A new chapter, An empty nest, Drama school & Last year of Uni

Spendless

Thank you everyone. It's January 2026 and the first Friday of the New Year. I have moved money into my alternative universe account. £5 into extra rent (now at £75)  £5 split between lost  (now at £43) and stolen (now at £42) and in addition a new pot started as Friday fivers from the blow challenge (I'll add the link in later). I'm hoping that this money can just be for me to spend as I see fit, but will see where I'm at at the end of the year.

ETA link to Friday fiver challenge.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6647674/fiver-friday-challenge-2026#latest 

 
As things became tighter financially for the last couple of weeks of December, I've decided to pre empt that happening this year (I did take my eye off the ball with the events of what started happening from late Oct). So, I've made use of the sales to buy 'padding' presents for the family, things that I know will come in useful (toiletries biased). I have a very small gift list nowadays, 3 parents, 2 adult children, 1 spouse (plus myself), so there;s not a huge amount to plan for. 

Our oven broke on boxing day so that needs replacing. Our bedroom needs completing, we bought a light shade in Next  for £17 in the sale, it had previously been £48,  really pleased with the cost, it was less then the B&M one I'd previously seen and was going to buy. 

What does Jan bring us. Sadly it starts with Nan's funeral next week. That is followed by my Mum's bday and then DD's return to drama school, where she has the lead part in her next play.After that me and DH fly to the USA for the voluntary role he does which ends later this year so this is the last mini-break we go on via them.

For the rest of the year well my car needs replacing. I've realised it is difficult to manage without one. I do have the money for one already saved from an inheritance I received a couple of years ago and always ring fenced for replacing my car. DD will graduate. Me and DH have a special hol booked towards the end of the year with friends that we are saving for. 

Financially we have been sent a form and submitted it to claim  the cost of DD's flight back. That came as a bit of a surprise. We had so many 'not considered that' moments of her time spent studying abroad that cost us, it's nice to see something will get refunded - fingers crossed. DH still is owed an overpayment back from the taxman from when his tax code was incorrect. I've asked him to chase it up. He *might* receive a bonus at the end of this month but that's never guaranteed. 

I'm really, really  pleased that my parents have booked a hol too, a med cruise. Last year the hol for Mum's 80th was cancelled because Nan came out of hospital that day with no one to support her (with hindsight and thanks to people commenting on here I now know this would have been an unsafe discharge and parents should have stuck to their guns that they were away, not cancelled their hol). Parents lost their money cos their insurance didn't cover this scenario. I'm also seeing positive signs that with them booking it for Autumn they foresee that Nan's house will be sold and dealt with by then (they already own it so no probate is required).  

Humdinger1

And hast though slain the Jabberwock? Congratulations! 2026 will be a much better year.  Love Humdinger xx 

Spendless

Humdinger1 said:

And hast though slain the Jabberwock? Congratulations! 2026 will be a much better year.  Love Humdinger xx 

Yup - thank you. I forgot to use that line when I said it was gone! I find doing things this way hugely psychologically freeing. Costs that we shoud never have had that live rent free in my head get banished. So glad I found an old  spreadsheet that itemised it all and could work thru it bit by bit. 

Spendless

Tuesday and London rent paid. Logging on to my bank account and I see the healthcare plan has paid out. Id totally forgotten about it. I thought I hadnt a penny of my own wages left until next pay day, so it was a pleasant surprise.

Tree and trimmings came down over past 2 days. Whilst I worked at the weekend,  Mr S helped my parents make a start on clearing Nan's house. She lived there for over 70 years so a lot of accumulation of stuff, much of which has now been given to charity/recycled/taken to the tip.  Mr S is also going to help Dad sort out Nan's insurance policies as Dad gets bewildered by paperwork. 

This week it is the funeral, my Mum's bday and DD returns to drama school, so a lot to fill in especially since I am also working part of the weekend and we go away next week - eeek. 

Having gone thru Nan's will and wishes, parents didnt find anything specific so have said there's no dress code for the funeral. Everyone has been able to pull themselves something suitable  out of their wardrobe except me and DD. I work in a clothes shop, so found something suitable in the sale that I was also allowed to use staff discount on. DD's outfit has been ordered online. We will both have warm coats over our dresses as this is a burial.

Me and DD are possibly going to a large shopping centre today to pick up items needed for her return to London, but it depends on the dog. He has fleas and though we treated him as soon as we realised, hes got several bites and was feeling very sorry for himself, so unsure if we'll leave him to go out. 

Spendless

Dog went to Vets - £97 lighter! He had an injection to kill.off any lingering fees and some treatment to stop the itching cos he has got some bad sores from them.  Couldnt go to shopping centre due to time of Vets appt. Might try today after I finish work. 

