We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
The Forum now has a brand new text editor, adding a bunch of handy features to use when creating posts. Read more in our how-to guide
We're aware that some users are currently experiencing errors on the Forum. Our tech team is working to resolve the issue. Thanks for your patience.
Holding On and Letting Go 🎈
Comments
-
Wow - thosen5vyears have really flown by- and you've achieved so much! I always love your balanced attitude to life and spends
I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soulRepaid mtge early (orig 11/25) 01/09 £124616 01/11 £89873 01/13 £52546 01/15 £12133 07/15 £NILNet sales 2024: £20
2026 Declutter campaign awards 2x star5 -
savingholmes said:Hope the money appears soon. Glad your guests made it home again safely.
Nice that you were able to get out and about today.
No sign of it yet SH 🙄 Like you, I keep checking my account 😆
Fortune x
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6623005/happy-days-in-our-golden-years/p1?new=1
Working at Living5 -
greent said:Wow - thosen5vyears have really flown by- and you've achieved so much! I always love your balanced attitude to life and spends
I know greent! It only seems like yesterday we arrived here. I remember the day so clearly.
Fortune x
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6623005/happy-days-in-our-golden-years/p1?new=1
Working at Living4 -
And breathe...
We've had a lovely time with our old friends but I'm very pleased to finally be able to breathe out. I'm intending to do nothing for the rest of the day.
We ate out last night and our friends picked up the bill as a thank you for the overnight stay. They also brought us presents of beer and fudge.
I made banana and raspberry American pancakes for everyone for breakfast. We've had a great crop of raspberries again this year and I'm trying to make the most of what's available from the veg patch.
I took advantage of the MSE Nail$ Inc offer. My current nail varnish is about three years old and too thick to apply properly now. Plus I've been sharing it with our Sunflowers. £27.95 for eight colours.
There is still no sign of the Homes for Ukraine money 🙄
Hmmmm - I've got a lovely lazy Sunday feeling and it's only Tuesday 😁
Fortune x
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6623005/happy-days-in-our-golden-years/p1?new=1
Working at Living7 -
It's Wednesday!
At least, I hope it is! Mortgage free 16/06/2023! £132,500 cleared in 11 years, 3 months and 7 days
'Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.' Ernest Hemingway6 -
Nail varnish sounds nice.
Glad you had an enjoyable time with friends - who treated you as well as you treated them.Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £167.4K Equity 38% 3/4/26
2) £2.5K Net savings after CCs 14/4/26 (but owed £1.1K) so £3.6K
3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £38.5K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.3K) = 44.4K of £127.5K target 34.8% 17/4/26 (If took bigger lump sum = 66.4K or 52%)
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 £5.3K updated 17/4/265 -
savingholmes said:Nail varnish sounds nice.
Glad you had an enjoyable time with friends - who treated you as well as you treated them.
They are lovely people SH. I'm hoping they'll come back sooner next time now they've seen the place.
Fortune x
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6623005/happy-days-in-our-golden-years/p1?new=1
Working at Living4 -
Routine creates results
Getting back into a routine yesterday resulted in a productive day:
Health- I've started tracking my calories. The Sunflowers loved to feed me delicious Ukrainian food and my expanded waistline is evidence to that 😲 They were also very good at putting more on my plate than their own so I want to get back to sensible portion sizes
- started the day with a 45 minute dog walk
- spent an hour gardening
- there were left-over banana and raspberry pancakes for breakfast which we had with melon, extra raspberries. passion fruit and a little sour cream
- lunch was Spring Vegetable Soup with Basil Pesto but I substituted onions for leeks, broad beans for cannelini beans and added a carrot
- supper was Creamy Mushroom & Spinach Pasta
- got some chores done - towel washing and vacuuming.
- this week's grocery shop came in £28.68 under budget 🥳 It's the first time in weeks that's happened. Of course, that's because of having our Sunflowers with us. Our shopping bill doubled whilst they were here as they had special diets to accommodate
- I've meal planned around what needs using up in the fridge, what's ready in the veg patch and what special diet items we still have in the cupboards. Yesterday I used spinach, courgettes, broad beans and french beans from the veg patch and half a pack of gluten free rice noodles
- there's still no sign of the Homes for Ukraine money - 70 days now 😥
- ordered some items from H0bby Cr@ft and the Bay so I can get going on some projects. Costs to be met from personal spends although I may get some of those back from the WI.
- our local county show is only two weeks away and I've committed to several projects towards it. I couldn't find the space to start them whilst the Sunflowers were here so I've got a lot of catching up to do. I made a start by making a fruit liquer for one of the displays which will be ready to decant in about a week. Also searched out a small painting for another display and ordered a frame for it. I have another painting to do which I'll begin this afternoon and some staging to paint. I feel better for making a start though and having a time plan
- booked a hair appointment - long overdue 💇♀️
- sent out a note to the Book Club. We've decided to invest in a book of short stories now which will save me having to search for something relevant every time. Costs to be met from personal spends
- I had a long, long, bubble bath last night. The first in over two months 😲 The sunflowers had use of our main bathroom and I know this sounds ridiculous but I felt that I'd be intruding if I used the bath. I know I wouldn't have been, and it is my bath after all, but I just wanted to give them some space and privacy. Anyhoo - I luxuriated for a couple of hours and caught up on a new TV series I'd wanted to see. That's the other thing I haven't done very much off - watch TV. But I think that's a good thing and a habit I'd like to continue.
Keep cool guys
Fortune x
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6623005/happy-days-in-our-golden-years/p1?new=1
Working at Living10 -
Good that you are reclaiming your space and life again. You did a lovely thing. Hope the govt get round to send you some money.Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £167.4K Equity 38% 3/4/26
2) £2.5K Net savings after CCs 14/4/26 (but owed £1.1K) so £3.6K
3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £38.5K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.3K) = 44.4K of £127.5K target 34.8% 17/4/26 (If took bigger lump sum = 66.4K or 52%)
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 £5.3K updated 17/4/266
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 354.5K Banking & Borrowing
- 254.4K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 455.4K Spending & Discounts
- 247.4K Work, Benefits & Business
- 604.2K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 178.5K Life & Family
- 261.7K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.7K Read-Only Boards