Making savings before it's too late

trailingspouse

I'm the same Savannah02k - won't get my pension until I'm 67 - and as that's 10 years off, I'm not banking on it even existing by the time I get there!!

I remember walking in to work on my 45th birthday, and thinking I had 15 years left to go until retirement - and that it was OK, because I didn't dislike my job. That was 12 years ago, and I've still got 10 years to go!! But in that 12 years I've changed careers twice, lived abroad for 4 years, and moved house 7 times. Goodness only knows what the next 10 years will bring!

Update on the dimmer switch - it's working again now!! Most peculiar.

tori.k - we have a few leftover bits and bobs in the kitchen, mostly sweets. OH works away part of the time, and noticed this morning that while he's been away the Malteaser reindeer have disappeared. I told them they'd flown away, and I think he believed me...

Spendless

tori.k wrote: »

I hope you have better luck doing that then I did trying the tuck box, almost caused war in this house with the lads just stealing off each other, in saying it didn't take a lot to start a war during there teenager years.

It's working so far, but DS [STRIKE]conned[/STRIKE] negotiated 2 snacks from DH, who didn't divvy up equally in the first place (he ate 2 beforehand and called it 'tax'). I'm diabetic, so didn't include myself and stopping out of it. I suspect they'll be nothing left by tomorrow.

Katieowl

trailingspouse wrote: »

I'm the same Savannah02k - won't get my pension until I'm 67 - and as that's 10 years off, I'm not banking on it even existing by the time I get there!!

/QUOTE]
Got to keep going untill 66 here, and eight years to go....I keep saying the same as you. I'll only believe I'm getting it when it's in my hand!

Spendless

emg wrote: »

Spendless - I noticed you saying about the end of discounted rail travel when your children are too old but just wanted to check you knew about the Two Together railcard. Its not such good savings as the family railcard but if you mostly travel with the same person (as you do have to name the second person on the card) then it can be worth it to get 1/3 off fares.

I 'sort of' knew about it, because DS met up with an American friend of his and went away in Oct and I contemplated either buying them it or DS the 16-25 railcard, in the end I did neither (long story!) but I hadn't thought about it in relation to doing it myself when DD is older. :doh:

I'm hoping to buy the next family and friends railcard as close to DD's 16th birthday as I can, but before her actual birthday, so it will last until she's almost 17.

Thanks for the info

blackcatsx2

I was having a conversation with a friend on Saturday about later retirement age - we were both pretty aggrieved by it. I want to retire early which is why I hope to learn from all the good folks on the forum. I do have an occupational pension that I can get at age 60 but ideally I’d like to go before 60 so will need to bridge the gap until 60 and then to age 68 when I can get a state pension.
My husband died at 51 which has taught me to make the most of life and I certainly don’t feel like just accepting working for 8 years longer than I thought I’d signed up for when I started working at 17.
It’s really positive to hear from people on here who enjoy like without spending fortunes and who have a full life whilst living within their means. Jackie O you are an inspiration!

[Deleted User]

welcome blackcats all ages here, just like the old fashioned community when I was a child, bouncing ideas and woes off each other

I have given in and had an enjoyable online spend, plants for the house and a large galvanised tray to stand them all on. For downstairs, plants have been missing but are coming back. All air cleaner types, foliage and most will sit in the tray on my kitchen butchers block trolley. I am liking candles on there at the moment but will stop using them in a while, when my stash has gone done to the level they used to be at ie for just in in case of powercuts. As well as the plants for the tray, I am getting an aspidistra for my snug and a very nice floor pot to keep it in

None of this is needed but there is a gap and plants will fill it. I now have three amounts to add/adjust on m/s money, electric bill, car insurance and plants to add to cc.

tori.k

I'm having to drop a birthday card off to the SIL, so will have a spend day as there is an asda in the town they live and I have the voucher card to use, so will save a separate trip.
Finally had some news about the house we are SSC on, our vendor has finally change solicitors than the online conveyancing firm they had been using, so we finally have hope that the title issues can be sorted and we can move forward with the sale. It's costing us all money so needs a conclusion one way or the other.
Bigger savings have been made this year as our holiday plans will have to go on hold as I cannot get leave for the end of February and DH can't do September as we decided Washington DC on the cheap to do some of the Smithsonian unfortunately just can't work the leave required for the cheaper months of travel so it will have to be shelved to February next year.
DH is one of those that doesn't think he's had a holiday unless he physically goes away despite having 28 days holiday and bank holidays off last year he will swear other than 2 UK weekends away he's not had a holiday since January 16. :rotfl:
Im going to be hard pushed to actually do anything but a long weekend this year with moving, as much as I only work 27 hrs over the winter this jumps to 46 from March to August. And that's not including my second job ( but unsure if I will go back this year)

trailingspouse

I've started logging my cash spending - when I crunched the numbers originally, I was shocked at how much money we'd withdrawn in cash, particularly as we put 'everything' on cards to get the cashback. Obviously we don't actually put 'everything' on the cards - but what do we spend cash on?

So far this year - £21 for a takeaway delivery, £1 for an emergency bottle of milk, and OH gave the Green Flag driver a tenner for his trouble when he had to be brought home from work on the back of a trailer a couple of weeks ago.

One of our 'resolutions' for this year is to have fewer takeaways - I'll be laying in a stock of chinese-style starters etc for the freezer so the temptation isn't so great!

I didn't know about the Two Together railcard. OH and I are off to London at the end of the month, so will look into it. I love London!! I love the hustle and bustle. This time we're down there on business, there and back in the day, so no time to do much else - but I'm still looking forward to it!!

fionaandphil

Hi all, not posted before but thought it might help somebody. I noticed a few of you mentioning changing your phone/broadband/tv package. We are with Talk Talk and have a combined package which includes line rental, broadband, calls and tv for £25 per month. Our service from them has been good but we did have a period about 2 years ago where we had major problems with the broadband for a few months, thankfully all resolved now. The TV package includes a box which allows you to record some things and you can also purchase additional boosts and services if required, don't know how much this is as we've never used the extras. I will be following your savings plans and seeing if I can come up with any more ideas

fionaandphil

I meant to mention that if you have your own mobile phone, Tesco Mobile are very good for SIM only. I pay £7.50 per months for 250 minutes of calls, 5000 texts and 500MB of data, way more than I use. Its also on the O2 network so has good coverage for where we live in Lancashire. They may have a cheaper deal now but my phone needs upgraded this year so I will wait and do it all at the same time.