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Debt and Caring

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Comments

  • savingholmes
    savingholmes Posts: 29,087 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Well done on the sorting. 

    I think go for it for orange on the stool. It's your space - it's nice to have vibrant things.
    Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
    1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £171.8K Equity 36.37%
    2) £2.6K Net savings after CCs 10/10/25
    3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £27.9K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.25K) = 34/£127.5K target 26.6% 10/10/25
    (If took bigger lump sum = 60.35K or 47.6%)
    4) FI Age 60 income target £17.1/30K 57% (if mortgage and debts repaid - need more otherwise) (If bigger lump sum £15.8/30K 52.67%)
    5) SIPP £5K updated 10/10/25
  • Cherryfudge
    Cherryfudge Posts: 13,828 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I like orange too.
    I think a bit of sunshine is good for frugal living. (Cranky40)
    The sun's been out and I think I’m solar powered (Onebrokelady)

    Fashion on the Ration 2025: Fabric 2, men's socks 3, Duvet 7.5, 2 t-shirts 10, men's socks 3, uniform top 0, hat 0, shoes 5 = 30.5/68
    2024: Trainers 5, dress 7, slippers 5, 2 prs socks (gift) 2, 3 prs white socks 3, t-shirts x 2 10, 6 prs socks: mostly gifts 6, duvet set 7.5 = 45.5/68 coupons
    20.5 coupons used in 2020. 62.5 used in 2021. 94.5 remaining as of 21/3/22
  • I must admit my colour choice is dependent on what testers I have that are not dried up...
  • Cherryfudge
    Cherryfudge Posts: 13,828 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    There's always decoupage... 
    I think a bit of sunshine is good for frugal living. (Cranky40)
    The sun's been out and I think I’m solar powered (Onebrokelady)

    Fashion on the Ration 2025: Fabric 2, men's socks 3, Duvet 7.5, 2 t-shirts 10, men's socks 3, uniform top 0, hat 0, shoes 5 = 30.5/68
    2024: Trainers 5, dress 7, slippers 5, 2 prs socks (gift) 2, 3 prs white socks 3, t-shirts x 2 10, 6 prs socks: mostly gifts 6, duvet set 7.5 = 45.5/68 coupons
    20.5 coupons used in 2020. 62.5 used in 2021. 94.5 remaining as of 21/3/22
  • Decoupage is likely the perfect hobby for someone who hoards now that I think of it...

    Been a bit awol the last few days. Haven't really caught up to myself yet. Hope everyone is motoring along.
  • Cherryfudge
    Cherryfudge Posts: 13,828 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I will un-recommend decoupage, then, unless you feel like a challenge to do up the stool using only things you already have (plus glue if needed).

    How's the garden coming along? I turned my back and mine had started to regrow - honestly!
    I think a bit of sunshine is good for frugal living. (Cranky40)
    The sun's been out and I think I’m solar powered (Onebrokelady)

    Fashion on the Ration 2025: Fabric 2, men's socks 3, Duvet 7.5, 2 t-shirts 10, men's socks 3, uniform top 0, hat 0, shoes 5 = 30.5/68
    2024: Trainers 5, dress 7, slippers 5, 2 prs socks (gift) 2, 3 prs white socks 3, t-shirts x 2 10, 6 prs socks: mostly gifts 6, duvet set 7.5 = 45.5/68 coupons
    20.5 coupons used in 2020. 62.5 used in 2021. 94.5 remaining as of 21/3/22
  • savingholmes
    savingholmes Posts: 29,087 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Definitely challenge option 
    Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
    1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £171.8K Equity 36.37%
    2) £2.6K Net savings after CCs 10/10/25
    3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £27.9K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.25K) = 34/£127.5K target 26.6% 10/10/25
    (If took bigger lump sum = 60.35K or 47.6%)
    4) FI Age 60 income target £17.1/30K 57% (if mortgage and debts repaid - need more otherwise) (If bigger lump sum £15.8/30K 52.67%)
    5) SIPP £5K updated 10/10/25
  • The stool, and other projects will have to wait as I am finally admitting to exhaustion. 
    Four hours with my nephew yesterday and I had to have a nap during which my body fell asleep but my brain did not. 
    My joints hurt, I have little to no memory and I am not getting anything like satisfying sleep. 
    So it is time to get real with myself. The flat is not somewhere I can currently live. It has been raining every day and it is so damp and claggy and full of spiders. 
    I cannot do everything myself. Well I can but I don't want to. 
    I need to rest more than I need to work but I do need an income. 
    I have booked the BHF to come and do a house clearance, they will assess what they can take and then charge for the rest. 
    Once I have some kind of brain power again, I will try and organise exactly how much time I feel comfortable taking off, where I can live and some sort of future plans.

    These are definitely two teabag times.
  • Cherryfudge
    Cherryfudge Posts: 13,828 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    *Passes the teabags*

    When I started my time off work, I engaged with therapy to the point where I wasn't doing myself any favours. I was ticking all the boxes in my eagerness to show I was giving it a go. The counsellor had me stop engaging with the therapy and just practice slowing down and doing things that would occupy me with no pressure. That stage took a few weeks: she explained I'd been in a state of vigilance for a long time and it would take a while to disengage from that.

    I don't know if the same terms apply to you, you might substitute something else for 'therapy' or 'vigilance'. However, you've been pushing yourself for a long time and somewhere in there is a need for physical and mental rest. It might take a while till your brain power comes back, but it will.
    I think a bit of sunshine is good for frugal living. (Cranky40)
    The sun's been out and I think I’m solar powered (Onebrokelady)

    Fashion on the Ration 2025: Fabric 2, men's socks 3, Duvet 7.5, 2 t-shirts 10, men's socks 3, uniform top 0, hat 0, shoes 5 = 30.5/68
    2024: Trainers 5, dress 7, slippers 5, 2 prs socks (gift) 2, 3 prs white socks 3, t-shirts x 2 10, 6 prs socks: mostly gifts 6, duvet set 7.5 = 45.5/68 coupons
    20.5 coupons used in 2020. 62.5 used in 2021. 94.5 remaining as of 21/3/22
  • savingholmes
    savingholmes Posts: 29,087 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Sounds like it would give you a fresh start 
    Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
    1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £171.8K Equity 36.37%
    2) £2.6K Net savings after CCs 10/10/25
    3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £27.9K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.25K) = 34/£127.5K target 26.6% 10/10/25
    (If took bigger lump sum = 60.35K or 47.6%)
    4) FI Age 60 income target £17.1/30K 57% (if mortgage and debts repaid - need more otherwise) (If bigger lump sum £15.8/30K 52.67%)
    5) SIPP £5K updated 10/10/25
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