Mortgage Free now aiming for FIRE

TallGirl

Trip was really good just a reminder how nice it is to get out amongst the people I work with. Doing my expenses will cost my employer about £200 which is my travel allowance for the month but I did attend 3 face to face meetings. I could not have done it by train plus staying with friend saved hotel so do not feel guilty end of.

So glad it is Friday, playing golf later then cooking a meal from Simply Cook it only takes 20 min so but looks really nice. Pool is 27 degrees now so will go in later on my own at lunch time as DG is at the hair dressors and visiting her aunt. 

Still thinking of investments and pensions getting some good comments on the Pensions Board. They think £10K to move over is a lot as well.

Right need to get some work done

TallGirl

Simply Cook meal was really nice and so quick to cook weas spicy though and we made it with chicken instead of cod (It was a curry). 

Had some drinks as well so a bit hungover on Saturday but did get to go and see DG's sponsored tree planted as part of the Queens Platinum Jubilee. It is in a really stunning setting and even if you cannot get close to the tree you can still see it on the non open days. Dg really enjoyed it and a nice way to remember her mum. 

Sunday I was due to play golf but my shoulder really hurt so I cancelled. Chilled and watched Avatar instead. "Free" on Disney even if DG would have preferred to watch it on 4DX in the cinema. 

My face cream arrived it is the richer version so need to use a bit less or is does not absorb otherwise it is the same. 

Did one gym class this morning should have done two but just so hot and sweaty so only did one. Will try to do 5 this week as weightless is not happening and we go to Denmark next week. Yikes!! 

TallGirl

Hope you coping with the hot weather I do enjoy being outside in the garden but it is very hot to work in the afternoons so got up early and trying to finish early. 

Yesterday the pool got up to 28 degrees it is almost like a bath but still lovely. Unfortunately I feel down our stone steps and hurt my shins. This is my second fall in less than two weeks I blame my feet and shoes but I am only 52 so not that old. Hopefully I can do combat this morning I did not go to gym yesterday one shine kept bleeding. TMI I know sorry.

Got my financial adviser appointment today I really hope to get a clearer idea of what I want to go going forward and I trust this guy so lets see what happens.

We have friends coming tomorrow so need to get the house a bit more into shape but I feel I have no energy to do anything right now. I know it is bad but must be the weather. 

Work is ok I have taken on a new project which is nice and the others are not causing me too much hassle.

Anyway best get on with the day.

TallGirl

Gosh it is hot here got up early did some work then went to physio she is concerned I might end up with a frozen shoulder after I fell. Got exercises to do and going back in a couple of weeks. Let's hope it works glad I went even if it is more money. 

Saw my adviser still thinking about things re finances but I have cancelled the ones that was going to charge £10K to advice me before they do any more work now. 

Friends coming tonight everything is ready except I have not baked the cake and prepped dinner but time for that later on. It will be very hot but cannot be helped. 

TallGirl

Had a fab weekend cake never got baked but lovely food and they cooked for us Saturday and bought all the ingredients. He also fitted our outdoor spotlight which was very welcome. We can send back the other one as we do not need it so money saved.

We so need to save money and luckily we did on the trains for the Danish trip next week. £25 return for both of us from Gatwick is so so cheap. We usually spend a fortune on hotels, parking etc. Happy day. Also need trains from Copenhagen to my sisters managed to get Orange Tickets so even though we have to wait possibly it is £60 saved half price. 

Money is very tight this month as I have been paying the £80 a week for DGs counselling this month. I get paid on Friday and I have about £70 left in my name. £288 on my credit card not due to be paid until after I get paid so that is helpful. 

Right best get on with some work started at 7am and been to the gym for an hour.   

TallGirl

Now down to £35 in my current account so had to take out £200 of savings. Should not need to spend anything today not on expenses so that is good. Still have my free monthly Greggs from O2 Perks. I need one more Costa before I get a free one so that’s also an option. 

Checked in for our flights last night not packed but made sure the bags are within the sizes for Norwegian. 

Still not lost what I want so cannot wear the dress I bought last time. Will just have to cobble something up from what I have. Saves money for sure. 

