Champagne Lifestyle on a Lemonade Budget - 2021

Wednesday2000

mrs_slapshot said:

My best champagne moment was looking at my pension funds and working out that I could finish work in about 2.5 years and have enough to pay off what will be left on the mortgage and enough left over to also cover my (basic) living expenses! It's sooner than I thought but now I want it to be even sooner....I've done a lot of youtube watching and podcast listening (especially while painting!) on financial independence and it has really fired me up again (no pun intended!!).

That sounds like a good plan. I was reading through the pension threads on here the other day. There is one called The Number and people say how much they want to/ are planning to live on for retirement years.

I can't remember if I said on here but we are now thinking about moving house to the sea, getting a mortgage (after paying our last one off early) and my husband staying longer at work. 

Siebrie

We're looking forward to it; we did a trip to 'France' last year, and it was great fun!

helensbiggestfan

Buen Viaje. Siebre.   

RIP Philip.   A life well lived.  

helensbiggestfan

Feeling a bit unsettled today.  Waiting in for the mechanic to sort my car out, so don't feel I can really start anything, so I've got that not quite sure what to do with myself vibe. Too cold for gardening.  

I also feel like I'm in no man's land at the moment......waiting to take the first faltering steps out of lockdown next week.   Life has been "on hold" for so long.   

I'm starting with a few treatments next week, hair cut, chiropodist, dermatologist.  Hopefully a mooch round a couple of chazzers.  

Mechanic just  rang - hes on his way.  🤞 he can sort it and it's nothing nasty.   

Wednesday2000

I'm feeling unsettled too today LL. Part of me feels nervous to go out again and wants to stay at home (!) and part of me feels very impatient to start doing all the things I want to do with my life. I feel overwhelmed about all the tasks I have to do this year.

At least it is nice and sunny weather. I really hate the darker days and cold weather.

helensbiggestfan

It's almost like we have become bit institutionalised isn't it.   Desperate to go out, but slightly apprehensive now that the time is almost here.  I'm sure we will be ok. Just need to put our big girl pants on.  😂

helensbiggestfan

Champagne moment.  Mechanics diagnosis, nothing nasty, my little motor car just needs a new battery.  Phew. What a relief.  Going on holiday a week on Saturday so was a bit concerned about getting it sorted in time.  

Apparently there's plenty of life left in the old girl yet.....bit like her owner - we just keep chugging along. 😂🤣

phoebe1989seb

Fantastic savings, sugarbaby 😄

Siebrie, loving the sound of a *trip* to Spain.....hope you all enjoy it 😉

Great news about your car, LL....not long till your cottage break, so obviously a relief it was nothing major!

I'm another one feeling *unsettled* today. Although I've been moaning like mad about not being able to get out and do stuff, now that it's on the verge of happening I'm less than enthusiastic, to the extent that I announced I'm perfectly happy buying stuff on fleabay and have no desire to visit Homesense when they reopen 😮

Tbh, DH has always said I'm borderline agoraphobic - and despite the current situation I wouldn't put it down to fear of covid - as I've often had to be dragged out to socialise over the years, lol!

I'll be fine when the time comes, I'm just not a fan of crowded places at the best of times....in fact the Duke of Edinburgh's death (RIP, Philip) reminded me of 1977 (the Queen's silver jubilee) when I was ten.

The Queen was doing a walkabout in Portsmouth, not far from where we lived and my mother and I got there early to guarantee a place at the front. By the time we'd been waiting several hours - and now had a huge crowd behind us - I panicked/felt faint and had to leave, be taken into a nearby shop to sit down/have a glass of water. I did recover ok and the crowd were lovely, letting us back through to the front so we didn't miss Her Maj 😉

I've never liked parties - even as a very small child when I hated knowing people could see me eating (in fact looking back I definitely had eating issues from the age of five through to my late teens) - and usually feel slightly uneasy in theatres/cinemas/restaurants etc too although this has decreased a little over the years. 

Blimey, I sound a right barrel of laughs, lol!!!

helensbiggestfan

Good Mornjng my lovely friends. 

Gosh I didn't expect others to admit to feeling unsettled and slightly apprehensive about getting out and about again.  I thought it was just me being weird.  But, when you think about we've had over a year of restrictions, so yes I suppose it's hardly surprising we feel a bit strange.   

Speaking to my car mechanic we discussed it (as you do) and we both agreed the world is going to be a very different place, that the pandemic has been a game changer, up there with 9/11.  Hey ho.  I'm sure we will rise to the challenge. We humans are an adaptable species.  😁

Phoebe I class myself as an extroverted introvert - I know - a bit of an oxymoron there.  I like going out and having a good time but basically I'm very much a home bird.  I prefer fairly small intimate gatherings. I am ok with theatre, concerts etc but I loathe large shopping malls and sometimes even large shops.  We have a huge Asda/Walmart.  Sometimes I'm ok but sometimes I can feel quite uncomfortable, even If they aren't particularly crowded. I think it's the lighting in these places.  I can end up feeling quite dizzy and lightheaded, even ending up with a migraine.  As for airports😱😂. 

Apparently humans can be divided into dandelions and orchids. Just like dandelions can grow through concrete, dandelion people can thrive just about anywhere, whereas "orchid people"  need a bit more TLC and gentler environments.   Just as in nature I think there is room for both.  In a relationship the one can complement the other.  I think this is where the "soulmate" bit comes in to play.  

Thinking about Prince Phillip and the Queen, Phillip was a classic dandelion, the queen an orchid, together they made a hugely successful couple.  Same with my husband and I, he was the dandelion, the go getter, the extroverted party animal whilst I was always the quiet one, the orchid. But again we worked really well as a couple, we each bought our specialities to the table and we were very happy.  From him I learned to be more spontaneous and less cautious, he benefitted from my intuition and insights.   

But Phoebe here's the thing, you should never apologise for being introverted and you should not allow yourself to feel you are in some way "less" because you are essentially a home bird. 

In a modern world of thrusting go getters who grab all the attention by trumpeting their achievements, and parading their success , the Introverts are often given a bad press. They are made to feel "less". They are often labelled as shy, difficult or awkward, especially as children. I think that can be very damaging and can set up issues of low self esteem and lack of confidence that can carry through into adulthood, when all that is required is that the introvert has an environment which can gently encourage them to blossom.  It was only when I met my husband that I found such an environment and that I truly began to thrive.  

The thing to remember is that introverts need peace, quiet and boundaries. I have learned to operate a "red velvet rope policy" and ensuring I get the rest and the quiet time I need to flourish.  

If you want to delve a bit there  is a wonderful book called "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Cant Stop Talking" by Susan Cain.  I can thoroughly recommend it.  

candygirl

I'm another one feeling a bit edgy,  about going out again .Lockdown has made my anxiety a million times worse , and I'm in my own little cocoon at the moment 🙃 
I also can't cope with crowds,  as I'm quite claustrophobic .
I always used to be quite an extrovert, but have always needed my own space,  but now I'm a virtual hermit 🤣🤣.
Such sad news about Prince Philip,  He always made me laugh .The best one was when he called Philip Schofield an idiot, when He was interviewing him .A spot on observation imo 🤣