Mortgage Free now aiming for FIRE

earthgirl2

I like intermittent fasting too, I also delayed breakfast and made my meals a bit healthier e.g. chicken and veg for my main meal. Good luck! 

TallGirl

Thanks both really appreciate it. So far so good breakfast at 11am then lunch at 2pm so not doing too badly. No motivation to do any work going off to play some golf quite soon then the long long weekend.

Happy days.

TallGirl

Been a lovely weekend lots of golf although we did lose our game on Sunday but the opponents played really well and we went off the boil. DG enjoyed the game and did not have any meltdowns so big progress there. 

Her cousin is here and he is really nice but my god he sleeps all the time. It is due to his medication he says but I am not sure could be jetlag but yesterday he was up at 7am so we saw him at we went off to golf at 10am. We got back just before 2pm and he was asleep but got up at 10pm so we spent an hour with him before we went to bed. Feel guilty as we have done nothing with him since he got here (bar a trip to Lidl and our little town plus visit his aunt in hospital). He says he is working today so will be with us for lunch and dinner. 

The fasting is tricky with house guests but yesterday I have a big breakfast (two scrambled eggs on 1 piece of seeded toast and a hash brown) at 8.30am. Then I had my main meal at 3.30pm and then I did not have anything else which is amazing for me. Today might be tricky but only had a smoothie at 8am so we shall see how it goes. 

Got my call with the new IFA company tomorrow so will see how that goes, leaning towards DIY option at the moment but worried if I need the advice so will keep thinking.

The job DG was approached about has changed its spec but they did like her CV so it is a positive as that type of job is out there just not meant to be now. The lady we played with yesterday her son is a 2nd year Uni student who wishes to get into law. She asked DG if she knew of any internships so DG offered help out with some volunteering this summer. It will basically. be mid July and August so should work out well especially as we have my family over at the end of July. We both believe in giving young people a heads up it is so hard unless you know someone who knows someone. The family owns a lovely bakery so you never know (not good for the diet thought).

Right best be back to work although the motivation is really low and the pool is now 25 degrees so getting to the stage you can really start to enjoy it. 

TallGirl

We have been enjoying the Helle Fresh food it is easy to cook and certainly saves going to the shops. I like the portion sizes we did order one extra and DGs cousin is asleep a lot so missed last nights lol.

I think I prefer Simply Cook  the food when cooked is more special and more restaurant like which you dont really get with Hello Fresh unless you pay for the upgraded ones which I do not think is worth it. We might do another 60% off when my family comes over but we shall see. 

Off to the gym tonight as having a full meal at lunch time which cousin is cooking (last of the Hello Fresh). I look forward to getting back in but at least we are playing golf. Food wasn't great yesterday but hoping to be better today. Breakfast at 10am and main meal at 1pm so might need snack later but will try to be good. 

Anyway our internet is playing up so I must reset the router I think it is because we are all 3 online it is slow.

TallGirl

Cousin has now gone up North for his interview and we have been to the gym and going back later so pretty much back to normal. He has an interview tomorrow and if he gets he will be moving over there from the States. He wants to leave as things are getting difficult there for people like him (trans)

Breakfast was smoothie at 10.30, lunch will be big wrap and then porridge for me after the gym. I do add berries to the porridge and cinnamon but no sugar. I could feel it last night in Pilates that my middle is getting bigger again and making it uncomfortable to move. No good really must do better.

Not done the money shuffles yet as my main account is on my Ipad. I really should get it on my phone but I use my Monzo all the time so it is not often I need to go into the other one. 

Cashed out £15 from Quidco so ordered some Nermaslug from Amazon I get it every year for the garden and it is excellent for slugs. It has been out of stock so that is why I have only just got it. Could really do with some rain for the garden it is very dry but I have salad almost ready and rashishes too. 

Call with the new IFA company today at 3pm I will report back.  

TallGirl

Well that was an interesting meeting with this IFA company I do like the way they work it is way better than my current one but and there is a big but the fees to move over are high.

It would be just shy of £10K to move over so that would mean I could not afford to fill up my ISA for 24/25 as it would take my entire years savings plus what I have outside of my ISA.

The ongoing fee is 2% to 2.5% paid annually which is the same if a little bit less than I pay now. 

Currently I pay £2000 a year for advice so that would carry on as well as the £10K one off fee.

So if I go DIY and I then need one off advice in say 5 years it would have to cost £20K before I would not be better off saving fees. I might of course not do as well on the investments as they can but I think it is worth a chance. Anyway they will put together a plan for me and we shall see. 

Back to work I go doing all of this in work time. 

TallGirl

So Premium Bond day today and sadly no win at all which I feel sad about but I did get a nice win last month. However I won £30 on the Golf club draw so that is not a bad consolation. 

Woken up with a stiff shoulder that was probably the gym yesterday and the day before. 

Golf match tomorrow and golf Sunday but chill otherwise after having the cousin here. His interview is today so lets see how that goes.

TallGirl

Morning just converted all my Tesco voucher £30 into £90 for hotels.com so that should give us a night away plus we are close to getting a free night so might be able to combine the offers if not it will be two breaks away. The 3x exchange stops on the 14th so wanted to get it done before then. We do not shop that much at Tesco but I have a Tesco Credit card and I tend to put large purchases on it so that is how I get the points. 

I am going away on business tomorrow to Wednesday staying with friend of JA's so my work saves on a hotel but at least I can justify driving which will give me a few pennies back. Will obviously make sure I get my snacks and lunches free on expenses plus coffee for stamps. 

Golf over the weekend not great. DG had another anxiety attack while playing which meant she really could not play but to her credit she stayed out and played all 18. It is a step as she would previously either not have played or pulled out after a few holes. I played well on the back nine for her state of mind does affect my own game which is a real pain. We did go out yesterday and it was all fine soI think she is getting there in terms of understanding her state of mind affects the game. Just as well her counsellor also plays golf so she might be able to understand.

Just done two really hard gym classes back to back so feel a bit tired so early. I did lose 1.9kilo in the last week so the diet is back on track and that feels so much better. Still it is Monday so onwards and upwards.

On the saga of me deciding about my financial advice I had an email from my old adviser asking if we could meet so he could advice me of my pension. Now I thought that had gone to True Potential but it looks like otherwise. I did ask if he had been in touch because he had heard I wanted to leave TP but he said no. I am meeting him next week so we shall see. 

TallGirl

Found a bit of a bargain yesterday as long as the website is legit lol. I use a stupidly expensive face cream and it is now £47 in Boots. Last time I got it as Copenhagen Airport but need some now so looked online. Found a beauty site that sells it at £27 and free delivery. Ordered 3 so I got a free gift. Fingers crossed it turns up is being delivered by Hermes. 

Off to day so need to empty the car of golf clubs, fill up with petrol and get out of here as it starts at 2pm. Will be good to see friend tonight and hopefully we can cook something at hers. She has a posh Coop that sells ready to cook meals which looks really nice.

Back tomorrow but will miss gym which is probably just as well as I fell at the weekend and after doing two tough classes yesterday my shoulder is not that happy.

Best get on with things just thought I would do a quick update. 

TallGirl

Having a nice time as I’m away with work. Managed to get two Costas in plus a Greggs don’t think it’s many pennies over my allowance. Dinner was posh ready to cook food fish pie was lovely £10 for 2. All on expenses. 

Lovely to see friend she’s struggling with so many health issues physical and mental makes me feel grateful I’m healthy. 

About to go to my last meeting of the day then heading home. Was due to attend a 5pm meeting but will be in the car so sent my apologies.