1% challenge 2023

craftingmad

Thank you all for your kind words. They mean so much to me.

Right I've added up everything which we have put into our retirement fund since my last post at the start of June and it comes to £3987.46 :) This includes my wages, interest and money saved from subscriptions we have cut and still reaping the benefits from :)

So the total added to our pot for 2026 so far is £16754.60/£38457 = 43.51%

Not where we wanted to be at this time in the year but it is not as bad as I thought it would be given that hubby has not had the opportunity for overtime since March and I am now paying half of my salary from the original cafe into a pension pot to take advantage of the tax free savings and employer contribution.

Our percentage will go up next year though as we are going to pay for our daughters Masters degree (£8k and a barbering course for our son (£3k). Oh well I didn't want to retire any time soon ;)

craftingmad

Hi everyone.

Sadly we lost my mum two and a half weeks ago. She died peacefully and more importantly pain free for her final days in a local hospice which was exactly what she wanted. Part of me is relieved that she is now out of pain as it was horrible seeing her suffering but of course I am immensely sad and still coming to terms with the fact that I will never see her again. I think its just as hard watching my poor old dad just lost without her by his side :(

Her funeral is next week which I am dreading and I am having to organise it all by myself as my dad and sister are not feeling up to doing anything to help for it. I wish I had that luxury but sadly somebody has to do it so it only leaves me. Hubby is helping where he can but not too much as he does not feel it is right for him to take the lead. I think the full impact of her passing will not hit me fully until the celebration of her life has taken place. Needless to say my priority at the moment is not this challenge but I hope it will be again very soon :(

I did go back to work this week though as I felt I just needed something "normal" to focus on and I think it helped and it will also help me add a little bit into the savings each week to keep the total rising (if only by a little bit each month) :)

I'll have a check on the figures as they stand right now and then post again (hopefully being able to declare another 1% x

NeverendingDMP

@craftingmad I'm sorry to hear your news. My thoughts are with you and your family at this time xx