Dg has hot counselling today but already given her the cash. Joint account empty but got some money in our travel fund to spend. Suggested taking food with us instead of eating at airport. See how organised we get. 

TallGirl

Packed and just about to cook some breakfast. We're leaving by train at 11.40 so plenty of time but dg had an issue at work she has only just sorted so that's been a bit fraught. She's so stressed out it pains me to see her like that. 

Meeting was good yesterday but my bus no longer exists so was late and had to buy lunch at Pret so no free stamps and ended up £1 out of pocket. London is expensive.

I've not set up my watering system would like to get that done for the back garden but a bit tight on time. Best crack on so glad I didn't try to work 1/2 day today. 

TallGirl

Afternoon back from our Danish trip and had a great time but awful stressful time travelling on trains. We can ask for a rebate for each way to Gatwick and we are also going to ask them to refund our £12 taxi fare as Southern dumped us 4 miles away with no more trains that night. 

Was quite expensive as we had to buy lots of drinks etc to keep us going so joint accounts and our holiday travel fund totally empty. We are both really short of money this month so hopefully try and reign expenses in a bit more. 

We did have a lovely time with the family seeing my nephew get his cap for finishing A levels getting great grades and my niece doing well at GSCE. ready for her one year at residential "after School".

We had to Sunday to ourselves in my sisters house and DG say I could really live over her. She has said this before and apart from the language I think she would be really fine. It also got me thinking do I really want to retire in England with no family around and only have Dgs dysfunctional aunt and uncle? Would I want to grow old her potentially on my (dg is older than me). So after a lot of chatting a plan is slowly forming that in 4 to 5 years we sell up here, buy a plot of land and build our own house over there. It will be a kit house that you buy as a package and they put it all together for you. We would potentially have £100K left over as the land would be max £50K or so. Quite handy my sisters area is cheap plus we would be able to use Ryanair to cheaply fly back if we needed to see friends etc. When it gets too cold in Denmark we would buy a campervan and drive to Spain or Portugal and spend the winter there. We would be in the EU so could take any pets with us. 

There is a lot to research in particular around residency for DG (think we would have to marry) but if she took citizenship she could do the longer stays in Europe easier. 

Mention it to me sister and she was like but you cannot retire yet. She was surprized when I said yes I most likely can if DG get some money behind her in 4 to 5 years. I have been in this country 29 years now I think it is time to head home and take advantage of a welfare state that actually works and get that big dream house on a big plot of land. 

Anyway back to reality and work - the joys the joys.   

badmemory

Being nosy here, but would you have enough to get a full state pension here?  Does DG?  That would make it all easier even if not until you are both 66/67.  Would you be able to make any extra contributions that might be due?  Or can UK contributions be used to up a Danish state pension?  If you have been here 29 years it is quite likely that you already have 33 of the 35 required years.

If you are both seriously thinking about this it may be time to make sure DG is fully fluent.  I always think of the chalet school books (before your time) they use to do each day only speaking a certain language.

TallGirl

Morning thanks for your comments @badmemory. Yes DG has enough contributions and I am 2 years short which I will be able to cover obviously by then.  I had small jobs after school when I lived in Denmark but not sure if it will count. Would be interesting to find out. DG is keen to start learning the language now we have both deleted our stupid candy crush type game so if we want a break from work it is Duolingo Danish for her Spanish for me. Yes would be good if we could practise more and I also think it would help watching Danish tv series or films with subtitles to get used to the language. 

Reading about immigration to Denmark it is only really possible if you have a spouse's visa and I have to have enough collatorale to look after her plus she has to pass the first test within 6 months. So much to look into. We have a massive list of stuff we need to do before my family comes over and my ex brother in law and wife is coming in between too but not staying with us thank goodness. Money is quite tight but the freezers needs to be brought down to have room for when guests come so that is handy. 

List of things to get done:
Reclaim of Gatwick tickets plus taxi find receipt
VPN subscription cancel DG
2nd bedroom wash bedding
Check if enough duvet for guests 3 x single
Empty hot tub
Put stuff in loft


I am sure there are more to add but that will do for starters.

Took the letter to take the financial adviser off my pension that saves about £1200 a year so happy days for that one.