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

LadyWithAPlan

savingholmes said:

Quad bike sounds my kind of fun - although you have to be careful not to overturn them.

Good luck with the rest...

Indeed thanks - I am being safe. The Quad bike and the horses including the getting them in/out, the eye bathing and putting eye drops in, fly masks/blankets is all going much better than expected.
Horse where he needs eye washing and drops was actually quite chilled as I cleaned him up and his eye looking much better today. He stood calmly, I think my babbling calm nonsense helped.
 
Result

 One horse lost her fly mask overnight so need to search for that later but there is a spare. I will be  cleaning 4 stables this evening - 2 of the horse trash their stables - but then hopefully they will be out then as much cooler  apart from me checking eyes etc
Managed to get fly blanket on pony - she stood for 15 mins whilst I worked out what went where as I was told in 3 mins! 
The funny rope knot thing I decided I would not test so I just looped a rope around the necks.

At least I wont need gym and I am saving money as I dont want to drive far as these animals need watching...

The whole thing did take 2+ hours this morning from walking dogs to the horses etc. 

However the new rescue dog just bit me - he been here 2+ months and she had warned me he did bite but ...
 All the other dogs are fine but I am not impressed. So waiting on neighbour to bring savlon but am salt water washing it hourly.- wondering on a tetanus as been a while but waiting to see how it goes.
Never had a dog bite me in many years of dealing with them, including my parents dog where  I am the only adult who hasn't been bit by him. It's more bruised than anything but has nicked skin slightly  in one place.
He is as planned  now outside in the pen with the largest dog who is dominant but placid (and never bitten me!) so he will be staying out there til evening walks.
 I may consider sticking his cage out there as well at night if he continues to misbehave.

I have some more money coming in today apparently ) yes!! That 125k house deposit goal is my next focus.. but of course I will put the tax amounts away first.

I wasn't planning to not spend anything today  - loads of food here  but I just bought a used once only laser hair removal  zappy thing from a neighbour for £10 - always wanted to try so. It comes out of my toiletries monthly pot though so not busting budget.

TT £1

SusieT

With the dog that bites, it may be worth getting some string from hay or straw that the horses get, and tying about 4ft of it to the collar. That way you do not have to put your hand close to him until you are holding the and of it, and he should not feel threatened. It has worked for me with rescues I have fostered, as they are not normally used to strangers and can get defensive. I know it is not acceptable behaviour, but unlike a dog that is used to being in a house and having people around, these poor dogs have often been illtreated or born in a shelter so do not understand proper family life, and it can take a while for them to adjust. 

Merlin's_Beard

SusieT said:

With the dog that bites, it may be worth getting some string from hay or straw that the horses get, and tying about 4ft of it to the collar. That way you do not have to put your hand close to him until you are holding the and of it, and he should not feel threatened. It has worked for me with rescues I have fostered, as they are not normally used to strangers and can get defensive. I know it is not acceptable behaviour, but unlike a dog that is used to being in a house and having people around, these poor dogs have often been illtreated or born in a shelter so do not understand proper family life, and it can take a while for them to adjust. 

I would second this to keep yourself safe, have seen it used to good effect in terrified rescues! Would check with a doctor re the tetanus and whether you need a booster, but the last I was told was that if you've had 5 you should be covered for life, so...!

LadyWithAPlan

Merlin's_Beard said:

SusieT said:

With the dog that bites, it may be worth getting some string from hay or straw that the horses get, and tying about 4ft of it to the collar. That way you do not have to put your hand close to him until you are holding the and of it, and he should not feel threatened. It has worked for me with rescues I have fostered, as they are not normally used to strangers and can get defensive. I know it is not acceptable behaviour, but unlike a dog that is used to being in a house and having people around, these poor dogs have often been illtreated or born in a shelter so do not understand proper family life, and it can take a while for them to adjust. 

I would second this to keep yourself safe, have seen it used to good effect in terrified rescues! Would check with a doctor re the tetanus and whether you need a booster, but the last I was told was that if you've had 5 you should be covered for life, so...!

Tx both for the advice.  I will try the string. 

The 17 hand horse I had to pry open his eyelids to get the eye cream in twice today  (turns out they have super strong eyelids ) was like a kitten compared to the medium size dog.

All her dogs are rescues but they settled now - this new one is 18 months old and I think got over attached to her in the last 2 months. So now she has disappeared. I am calm about it but obviously now hyper aware  of my movements - she has children as well so best it bit me not the kids! it has reared up at her husband before though growling.
She is horrified as she was worried re the horses as they larger and heavier -though I am used to them -  but she and I never even thought a dog would bite I am used to lots of dogs in packs.

I have manuka honey on it at the moment, washed it a few times in salt water and it seems to be healing where the skin was broken bar a giant bruise appearing.  hopefully I had enough tetanus. I am watching it closely and seems to be ok.

I did get the joy of cleaning up  stables as well but as weather has turned bar them coming in for eye checks/fly masks and extra feeds moving to the paddocks hopefully they can stay out now and I can check on them in the field.

