It's time to start digging up those Squirrelled Nuts!!!!

nigelbb

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

Yes, I think my original post implied only self-employed - the link I posted sets out all the conditions where Class 2 can be paid. You are right about overseas, but only if you go from working in UK to working abroad without a break - so it rules out people who retired early to Spain and now top up their income by doing pool maintenance, for example

When I came to claim my state pension I needed another five years of NI contributions to maximise the amount. Happily I discovered that I was able to pay Class 2 at £150/year rather than Class 3 at £700/year. I moved from UK to work in France then back to the UK.

cfw1994

Sea_Shell wrote: »

Whilst having a clear out of my IT stuff in our study, I came across an old CD marked "finance".

Having loaded this CD up, its got spreadsheets of our earnings, savings and spending, going back to 2008!!! I'd forgotten all about it, as didn't think we'd kept it (new laptop in 2012).

Having had a quick look, it makes for interesting reading (for us). So I'll have to analyse the data as it's not quite in the format that I have now perfected over the intervening years. What were we doing pre MSE days???

I have one worksheet labelled "FinancePlanNov95", kept tucked in the end for posterity!:D

Sea_Shell

Right....I have interrogated the data, and it is as I suspected.

From 2007 to 2018, our total average spend, including car purchases, new bathroom and household goods, equates to £20,700 p.a.
Our net take home pay, for the same period, averages at £31,556 (was MUCH higher in the earlier years)

The one stand-out statistic, is that by changing to Aldi from Tesco, we've saved on average approx £1500 p.a. on groceries!!!! That's a holidays worth!!! We've not changed our buying habits, and still feel we're getting the same quality, so that's a win-win in my book!!

cloud_dog

Sea_Shell wrote: »

The one stand-out statistic, is that by changing to Aldi from Tesco, we've saved on average approx £1500 p.a. on groceries!!!! That's a holidays worth!!! We've not changed our buying habits, and still feel we're getting the same quality, so that's a win-win in my book!!

Yes, I was gobsmacked at the savings when we switched primarily to shopping in Aldi a few years ago. There is some produce we don't like so shop elsewhere but the majority is good quality and they offer a much broader range of produce from the UK.

This is off going topic but, we also shop at FarmFoods for some frozen and branded stuff and by having our CC registered on QuidCo we recieve between 3% and 5% refund every time we shop there....every little helps :j

Audaxer

Sea_Shell wrote: »

From 2007 to 2018, our total average spend, including car purchases, new bathroom and household goods, equates to £20,700 p.a.

Well done - I'm still amazed your total annual spend is that low.

The one stand-out statistic, is that by changing to Aldi from Tesco, we've saved on average approx £1500 p.a. on groceries!!!! That's a holidays worth!!! We've not changed our buying habits, and still feel we're getting the same quality, so that's a win-win in my book!!

I find Aldi quite good for some things, but I have been disappointed with their fruit and veg, and we find there just isn't enough choice to get everything we need. So we tend to get some basics at Aldi, but most of our shopping usually at Morrisons.

DairyQueen

Audaxer wrote: »

Well done - I'm still amazed your total annual spend is that low.

I find Aldi quite good for some things, but I have been disappointed with their fruit and veg, and we find there just isn't enough choice to get everything we need. So we tend to get some basics at Aldi, but most of our shopping usually at Morrisons.

My mum and I thought we would try Aldi (or was it Lidl?) whilst we were at a loose end in our local town a few years ago. We both bought salmon fillets. Both packages were 'off'.

Mum is in a wheelchair so I needed the special trolley thing attaches to her wheelchair.
Problem number one - the store only had one and it took the staff 15 minutes to find it.

Problem number two - the length and width of wheelchair and trolley were too big for the aisles. We had to endure the irritation of other shoppers as they had to retrace their steps when their trollies couldn't pass us.

Problem number three. The danged trolley-thing was too wide to exit through the check-out barrier. Ever tried reversing a wheelchair with a loaded, oversized trolley-thing attached? I don't recommend it. Especially when you have to disturb a queue of impatient shoppers.

Needless to say, my mum was made to feel like a spectacle and she was mortified at being a 'nuisance'. It was the kind of unpleasant experience that I will not be repeating anytime soon.

We mostly shop online but on the rare occasions that we visit supermarkets it's 90% Waitrose. A Waitrose basket costs more but, for us, it's worth paying extra for the ease of shopping in such disabled-friendly stores. My mother always leaves Waitrose with dignity intact.

cfw1994

DairyQueen wrote: »

My mother always leaves Waitrose with dignity intact.

I’m not sure Aldi and Lidl are ever about maintaining dignity for any shoppers....it’s all about the moneysaving

(& the “Aisle of Dreams”......love the stuff that pops up there :rotfl:)

We use Coop for some stuff....it is most convenient for us....but I do like Aldi bread....& quite a lot of the other stuff available both there & Lidl.

Sea_Shell

I realise that Aldi can be a bit like Marmite, in that it splits opinion. We don't feel at all undignified shopping there...shopping is a chore that needs doing, it's not an "experience".

Yes, we've had the odd dodgy purchase (same as in Tesco), but more rigorous checking of dates and packaging usually stops that happening.

We do occasionally pop to Waitrose, as it's within walking distance, but only ever for 1 or 2 things....I see people in there with full trollies and think....wow!!

Anyway, I don't want this thread to turn into a for/against Aldi thread....we all pays our money we takes our choice!!

Anonymous101

Sea_Shell wrote: »

I realise that Aldi can be a bit like Marmite, in that it splits opinion. We don't feel at all undignified shopping there...shopping is a chore that needs doing, it's not an "experience".

Yes, we've had the odd dodgy purchase (same as in Tesco), but more rigorous checking of dates and packaging usually stops that happening.

We do occasionally pop to Waitrose, as it's within walking distance, but only ever for 1 or 2 things....I see people in there with full trollies and think....wow!!

Anyway, I don't want this thread to turn into a for/against Aldi thread....we all pays our money we takes our choice!!

Haha I totally understand your WOW comment. Funnily enough our local Aldi is on the same retail park as an M&S food outlet. We usually shop at ASDA but do go to the Aldi from time to time and then pop into the M&S for 1-2 luxury items. There are people doing full weekly shops in there. It blows my mind!!

MallyGirl

Anonymous101 wrote: »

Haha I totally understand your WOW comment. Funnily enough our local Aldi is on the same retail park as an M&S food outlet. We usually shop at ASDA but do go to the Aldi from time to time and then pop into the M&S for 1-2 luxury items. There are people doing full weekly shops in there. It blows my mind!!

We get our turkey from M&S at Christmas (big treat) - seeing the shopping trolleys full of lobsters etc is quite a Wow moment.
I do most shopping at Aldi as it is closest - thankfully we eat very little bread as we really don't like the Aldi offerings. OH still goes to Waitrose whenever he is let loose without me so I try to keep well stocked to avoid this. I do an occasional Ocado delivery as there are some things we really like from there but I expect to stop this once they switch from Waitrose to M&S.