Prosperous soul embraces creativity & mortgage neutrality

Blackcats

Lovely photos.  It seems like your time away in such a beautiful place is giving your practical brain and your emotions time to percolate.  Thinking space and time is doing you good.

Early retirement or part time working sounds like a real possibility especially if you consider your amazing debt busting achievement.  

savingholmes

MovingForwards said:

Savour the views, let your brain recharge and don't feel like creativity has to flow at this moment, it will return when things are more settled.

I'm sure you're right. When I did pretty much nothing yesterday I 'heard' myself consciously saying 'stop pushing so hard, rest is worthwhile too.'

EssexHebridean

Is electricity included in the costs you’re paid for the place? If so, then on the storage heaters, and assuming they are older style ones, turn the ‘input’ dial round as far as it will go (usually clockwise) and the output to as far the other way as it will go (anti-clockwise) - that should give you the maximum amount of charge, and the slowest amount of heat release. Older SH’s “leak” heat overnight so you usually find the place is warm enough in the morning, but if the output is anywhere other than fully closed you’ll run out of heat during the day. Having said that it is a very bizarre setup if there is no other form of heating as well as it’s well known that older SH’s often need a top up source. The other option is that there may be a “boost” setting on at least the main heater - not always obvious either - the one in the lighthouse the other week had it on the wall next to the heater! 

Other than the heating issue it sounds like you’re having an amazing time! 

savingholmes

Blackcats said:

Lovely photos.  It seems like your time away in such a beautiful place is giving your practical brain and your emotions time to percolate.  Thinking space and time is doing you good.

Thanks Blackcats. When emotions / thoughts are uncomfortable it is easier to keep repressing them - but better out than in.

Blackcats said:

Early retirement or part time working sounds like a real possibility especially if you consider your amazing debt busting achievement.  

I think you're right. I keep mentally caveating my debt busting achievement with - I had help - but I need to stop doing that. I did have help but it didn't even equal my divorce fees never mind my other 'lumpy' costs of the last few months:

c£1K from my savings towards buying out Ex
New mattress - I think that was £550
Christmas & DS birthday c£200
New tyres - around £200 within a month or so of divorce
Cam belt £510
Service (mostly pre-paid c £260) and MOT c£50
Brake fluid change and rear disc brakes and pads £210 (within 5 months of divorce)
£400 set aside for PE (no bill yet)
£180 for roof repair
£35 for oven repair (hopefully Friday)
£100 for musical tickets for 2
This cottage £350
Future HP trip for 2 £120 and 1 overnight stay for me around £50 I think

I think that comes to £4205. In November I was at around £1479 in debt - so with that cleared that's equivalent to around £5684 
And I've paid the equivalent of £312 gross into pension - and have another £50 waiting to go in. Brings me close to £6K before the around £3.2K I knocked off the mortgage. Maintaining an EF of over £2K.

I have a lot to celebrate and be thankful for. Hopefully that's my major car bills done for a while but who knows. It's not due a major service for a couple of years.

I've read some more of the pensions board tonight - and I'm finally starting to see why they don't like DB trfrs. Unless I create a huge AVC pot with as yet unknown £ - I still think it would be my easiest route to early retirement. But as you say @Blackcats an alternative could be working part time at a later date - providing I downsized.

misslolu

Hi SH i just finished reading your diaries (yes, from the beginning) you've come so far and done so well for yourself! Wishing you the best of luck going forward. I'm sure whatever you decide re pensions will be right for you.

jwil

Hope the break is giving you a chance to recharge.  Lovely photos!

SandyShores

savingholmes said:

c£1K from my savings towards buying out Ex
New mattress - I think that was £550
Christmas & DS birthday c£200
New tyres - around £200 within a month or so of divorce
Cam belt £510
Service (mostly pre-paid c £260) and MOT c£50
Brake fluid change and rear disc brakes and pads £210 (within 5 months of divorce)
£400 set aside for PE (no bill yet)
£180 for roof repair
£35 for oven repair (hopefully Friday)
£100 for musical tickets for 2
This cottage £350
Future HP trip for 2 £120 and 1 overnight stay for me around £50 I think

I think that comes to £4205. In November I was at around £1479 in debt - so with that cleared that's equivalent to around £5684 
And I've paid the equivalent of £312 gross into pension - and have another £50 waiting to go in. Brings me close to £6K before the around £3.2K I knocked off the mortgage. Maintaining an EF of over £2K.

You really do have a lot to celebrate, that's an amazing achievement.

savingholmes

EssexHebridean said:

Is electricity included in the costs you’re paid for the place? If so, then on the storage heaters, and assuming they are older style ones, turn the ‘input’ dial round as far as it will go (usually clockwise) and the output to as far the other way as it will go (anti-clockwise) - that should give you the maximum amount of charge, and the slowest amount of heat release. Older SH’s “leak” heat overnight so you usually find the place is warm enough in the morning, but if the output is anywhere other than fully closed you’ll run out of heat during the day. Having said that it is a very bizarre setup if there is no other form of heating as well as it’s well known that older SH’s often need a top up source. The other option is that there may be a “boost” setting on at least the main heater - not always obvious either - the one in the lighthouse the other week had it on the wall next to the heater! 

Other than the heating issue it sounds like you’re having an amazing time! 

You are very practically gifted. I tried turning some of the dials on the only one that had them on the first day and they were stuck fast. I can't cope with the red light on the one in my bedroom so end up switching that off overnight. Only the hallway between the lounge and the bedroom that has a door either end is warm LOL. 

But it is a beautiful setting and I don't regret it - other than my heart is in my mouth for the first and last 4 miles of the drive to and from the place if I venture out. Mostly just chilled today. I nipped to Mr As for some food - and bought some clothes to try on - so will see how I go on with them. I've read stories and listened to podcasts today which was nice. May venture further tomorrow. 

savingholmes

misslolu said:

Hi SH i just finished reading your diaries (yes, from the beginning) you've come so far and done so well for yourself! Wishing you the best of luck going forward. I'm sure whatever you decide re pensions will be right for you.

Wow!!! Just wow!!! That takes a lot of commitment. Thank you for the effort. I hope it helped you.

jwil said:

Hope the break is giving you a chance to recharge.  Lovely photos!

Thanks Jwil. It's lovely to be away and only be responsible for me. At the same time it feels slightly weird being here alone. I need to weigh up what kind of holiday suits me best moving forwards. I seem to need to recharge after a day out so I'm wondering whether I would have been better with day trips out with the odd overnight stay rather than a whole week away. I also felt all the shops were pretty much identical to each other in different towns which surprised me a little. I'm also very conscious of my weight currently and how it's impeding my ability / willingness to do things... There are some activities I would have liked to do that I am over the weight limit for - but at least they could be 'rewards' future markers on my journey to a healthier weight and fitness level. I feel a bit intimidated by all the skinny link walkers... I think I need to build my fitness up and then perhaps try and join a group closer to home and then see how to proceed.

Thanks too @SandyShores

You really do have a lot to celebrate, that's an amazing achievement.

I think what the last few months have shown is how important it is to have an EF, a budget and other income e.g. sell stuff / have some wriggle room!! I completely under-estimated how much my car costs would be - however I hope that the car is now sorted for a few more years.

powerspowers

Well done on listening to what your brain and body need from this holiday. I’m a b*ugger for putting a lot of pressure on myself when I’m away to “make the most of it” and hitting a wall. Be easy on yourself x