Onwards and the debt goes downwards!

savingholmes

peb said:

Wow. Looks glorious.  Forecast here is ok Friday and Sunday. So obviously my outdoor plans are today and Saturday 

I know that feeling @peb

Lucielle that scenery is stunning. Thanks for sharing the photo. Enjoy your time with DD - sure you will. Good luck with finishing getting the boat ready too.

Blackcats

what stunning scenery.  we are away on the Isle of Wight and had the most beautiful weather yesterday.  sitting by the sea with a cup of tea and NO coat, hat or gloves.  Hooray - really felt like spring.  Today - less glorious but still very spring like with daffodils in abundance on the roadsides and trees in full blossom.

lucielle

It’s blowing a hooley and the wind cuts you in two. BIL is having his surgery tomorrow, keeping everything crossed. 

L

savingholmes

Glad you are having a good break @Blackcats

@lucielle All the best for BIL. Not an easy time for those of you trying to support and care either.

lucielle

@Blackcats sounds lovely. Definitely need hat, coat and gloves as straps to keep everything on. It’s exceedingly windy!  House is making lots of ominous creaks and groans, I’m pretending I can’t hear them. 

Gary Golf is in the dog house as he has decided not to start this morning. OH has taken the pick up which thankfully did start as that one has been a bit hit and miss recently. Couldn’t take mine as I’ve got work later, 4 bookings so far. 

Went into town yesterday and got a few more boaty bits, petrol, tool box to live on the boat. I also bought a sieve and pastry brush as mine seem to have gone AWOL. Had lunch out. We both had fish and chips as I’ve been fancying some all week. Couldn’t finish mine which is a first. They do a ‘slide’ card for locals it’s £30 for the year and you get a discount in certain places. Where we had lunch was one of those places but my slide card hadn’t arrived yet. I asked if there was anything I could do and they said if I had the email they’d apply the discount, which I did. A little win there. 

I think to empty the ash pan I just need to stand with the door open because by the time I get to the bin it will all have blown away. DD1 comes next week. Whoop!!

BIL should be at the hospital now. 

L

lucielle

In MSE things I had a savings account mature. I’ve opened a new one and set up a SO for £250 to be paid in monthly. I haven’t moved the whole amount in as I’ve had news (whispers) the chimney maybe coming out in April. I’ll need some funds to cover that and potentially have a decorator in. We could paint it ourselves but to be honest we aren’t very good and have made do in the past. As they say you get what you pay for etc
After lots of talk of AVCs, I’m looking at you @savingholmes it’s something I’m considering. I don’t really understand all pension talk and I know I probably haven’t paid enough in over the years due to children etc. I have been having a chat with the accountant about it and life insurance. OH is really against pensions and thinks it’s a bad idea. 

Still no word on BIL
L

teapot2

Hope you get some positive news re BIL soon 🤞🏼

savingholmes

Hi Lucielle feel free to PM me on pensions - or try @mark55man and/or the pensions board.

Positive thoughts for BIL

mark55man

Hi @Lucielle - I'll try and be brief but it is complicated.  A little time reading the pensions board would be educational, yes there are some people with the problems that wealth can bring, but mostly its everyday folks trying to work out what's best.

• I think the first bit of advice would be check your and OH state pension entitlement - if you had child benefit it may be more than you think and good solid chunk of income that should pay for a lot of the essentials.  If when you get near to state pension age you need to top up by buying extra years that is regarded as good value - https://www.gov.uk/personal-tax-account/ is where you can find this
• If you are talking about AVC I assume you may be in a govt employment and govt scheme - in which case you are doing well to have the govt pension.  The AVC is then a way to save extra (quite tax efficient) or to play games with the lump sum at the end, so that you don't have to commute pension into lump sum (often a bad deal)
• If you are not in govt scheme then AVC can be just extra contributions as some old fashioned company schemes won't let you.  For these money purchase - aka defined contribution - schemes there are a number of vehicles.
• What puts many off pensions is that you not only have to choose the company that provides the pension you have to choose the investments and that isnt as simple as it might sound but most modern providers have a range of "off the shelf" choices which may not be the best but are not terrible.
• The final thing to think about is what you want out of it - is it to provide an income for the rest of your lives, or is it to fund the gap between retiring early and picking up your pensions  

 I'm sure your readers don't want a long monologue, but my suggestion would be just to read a few of the stickies on the pensions board and get a feel for what people are doing.  The important thing is that you are doing something, the pension advantage is really greatest if you are a higher rate early, if you are not then things like LISAs are close (you still have to choose investments).  Cash interest rates are OK ish at the moment but over time to lag inflation so the purchasing value of your money is reduced. 

lucielle

Thanks @mark55man, think I need a cuppa and time to sit and read. 

Work was ok last night about 10 covers and quite spread out. Only 4 booked in tonight and I think we’ll be overstaffed again. 

BIL has been on the operating table but they didn’t do anything and are going to treat him through medication. He has diffuse coronary disease. Really not sure what that is. Anyway they made it home last night, which is a relief. Very sad news about the Princess and I hope the press give them the privacy and space they need. 

Had a chat with SIL  she’s back driving and having physio on her wrist. 

L