stuck in the ground in the hope that it will root over the winter and start filling in the hedge. I need to do a hedging order for some different stuff. If I can get very small bare root plants I've got a chance of making holes big enough for them! I've made a list of what I want, but it seems that quite a few things aren't yet available as bare roots - probably because it's so warm at the moment.

Replacement range cooker is due tomorrow morning (it's a 4 hour timeslot at the moment) so that side of the kitchen has been cleared AGAIN! Hopefully we can get on with cooking once it's in (and aired). We've kind of got some lists, and the red cabbage was done today in the SC.

I'm working tomorrow, so not only do I need to get up early and get ready for the cooker delivery, plus work my way through the veg prep and try to find time to go shopping - I also need to get some work done!

greenbee

Pay day today, so yesterday's balance has been moved into savings (it may need to go back to pay the odd credit card bill, but hopefully not). After Christmas I'll book my dental treatment, and do my pension calculations, and then when I know what the kitchen is going to cost I can make a start on thinking a bit more about where those savings should be.

Replacement cooker was nice and early - apparently they've done a lot of replacements over the last couple of days, and are doing plenty more deliveries tomorrow. So I was actually pretty organised It's just a pity it didn't work. So I'm currently sitting here hoping that the new one is working when they connect it.

greenbee

It works

Apart from the grill indicator light...

But to avoid further hassle I've agreed to a part refund rather than getting an engineer out. The grill definitely works... the electrician checked and managed to burn himself as he thought it wasn't hot...

Karmacat

You're nearly set for Christmas :j:j:j have a great time.

greenbee

Thanks KC - you too

Last of the shopping has been done, and a bit of work... ovens were run for a bit with the windows open although we need to do more of that.

Sprouts and carrots are prepped. Parsnips are peeled and chopped but need parboiling and coating in parmesan. My mum wants to make mince pies later... we may do a whole production line and then freeze them raw to cook as and when we need them.

I'd better check the list. And do my wrapping tonight just in case! Turkey can be collected from 8am tomorrow... so need to wash the bucket!

Old cooker posted on a couple of FB groups. Two enquiries, but no takers so far - i thought it best to post it as if anyone is desperate over the next few days they might as well have it. If no one wants it I'll get it to the tip in the NY.

greenbee

I'm exhausted and achy BUT I think we're ready. Kitchen is reorganised and tidy, dining room has been emptied of clutter and is looking like a dining room (we've even laid the table and finished the decorations), and the fridges are full of prepped food.

My mum made me wash the silver plate cutlery so we could use that (I inherited it from my godmother years ago and never use it), and has told me to clean it after Christmas! I had to go and retrieve nice glasses from my bedroom, so they had to be washed too

We made sausage rolls earlier (in the interests of testing the oven obviously) which were delicious. As were yesterday's mince pies (I used MSE's best ever mince pie pastry and home made mince meat - there are plenty left including some frozen in their trays!). Baked salmon for supper, and I've been pottering around tidying in an attempt to stay awake long enough to get to midnight mass.

I've got a tea towel wash on, as we've used loads of them today, and I've managed to put all my clean laundry away.

My office is a tip, and so is the spare room, but it's been nice to get reacquainted with the contents of my kitchen, and find space to cook. Let's hope tomorrow's meal goes OK. I haven't quite worked out what I'm going to do about the pudding - apparently it needs steaming for 2.5 hours, but I'm pretty sure I can microwave it...

Happy Christmas everyone!