Mum cut and coloured my hair yesterday - shes a hairdresser so that was  a freebie. 

Spendless

Last couple of days have been a bit spendy mostly buying DD items she needed for her return to Uni. Most was able to be bought in the sales though, it would have been really expensive if buying full price. I also bought myself a couple of bags/cases in order to reorganise my items both for at work and at home. All bought in the sales, 1 by the time various discounts had been applied cost me less than a greggs sausage roll does-lol. 

Treated DD to getting her nails done at a place that's just opened and the amount of free stuff she got, a coke (branded) whilst she was having them done - a hot drink for me when I turned up to collect her, 10% student discount, a free mini hand cream and cutical oil when she left (gutted she wanted to keep these herself -lol) and a £5 off spend for next time she comes in. It was also loads cheaper than where she used to go.

Then we called at my parents where DH sorted out Nan's life insurance policies. Best thing I learnt in a previous job that permission can be given for someone else speak on your behalf, cos sorting this kind of thing is child's play to Mr S whilst it stresses Dad out who has never had a 'paperwork' job. Parents had found 3 policies totalling around £1200. Insurance co said 'No, there's 4' - the value of which turned out to  be over £5k. This pays for the funeral expenses (except headstone). Another pleasant surprise. 

As today is Friday the fivers have all been sent over to my savings account. Extra rent now has £80 in. Lost and stolen  have £45 each and my own savings are now at a tenner. 

Spendless

Reflecting back on this past week, in which it was Nan's funeral. Our area escaped the snow thankfully since this was a burial and I had no idea what happened otherwise. It did mean 2-3 relatives were unable to attend due to the weather where they live,  another got there by managing to get the last train out of their area the previous afternoon. Around 40 attended crossing 4 generations, from Nan's only remaining sibling, to Dad and his cousins, then Nan's Great Neices/Nephews,  Grandchildren and then 3 Great Grandchildren. 

The following day was Mum's bday and 6 of us went for a pub lunch. DH then took DD back to her student digs. I was unable to go with them due to my work shifts. 

This coming week, well me and DH are travelling to the US again. A southern state which I thought meant 'sunbathing weather' and was a bit put out on discovering that the current temperatures are more 'pleasant spring day' still warmer than it is here!

This is the last 'mini break' we will do with this organisation as DH's time with them is coming to a close. 6 months from now we will be looking at a 'new normal' with the American Adventure over and DD having finished her degree. 
 

Honeysucklelou2

Enjoy your time away…amazing to think your DD will have finished her course soon.

Spendless

I know HSL. The long slog she had to get into a degree at  drama school and now its almost over. 

It's looking like we can't claim DD's flight back. I suspect it's means tested. Why not just say that on the email about it in the first place! Hey ho. 

Still waiting for HMRC to refund DH's overpaid tax due to wrong code. He rang them on 2nd Jan got told 'someone will be in touch Mon' (as in last week) - still waiting.

Tuesday and DD's rent paid. I have under £30 left in my account for personal spends but  I got paid early last month  and  since we go away this week and will have minimal costs whilst away its all manageble. 

Spendless

Logging in from the cold US state we are now in. It's not even 'pleasant spring weather'. That was last week  its now plummeted to match England. Unsure if Ive got enough relevant clothes with me that are both a, warm and b, meet the evening meal dress codes that were only sent thru the night before we boarded the plane, when we were already at the hotel near the airport, many miles from home. Kicking myself for dismissing a couple of items from my wardrobe thinking they'd be too warm. Glad I fetched my coat! Going to walmart later so hoping to find thick tights as reckon I could probably manage then. 

Bfast at the airport cost nearly £50! It was nice enough but the menu didnt explain the quantities of each item. Mushrooms were missed off my meal and I was given an extra hash brown. I prefer mushrooms, luckily Mr S gave me his. We eat at the airport to 'pass some time' but maybe I need to rethink what I order.

Shops though did have some discounts on items left from Xmas, so bought a couple of items. After that we ate and drank on the plane till last night when we decided to go out for a snack and drink, left the hotel and found a bar doing a 'recession buster' a toasted sandwich, bag of crisps, a moonpie (similar to a wagon wheel but softer and smaller) and a can of lager cost $6. Another round of the same lager was $2.50 each. Grateful for the low prices last night cos a ham n cheese croissant plus coffee each to fetch back to our room this morning has cost $28! From tonight DH is covered on corporate expenses for meals. I am for at least the evenings and since we have a fridge in our suite will stock up on some items for me at Walmart.

Interest has been paid into my everyday savings accounts, only a few £s but have put it into my current account - cos think its going to be needed - lol.