Future Proofing my life: Deposit saving then MFW journey in under 13 years

LadyWithAPlan

SandyShores said:

Hope you feel better soon, can you do some early nights?

I could do, I have just been choosing not to! Having said that after writing on where I was at I had a very productive day Tuesday and did a side hustle yesterday eve that went brilliantly and was a joy to do.

I also had spent a lot of time putting together a package and update to my websites and in collating some  reviews/comments/testimonials all of which were absolutely glowing and far better than anything I could have ever written  about myself so I was reminded how great I am at what I do and to keep on keeping on. I hadn't read through them all before so was a lovely pick me up.

Watty1

Reading what others think of one professionally is always, for me, a surprise because people write such nice things!

SandyShores

It also feels great to get into the flow state, its amazing how much you can achieve.  

LadyWithAPlan

Watty1 said:

Reading what others think of one professionally is always, for me, a surprise because people write such nice things!

Indeed and sounds like you doing v well on your course ! More nice reviews

SandyShores said:

It also feels great to get into the flow state, its amazing how much you can achieve.  

Yes but it always takes me a while to click in, then I work focused for days then collapse

I did manage to do a home insanity workout this morning - need to decide if I will pause the ems or start again this weekend..
Got a fair amount done and then popped out. On the way home I went via the Aldi and bought lots of food and no junk go me as if I buy it I will eat it. Did buy various nuts.

£33.09 spent - all groceries  - lots of stock up things and some frozen and fresh green veg, frozen blueberries, guac, olives, a thai green curry spice mix, coconut milk, passata, beans, etc no protein though as trying to eat down freezer to defrost.. and lots in.

Today the YS M^s organic chicken made a great stock, used half for some dal and the other half for tomorrow for either a  beef and bean chilli and maybe a small part for  soup base for the left over chicken, I have leeks and fresh coriander and limes in so can work it both ways. 
Making stock and soup in my pressure cooker is so quick its great.

London weather went up to 17 today and sun is streming through the window again.

LadyWithAPlan

Bed at a decent hour (midnight) and up 8ish, feel very grateful to not have an alarm this week.  Sun streaming through
Woke up though again with swollen tight eyelids and face - not too bad but still  and my body feels inflammed and my stomach quite swollen - so have tried dr again and waiting for a call back on changing over the TST as its the only new thing and that 12 days ago reaction to the cat seems to be lingering. Havent taken any antihistamines for a few days but I did this morning as I need to calm my system down.

I figured I should make some healing soup with lots of garlic, onion, ginger - all with cleansing properties so I gently fried onions, mushrooms then leeks and added part of my organic soup stock. Fresh coriander, lime zest and juice, garlic, ginger paste, a bit of cumin and kashmir chilli - i simmered this then chopped up the rest of the organic chicken - there was loads left I was surprised. So its becoming less a soup and more a 'bowl' like you get in Japan and will last all day.  Sprinkled crushed cashews over it alongside cooked spinach to up the greens,
I may freeze the rest of the  chana dal I made yesterday.

I will use the rest of the stock for a beef pork chilli tomorrow, its a large YS mix portion frozen so I may also make some meatballs. I want to ensure v clean eating for the next couple days.Meat is on the opposite end of the yin yang spectrum of drugs (as is sugar!) so I am hoping it will help balance me re the new hormones and now the anti-histamines. I am avoiding sugar this week though til it all calms down.

Want to get some things over the line today and I am on someone elses podcast, I am hoping it may encourage me to pick mine back up.

Suffolk_lass

We've got hayfever here is Suffolk. My DH has resumed the antihistamines. I take them all year round because of the cat and my moulds and funghi issues. I was wondering if the tree pollens in London, mixed with the cat reaction, might be perpetuating your body's reaction. The other thing that occurs is the inter-reaction of things we put into our bodies.

The homeopath I saw years ago recommended 3 months of a tough exclusion diet  to calm everything down, then a gradual reintroduction of one thing at a time. - No yeasts, ie nothing fermented including sauces and marinades, no caffeine, no sugar, no dairy. It was meant to be for three months but everything cleared really quickly, so I was able to reintroduce the first thing after 6 weeks, and then fortnightly thereafter.  It stopped the inter-reaction of the food groups for me. Very similar but different to the Michael Mosley 8 week low blood sugar diet in many respects. Retraining the palate and calming the digestive system. Obviously this isn't a recommendation, just my personal experience

LadyWithAPlan

tx @Suffolk_lass funghi and moulds, that must be v difficult. Maybe the mix is the issue, I am used to living in London pollution and building works going on constantly around me and the dust. However I think once one is triggered everything kicks off.

 I keep meaning to do the FODMAP  plan but my sister did and she is now knows she is not able to eat onions garlic etc, all things that make life worth living.. so i have done a mini version. 
 Dairy can kick me off and there was some very wonderful sharp melted cheese over some grilled veg on Tues.
I only have DF milk in house etc. I do eat v clean, cook from scratch unless its a YS GF meal.  rarely eat out.
I am v strict GF and keep fish  to a minimum - maybe once every 2 weeks and shellfish I never eat bar oysters once a year with champagne.
However I may as you say need a reset - so avoiding dairy now and have not also bought any more DF milk or cream in case thats making it worse.

