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.