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Simple living in the country - back to basics
Comments
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Cheery_Daff said:I'll definitely be asking for just the prescription next time, although it'd make much more of a difference if we didn't have blood tests etc, and these home visits were what pushed the cost to utterly ridiculous levels! It's good though, Bessie is still with us, and we are having a rethink of the whole strategy anyway.
Still not moved far. I have paid the vet bill though, and requested a withdrawal from Premium Bonds - should be here Wednesday. Requested £3000 in the end - to cover vet bill, LPG bill, and to have a decent float in the current account, which was always part of future planning. Premium bonds are in my name, so if anything happens to them Mr Cheery won't have instant easy access, so I want to make sure there's always enough in the main account to at least cover next month's bills while everything is getting sorted out.
Not meaning to be morbid! You just never know, and it's on my list this year to sort out wills etc and this is part of it.
Right, on to the next thing...
Probably more shocked that your vets bill is nearly £1000. For a chicken. I know it has a name but it's livestock isn't it? I know it's hard but I would not have.Save £12k in 2025 #2 I am at £4863.32 out of £6000 after May (81.05%)
OS Grocery Challenge in 2025 I am at £1286.68/£3000 or 42.89% of my annual spend so far
I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the Grow your own thread
My new diary is here5 -
Cheery_Daff said:cafelady said:Hello Cheery. I’ve just read your diary and am delurking to say I am really enjoying following your adventures!3
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Suffolk_lass said:Re this - just read in The Times Money troubleshooter that if a spouse dies, NS&I insist on probate to redeem anything over £5k. While you are money savvy, lots of people rely on a solicitor to do this and that typically costs between 2-5% of the estate value. Even though there is no inheritance tax liability between husband and wife. Shocked!
Probably more shocked that your vets bill is nearly £1000. For a chicken. I know it has a name but it's livestock isn't it? I know it's hard but I would not have.
Interesting re premium bonds. I think as we build them back up, we'll put them in Mr Cheery's name so we've got a split.
Batch cooking on the go. I've roasted the remaining parsnips with onion and garlic, and now eaten so many while just standing in the kitchen that I think that's just going to have to count as my tea 😂 Also got some sweet potato cubes roasting to go in cous cous for work lunches (I'll make the rest of that tomorrow).
I've done an experimental spaghetti bake thing - just a tin of spaghetti hoops, tin of canellini beans, bit of fried onion and garlic, frozen petters, and a teensy bit of grated cheese on top. We'll see how it turns out...
Also, inspired by EH, I've made some mincemeat flapjack. Another experimental recipe 😂 But you can't really go wrong with flapjack, can you??10 -
My DH died nearly a year ago and Premium Bonds were a complete nightmare
he’d put a lot of his pension lump sum in them ,so they made me get probate ,but wouldn’t tell me the exact figure until I’d completed a form which then got mislaid as they’d outsourced the bereavement department to India which was in lockdown!
i did probate myself and once when I rang the Probate Office with a query ,they asked why I was applying for probate,I said Premium Binds and he sighed !
Having said that I put that money back into them in a lump( DH was always lucky ,got £25 most months) they’ve been back in 2 months draws and he’s won £75 ! There are much less than half the maximum holding
As my son says DH winning streak continues
hope you don’t mind me joining in I love your diary
l
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It’s tough with chickens. I think everyone has to take their own stance. We’ve decided to be fairly minimal on chicken healthcare ourselves - we’ll care for them well when here, they have a lovely life here, we’ll euthanise if needed to avoid suffering (though 2/3 of ours who’ve died died suddenly anyway) but we wouldn’t be willing to spend such big sums on healthcare… but if we got another Agnes (our favourite ever chicken who passed away suddenly) I probably would, spend more because she was such a lovely girl and very much a pet ❤️, whereas other chickens we’ve had have more been more like very nice livestock (which we do care about!) I guess. I hope that doesn’t offend anyone, it’s a touchy subject. Ultimately I think it’s really admirable you are able to give your girls that level of care @Cheery_Daff, it’s clear they are loved and bring you real joy, and you don’t need to justify it, it might be different if you didn’t actually have the money. A shame you can’t get pet insurance for chickens though as you’d definitely have got your money’s worth!Part time working mum | Married in 2014 | DS born 2015 & DD born 2018
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6542225/stopping-the-backsliding-a-family-of-four-no-longer-living-beyond-their-means/p1?new=1
Consumer debt free!
Mortgage: -£128,033
Savings: £6,050
- Emergency fund £1,515
- New kitchen £556
- December £420
- Holiday £3,427
- Bills £132
Total joint pension savings: £55,4256 -
Suffolksue said:My DH died nearly a year ago and Premium Bonds were a complete nightmare
he’d put a lot of his pension lump sum in them ,so they made me get probate ,but wouldn’t tell me the exact figure until I’d completed a form which then got mislaid as they’d outsourced the bereavement department to India which was in lockdown!
i did probate myself and once when I rang the Probate Office with a query ,they asked why I was applying for probate,I said Premium Binds and he sighed !
Having said that I put that money back into them in a lump( DH was always lucky ,got £25 most months) they’ve been back in 2 months draws and he’s won £75 ! There are much less than half the maximum holding
As my son says DH winning streak continues
hope you don’t mind me joining in I love your diary
l8 -
Good to see you @Suffolksue.I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.
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One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.6 -
Bluegreen143 said:It’s tough with chickens. I think everyone has to take their own stance. We’ve decided to be fairly minimal on chicken healthcare ourselves - we’ll care for them well when here, they have a lovely life here, we’ll euthanise if needed to avoid suffering (though 2/3 of ours who’ve died died suddenly anyway) but we wouldn’t be willing to spend such big sums on healthcare… but if we got another Agnes (our favourite ever chicken who passed away suddenly) I probably would, spend more because she was such a lovely girl and very much a pet ❤️, whereas other chickens we’ve had have more been more like very nice livestock (which we do care about!) I guess. I hope that doesn’t offend anyone, it’s a touchy subject. Ultimately I think it’s really admirable you are able to give your girls that level of care @Cheery_Daff, it’s clear they are loved and bring you real joy, and you don’t need to justify it, it might be different if you didn’t actually have the money. A shame you can’t get pet insurance for chickens though as you’d definitely have got your money’s worth!
Anyway, batch cooking done, an hour and a half on the phone to a friend I've not spoken to for ages which was lovely, and now the rest of my list is being postponed til tomorrow in favour of lying on the sofa in front of a film 😁9 -
Chicken issues are hard - you recently mentioned how you chose this particular vet, and it just snowballs, doesn't it. Bluegreen's very sensible thinking it through beforehand is probably the exception rather than the rule - I know I didn't think it through like that for my cats.
Lying on the sofa in front of a film (I like the phrasing, by the way) sounds a very good way to spend Saturday evening. I don't have a sofa yet, but when I do, I'll lie on it
Enjoy the evening
2023: the year I get to buy a car6 -
I'm sorry if my post seemed a bit cruel or blunt. I suppose it falls into the category of knowing the cost of everything and the value of nothing. If your chickens bring you joy, then the decision to buy them the best care available reconciles with that. It was not intended to criticise, rather to compare with my own position.Save £12k in 2025 #2 I am at £4863.32 out of £6000 after May (81.05%)
OS Grocery Challenge in 2025 I am at £1286.68/£3000 or 42.89% of my annual spend so far
I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the Grow your own thread
My new diary is here6
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