Giving every £ a job

Blackcats

Thanks SA - I think the monthly savings will be good discipline for me - it will go from my account automatically so I can't accidentally re-purpose it by buying stuff.

such lovely weather this afternoon and evening. I was really tempted to suggest a trip to the pub but actually I've got wine at home so we had a glass of wine, a bowl of olives and a few crisps sitting in the garden.  We've got our own music playing and whilst the wine, olives and crisps have had to be paid for in the shopping the cost is very different to pub prices.

it's my Monday off tomorrow (as part of my 9 day fortnight) and we are going to get up bright and early and go to the seaside for a beach walk and a full English breakfast.  In lockdown I really missed the sea.  The coast is in the next county so as much as we wanted to go we followed the rules and stayed home.  I'm trying to make the most of the alternate Monday off and I'm treating it like a bank holiday.

Sun_Addict

Hope you have a lovely day at the coast tomorrow. The afternoon in the garden with wine and nibbles sounds brilliant and far cheaper than the pub. 

savingholmes

Enjoy your trip to the seaside. I love the sea too

Blackcats

The seaside was glorious - warm, sunny with smooth, calm sea.  Sat on the beach (a bit pebbly under the bottom but we can pretend it was the golden sands of the Maldives) 🤣.

it felt like a great extension to the summer and certainly re-charged the mind, body and soul.

retirement countdown WEEK 47.  

As part of my plans I've added up my various savings pots and got a pleasant surprise.  I know if I was properly financially astute it wouldn't have been a surprise but hey ho I've always said I've either still got MSE L plate or P plates on a good day.  Of course, accumulating a good (by my standards) level of savings has taken much longer than accumulating the large debt i once had. 

Sun_Addict

Glad you had a lovely day. That retirement date is getting closer. Plus great news about the savings pots. All sounding positive 🥳

savingholmes

Oh I do love to be beside....

Glad you enjoyed the sea.

Week 47.... It's edging closer

Blackcats

SH - I like the countryside too but there is something refreshing and invigorating about the seaside.  

Yes the retirement countdown is ticking along nicely.  I need to decide when I hand in my notice.  I'm on 3 months notice but will probably give a bit longer.  I need to try to look up online my pensions forecast but last time I tried I got locked out of the site and the time before it said that it couldn't show my forecast.  I'll have to work up the energy to try and get through on the phone.  I have a reasonable idea of my benefits but it will be reassuring to have some up to date figures.  

I'm doing well on keeping spends low this month but I think it's mainly because I'm still feeling flat after my mum's death so no enthusiasm for shops or shopping.  

savingholmes

Understandable to still be grieving. Just have to find joy and relief where you can

foxgloves

I can identify with that feeling, @Blackcats. Losing a parent does leave a distinct aftermath of the flat sadness you describe. It's the end of an era & feels quite odd becoming the older generation in their place. My parents were both so poorly in the end, that their passing was a relief in many ways, but I still am not quite in a position where my memories focus only on the happy times. It does get better though, so treat yourself kindly & do what you need to do, even if it means a couple of little treats.
F x

Blackcats

Thank you SH and Foxgloves.  I had a good cry (if that's even a thing) on Friday evening - triggered by dealing with the donations from my mums funeral.  She had a favourite charity and there's a nice sum of money going their way and she would have been very pleased about that.  

I also had a rubbish day at work on Friday.  It was my mid year review - my manager was late, didn't appear to have done any preparation for the meeting and only gave negative feedback on something that had happened 2 days previously rather than anything positive about the previous 5 months.  Anyway I woke up at 5 on Saturday morning feeling very disgruntled, went back to sleep and woke up ready to focus on my early retirement plans.  I might try and bring the date forward a month if the numbers add up.  

It also spurred me on to get the regular saving account opened and to check my online pension projection.  The figures only go up to 2018 so I've got a number to ring to request a retirement estimate.  So I might only have one more performance review with my manager in March when I will be able to tell her I'm giving in my notice 🥳

lovely weather today so we had a walk in the afternoon sunshine and dinner from the freezer.  Trouble is something strange happens in my freezer because even though I take food out of it there never seems to be any more space in it.