Moving forward and upwards

Irenadler

Hey Babs

Definitely need to up my game, you are inspiring me to do better, ta!

MovingForwards

Thank you SH, I'm still recovering from the drive. Quite scary how long it's taking and how much it affected me.

Thanks Ren, think it's always good to read about people not on 'big' money and how they manage it. There isn't much difference between Skinty's / mine / Swan's wages. SH's diary is great as she's currently doing her home up on a budget; there's so many ideas and tips to learn!

Haven't been doing much the last few days aside from thinking. I've come to realise a couple of things:
1. I'm (we're) potentially going to be on the same amount of money as I am now if I keep going with the saving and pension plans.
-- I found another pension calculator where it broke down how long the money would last and how much we would have each year. Seeing there will still be a large pot at 99 years old was a bit of an eye opener.
2. I'm saving a lot, but not allowing us (me) any money for day to day / as hoc things. 
-- pre-covid I would take money out each week for food / spends and have a pot of notes / big coins at home to dip into. Now everything is carefully budgeted for and planned in advance. I'm currently debating whether to start that up again now, or wait until the new year.

Today I'm going to a garden centre, it's the one I did click and collect when we first moved here. It will be nice to have a look around it as it's a big one. 
While over that side, I'm collecting a load of gardening magazines as someone in my gardening group wants to re-home them; that's winter reading sorted out 🤗
TomBo is driving as it's too far for me, due to getting fatigued ☹️

It's been sunny the last few days and I've had a tomato ripen, that was nice. Hopefully the rest will follow. Saving some jars for doing chutney, jam etc. I know I need to get supplies to help with that side of my lifestyle.

The spuds are showing no signs of being ready to dig up. 

TomBo is interested in doing the permaculture way of gardening and reading / watching various things. 

I know next year, our garden is going to be very busy, loads of activity, loads of veg, some fruit and I will get my place to sit 😁

MovingForwards

I did the drive on my own as TomBo wanted to sort his bike out and watch T.D. France. I've now got loads of magazines to read and some still had the seeds attached. Organised them all and have one pile ready to read.

Popped to the garden centre. Picked up some onions and garlic, plus a few other bits. Spent just under £19. Borrowed it from the car fund and will repay it payday.

Set up a DD for my SIPP payment, that starts next month.

I am very tired now and will just relax for tonight.

Had veg risotto for tea.

Irenadler

Well done on your journey - even though it sounds tiring for you, you did what you wanted to achieve, enjoyed a trip, and now have a lot of garden !!!!!! reading stuff for winter planning... Seeds as well! Goldmine... How weird is it that I am planning to permaculture the back garden? Figure that its also future-proofing and more natural, having trees and fruit bushes, underplanted with useful plants/insect friendly plants.... When I can afford it!

And kudos for setting up your DD - you are going to be so comfortable in retirement, you might end up better off than you are now....

Skint_yet_Again

I’m glad you managed the drive. It’s surprisingly tiring even going short journeys sometimes. I’m glad I have my little automatic but get very mentally tired when I drive up north to visit family about 5 hours away. 

I wish I had your knowledge about pensions. I’m just sticking mine in the bank until I know what’s happening with work, our office closure & workibg from home & coronavirus. 

MovingForwards

Thank you Ren and Skinty.

I've not got much knowledge, but enough to know how much I want a month in retirement, what I've currently got in pensions, how much I can afford to put away and how to use a few pension calculators; the one I recently found is a good one. I'm still reading as much as possible on the pensions board and gained confidence with picking a few pots, plus a managed pot, because of having my S&S ISA for a while.

I will be a lot better off when I remortgage, but in a way I am doing ok financially. Next year will be easier as I've 12 months to get my £5k savings together, instead of 8 months like this year.

Work are inviting people to apply for VR, I imagine a few of the older ones / close to retirement will go for it.  

Lunch is tomato bread with salad and cheese.

savingwannabe

Hello i caught up. Well done on all the growing and all this pension planning you are v good at all of this and i am learning from you and Skinty. I am in the Teachers Pension and dont know what my State one will be. I also have pensions from jobs before i taught so i should find those maybe. I will investigate next holiday maybe or by summer at the latest. Have a good week. 

MovingForwards

We are all learning from each other SW.
The SP check only took a minute and would be worth having a look sooner rather than later. Your TP is quite good from what I've read, just need to keep racking up the years. The rest will be the fun money or get you retired a few years earlier and bridge the gap.

MovingForwards

Popped to the butcher's lunchtime to get some supplies. Ordered a pie for TomBo's birthday and will be collecting that tomorrow. Hopefully he won't cook it when he sees it.

Had a little stroll to look at the estuary and a quick internal battery recharge, it got me through the afternoon. Need to try and get out a little bit more as I've loads to see around here.

The first pension transfer is in my SIPP, hopefully the other two won't be too far behind it. I'm making a manual payment next week when I get paid, then it's in the monthly DD hands. I've set up a fund which covers several types of pots and set up some of my own pots to play with.

I've also got my S&S ISA up and running with them and slowly selecting my pots for that.

Decided to keep trying to reach my (our) £5k savings target for this year, then from next year allow some spends / pocket money each month, but that will be taken out as cash and put in a pot, like I used to do.

Had pork chop and veg for tea, with some Orkn3y butter on the spuds (that's the best butter I've ever tried!)

savingholmes

You are making great progress. How lovely to get fresh magazines and seeds for free too. Look forward to reading about your garden growing antics.