Making savings before it's too late

moneyistooshorttomention

kittie wrote: »

I need to do the annual cleaning up of statements etc I have a tidy file, in case I pop my clogs, having had to deal with the sudden passing of my husband. I did all the finances so knew everything but he didn`t, I tried to show him but he would have been very stuck if I had passed first.

I decided that all this would be too much for the children so decided to make life easier for them. I think it is called `dying tidy`

Actually - being quite pragmatic about it - and I think this is all the more necessary for those who are single/live on their own/childless in some ways.

I can see quite clearly that it's likely to be my (anonymous) solicitor dealing with things. Leaving things as "tidy" as possible should hopefully mean less "chargeable by a solicitor time" being taken out of my estate - ie more going where I've decided it will go.

There's nothing I can do basically about the fact that, at a very personal level, it's rather unlikely to be the case. By definition - a person living on their own is probably going to be "found" some days after the event so to say. Personally - that's how I want it actually. I wouldn't want someone to come along when I was "halfway Home" and get me carted off into hospital (particularly the NHS of the early 21st century...:cool: - with the chances of alternate neglect and keeping me alive against my will:eek:). When I'm found - I will have safely "gone Home" some days beforehand and there's no risks of any mistakes being made regarding me. It will be quite clear I really have Gone. Though I'm afraid I can't think of any way to ensure it's a "practical" type person that won't be bothered by the situation - some things one just has to leave to luck and hoping it's a more "logical" type person than "emotional" type person that turns up.

pigpen

I have a folder with all my bits together.. insurances, various credit agreements (solar panels and the likes.) I don't have a will ... *waits for the telling off* ... but I have a copy of OH's mothers.. and have clarified her position on various aspects.

more stuff thrown at ebay.. I think I need to make a much greater effort and get more out of the house and more pennies in.. .. and I'm still up to my ears in decorating

flubberyzing

I think the idea of a "dying tidy" is an excellent move!
We lost dad unexpectedly in September, at the relatively young age of 62. He was a life-long "almost-hoarder" of "collections". He collected stamps and postcards mostly. He'd buy them and then do nothing really with them.
Mum made the decision to sell off his collections and give the proceeds to my sister and I. For a number of reasons I suspect.
1: So she'd have something purposeful to do.
2: So my sister and I wouldn't have to do it in more of a hurry when she dies, in order to get their large house clear.
3: So my sister and I can enjoy some "under the radar" inheritance early.

Just this past week she's taken the bulk of it to an auction house in Derby that specialise in this area, with a view to it being auctioned in around May/June. We expect something in the region of 8-10k, so a tidy sum!

ScotinLondon

I haven't been on for a while, but I have been going through our bills, utilities more so. Little things have been reduced - Sky, Telephone all done...a little bit saved there.

Grocery bill is being reduced every few months by £10 at a time. Still on a mission to reduce food wastage...I will get there but it will take time.

Next on my list will be gas & electricity, which I am loathe to do, as i know how difficult it is to get problems sorted out when they mess up (I work in an industry where I deal with them on a daily basis). We will switch but I will need to do some more research.

Re the conversations above - my brother & I are trying to get my mother to take an interest in the house finances, as both our dad and mum are at that age for when anything can happen. She gets bored quite quickly but we are trying.

For me and hubby - we have no offspring - i will be eventually giving a list of everything that my hubby will need to know with the executor of my will. The reason for me doing this is because my hubby has an autoimmune disease that can give him a brain fog and/or worse, so I need to make sure that i can provide for him but also protect him so any unscrupulous people out there.

Hope everyone has a good rest of the weekend.

SILx

caronc

I really ought to do some "dying tidying", not my paperwork or will as these are in decent order though my "bills/receipts" file needs some work but my general house clutter. I think it will need to be a project done bit by bit....

No savings as such this weekend but no unplanned spends either. That said my almost 30 year electric whisk died yesterday so will need to replace that. It certainly didn't owe me anything so can't complain.

pigpen

I just heard back from the mortgage company, they have lowered my payments by £150 a month!!! And my council tax (which must be wrong) has been set at £21 a month.. increasing my monthly disposablt income to a whopping £500!! I might be able to pay off a bill next month if I have all that spare!! Fridays are going to be so much more affluent with £74 a week extra to pay off other debts!

All cash from sales is going off the BG balance.. I am still insisting it is wrong and that they come check the meter is installed correctly.

1 item posted today

Foods shopping done for a week for a whopping total of £24. I have a sack of potatoes and tray of eggs and a furit box delivery tomorrow which was £22 too.. but that should keep us going.

Flour.. I need to look at alternatives to wheat stuff.. just to see if it helps my hysterical tummy which is massively better since not eating meat!

I have 2 poorlies today .. nearly 2 and 22 ... they are both watching Bing in the other room... toddler TV!! So I have 4 loads of bedding and towels and pjs to wash.. and somehow get dry in this very soggy weather.. I need a lotto win.. I don't need millions.. just £100k would do! I'm not greedy.

[Deleted User]

I did it!! just added the rest of the necessary amount to the monthly bills savings pot. Wow, being frugal this and last month has been very worth while so far, any extra later this month will now slide over to a real savings pot, for my house move. Living with a cash amount is key for me, I can physically see the notes being removed from my cash wallet and that makes me think twice about going out for a drive for something to do. I can have free entertainment here, cycling, allotment for starters

[Deleted User]

my whole morning has been free home made ready meal is in the oven with hm crumble made from home grown apples. I have entertained myself the whole morning by going on a bike ride, talking to fishermen, other cyclists, a walker and a swan. I have added to my fitness for free and while I was out, free roomba vacuumed all my open plan living area. Roomba was paid for in november 2015, (comparing cost with a paid cleaner). Now I am euphoric for free, the exercise plus the sunshine plus the lovely scenery. Happy me

tori.k

Dinner sounds delicious Kittie, good news on the mortgage pigpen hopefully things will get a little easier for you.
It beginning to feel like im trying to take on the national debt as the mortgage application went in on Monday.
There is not going to be enough hours in the day to get both places ready so will have the cost of the two houses for a month to give us time to paint and clean both houses through.
im going to broke for months to top up the emergency fund, as the new house has gas central heating so want an extra 1.5k in that fund for the eventual replacement. never having gas before I have no idea how much a combi boiler cost to run, so a bit in the weeds about the running costs in the new house for a while.

[Deleted User]

you will need painkillers tori, that is such hard work over the month. When we moved here we had the overlap and managed to move a lot ourselves and prep the house but no painting and we ached for a long time afterwards.

I want the overlap here and have everything crossed that I find a home which has had tlc from its owners

I wasn`t going to spend money this month but have run out of fish, I buy it from cornwall, I portion, vac pack and freeze. They have an offer this week so it is arriving on friday and to get free p and p I had to spend a fair amount but heyho, it is nice having such fresh fish straight from the dock. I also needed some organic tinned beans, made an order with realfoods and am back from sainsburys, if we get any snow then I want the fresh food tucked in the fridge. CC for the two online orders, cash for the rest.