Learning to walk before I run

elantan

Mr El intends in cashing in his DB pension in a few years, its right for him but I fully understand it's not for everyone. 

Suffolk_lass

I'm definitely not suggesting cashing in on DB pensions. Unless someone has a known limited life expectancy it is rarely the right thing to do. I was merely pointing out that if a pension is frozen when another job is taken, it accrues increased value through indexation, so Having a small nest egg in a DB can pay dividends when it is time to take it. My friend had 20 years in education, then worked for 20 years, then lived off his savings for the second 20 years of his "working life". When he drew his occupational pension he said the indexation had the same effect as if he had continued to stay on the same salary for that 20 years.

edinburgher

I don't plan on cashing in any DB pensions, I'd need to find an IFA daft enough to sign off on it even if I wanted to and that of itself would cost ££££.

This has been a very difficult week. Work has been emotionally and mentally draining, although I have managed to tidy up a lot of loose ends. I continue to get a degree of bellendery from my boss, who seems to treat every request for leave (or to purchase leave) as a personal affront because of the fact that I have a flexible working arrangement in place. It's disheartening, because they also have a flexible working arrangement and policies are exactly that, grey corporate documents to be discharged consistently, not for them to add their own spin to

Goodwill between us and the inlaws has also just about run out and Mrs E and I find ourselves sitting around most evenings moaning about their idiosyncracies. They were cute to begin with, but now we just want out. While they are very generous in the big picture sense, they are incredibly tight about other things that seem laughable to us (like complaining when I have to wash laundry). We transferred them £££ for our keep and have offered more but it seems that they'd rather moan than accept the remedy to the moan and then stop moaning There is also no need for the moan, they have been mortgage free for c. 15 years and retired for 5+ with about 6 different pensions and inheritences between them. Folk, eh?

I have been eating far too much and drinking too much alcohol as a consequence. I'm looking forward to getting home (hopefully within the next fortnight) so that our lovely little routines can return. You genuinely don't know what you've got until it is (temporarily) gone.

The builders are still a way off finishing the attic, but they have now added the windows, doubled the floor joists, framed it out with timber, added the first fit electrics and plumbing, added a boatload of insulation, added a tongue and groove floor and largely finished boarding it out with plasterboard. Still to go is a wee bit of plasterboard, actual plastering, second fit electrics, plumbing and joinery (skirtings, cupboard doors for the eaves storage etc.) They also need to fit all the bamboo flooring, replace skirtings and fire doors elsewhere in the house and sort out our cracked ceilings. It's all a bit much Actually, add getting a smoke alarm fitter to navigate the slightly tricky Scottish legislation about such things and professional cleaners out for a post builder deep clean... Is it mental that I'm already planning on asking them to come back out to do the next round of home improvements next summer?!

Bought some lottery tickets today, £12 paid into my SIPP (£15 after tax relief). SIPP is back to ATH (well, about £3,000 short of ATH because I switched out of 100% equities into a target retirement fund and destroyed the £3,000 because of a market dip while doing so). For argument's sake we'll call it ATH, Vanguard is now in the green/black

*Edit: we are squeezing our fixed costs at the moment. Mrs E and I are both switching to a ridiculous 1p/month for 6 months SIM contract and I cancelled V1rgin this morning after our broadband only deal went up to a frankly batshit £47+/month. Target price is £15-18/month for 67Mb broadband, I'll see if V1rgin return to the dance   I have also cancelled D1sney and Pr1me, although I suspect we'll go back to the latter once we return home.

Cheery_Daff

Urgh, big virtual hugs from me. I know how stressful building work can be, and that's without inlaws and kids to contend with 🙄 Hope everything is over and done with quickly and you can return to your shiny new home. In the meantime, eat and drink whatever makes you feel better, I say 😁

South_coast

Yeah, then the in-laws can moan about what a drinker you are as well - might distract them from the washing machine 🤣!

Well done on the 1p/month phone contract! Ridiculous is right 😮!

killerpeaty

How did you manage to get a 1p a month contract?

I know it would cost money, but would it be worth doing your laundry at a launderette? It's only for a short time now.

edinburgher

killerpeaty said:

How did you manage to get a 1p a month contract?

I know it would cost money, but would it be worth doing your laundry at a launderette? It's only for a short time now.

@killerpeaty - look for Leb@ra on H0tUKDeels (Vodafone network)

Suffolk_lass

Did you see Martin's advice about postponing the impact of Prime price increase next month? I think it was along the lines of cancel, make sure they change a setting, then resume with a one-off payment for the next year at the today rate (if you don't change whatever the setting is that I cannot recall, it will resume rather than starting a new deal).

And yes. MiL stayed with us when she first moved back to the East from the West Country after FiL died, and while her new place was being done up. Years ago now. She took sides (his, naturally) and we rowed (he and I) and when we separated a few years later, she told everyone how awful I had been. Then we got back together and she went very quiet. Anyway, she is dead now.

edinburgher

@Suffolk_lass - as our annual subscription ran out roughly a fortnight ago it's just a case of taking out a new one - no cleverness required. I'll hold off until the last minute, we can use in-law's if we desperately need anything before we move home and do them a transfer.

Mhhh... I have been out to the house today and was struck by how the new attic bedroom isn't quite as big as I'd expected I'm sure it's largely psychological, but the combination of the stress, worry and financial impact of converting the space had made me picture it as a cavernous space that I'd need to traverse over several days with a team of dogs!

It's still a very decently sized bedroom (you could get a super kingsize bed up there no problems) with a permanent staircase, up to code etc. and there is great storage in the eaves (two cupboards, approximately 6m x 1m each). I don't think I'd allowed for the fact that the eaves slope - ok if you're a child or a teenager - but a little ducking is involved for a grown man as you move away from the middle of the room.

The really weird thing? Our next door neighbour's house is the same size as ours (actually, might be about 2' less wide) - they have 2 bedrooms up there and 6'+ sons - they must have really struggled!

Took DD1 swimming today, very much looking forward to the temperature dropping this week

I have been doing some budget virements today (moving money away from the over budgeted attic budget towards things like our nascent EF).

L9XSS

Hopefully won’t be long till your back home and it will be well worth it. I’m with you on the EF, mine is dire, I’d like to get to 4K before the end of the year.......I’m not sure my boiler will hold out, though Scottish Gas are planned in to do it’s yearly service shortly.