Mortgage Free now aiming for FIRE

LadyWithAPlan

Glad you having a great break.. I can imagine that tax rate .. However could you have a UK based or elsewhere company instead for tax?

TallGirl

Thanks Ladywithaplan yes lots to ponder and too soon to really look into it. We need Days passport first. 

On our way to the airport just said goodbye to my mum always feels really sad leaving I can’t wait for the day I don’t have too. 

Dg has been finding all her must have food items such as back bacon, cheese and onion crisps plus all the whole meal wraps pita etc. only item missing is Heinz’s beans they have baked beans but not Heinz’s. 

We’re going to use the airport lounge as dg gets 4 and we never use them. 

Suitcases heavy again lots of presents to take back but also left some stuff as I’m back end of Jan. 

Getting off this train soon so best get organised. 

TallGirl

Forgot to post the above yesterday but we are back now. My friends are still here who cat sat they are going today then our other friends are coming tomorrow. It’s a bit too much we still have to unpack do loads of washing change the beds and also shop for the visitors. Hopefully some time to chill tomorrow before they get here. 

I want to do a proper reflection on 2023 and aims for 2024. Gym and weight loss bring the main ones. Lots of things to ponder re the big move too. 

Breakfast might be macdonalds or bacon sandwich. Then after our friends leave New Years Day we’re on strict diet for three days and back in the gym. The Golfclub gym open on the 8th so loads more classes there to join in on.   

savingholmes

Glad your time away went well and is cementing your desire to move over there. Happy New Year if I don't catch you again before.

TallGirl

Back at my dest 10 min before my first meeting of 2024 so good time to start my reflections and plans for this year. 

Looking back I cannot believe I started this diary in Jan 2023 in a way this year has gone really quickly and in other ways it has not. 

This was my savings plan for the year:

Premium Bonds £500 p/m - achieved

First Direct 7% saver £300 p/m - achieved

Monzo easy access £200 p/m - did not make

Total £1000 £800

Money Box £70 a month with roundups and payday £50 p/m - achieved. 

2023 Aims

1. Save £1000 a month to meet the £12k challenge - managed just under £10K
2. Update finances once a month and post here how things a looking incl everyday spending - I think I achieved that. 
3. Continue to read more books use my Kindle more - I did read 4 books the whole year and just about finished a 5th
4. Gym and diet as per 2022 which I actually kept to - this did not do so well in terms of weight as I gained 5.3 kilo a lot of it in December. Kept gym up all year and golf but gym stopped in December. I am going back no problem tomorrow and I will stick to it. 

Meeting about to start so will be back posting about Premium Bond and split of assets. 

savingholmes

Well done on the £10K. If you add in the moneybox savings - does that not get you a bit closer to your goal?

Hope today goes well.

TallGirl

Premium Bonds

Premium Bonds:
End of 2020 I had 27,625 in there, 
Won £225 in 2021
In 2022 I added £6K and won £275
Jan 23 balance was £33,900 with the payment for January already made.
In 2023 I won £900
Jan 24 balance is £40,800 with the payment for Jan already made 

Aim for 2023 was to add £6k - achieved plus an increase of £900 which is winings
Aim for 2024 add £6K plus winnings will I make the £50K this year it is getting closer.  

Current split in finances (Second figure is without property):

2023

Total Cash		5%	9%
Total S&S non Tax Free		3%	7%
Total S&S tax free		17%	33%
Total Pensions		27%	52%
Property		48%

2024

Total Cash		5%	9%
Total S&S non Tax Free		1%	3%
Total S&S tax free		19%	34%
Total Pensions		31%	55%
Property		44%

My pensions and ISAs have benefitted from the recent increased and I can really see the 10% I now add into my works pensions making a difference there is £37K in there (only 6 years worth) in there. I do not add to the SIPP but I move over non ISA money into the ISA each year. If I was to move my True Potential non ISA into the ISA and add my Monday Box it would come to £13,820 but I would ideally like to find the full £20K so around £6K to find by April 25 which should be doable. 

Obviously a lot depends so how I can best hold my investments while living in Denmark. 

So with that in my here are my thoughts on things I want to do for 2024:

*Have a better idea of what it entails to move to Denmark permanently including moving pre-retirement
*Try to save £12K in 2024
*Top up ISA by April 25
*Continue to add £6K plus winnings to Premium Bonds until I reach £50K
*Weight loss ideally get below 80 kilo's 75 would be even better
*Gym 3 times a week ideally but minimum 2 (That is 6 or 4 classes) Attend golf gym too.
*Play golf once a week minimum ideally in ladies competitions
*Spend more time with family in Denmark. 
*Declutter especially the loft
*Do more creative stuff use my knitting and crochet kits and sew more. 

