Prosperous soul embraces creativity & mortgage neutrality

Orangetoes

Great news about your sister and the handy man too! 

MovingForwards

Fantastic news!

doingitanyway

Great news for your sis.
Thanks for sharing the photograph. Beautiful. 

Mickyh-s

Great stuff for a Monday! So pleased for you.

WelshmansDaughter

Beautiful flowers.

Load off the mind there now that your sister has gotten herself organised 😀

Your garden sounds like it's coming on really well 

savingholmes

Thanks Dancing, MF, @Mickeyh-s, DIA and @Orangetoes

Had a lovely meal with DD. So I'm now back home and having Morries lemon cake and strawberries. I just bought one slice to limit the impact... DD is tucking in meringues, strawberries and ice cream!

My finances are looking a lot happier now... I'll be able to clear this latest dental bill and can even consider booking in the third and final one. I'll probably wait on that as it takes a couple of weeks to settle down after the new bridge is fitted. I've looked at whether I can claim the osteopath on the cash plan but it looks like I can't until mid November - so will wait until after that to start anything. It looks like therefore at most I can only claim £50 of current dental work but still better in my pocket.

The next thing on my personal health hit list is replacing my glasses. Again I need to wait until at least mid Nov - and potentially get another eye test done (never claimed for the last one) - and then potentially order new varifocals. I'm still not getting headaches but it is fuzzier sometimes than I'd like. (I'd changed 0.25 on the last test and they don't recommend changing until it's 0.5 although you can if you want/can afford to). Will see if there are any special deals around Black Fdy or in the new year. It feels like the costs are only going to get worse though... 

The main union for my pay has voted in favour of the pay award so I'm hoping the others have similar results - and that we can get the pay increase through this side of xmas. I could then use the backpay towards the new glasses.

Part of me wants to OP more (above current £20 per month) - but given my mortgage rate is 1.84% and my savings is 5% it makes more sense to redirect it. I'll keep this under review. I will set up a standing order to my new savings account as well as any ad-hoc payments so it goes out without me having to consciously think about it. I'm still awaiting the £150 energy payment... I'm also debating whether to round up my AVCs from £375 to £400.

Sh311 ignored my reading and put in an estimate. They charged me £47ish for gas when it should have been about £33 (£20 the previous month). Pretty happy with that. If I can continue to minimise heating costs that would be fab. They are forecasting £1278 per year for gas which if I can achieve that I'll be happy.

I've only just seen that the price promise on energy has been reduced to 6 months - so no idea where that will leave any of us in the future... Looks like my electric fix may still have been worth it then. Reversing the new NI payment should give me up to £40 extra a month back. We're all in danger of whiplash with the speed of changes!

beanielou

Great news on the £££'s.

savingholmes

WelshmansDaughter said:

Beautiful flowers.

Load off the mind there now that your sister has gotten herself organised 😀

Your garden sounds like it's coming on really well 

Thanks WD - I'm so relieved. 

The fushias were stunning. 

My garden is looking so much better. My mahonia a spiky plant with yellow flowers is looking amazing. I picked about 12 apples from my trees today. I potentially need to rescue some from the front apple tree too.

elantan

what are the plans for the fruit ? I badly need to get back into my garden, just now it looks like a jungle 

Humdinger1

Fab news on your sister @savingholmes! I hope the worry doesn't put a strain on your relationship.   So glad that the PIP is enabling you to make your life even more productive and enjoyable love Humdinger xx