Rolling Down the Green Hill Towards REtirement 😊🌄💚💜

South_coast · 2 August at 8:57AM

Go for it, moho = YOLO 😀

greent · 7 August at 10:40PM

We didn't go - friend had sold tickets and we didn't want to pay last minute full price! Plus, our neighbours are away and we are keeping an eye on their 17yo who is home alone for the week for the first time ever. We have made plans for end of month, though 😊

I have been listing even more on fbook/v1nted/flebay and sales have gone well! 🥳 Still quite a bit to list, though.... Also, another 3 bags dropped off at CS yesterday - and I've already sorted another half bag for there!! I'm keeping the v1nted money in there right now - I may use it to buy some smaller work clothes for Autumn if I continue to lose weight 😁 - or some clothes for DS3

Have been doing some life admin - posted paperwork to tfr a cash isa from last tax year that is now on a rubbish rate. Main life admin tasks still to do are:
Tfr DD and DS1's phone bills to them - easiest way is in person in a shop - hopefully this Sat
Arrange Ds3's NS&I accounts to be able to be managed by him now he's 16
Look at v1rgin media bill - it's huge.....
Pay water bill
Sort DH's tax return - he is owed approx 4.5k tax, so I need to get on with this!!
Get DS3 to do the necessary for postal voting

I have, however, bought DS3 new bag, shirts, school shoes and a suit for college for Sept 😁

newgirly · 8 August at 7:57AM

Wow lots going on for you, how lovely that your dd has moved nearby 😊

greent · 8 August at 9:43PM

It is, ng- but we don't see much of her!

A day of admin today:
✔ DH tax return finally submitted (emailed off some queries and got some answers, so I think I've got it right.... 🤞) £4700+ refund due 🥳
✔ water bill paid
✔ bills account spreadsheet reconciled for the last 3 months
✔ Sat with DS2 whilst he opened up a fixed rate cash ISA and a standing order to PBs
〰️ got DD and DS1 to agree to go into town tomorrow to sort phone bills
〰️ completed paperwork for DS3 to have access to his NS&I accounts - will get DD's boyfriend to witness his signature tomorrow and then post off
〰️ As DH's tax return was submitted I updated the paperwork for Student Finance for DS2
〰️ printed off and completed the form for DS3 to have a postal vote- just need him to sign it and then I can post it
❌ look at V1rgin - not done at all

edinburgher · 9 August at 7:01AM

I am also looking at V1rgin at the moment. While our bill isn't particularly high (125 Meg broadband boosted because we have O2 SIM cards), I tire of their constant attempts to increase the price by more than inflation. We can get our current deal + a couple of £ for renewal, but planned increases will mean it's almost 50% more by the end of the contract. I don't think it's necessary to pay that sort of money for basic fast broadband in this day and age. In any case, they're not that reliable for us.

I am probably also still steaming from renewing MILs contract with them (£100/mth down to £34)

greent · 10 August at 8:03PM

Our bill is in the region of £146 month! And we don't even have multiroom!

I may not have done V1rgin, but did get DD and DS1's phone bills transferred to them (on good deals) and got DH's bill sorted - he was paying £18/mth for 5gb! He has crazy huge gb allowance for less £ now - huge data allowance should be handy for being away in motorhome.

Other than that, not much else done this weekend - listed a few more things on flebay/ V1nted, washing/ ironing is all up straight and went to see bestie for a few hours and several cups of tea 😊 Oh - and baked a loaf 😋

Now just about to eat peri chicken , slightly spiced baby Wedges, sweetcorn/onion relish, coleslaw (all hm) and salad. Too hot for anything more creative!

Image: https://us-noi.v-cdn.net/6031891/uploads/editor/tc/2g97thmjmiap.jpg

greent · 10 August at 8:04PM

Interested to know how you got m-i-l's contract down so much @edinburgher - did you do the negotiating? They won't even speak to DH about anything on our account, let alone the bill! (In my name)

edinburgher · 10 August at 8:19PM

@greent - In my experience they're perfectly happy to chat to whoever if account holder starts the call. Negotiating with V1rgin is tedious but easy.

1. Be prepared with sample prices for either new customer discounts to V1rgin or other, comparable provider. Don't bundle services like N3tflix/mobiles, it's almost always a worse deal for you. It also makes it easier for them to obfuscate about prices.

2. Tell CS you want to cancel. They can't offer you a meaningful discount. Listen to their blather about minimal cost savings and say you still wish to cancel.

3. They'll put you through to retentions, who have to the power to offer meaningful discounts. If they offer you what you're targeting, great! Otherwise, start the cancellation process.

4. Hold your nerve. You'll magically be called with a week or two to go, before disconnection, the real offers will come into play.

You may be told at one or more stages that they can't match new customer offers, they can and do!

MIL only got to 3 before asking me to settle with the offered price. Still, I saved her £1,500+ across 2 years, felt like a real bit of family support at a time when she was recently widowed and worried about her finances. Turns out she's richer than astronauts, but the money's better off in her savings than in V1rgin's coffers

We currently pay £22 for broadband, probably still going to ditch them for 5G mobile broadband as their £4 extra/month/year or whatever is unreasonable when it's like 20% of your base cost.