TallGirl

Holiday reflections 2023

Holidays
February:
10 days to Gambia in February we are flying premium economy as the flights are so awful but you get extra luggage and lounge passes each end so £300 well spend.
Cost £1600 but minimal spend once there. This was a great break but we have now been so many times and as it so close to the Spanish golf trip we are not going this year. 
4 night in Denmark to see my mum for her 80th birthday clashes badly with the March holiday back to back with Gambia too. Cost £46 flight I wish I could have stayed for the whole of my mums party. 
March:
5 nights in Spain playing golf with tuition from golf pro's and ladies from our club plus two friends. I wasn't going to go due to my mums birthday but had already paid for the flights and would have lost them plus my deposit plus DG would have been paying £160 single occupancy. 
Cost £192 flights £700 for the holiday. This was a great trip we are going again this year but with different people. Balance due anytime now. 
April:
May:
Drive down to see my friends in Cornwall.
Cost £50 petrol (I did this at the end of August and it was great)
June:
Trip to see my family as my nephew finishes his A levels and they make a big deal out of it. 
Cost flights plus present so estimate £200 This was a great trip and made us realise we want to retire in Denmark 
July
My mum wants to take us all on a cruise for a week possibly Croatia but not booked yet. Cost to us would be flights there but my mum might pay those too. Will be all inclusive so not much spending needed. 
Cost: ? This changed to a 10 day stay with us in England and trip to Devon as well. We had a great time and it was amazing to have the whole family here and see how we live. 
August:
4 days bootcamp
Cost £312 We completed the whole 4 days but it was so tough. Got into amazing shape only to catch Covid at the end of August which stopped gym and we have never really got back to the levels it was before. 
September 
October
November - had a one night stay in Brighton which was lovely and fun
December
Flight to Denmark will book early this year. - stayed for 8 nights which was great. Flights did cost £500. 

Holiday Plans 2024
January - trip to Denmark for be there for my uncles memorial party. Only costs will be flights booked now £96 no luggage other than small rucksack which is fine.  Plus train to Gatwick £31.
February 
March 4 day golf trip to Spain £769 plus flights £378.40. Staying two night new Faro airport before meeting the others at the airport. This saves £60 on flights and the hotel is £60 per night so in effect getting three extra days for £60 and will be well rested by the time we meet them to play 3 rounds of golf. Parking at Gatwick also needed. Parking at terminal £82
April
May - trip to Ireland with my mum was her 80th birthday present. We are paying for this and it still needs to be booked
June 
July - 7 night in a 5 bed seaside cottage in Denmark with my family and DG. I then plan to stay on for another week DG might do too to play golf with my mum and possibly stay on the island we used to have a summerhouse. 
August
September
October - cheap trip to Spain or Greece for 1 week. 
November
December - trip to Denmark for Christmas 

As well as this we want to do a golf lesson in London with a possible trip to the 4DX Cinema. Also if we get enough stays at Hotels.com a trip to the IOW we have ferry tickets. 

That is it I do not think it will be too expensive and it will be paid mostly out of the £300 we save a month for holidays. 

TallGirl

Right that is it all updated with aims etc and all on the front page so I can find it again.

I am pleased that I almost achieved my savings goal it was the counsellor for DG and her not getting any income due to cyber attack that was the final nail in the coffin as I had to buy all the presents for my family from us. I do need to be careful if I am to get to the £12K for 2024 as I am now paying 10% into my pension and also double the amount for extra holiday than I was last year. I think it is doable especially since we do not have an expensive Gambian holiday booked. 

First meeting of the year was easy and another cancelled. Work should be fine but busy will try to keep my inbox to a minimum and I will get support quicker due to my new manager.

My new headset worked and I have just seen I am getting the refund from Insider so need to do the final survey and that will be it then. I am pleased I did get them so much more comfortable and as long as I remember to charge them it is all good. 

We have taken all the decorations down from New Year just need to put the box up in the loft. I have a couple of things to return to Amazon so do not want to leave that too long.

We are now getting more mould along the edges of the bathroom ceiling and also the bedroom. We have never had this problem so I suspect it is because the house isn't as warm as it used to be pre energy crisis as the loft is the same and we have always been drying clothes upstairs. We will move the airer into the small bedroom so the window can be left open but might need to invest in a dehumidifier. 

I am going to do a random to do list and so I can start the year organised. 

To do list:
Buy new slippers (left mine in Denmark) £28 cheapest I could find and they do last.
Buy new cover for firepit it flew off NYE
Return Amazon parcel
Take decorations up into the loft
Book flights for DK end of Jan
Complete Insider final survey
Investigate how much coving will be for the whole house (hide cracks) 
Empty and refill hot tub
Buy chemicals for hot tub. 
Book flights for Ireland & hotel
Book flights for Faro 
Book hotel for Faro (Ibis by Faro Airport) this will also count towards our Hotels.com free nights. 

savingholmes

As well as anti mould sprays - you could try damp stain cover paint which may also help.

Your goals and holiday plans sound fun.