Mortgage Free now aiming for FIRE

Watty1

Highly recommend a dehumidifier.  i used to dry clothes in the living room where the wood burner is but I didn't really want to keep looking at wet/damp clothing plus I am very bad at the putting away stage of washing so moved the dryer upstairs to a spare room.   I noticed my bedroom and bathroom were beginning to struggle so found an old dehumidifier and run that from time to time and it has really helped.   

TallGirl

savingholmes said:

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.

Thanks Savingholmes it does actually as that is another £1000 or so in roundups. 

Watty I will look into dehumidifier we did try to buy a cheap one from Lidl's but it was rubbish, we can plug it in into the drying room (think large airing cupboard size full height) with power so maybe that would work. I cannot stand looking at the mould and damp plus it is what DG works with in her job so neither of us like it. 

I am really struggling to get work done maybe because I have no urgent deadlines so just taking it easy it quite nice. I have packed away my Christmas presents including some bobbins with cotton I was going to send back as wrong size but I can still use the cotton on them so gives me loads of new colours for small jobs. Saves buying cotton which is handy and saves DG sending it back. 

Forgot to say that DG has now had all 3 documents needed to apply for the Irish Passport we are both really excited as that is step one at the moment. Step 2 is seeing if my work will allow me to work from Denmark in which case we can move our plans forward. That is a scary step but no point doing anything until we know if step 1 will work. 

I have also just booked my flights to Denmark £96 with no luggage going for 4 nights so that is sorted. No need to take luggage as I left shoes there and there is nothing I need to bring over or back that is that urgent. 

Only had Slimfast so far today x 2 but will have ryebread and fish for dinner. Definitely not watching Bakeoff need to stay off sugar as I know it really works. 

Also booked parking at Gatwick North terminal for Faro trip, £82 paying for convenience and it is actually cheaper than paying £99 to stay at hotel as you have to add dinner, drinks and taxi's x 2. We are off at 7.40am so it is an early start. Will most likely use our lounge passes from American Express so free Breakfast. 

Is 16.22 too early to finish work lol. I just cannot get anything done.


  

TallGirl

Morning lets hope for a more productive day although I did manage to book a lot of holiday bits yesterday although I still have to look at the Irish trip. 

We did have a go at DGs Irish passport last night we now need 4 photos but did spot she can ask her accountant to sign them so that is one less hurdle out of the way as he should say yes. We play at the same golf club and have known him a long time. 

Stuck to the diet last night as well so in the day we had two slimfasts (I know they are not great but it is only for 3 days) and then 2 small pieces of Danish Ryebread with fish. Later and apply and a tiny bit of smoked cheese. I mean tiny. I think that is roughly 1200 calories. Tonight is pump and pilates and I am going even if DG is not. She has been working since 5am so I doubt it. 

Managed to make an inroad on the washing mountain. Drying in the smallest bedroom with the window slightly open. See how that goes. It is bright and sunny today which makes a nice change. 

Also in exciting news I won £200 on the Premium Bond that takes me a step closer to that £50K  .

Need to get some work done today got a meeting with a woman I met at the course I was on before Christmas we are going to try and keep ourselves accountable to do some of the things we said we would on the course. 

I also have 2 meetings with my manager and one other colleague which should be fine nice gentle start to the year. Let hope my headset copes would be nice if that issue with the cutting in and out was sorted by getting a new set. 

I still need to have breakfast but the longer I wait the easier it will be later. Lunch is going to be 1 egg omelet and a veg bag with a tiny amount of cheese. 

Hope it is sunny where you are today  does make a difference. 

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
Get new door handle for back door and fit it 
Return Amazon parcel - parcelled up ready to take to local shop
Take decorations up into the loft - DG just spilled her drink on it so will need new snow next year 
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. 
Get cash out for DG

TallGirl

Morning I am very pleased with myself I did two gym classes yesterday evening and two again this morning so happy to be back even if it was really hard. I now I will achel tomorrow and beyond but still feels good.

Diet also going well around 1200 calories yesterday and on track today. Even managed to go to the shop yesterday and not buy any chocolate and I have not had any of my Danish Sweets  . This wont be for very long I just want to kickstart my diet again. 

After all the holiday booking I did also buy two kindle books they follow the one I have just read. 2 x £2.49 which is quite good. I have a lot of work to do today but feel kind of on top of it. I am going to be spending some time with the new team members from next week which is fine but my other colleague is really not happy about it. They are paid more than us (the job we did not go for) so she feels the seniors should be doing it. Problem is one is on leave and the other one is busy supporting me and her so she needs to just chill. Still going well with new manager but she is taken this sort of nonsense instead of standing up to it. That is her problem but I will see what I can do because it is a bit off.

I have joined the save £12K in 2024 so that is all set up. Looks like there is not google form so that will be a lot of work for them but I will try to keep on top of things this year. 

Need to go to Lidl today to use my freebie voucher for some cleaning product. Also need some bits for the weekends meals. 

Right updated the to do list and need to get back into work.  

