Getting FIREd up 😀

South_coast

Just had the crushing realisation that there's nothing to be gained from picking up leftover receipts any more 😥!

PennysIntoPounds

You can still do receipt surveys on the ones that offer them, don't give up hope! 

South_coast

Hmmm, it never occurs to me to do those 🤔 I think it's partly down to Sainsbury's (I think it's Sainsbury's) having the web page called lettuce-know.... Too annoying!

South_coast

South_coast said:

I can't find a photo, but he was one of the bent coppers in "Painted in Blood" - brilliant episode 😀!

"Painted in Blood" on ITV3 Weds 04/12 at 8.00pm 😀

(Also stars Leslie Phillips)

(And the Mum from "My Parents are Aliens", for a slightly more way-out reference 🤣)

Viking_mfw

How do you feel about Death in Paradise? Cos the Australian spin off is on iPlayer now. I rather enjoyed it. Not as much opportunity for spotting familiar guest stars off The Bill, but I suppose time does pass...

South_coast

I've seen it once or twice, I think? Possibly when staying in hotels 🤔 I've been very limited in TV channels for a long time, but when I finally take my new smart TV out of the box (🙄), a whole new world may open up....

South_coast

Is it wrong that I suddenly have an urge to express my 2025 goals as a Venn diagram 🤔?

South_coast

Ahhh, so there really is a McGrath, Alaska!

South_coast

Right, First of the month round-up….

• Daily interest on cash: £8.24 (DOWN 32p)

• Owed on 0% credit: £42,729.12 (DOWN £2,526.71)

• 0% payoff fund: £8289.01 (DOWN £1,910.93)

• Need to raise: £34,440.11 (DOWN £615.78*)

• Savings for retirement £121,023.63 (UP £2,971.63 😯!**)

10.68 years to go…

OK, so I have been mildly freaking out about this credit card debt quite a bit lately, and more specifically that I won't be able to transfer two large balances when they expire in April and July, as there are no offers whatsoever available to me at the moment. It's one thing having a cash cushion earning me nice tax-free interest, but what I really need to do is start getting these balances down, and quickly. Then I hopefully won't have the problem that I'm taking out more than I'm putting in each month (hence needing the cushion), as the payments should be less. 

To that end, I've decided that when the remaining fixed-rate ISA matures on 01/01, instead of transferring it into the main ISA, I'm going to use the balance to take some sizeable chunks out of what is owing. HOPEFULLY this will be enough of a reduction and in enough time to start opening up offers for when I need them 😬 So expect some fairly wild swings in the numbers above in the 01/02 update!

I have ALSO decided, that as I won't have a cash cushion to draw from, I can't keep putting the same amount into the S&S each month for the moment, or indeed increase it when the new tax year starts, as I had really, really hoped (currently doing £750 credit cards / £250 S&S, wanted to go £500 / £500). This is even more upsetting having seen how well the stock market has done in the last month! Instead, I am going to deduct the minimum payments from the £1k monthly amount, then anything left each month can go to the S&S. That way, hopefully I will stay motivated to keep doing everything I can to drive down the card balances, as I know the outcome will mean more money for “me”. One day, I promise I will start actually getting FIREd up 🙄! The retirement figure above is starting to look like real money, but there's still a LOT to do in less than 11 years!

* Temporarily skewed by the fact I have ordered 6 dressing gowns and not received them yet to be able to send the remainder back and be credited. This is where you need a separate card for everyday spending 🙄!

** Not including the current pension, as their website is down, so should be even better

South_coast

P.S. I know it seems like madness to sacrifice 4.58% interest to pay down 0% interest debt, but if it means it doesn't bounce to 23%+ interest because I've not been able to re-finance it, hopefully it won't seem so counterintuitive!