Giving every £ a job

Blackcats

Gosh - it's Friday already.  The week has flown by.  1.8 km swum over the course of my 3 swims this week which I'm pleased with.  

I'm doing much better by focussing on one savings pot at a time so I'm going to stick to that method from now on.  I've drawn up a table of savings pots, target amounts and balance left to fund and prioritised due dates.  I've got 2 full pots already.  Once full I will continue to top them up as some of them are due to be spent but I'm reassured that I know what my aims are.    This way feels like debt busting habits and I suppose I'm wired up better to debt bust than save.

I just opened a new online savings accounts as part of my Nationwide savings pots.  It's a better interest rate so although initially I thought I couldn't be bothered to chase an extra 1.5% I reminded myself that making money work as hard as it could was one of my pre-retirement commitments.  The whole thing took less than 5 minutes.  Will mean an additional £45 interest over the year.  So my £45 for 5 minutes of minimal effort is a pretty good return.

Sarahwithlove

£45 for minimal effort is a good return!

savingholmes

The holiday and scenery sound lovely.

Blackcats

thanks @Sarahwithlove - I was very tempted to say s*d it rather than bother to look for a a higher rate but when I worked out the additional interest I was quite motivated.  

@savingholmes -the hedgerow flowers on Guernsey are stunning.  We are creating a canvas of one of our photos as a breath of fresh air for our hall.

We had a family picnic yesterday which included 7 grandchildren between the ages of 3 and 15.  One of the highlights was the 3 year old organising us for a game of duck, duck, goose.  Their fairly loose interpretation of the fairly simple rules was delightful.  

I did buy picnic treats from m n s using our eating out and fun budget.  I bought Dyson strawberries (yes grown by that Mr Dyson who has diversified into farming). The strawberries were absolutely delicious and were scoffed by the kids very quickly.  Although no strawberries, raspberries or cherries were left we had plenty of bits and bobs leftover so after swimming me and MrBC went for a walk and a picnic lunch, without duck, duck goose 😃

I received my vinted payment tonight for the £70 item I sold so that is winging its way across to the current targeted savings pot.  Only £115 to go until it is fully funded (for now).
opened a new FD regular saver to coincide with the date I receive one of my pension payments.  I use this pension payment to fund 2 regular savers and purchase 1 premium bond.  Makes me feel very virtuous to save the whole amount I receive.

lucielle

Well done on the interest accounts. Sounds like it was a lovely day with GCs
L

RebeccaPAgain

@Blackcats wow you've been busy!  So glad that Guernsey was as lovely as it was last time for you and that you enjoyed the crab sandwich Liberation day sounded wonderful this year and we were sorry to miss it.  How lovely of the Air BnB owners to offer you the cottage for a few more days!  

Also great strides with the pot filling and also the decision you made re what to focus on.  Impressed with the £45 for minimum effort also!!!

EssexHebridean

Isn't Guernsey just lovely? We only saw it briefly - flying in on the 9th we had a couple of spare hours so just walked out to the coast - all the way down a very long hill - from the airport, then turned round and walked back again - oddly enough that took longer! Then on the way home last Friday we had longer so having dropped the bag in left luggage we hopped on a bus to St Peter Port and had a good old wander there using tips from MrEH's best pal who comes from Guernsey - a plod out on the breakwater past Castle Cornet to the lighthouse, a bit of wandering round the town, a swift half in a couple of pubs (1 good, one less so) and also crammed in an ice cream and an extremely good value baguette lunch from a little sandwich place in a back street. Thoroughly enjoyed our little explore though, and then got a cracking view of the island as we departed on the flight back to London! 

RebeccaPAgain

@EssexHebridean it is so so lovely. So glad so many people on here have got to see it (even if briefly!).  You will have to tell me which pubs were good and not so good!  Ohhhh, I'd also be interested to know which the baguette lunch place was!  Hope you get to visit again one day!

Blackcats

Thank you Lucielle.
RP - yes indeed we sampled a couple of crab sandwiches in the interest of thorough research. 

@EssexHebridean - that was great use of time between flights.   As well as crab sandwiches we also sampled a few Guernsey ice creams as it seemed polite to partake of local delicacies.  We are returning to Guernsey next year and hope to visit Alderney.

I had a spending spree on vin ted last night - but it was using money from the correct spending pot.  MrBC announced that he wanted to visit our nearest outlet centre to buy a particular piece of clothing so I had a quick look on vin ted and found the exact item, new with tags for about half the retail price.  Even after buyer fees and postage it was still a saving especially if I factor in a 50 mile drive to the outlet centre,, parking, coffee and undoubtedly other spending.

it would have been my mum's birthday today - well I suppose it is still her birthday.  Her friend organised a Mass for her today and although I rarely go to church I know mum would be pleased that some of her friends and family were thinking of her today.  

PennysIntoPounds

Happy late birthday to your mum, and how lovely her friend organised a mass for her today ❤️ 
Hope you're enjoying a little something nice for you on her behalf too