To do list:
Buy new slippers (left mine in Denmark) £28 cheapest I could find and they do last. -done
Buy new cover for firepit it flew off NYE
Get new door handle for back door and fit it 
Return Amazon parcel - parcelled up ready to take to local shop - done
Take decorations up into the loft - DG just spilled her drink on it so will need new snow next year 
Book flights for DK end of Jan - done
Complete Insider final survey-done
Investigate how much coving will be for the whole house (hide cracks) 
Empty and refill hot tub
Buy chemicals for hot tub. done 
Book flights for Ireland & hotel
Book flights for Faro done
Book hotel for Faro (Ibis by Faro Airport) this will also count towards our Hotels.com free nights. 
Get cash out for DG done

TallGirl

Yesterday was actually a no spend day although we did go to Lidl it was joint money. I did get my free cleaning product £1.35 and then I got the spin wheel thingy on the app and won £10 off £10 min spend so that will definitely get used. 

I have just spent £1.80 to try out some coffee £450 grams for whole beans. They only do 1 decaf so not worth it but as a one off (I do need to cancel the subscription) is fine. Sometimes it is nice to have caffeinated.

More or less up to date on work and the volunteering day has been cancelled Wednesday so that will help a lot. I can now also do 6 classes next week. I do have one in person meeting next week I will get travel for going there and as it is local I can visit DGs aunt which is quite handy. Funnily enough it is at a place I used to work so know at least 1 person. Will be strange but also nice.

Diet still on track but not stepped on the scales. Will be good today as well but might ease up at the weekend. Still no sweets or chocolate which is so good for me. 

I have a bit of a dilemma my mum bought our close friends an advent calendar (scratch card) but it arrived so late we did not get it to him before we left for Denmark. She sends us one too by the way. She also noticed when she was over in Summer and they were here for dinner that the wife really liked a carafe of mine. Like this one but smaller. She asked me if she should get 2 from the second hand place she sells stuff for her charity. I said yes. She has now bought them and we have arranged to see them Saturday to give them to them as well as the stracht card. Total value about £15.

Now the dilemma is that they do not have any stoppers in them but my mum gave me 2 for Christmas as I asked her to buy them thinking I would gift them to my friends. She however gave them to be as part of my Christmas present. 
They are about £14 each. 

We do not buy each other gifts but we are quite close (we lived with him in London for 1 year) so I was just going to give them the carafes from my mum without the stoppers. Then when we were ready give them the stoppers as a gift when we ask them to be our witnesses at our civil partnership ceremony later this year or next year. We are seeing them for a quick coffee on Saturday so DG wanted to ask then there and then and give it all to them at the same time. She says if we delay they might buy stoppers themselves. I think the carafes are fine without stoppers plus I was not quite ready to ask them. DG then got miffed that I wanted to delay and she now refuses to ask them on Saturday. She also keeps saying I have not asked her to marry her but the civil partnership is just about getting a piece of paper for Denmark and then we will marry once we are over there.  

I do not want them to feel awkward that we are suddenly buying them gift. The advent calendar is a thing my mum has done since we lived with him so that is fine. 

Sorry for the long story but what you do think?  
 

Watty1

Umm, lots of emotions being touched there.    If it were me I would probably buy the stoppers now and ask them at the same time and give the stoppers as a thank you for agreeing gift but I can see other emotions have been touched also.  (I spent too much on others which is partly how I got into debt tho!)

SuzieSue

If I have followed correctly, I would just give the calendar as usual and then give the carafes and stoppers as a thank you gift once you have asked them.  You don't want to start a precedent where they feel they have to buy you a present.

TallGirl

Thank you so much both that is really sound advice and deals with both issues the emotional and the giving too much. I suggested giving them with the stoppers at a time we both think is right. DG said so are we just bringing them the scratch card and they were from your mum not us? (We had messaged them to say we had something to drop off) I suggested we took the sweets from Denmark they like and another bag my mum bought them we never gave them in the Summer. I also said my mum would not mind that we gave them from us I can always say I forgot to pay her for them when we see her. DG seemed happy with that so feels a lot better dilemma solved. 

I think living with my ex who was socially awkward (possibly autistic) and obviously an alcoholic has really messed up my ability sometimes to deal with social situations. That is why it was really helpful to have your input so thank you @Watty1and @SuzieSue.

Just spent an hour coaching someone who has interviews next week and I just know why he is not getting the jobs but it is so hard to say it in the right way. I think I got the message across to him. It is strange having done the confidence course he would never need to be on that he definitely has too much and it is scuppering his job prospects in this particular field (going for a trainee position). 

Anyway I have more work to do so best get on with it. 

LadyWithAPlan

Loving your travel plans and glad the docs are all in line for DG passport.

I also think best to wait to give the full gift with stoppers.

You are outdoing me on the gym attendance!! I also have cut out the sugary stuff since NYE as it does make a huge difference to cravings as well as blood sugar and weight.
I am trying Chromium piccolate and L-glutamine supplements as well  - to help reduce sugar cravings and so far it seems 5 days in to be working. I out on 4.35lbs over 3 weeks of Dec so I also have to get that off.

savingholmes

Well done on all the exercise and glad your dilemmas are now resolved.