Mortgage Free now aiming for FIRE

TallGirl

Morning thanks QueenJess yes golf is good for walking and agree weightless is really hard but finally we are both motivated so that helps a lot. Yesterday was good with calories did go to Lidl but no brownie so that was a first. I have now got enough for the free yoghurt and I like them so I will claim that one for sure. Still miss the bread nearly bought one yesterday for the weekend but then thought we will just eat it so best not to. The real test will be the weekend as that is when it all goes a bit astray. 

Booked game with old golf pals for next week and taken the afternoon off to play. I am really running out of leave now so I will definitely buy 3 weeks next year as I carried some over this year. 

We will keep the house on the market until the end of this month then off until the Spring. If we have to move after August I don't really mind rather be less stress and we know there is interest especially if we can drop the price £20K. Next door has dropped £10K after a month on the market but they will not sell with the bigger house up for the price they have reduced to. It is going to a busy close with all the estate agents coming and going and least the loft conversion at no 1 is less hassle now less vans which does help. 

I have told the agent in Denmark we are not viewing the house almost on the beach my mum might take a drive past when she goes home from my sister next week. She has not seen the area we have looked at although she knows the main town well and loves it. I will still look but promised myself that I need to slow down only view is these things are in place: bungalow with cellar or outbuilding (need that pool bar), ensuite or easy way to make ensuite, 

I did not get into the Santander free Spanish course which is a shame but you can still do other free things on there so I will take a look. 

We did do the webinar about family reunion and we can definitely move under the EU agreement but might also be able to avoid the family reunification due to the Irish passport. We have sent an email to the Danish association as they can give that advice. The tax webinar is next week I am looking forward to it as the other one was really good. 

Onwards and upwards happy Friday everyone!

TallGirl

Happy Monday morning a slightly later start for me as I did not sleep very well. Weekend was great we did go to the range Friday but we had money on our range card so no money spent sneaked in our own drinks. Saturday we actually just chilled and got lots of stuff sorted around the house including getting the Winter quilt down and defrosting the freezer. Sadly the ice machine part is not working properly still so will need someone to fix it. Booked holiday to Turkey with 2 friends for DGs 60th. It is £700 each all inclusive and we are flying from Stansted so can park at friends house and get 10 min cab. It is just a week but will be good to spend proper time with them. I have only been to Turkey once and it was a different part. I do like Turkish food too. 

Sunday was the big game where we were both playing. We did both lose our games DG struggled with her knee but played well on the front. My opponent was really steady but I did make some mistakes and lost at the end. They the deciding game went two extra holes but we did win so very happy with that. Soup and bread for dinner and no lunch so low calorie day plus lots of walking. Some spends on drinks at the club but cheap really. Also met a lovely lady who we are playing with next weekend using the last of our free green fee tickets. She is also with a female partner having been with a male before. Hope the weather lasts. 

Sorted special assistance this morning for our two friends and got them an accessible room they are in single rooms so should give them more space anyway. 

Both been logging our food on my FitnessP*l and been very good. We have both lost just over a kilo so that is positive. It is so much easier when we are both onboard. We did tidy up the freezer when we emptied it we really need to do some bulk cooking there is nothing left in there really. 

Big meeting today at work re the changes will be interesting to see where they are at. I am still happy we have our plan to move. Can't wait to hear back from the Danish society about our options. I am trying very hard not to look at any houses. 

TallGirl

Bit of spending yesterday got my shampoos and conditioner from Superdrug 3 for 2 so that was nice. Also ordered a Oddbox as I got a discount code. I did not realise you can change all the products which definitely helps us as I did like the quality it really lasts a long time. We have gone for a mix of fruit and veg. 

Also spent on physio this morning for my hips and got details of someone who can look at my feet which has deteriorated. I can no longer get insoles on NHS but I did not know a good one to go to for them. I think it is important to invest in health. 

Still doing well on the diet making meals up on my Fitness p*l so it is quick to log them. DG is very keen and actually better than me in sticking to it which does help.

No more viewings and more importantly no more houses to temp me in Denmark. 

LadyWithAPlan

Well done on the weight loss and focus - my friend came off wegovy as she felt v sock - hopefully DG will be feeling better and get used to it 

my slow carb nutrition is completely winning for me as there is no weighing etc but due to eating all those beans protein and veg there is never any hunger - I am feeling surprisingly fantastic and am leaner than I have been since covid 
I am still training ems twice a week but do feel the combination is what is working for me - also fact I can’t eat Bread fruit cookies etc on the slow carb 6/7 means I naturally eat less - I am eating nuts mind you

yes do let me know any big takeaways about accessing uk pensions from denmark etc of things come up 

TallGirl

Thanks LWAP the pension webinar is not until next Thursday so a bit of time yet. I found the requirements to qualify for a Danish State pension and I should be ok for that. It would be a % depending on how many years I will end up having but I do get a full UK one at least. 

Slow carbs and veg is what we have been doing for years and years it does work really well and you do not get those slumps after a big bowl of pasta. We don't ever eat white rice, bread or pasta but chips and jacket potatoes sneaks in now and then. 

DG says she cannot really feel any difference being on the skinny jabs she is still not over the shingles which is annoying as she cannot go to the gym (her skin is really sore) so best to wait. I will be going and look forward to it. I have my sewing course tomorrow it is zips so that should be fun to do. 

Booked dinner and breakfast slots for the mystery trips away in Nov but annoyingly they only had 1 slot left on the activities. We need to do them as part of the brief but at least we have 1 slot and looking just now I found a tea tasting which I can do while DG shoots. Sounds strange does it not. They are refunding 65% of the stay plus £70 for expenses and £80 for the ferry so should not costs too much. Evening drinks are included so that does help only have to pay for lunch which we may or may not need although have to buy 1 day. 