I should be getting extra lean and strong here though - 2 weeks of animal  work to replace the gym!

NSD day apart from that pesky laser thing and yesterday was except for uber eats food I bought my parents to use my voucher.. Hopefully tomorrow will be a NSD finally!!

savingholmes

Sounds scary re bite. Hope things settle.

Great news on the invoices and savings on exciting 

LadyWithAPlan

@savingholmes not scary as much as annoying as the bite is on my left forearm which I use a lot  for dog walking, stable cleaning etc. 

Got another invoice paid early - however  with the same company got a few big ones outstanding that are making me a bit concerned with the restructure.. the joys of being self employed!

Not sure how to deal with tax on this money as new company and not quite cleared the decks on the SEmployment accts so will err on side of caution. It will mostly be going towards house, sipp and tax.

NSD yesterday woohoo - makes it 4/13 August and hopefully can do today as well. Loads food in here and no reason to leave the horde of pets.

I have got a previously profligate friend who over the years I made him do a budget and stop getting cabs to work (He in PR and very AbFab) and  now (drumroll) got him started on NSD's!
Work is difficult for many industries including PR  with people all tightening their belts so he has announced with joy his 2 first ever NSDS Given he is stressed about his income having made a lot of money even over covid  it is good he can be positive about frugality.

I started reading the 2022 Frugal challenge thread - some people living for £4k a year - wow. I have a lot of stuff to learn.

Cooler weather so horses can stay out (yay!)  so gonna try to get horse's eye done in the field rather than bringing the 2 of them in - that could be fun ...

Yesterday annoying Bitey dog got under a fence whilst I was running them in a field that was supposed to be 'safe' Ha! So he spent an hour barking in another field luckily empty of livestock whilst I tried to get to him. He eventually crawled back thru this tiny hole in the fence to me.. I was not impressed. The husband of family member said if I accidentally lost the bitey dog  he would happily forgive me - think he is being hopeful!

Then a neighbour who is supposed to come and help once in the morning to feed 2 horses early as one is old and was nearly put down last week  -he  had put the wrong horses out first so I then had a monster feisty filly wanting to party with her other friends over a fence by the stable entrance instead of going straight  into her correct field. So I then spent half an hour in a small space trying to get her moving. (Lots of leaping on hay bales)
Eventually I got the lead rope round her but it is easier to do the job myself - at least I know which horse goes where and with whom and in what order..so they do generally what they are told.

I am only doing all this due to a family issue with someone suddenly seemingly out the blue going off the rails to do with issues - I am not sure they would have coped tbh anyway  - I am super calm, organised, dont panic and get stuff done and I am exhausted  - they moan constantly anyway and I am not sure their mental health would have taken all the work and stress as when you lose an animal or you are coralling horses being a pain it can be stressful.

So far this morning 2 dogs got out as another one can open doors and I didnt lock one, no harm - lots of room to run here and they came to find me but hopefully that it for the animal crazy today.. But it is only 11am

EDIT: Dog loss 2. Bitey dog managed to push some wood from under a gate in the small fenced off orchard and escape into next field - hotly pursued by another dog. I got them back pretty quickly and was part of the property but given there are 6 horses in various fields dotted around it is a bit stressy as I dont want horses or the annoying dog harmed. Apparently they spent a week closing up holes/gaps in fences  to stop the dog running - I will be sign posting all the new holes he seems to find.
Its a cute hound when he not hassling other dogs or running - I am hoping he settles in quickly as hard to do my actual paid work with having to watch him.

savingholmes

Wow sounds full on.

Glad some of your invoices paid. Irritating/worrying about the others. Hope it all works out.

Love you introducing the PR friend to NSDs. Why do life's practical things take so long to learn?   I got DD to talk through her budget the other day. She's now written one for the two following months. Progress.

LadyWithAPlan

savingholmes said:

Love you introducing the PR friend to NSDs. Why do life's practical things take so long to learn?   I got DD to talk through her budget the other day. She's now written one for the two following months. Progress.

How great for your daughter you are setting her up for life like this.

TT £2 

NSD 5/13 woohoo

Too busy  with animals and a bit of work to move my money over but  house deposit is going up

savingholmes

Glad your house deposit is improving. 

Well done on the NSDs.

I hope my kids take the best of my money habits and skip the worst!

LadyWithAPlan

savingholmes said:

Glad your house deposit is improving. 

Well done on the NSDs.

I hope my kids take the best of my money habits and skip the worst!

 Hopefully they will also have seen your worst and how you overcame them - we all learn by example.

I saw (and now see results) of my parents lack of planning for their retirement in particular my mum who was given very bad advice so thats why I am all over my pension planning. Women often pay less in pension contributions  over their lifetime as they take time out for kids, elderly parents etc and get hurt by this at retirement and if they outlive their husbands as often happens may also lose that additional income. So I am fully focused on being prepared to be solo and retired and having planned.

The future me is very impressed right now by me  I am looking  given how much the past me partied and overspent Its why I havent bought either as being solo for my bills make me wary of taking on too much but I know the flat buying is the next step in the stability of my future proof planning.