2020++ - smiling and waving and looking so fine

mark55man

Thank you DIA.  We are scrabbling to get ready for him on Monday - given us the kick up the back-side that we needed for a bit of decluttering.  My car (estate) is sat on the driveway crammed full of cardboard and recycling and rubbish for a tip-trip tomorrow.  As the original slot we have him for is still free, we are also seeing if we can accelerate plans but don't want to get short again or miss out on HMRC options.

Talking of HMRC, I finalised my tax return, and because of fun and games between OH and my pension pots I should be due a refund which will pretty much offset my OH liability if we can't get it overturned.  Easy come, easy go but that would be a hefty stupid tax moment even if it isn't cash flow affecting

Will go out with OH for coffee tomorrow, we are not allowed cake, but our new thing is toasted sourdough bread and marmite at a local cafe.  We are allowed a little bread and sour dough is less sweet hence less carby and also more bubbles so less grammes - a thinly sliced bruschetta with marmite is lush 

doingitanyway

Yum sounds good. I would want it with lots of butter...

mark55man

Yes we can have butter with it as lo carb not low fat.  but quite strict cals so we prob go half what would optimum, and its still good.  Just worked out we can probably keep the handyman busy until March without thinking too hard, but haven't got funds for everything but should make a great start on our plans

savingholmes

Really good to hear all your plans.

mark55man

I think you are thinking the same way as me @savingholmes - namely once the debt (/ex ) has gone plans can be made and executed on their merit, not how it impacts the DFD.  In a sense the pension money was always there (after 30 years was always going to be some) but I just didn't have the confidence or desire to use it, while bashing the debt. 

In my thinking, using future money for past events was not the way I wanted to do it.  In some cases it is a great solution, and I know some readers have done that and its worked, but although I overcomplicate things, for me my working life, and my retirement plans are separate and I don't want to intermeddle them, except for a little period of transition

savingholmes

Having used our home equity as a cash machine in our younger days, I have learned my lesson and become a lot more clued up 

mark55man

So busy day getting ready for the renovations to start tomorrow - ie making the bathroom the cleanest its been in years, the day before it gets ripped to shreds - go figure!.  But its not fair on the handyman to have it covered with day to day bathroom messiness.  Pleased that the handyman is bringing an apprentice - good to help get someone on the ladder.

Found time to go for a coffee (no cake or toast) to discuss Phase 2 if as we suspect we may get an extra week of effort.  So that's a spruce up in the bedroom, laundry area and main kitchen - mostly new doors, although an unsatisfactory pair of cupboards may get ditched in favour of free standing unit and extra storage in the laundry area (think modern larder type arrangement)

Steps are a bit below 5000 but still averaging 4000 so not building up too much of deficit.  Will update my signature when we get to the end of the month and then monthly, that will do.

Weight a bit disappointing - only 1lb off, but it trips me into the next kg bracket so mustn't grumble (or crumble).  The 3rd week is often a plateau on this diet

mark55man

Garden clearance has commenced, my word - how much difference 100% all day focus and 2 strong young backs have made.

In other news I have set up 2 regular savers and two flexible access accounts, to separate out the cash needed for the project from my day to day spending as (know yourself) I am more frugal the closer to £0000 I am. Whilst also trying to make a little in interest (but only £30) so really not worth that much other than it was a decision and 5 minutes form filling 

EssexHebridean

The interest even on Regular Savers is pitiful at the moment isn't it - BUT still better in many cases than you'll get in other "ordinary" savings accounts rather than investments, and with some certainty as well... I've just opened a Flex Regular myself - I just wish they'd let you put in more than £200 a month! Oh well! 

doingitanyway

mark55man said:

Garden clearance has commenced, my word - how much difference 100% all day focus and 2 strong young backs have made.

In other news I have set up 2 regular savers and two flexible access accounts, to separate out the cash needed for the project from my day to day spending as (know yourself) I am more frugal the closer to £0000 I am. Whilst also trying to make a little in interest (but only £30) so really not worth that much other than it was a decision and 5 minutes form filling 

The £30 will buy you a decent bottle of something and as you say it is only 5 minutes form filling.