Mortgage Free now aiming for FIRE

TallGirl

Thanks yes glad it is done. 

Went to Lidl last night as both wanted our favorite non carb snack (pepperoni with parmesan cheese on top baked in the oven for 6 min) They go crispy and are just so lovely. Lidl's spicy ones are the best. We made a big batch so the oven was on but you could make a few in the airfryer much quicker. 

We also got the free yoghurt and some other small bits. Definitely worth us both using our Lidl app to each get the free bread that is the best one the next ones I have got now is biscuits which is not good for the diet it can go in the food bank basket. 

Tomorrow we are off to London so there will be expenses there. Our joint funds are very low so we will just pay ourselves. We have golf so that will be a no spend day as we still have money on our pre loaded cards. It is so great it is Friday lots of work to do but weekend ahead which is much needed. 

savingholmes

Have fun on your trip out. Are you meeting up with friends or sight seeing or what?

TallGirl

Saturday was a blast but with train tickets (which we had to buy on the morning due to a mix up) the entrance fee and drinks it was just over £200 which is more than we would usually spend. It was a cockapoo cafe and they basically let the dogs run wild so think kids birthday party but for dogs. It was really well run and very instagrammable. Our friend loved it so did 10 month old Nala, if you have a dog and would love this sort of thing check out Pop and Bark. We were thinking for our friends joint 60th this would make an ideal present if they do one for Jack Russell's. 

Sunday was golf and OMG we both played so so badly. I cannot remember the last time my game was so rubbish. DG stayed calmed and laughed at it at time I was a bit more annoying. It was also due to the drinks the night before and the late night (DG decided to carry on drinking after we got back from the doggie day out). 

We actually stopped playing after 13 it also got really slow. We had a nice chat afterwards with some of the ladies it is lovely now the new clubhouse is open. We then just chilled for the rest of the day and ate non healthly food which was from Lidl's so not the worst. Got my freebie biscuits but should really have put them in the foodbank collection as they are milk one and I prefer dark ones. 

Expensive weekend but all paid for out of our fun fund. We are very low now but next trip is not until May. I was talking to the ladies about our Denmark plans yesterday. It made me even more determined to go sooner rather than later it is just this job. I might have to look into what I could do in Denmark which is most likely outside my field obviously a lot lower wages but I think we could manage. My sister sent me this house a bit further away from hers. OMG it is £200K. I will put the link in here.  

Anyway we are in the UK and this is 2024 lol. My pension payments will go up from 10% to 20% from April so I think I will see how I go but possibly lower the payments to the Premium Bonds. Well DGs money is not available yet they might have to be assessed in court if the other side does not get their act together. It is nothing to worry about and I have encouraged her to stand up for herself. It is 2 years worth of work and they were so obstructive the court will not like that so they are taking a huge risk if it goes to court. I suspect they are trying to delay things into the next tax year. 

Today I have to do a lot of training (GDPR, health and safety) as well as listen into a webinar I missed while on leave. I cannot wait to go to the new HQ on Wednesday and meet the team it will be so nice. Right work is needed I am struggling to find the motivation for gym this morning. 

savingholmes

That link looks a lovely home - nice and big and well decorated.

Good luck to GF in getting paid. Sounds a frustrating process. 

TallGirl

Thanks Savingholmes it will be so much fun house hunting over there but still a long way away sadly.

I was so unproductive at work yesterday only got some of my training done still more to do today. As we did not make the morning gym class I went to pump at 6pm and the instructor is the one from the other gym that I do not see anymore because I swapped classes to the posh gym. She is really good so I will think about doing that class again as an alternative to the cheap gym one. I am going at 6pm tonight for a workout and then combat at 7pm as per usual. DG has PT at 1.40 and she is hoping to come along ( I bet she doesn't) but if she does she can hit some golf balls as it is now light in the evening for that. I am at HQ tomorrow so wont make gym then. 

Diet still not great mainly because of crap being brought into the house. It is harder when DG is not onboard but I hope she might be a bit more motivated as the registry office has come back and said they can do our provisional date 20th September. We both felt quite excited when the email came in we could not call them to confirm as they never answer there phones but we left them a message so we can pay for it and confirm. The plan is to then check our friends can make the date and obviously DGs friends as we are currently just looking at 4 people but that might change. We also need to check with the pub they can do lunch but the ceremony is 12.30 so that is perfect for lunch afterwards. 

Not a lot else money saving going on especially as I looked at the trolley and bag I really wanted for golf. Just under £1000 but mine is really falling apart but the model does not come out until 1st April so no rush so far. Got golf on Saturday and Friday so it better last a bit longer. 

Tried to pay the money into RL and there is a £10K limit but Monzo will extent it so I can make the payment tomorrow. I did not want to leave it too late as it is Easter etc. Says I should get a reminder tomorrow about it so lets hope it has kept the details or I will have to find the encrypted email as well. 

Sun is shinning so it is a good day here I cannot wait to do some gardening over Easter and some more knitting. I have not yet started my new pack still working on the previous one which I have turned into a small golf towel which is almost done. 

savingholmes

Lots of positives. Good to see your pension boost too.

TallGirl

On the train almost missed it so had to run across the platforms as it’s a slightly different route. Was hard getting up before 6am lol but got my coffee on expenses and looking forward to seeing people. No stamps as station coffee but still free. 

Managed to get all the training done yesterday so now have Thursday to clear the decks ready for new work after Easter. I don’t know why I’m so unmotivated for work. 

DG finally agreed payment yesterday so money hopefully heading her way on one of the two cases. Would be nice if it came in this tax year. 

I need to make the pension payment but might be tomorrow as I need to log into the email again and get the plan number unless it saved it all. 

Hope it’s a sunny day where ever you are. 

TallGirl

I had a lovely day in London it was so nice seeing everyone and the office is near to where I very first moved when I left exDH. It was so strange as this June that will be 9 years ago I moved there and the memories came flooding back. The job was fantastic but it was so scary being on your own in a "new" city and having to navigate a new relationship with DH who was in Dorset at the time. I am glad of the journey but I would not go back to that time and do anything differently or have to do it all again. That was the start of my 7 years of fixed term contracts as well thank goodness I now have a permanent job. 

I am taking it slowly this morning as I did not get home until gone 8pm but we did have a coffee with some of the team afterwards and stayed a bit longer with my manager. I will see them all in 3 weeks and we are staying overnight so that will be nice. I also won some chocolate at the bingo which was really good fun actually. A bit of team building. 

I have managed to make the £20K payment into my pension so that should net an increase of £2K. Lets hope it is the right decision I was the headlines last night about a stock market crash. 

It is raining really heavily here I do hope Spring decides to get back on track I want to do some gardening this weekend I have seeds to sow and other fun things to do. Also the pool needs emptying out which is really annoying. 

TallGirl

Civil Partnership is now booked in 20th Sep 24 (need blue emoji here) it feels so real but also very exciting. You can do a lot teaks yourself on how you want it including writing your own wows. Well having watched MAFS I really like that idea and it is something I did not do at my prev wedding. DG is not keen as it means speaking in public. Well it is likely to be for 7 people and that includes us. I think we should do it. You can also bring your own music which is nice. We had a good chat about it and are going to see our friends on Saturday so ask him to be a witness and hopefully they are free on that Friday. I have booked the day before off work so that is nice too. 

We have also won on the Postcode lottery only £10 but that is the second month in a row so not bad at all. 

Rain and wind here still not nice at all. Still lots of work so best crack on. 

savingholmes

Exciting times for you. Hope your friend is free.

Glad your London trip went well. 

Always nice to have little wins too. Great news that £ is winging its way to DG.