Also got £21 cashback from Quidco on the holiday booking and retrieved the £50 Hotels.com voucher I had forgotten all about from Tesco. This was for a trip to Brighton but there now wont be time until the new year. £45 tracked and £9 ready to pay out so that will be nice when I get it. 

Right back to work I am just digressing. 

TallGirl

Morning not a lot to report I did go to the gym and met a friend who has been away with injury and holiday so that was nice. Will help with going in the future she also goes Weds eve so I will do that once I finish the sewing course. 

It is week 4 tonight out of 5 it is zips and I need to make sure I have everything ready before the class. I did find the right zip so that does help. 

No spending other than on the shampoo and conditioner. I am digging out the to do list as more items have snuck in but there has also been a good update one of the frogs have been done. 

Do you remember that painting bit that needed doing by the front door well that is now looking rubbish again but I will not put it back on there yet that is just too depressing. 

We heard that next door has sold she dropped her price by £10K so it now matches the other side which is in need on refurb but has a double garage and a better position facing out to the small field next to us. Good that they have sold but I do wonder if she had to drop more than £10K if so theirs will be a lot cheaper than ours but it is a semi and only 3 bed. No more viewings for us at the moment which is nice to be honest. 

The ice mechanism in the fridge freezer is well and truly broken. DG has look at reviews and it is grim reading they cannot be repaired easily. Our friends told us to get insurance on it but we did not and it is now 5 years old so well out of warranty. Never buy a Samsung american fridge freezer again. 

TO DO
- Sort will out to include civil partnership - postponed as solicitor is on maternity leave 
- Get witness to signed then post forms for land registry DONE just needs posting 
- Look into international pensions - attending Webinar 23/10
- Sort car insurance - looks cheaper to stay where I am - ON AUTO RENEWAL
- Buy ice machine as built in one is broken. 

House stuff
- Paint the 2 back fence panels 
- Repoint worst bits of patio - materials and tools READY to do needs to get done asap - still not done annoyingly
- Repaint the gates and back fence cream before re-listing house
- Get Hive fixed 

Social/holiday
- Book Gatwick parking for Christmas
- Order Moroccan currency. 
- Book activities for Morocco  
- List trousers on Vinted

OhIJustLostMyShoe

TallGirl said:

The ice mechanism in the fridge freezer is well and truly broken. DG has look at reviews and it is grim reading they cannot be repaired easily. Our friends told us to get insurance on it but we did not and it is now 5 years old so well out of warranty. Never buy a Samsung american fridge freezer again. 

I know someone who works in commercial kitchens as a food safety inspector.  They said to me that ice machines are some of the most unpleasant bits of kit - partly because people don't expect them to go wrong or need cleaning, but they most definitely do.

I decided never to buy a fridge freezer with built-in ice maker as a result.  At least with standalone ones you can generally take them apart far more easily.  I don't have one though, my kitchen is not big enough for the gadgets I already own!

TallGirl

Thanks OhIJustLostMyShoe what a fab user name really like it. That does sound gross and not something I had thought about. DG drinks water all day with ice so no way could we keep up in just buying ice so a maker is going to be needed. She thinks we can get a standalone for about £100 and it can live in the pool bar. I do not really know how they work but she can look into that. We cannot buy it this month as there are a lot of joint expenses to go out. 

We also got confirmation that DG can come in to Denmark on her Irish Passport no need for family reunification so that makes life a lot easier. There are no benefits for us as we are self sufficient. I am not sure if she would come in as a worker/self employed or self sufficient. I think we will set her up as a company and then she can sub contract me for work I do. Then I can do a tax return which should make it easier I hope. Pension webinar is on Thursday so if it is as useful as the immigration one was then it should be helpful. 

Going to Lidl before the sewing course so I can get my free yoghurt and we have also run out of meatballs and mint tea. 

TallGirl

Sewing course was great as always feel so much more confident on Zips now shame next week is the last one. 

A bit of spending during the course £6 on two new sewing machine feet they might not fit but mine is broken so I need one the other one was to do invisible zips wow they are so much nice than normal ones.

Got my free yoghurt in Lidl and some other bits we needed nothing bad so that is a great step in the right direction. Did have a sneaky weigh in but not lost anything this week. Hopefully change by Saturday. . 

Also some spends this morning, saw a sweater dress from Next/Long Tall Sally in a lovely dark red I had to to have it. Also a track suit I have had my eye on so that was £88. I bought it in my normal size so hopefully not too big (they sizes are large).

Today I have taken 1/2 days leave to play with some friends from our old golf club we have not seen since we left. It is lovely and sunny so quite look forward to it actually. 

Food and drinks getting prepped tonight for the cocktail session tomorrow. Food is healthy chicken tagine but obviously the cocktails wont be lol. DG is still doing well on the skinny jabs but her knee is really playing up which is not good. It doesn't help she has not been to the gym for months so might improve once she goes back. 

TallGirl

Had a great day playing golf yesterday afternoon I played fine it was very wet though. DG has severe knee pain so it was difficult but it was as if we had never been apart from the friends although we have not seen them since we lived in London so 5+ years at least. Also used two of the free green fee tickets so that was handy. 
Diet going well even with chips for lunch and 1/4 pint lol. 

Done a work call already and have optician later. Hopefully I am going to get the land registry papers posted and have a free coffee in town. 

Cocktail night tonight quite look forward to it but first work work