Simple living in the country - back to basics

MovingForwards

I keep PBs as long-term savings as I'd be loathe to withdraw for annual bills; I've a separate current account for those.

Photo is wonderful, great views and felt relaxing.

Cheery_Daff

SusieT said:

Would be good if you were able to manage without taking PB money out. 
Looking at the picture from your walk, I used to do the same route when I lived in that direction!

Tis a beautiful part of the world! 😊

Cheery_Daff

MovingForwards said:

I keep PBs as long-term savings as I'd be loathe to withdraw for annual bills; I've a separate current account for those.

Photo is wonderful, great views and felt relaxing.

I did that originally, but things got a bit messed up when paying for the kitchen, and I got to the point where I just didn't want to take any more out! But then we had a flurry of things all in a row and I might not be able to avoid it.

Mr Cheery worked out we've got about £400 in cash at the minute - he's made the radical suggestion of just paying it into the bank 😂 so that might give him a nice excuse to nip into town one day in the week. 

I made £5.78 on the Happy wheel yesterday too so that will help 😂

Cheery_Daff

Been swimming this morning, so that's an average of £36 per visit in March 😂 Let's see if I can get it below February's £9 average - otherwise it's probably worth cancelling...

Sadly no premium bonds wins for us. Not won anything since we finished paying for the kitchen 🙄

themadvix

No PB win here either Cheery, you're not alone. Maybe with interest rates rising, people will start to move their money elsewhere?

Cheery_Daff

Quite possibly, yes. It was exciting when we were winning every month - not exciting at all now!  

Just sorted out all the vouchers languishing in my email inbox - we now have £150 worth ready to spend.

Also had a reminder about Mr Cheery's prescription pre-payment certificate which runs out in the next few weeks. Not worth getting another annual one as he's 60 this year, but it'll be worth getting at least one more 3-month one, and then we'll see how we go for the final one (there will only be 2 months left at that point so it might not be worth it). 

themadvix

There were rumblings that they were going to change the age for prescription exemptions - you might want to check that out before making the decision. That said, it was my father who I heard this from who likes to turn any possibility into a certainty if it means he can moan about it!

EssexHebridean

Oh what a glorious view in your photo - love it!

I hate to say but we got a £25 PB win this month!

badmemory

Unless they change their minds free presciptions for the 60-65 are due to be scrapped in April.  They don't make U-turns to benefit the likes of us, so I suspect it is going through.

Cheery_Daff

Ooh, interesting, I don't know how I'd missed that! Everything I can find seems to suggest there's just been a consultation so far, and no official announcement of the results of the consultation, or of actual plans. It seems prescriptions are often increased on 1st April so some people are assuming changes will come into force then, but so far no official word. Suspect you're right badmemory about them not doing anything to benefit the likes of us... but I did read something about a bunch of Tory MPs saying it doesn't look very good doing that in the middle of all the other cost of living rises so perhaps they'll postpone for their own sakes... I suppose we'll find out eventually.

I've checked and Mr Cheery's certificate runs out on 31st March, so if there will be changes from 1st April at least we'll know at that point. 

Foggy and soggy and vile here today - very glad I got my nice walk in yesterday! We have been out on a little jaunt to a charity shop, and I treated myself to potato cakes and cheese triangles for lunch 😂😂 but now it's definitely an afternoon of hunkering down and getting cosy.