Beating Lifestyle Inflation and Staying Mortgage Free!

earthgirl2

Thanks so much - yes - now I realise I want FIRE, in 8 or 9 years  I'll check that out South Coast.
EH - I am also just peeking out from having my hand in the sand. I might still put my head back in!

I am not sure about Tilly - I have an idea but I'm not certain. Apple do you know?

I spend £100 on their clubs per month, and also have a £25 per week fun budget. This is for things like swimming, cinema etc. But I can slash this - chose free things to do, make sure we have drinks with us etc - I used to be a lot better at this! I will look at the cinema deals too.

I took the kids to 1 week of intensive lessons then I taught the kids to swim and I always feel a bit guilty and try to take them to the pool when I can. They are pretty good confident swimmers though. I will try and teach DS2 a couple more things this year as he is less confident, but I'll try and do it where we already have access to a pool.
 
I have cancelled my union membership and got one cheaper - saving £60.
I have worked out the packaged bank account is worth it.
I've made up 3 weeks worth of menus with much less meat and tried to pick sensible things that are not extortionate.
I'm still thinking about reducing my weekly driving.

apple_muncher

I think Tilly got FIRE. I also think they moved house. They do pop on occasionally. As does Gallygirl. Who I think is out in Spain. 😎

Karmacat

apple_muncher said:

I think Tilly got FIRE. I also think they moved house. They do pop on occasionally. As does Gallygirl. Who I think is out in Spain. 😎

I think you're right, apple, about Gallygirl too.

badmemory

Didn't Tilly go to Portugal?

earthgirl2

Ooo sounds lovely! I have still not abandonned the idea of moving to Spain a month or two every year, I'm frantically refreshing my spanish!

Karmacat

badmemory said:

Didn't Tilly go to Portugal?

Yes!  Maybe the new house was one she was renovating in Portugal?

earthgirl2

So I've had a great week. Ed has been helping me loads over on the Fireside chats thread. I think I'm getting more organised for semi- retirement or early retirement aged 50-55. 

So it's been so good for me to realise that my pennies still count and by not wasting them I'm going to make my life, and others, more enjoyable in the future. I'm not talking about working 65 hours a week again, but more just not wasting money. Moving money to savings for a goal in the future, instead of squandering it. 

Anyway, some of my wins this week-
I got a free share on Freetrade (anyone wants a free referral code with a free share can pm me- I think it's allowed?)
I picked up two reasonable 0lio bags

I have emptied the fridge in the garage, and going to do the freezer today and switch it off! It has taken me ages as I don't like to waste anything! 

Grocery shopping was £45 this week. 

I have a new tutoring client
i have a potential lodger viewing next weekend. 

savingholmes

Well done on all the steps you've put in place to lower costs. Congrats on the new client. Good luck with the lodger.

edinburgher

@earthgirl2 - Freetrade is definitely legit and we would use your referral if we hadn't both already signed up. We didn't do that well with our freebies, something like £10 total value between us, but it was at least free

Let me know if you come up with any other "sign up" type bonuses for straightforward apps, we can work out some sort of virtuous MFW referral circle. I've mentioned another one on my diary, there have to be more out there. My criteria these days is very vanilla (no risk or not interested). Still annoyed that my M-I-L never completed her TCB signup back in the day, that was £45 easy pounds down the drain!

Is 0lio the one where people set themselves up as mini "hubs" and get on date/near date stuff from supermarkets?

themadvix

In answer to your last question Ed, yes that’s Olio, although you can also list and share personal food/non-food items too. If there’s a Tesco near you it’s definitely worth taking a look.