The Edcawber Principle

Suffolk_lass

Your own, I presume? - we spent two hours playing hunt the cat last night at bedtime. We were both wracked by guilt at the prospect that one of us had inadvertently let her out when he put the bin out or I got a beer. I should add that being a bit blind and deaf she is very much an indoor cat and the cat flap was locked. Poor DH spent hours outside with a torch, checking rabbit burrows and mouse locations as this is where she would be.

But no, she had snuck into the spare room while DH was doing his mouse check and was hidden. She even got cross when he finally did locate her and had to drag her out from under the bed! I found her collar with its bell on the counter this morning (for the benefit of any birds when she is out) but it is safely back round her neck thanks to her willingness to be subjected to a stroke when she wants food! Being a black stealth cat she really is quite difficult to locate. At least we have blocked up her "I'm frightened" hiding place behind the range cooker so whatever happens she won't end up there!

edinburgher

Yes, we have a mischevious wee tabby. She's also a fan of sneaking upstairs to a bed/hiding under the kitchen units/losing her collar

I have been unexpectedly booted off my work VPN, so sitting with an unexpected couple of hours idleness thrust upon me. Not much I can do (need to stay next to the computer for an IT callback), so updating budgets (trimmed to -£500 or so, getting better) and relaxing. Just as well, my head was exploding from a week of complex cases.

Our car is still not fixed, Thursday is the next expected update. I'm not too bothered, the loaner is a Corsa and perfectly enjoyable to drive.

Yay for a possible vaccine - the markets have been kind to us - nearly at £££,£££ across DC pensions

edinburgher

Budget trimmed and standing at -£476.16

Suffolk_lass

Down by almost half - well done! I wish I could say the same. Raiding the freezer to put something in and leave it to cook for our return after a rather distant click and collect today. We won't have access to any refreshments so a beaker of coffee, some water and a sandwich seem to be the order of the day. We don't plan anything except the journey and the collection.

edinburgher

@Suffolk_lass - quick click and collects are one of the pleasures of living on the outskirts of a big city!

Dragged myself through a day of work today, not feeling particularly motivated, but sensible diet and lots of steps have something to do with that?

Looking forward to grocery shopping tonight as I get to spend our £100 Double Up voucher I am thinking one DD present that they stock, some new tea towels, mebbe some new socks and the rest on TTD wine - living dangerously! I also have a triple points voucher and other vouchers that should add 1,000 points or so towards next year.

Today has ended up being very spendy as the car was returned from the bodyshop. £350 for that, £32 for the cat's annual check up and £2.75 for a condolences card.

Looking forward to some downtime tomorrow, although will be making the lovely looking Nigel Slater recipe with brisket and porcini mushrooms from the Christmas Chronicles for dinner (YS brisket from the freezer).

Budget trimmed to -£432.28.

Suffolk_lass

My budget is a nightmare this month - having paid for the new e-bikes the credit card payment left the building (over £5k in total) and the new one for next month looks horrific too (bike helmets, locks, gloves, basket, panniers, plus the new weight supporting tow-bar bike-rack, rack bag, adapter, ramp and substitute cross-bar clamps) - very spendy. Good job these are our Christmas presents as well as in memory of DM-i-L. On top of that I have put DS's Car insurance on my card - no wonder I got £30 of JL vouchers this month!

Brisket is such a great joint - I hardly ever see it in the SM but always get some when I see it. I have ordered some Christmas meat from my favourite butcher - they have had a tough year and I want them to have our business so splashing out a bit.

edinburgher

I really enjoyed spending my Double Up voucher. Managed a toy for DD, a lovely berry red tablecloth and napkins (non-Christmassy enough to be used autumn through spring, I'd say) and 6 bottles of tasty looking TTD wine. I basically just bought the best sounding ones from the Decanter article on what the best TTD wines are... I also used a plethora of other points vouchers and their Christmas points offer to get c. 1,000 points towards next year (half way there already, assuming the same terms). We'll need to get Mrs E a N3ctar card as well. Not bad, considering we only really buy fruit and veg, toys and clothes and the odd naice grocery ingredient from S@insbury's

@Suffolk_lass - ok, you win the out of control budget prize!

A nice, if uneventful day. I basically walked and thought after dropping DD off at school, nothing too earth shattering, but time to think. By the time I got home I had walked for over 3 hours, now at 24,000 steps. DD is round playing in a friend's garden, so I've had a wee unexpected hour off.