I was a veggie for 5 years and it really made me feel awful, I wasnt healthy despite cooking loads from scratch, I think the allergies were kicking in. I am grateful I can eat meat without an issue much as I dont like idea of it.

I took the 'great for pet allergy'  antihist yesterday afternoon and had forgotten re the drowsy instructions, so found myself in bed at 3pm exhausted wondering why i was so tired! Did manage to appear on the podcast ok, my face still looks wider.

I am using my led face mask daily this week at present to help the swelling  and I can really tell the difference my skin looks wonderfully clear, my skin has this 'glassy' look to it, bright, clear etc skin looks great and some of the allergic reaction spots all disappeared.
Its the eyes/eyelids that are swollen - really using minimum creams even though I know they are safe.
The Mega Mushroom Facial Tonic is helping as well.


Got 2 big lots of projects deadlines to get over the line today, so will pop back and celebrate when I get them over the line.
I am still waiting on the tender results for the bid we did last week, had a couple clarification questions, so we must still be in running.

Currently have a beef pork chilli thing in the Pressure cooker, added mushrooms, onions, garlic, red peppers, kidney beans, I had some excess fajita seasoning I have thrown in as trying to keep this declutter going and using up lots of spices. Used the last lot of the organic chicken stock and the dregs of a red wine bottle. 

debtfreewannabe321

Really feel a thousand years older than 3 years ago - due to the Menopause kicking in -

I feel the same way and can totally relate. It really gets you down. 

Years ago I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia i said no way, you haven't a clue what's wrong with me and just labelled me that as an end point to the tests. I came away and cut out meat, dairy, gluten, sugar, sweetners alcohol, and UPF. It didn't leave a lot to eat 😆😉 but it made me rethink a lot, I ate clean for two months and then reintroduced bits and waited for reactions. I now don't eat sweetners- ever! And I gave up dairy at that point and red meat because of reactions. So cutting bits out and essentially detoxifying your body will help with allergies and anything else (it helps with my hot flushes and low mood to cut out sugar and UPF) it could be worth a try. 

Good luck with those project deadlines! 👏🏼

LadyWithAPlan

@debtfreewannabe321 sorry to hear you been through all that. My DS  (sister) did the fodmap and now hardly eats anything.. I am avoiding doing it but it may have to happen. I am super strict on GF, i do end up eating small amounts of dairy when out, so that I have completely cut out this week as i dont have it in the home.

The chilli i made yesterday was lovely and i also made my GF DF oat protein blueberry bar however I then got  super  bloated so I probably do need to look at what kicked me off. The oats, the vegan protein shake  or the beans are most likely culprits. I am cutting out all DF milk inc soy for the next few weeks as well  as no dairy to see if that changes anything. I am hardly drinking, maybe a few glasses red wine each week. 

Allergy calming down here now, face better today but am super exhausted - my drs appt clashes with work though in 10 days so need to change that and get the female tst prescribed - still yet to find the cheapest place online  to order  though.

Got my 2 projects over the line - go me, they are side hustle ones so noone external really to push in the same way.
I did update my websites this week. I worked til gone 8pm last night,
I was exhausted and in bed just after 10pm and slept til 8am! Done some Buddhist study class this morning and about to train

Planning this weekend - insanity training both days, got some prep for my week ahead reminding myself of what needs to be said/done. 
I plan also to do MB and start my podcasting again
Seeing a friend tomorrow for lunch and pushing forward an idea we have ...I have built a short website this week very quickly and it reminded me to look at my programme that has not moved forward. 

Pensions
I had to talk my friend through the state pension pick up years thing as he had read Martin Lewis but not quite got it.
He was relieved to find he will have 34 of the 35 years by his 67th so he may look at buying the missing year but still given he has never looked at it, the fact he has 34 years paid in is a win.  It pushes me to sort my programme out as it does cover some of this stuff.

It made me look at mine,  my Sipps have picked up since the huge fall but still down a few ££££ from Jan.
At present my StatePension and my small DB pension will bring in just over £17k pa once I hit 67. I actually get the DB from 60 but will put that off due to taxes so I will get more.
My current Sipps are at £62k so at 4% drawdown thats an additional £2.5k pa so £20k pa. (I appreciate I am not taking in inflation or me adding further to my sipps and mkt growth or indeed inflation linked increases)

£20k pa sounds ok but I have not sorted out my housing as in if I rent then thats not enough. I do however have my house deposit separately £120k ish (and more due on invoices) so thats an extra £4.8k pa (4% on £120k)  if i never bought (again excluding interest and mkt movements) So £25k pa if i dont buy, still not enough. However at least its not terrible and i am healthy and can really use these next years to buckle down and get the savings/house stuff sorted.

No movement on flat so it feels like this could take a year which I will use to save. I cant buy til it gets sorted anyway unless I leave now which I am not ready to do, I have commited to the cause so.

Need to really chase monies so can get cash into my pension before tax year end. Luckily I live a frugal life. and not planning a big spend this weekend.  I do need a food and home essentials shop. 

Happy Saturday all, my plants need watering and a decent shower (the plants not me!)

dawnybabes

Don’t forget that rate of drawdown is if you don’t want to touch the capital - you’ve no dependents (I think ??) so could use some of it too. My sister and her DH intend living off a mix of interest and capital - they plan to use the majority before they are 80 as they don't anticipate holiday / spending to be as much post 80 !