Brisket will need to wait 'til tomorrow as I couldn't find any dried mushrooms. I'm substituting with a rich homemade beef stock instead, but that's an overnight in the oven sort of project for me (4lbs of meaty bones, 2 large onions, 3 carrots, a stalk of celery, a head of garlic, a splash of apple cider vinegar, fresh thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper). It was meant to be made in the PC, but too many ingredients.

Ordered two Christmas presents for DD today, utter nonsense but she's 5

edinburgher

I awoke this morning to a house that smelled like Christmas (well, that or beef stock that had taken a 20 hour hot bath in the oven)

I've trimmed the budget (-£332.45) and will need to cowboy some chores so that I can watch the rugby this afternoon.

Can I ask the opinion of the group (particularly any parents of dependent children reading this)? I've been thinking a lot about providing financial security should Mrs E or I kick the bucket in an untimely manner. Modern life is expensive and even ignoring the person-specific costs for either of us in calculations, we spend perhaps £2,400 a month (allowing for new mortgage starting 01.01.21). So expenditure of £28,800 a year.

If I died:

Life insurance and work death grant: £285,000 (mortgage + £20,000)

Dependents pensions for Mrs E and DD: c. £1,000/month

Monthly shortfall: nothing assuming costs remained the same

If Mrs E died:

Life insurance and death grant: £261,800

Monthly shortfall: £666 (argh!), money could last c. 30 years

Are we sufficiently insured as things stand? DD will be 18 in 13 years and figures above allow for nest egg for her to help with uni etc.

Suffolk_lass

We also have a single off-spring and when DH was working abroad we thought it pertinent to get some first death life insurance that would provide enough to pay for a live-in nanny or au pair on the assumption that death benefits would clear debts and the other person could carry on working. We went for £250,000 first death payout that runs until my 70th birthday. From memory he was 4 or 5 when we took it out. So we were both in our mid-late thirties. £91 a month with Aviva and no benefits to pay at the end of the term, only death. Hopefully sods law means we will both outlive the term. If it paid out now we would make him more financially secure as we don't need it.

At the time as a public servant I had similar DIS benefits to you but DH had nothing. If he had died while DS was at school I would have needed to carry on working but would have owned the house, and had a small pot to help with big things. If I died, we was mortgage free with money in the bank to pay for residential help. If we both died, our nominated friends had the money to bring him up with a few treats and a semi-secure future

greent

I would say you are in a good position. Could be better, but you can always say that - I don't mean that you should buy more life assce - I think you are adequately covered.

We have 4 children now aged from 22 to 11. Eldest has just finished her MA so is home from uni and job hunting so we assume won't be dependent much longer. Once I gave up work/ eventually returned on very pt time hours we always worked on enough DIS/ life assce to pay off the mtge and have a small bit surplus (plus pension payouts  then for me + kids)  I have term life assce of 60k (expires in a few years) - was enough to almost repay mtge at time we took it out but not when we moved here but if I'd died DH would have had a small pension from my old bank employer plus (at the time) small DIS and tiny pension from my pt school job which could have helped with wrap around school care/ nursery when applicable. At the time his mum didn't work and lived a mile away from us, so could have helped out, too.

(Following assumes death before retirement) DH's DIS is currently around £320k (no life assce now) plus I would get pensions totalling maybe £17-18k pa and the 3 younger kids would get some until 21/23 from 2 occupational pensions. However, we are mf and once our BTL is sold (we have a mtge on it of less than £40k but could clear from cash held in bank/ some PSBs) will have cash of approx £130-140k + pensions + ISAs, so are in a different stage of life to you - the pension income would cover monthly expenses and any big spends (holidays/ changing car/ expensive house repairs) could be taken from cash in the bank. Should I die he will have less -I don't think I get any DIS as both of my contracts with local schools are zero hours but he would get the 60k life assce and pensions plus he would still be working so earning a decent income. Should we both die together our children get the house, the cash/ ISA/ Vanguard pensions and some  occupational pension income for the 3 younger ones from both of us (the latter to be saved and used for uni). DH plans to retire no later than 60 (can take bank pension with no penalties then - he could take it now but at much lower rate) - at that point DS3 will be 20 and DS2 23/24, so our costs for offspring will be much lower than currently!