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Escape to the country & living off savings

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  • SuzeQStan
    SuzeQStan Posts: 1,717 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Homepage Hero Photogenic
    Don’t blame you on the ice cream van - you have to have a treat every now and again!  Membership at leisure centre sounds good - are there other classes you are interested in? Good to keep things fresh trying different classes 😊👍🏻

    one thing tho - what is their cancel policy? I’ve got a real bug bear about this after a good friend was chased through the courts at a time when she was fighting for her life and didn’t need the added aggro.  
    Lancashire
    PV 5.04kWp SW facing
    Solar Battery 6.5 kWh 
    🐙 Intelligent Go

    Mortgage freedom January 2024 - paid off 7 years early by making overpayments where we could.

  • Thanks SQS. I am sticking to aqua fit for now but increasing to twice a week. I am booked for my injection in my shoulder this week so I will see what happens after that. 

    I am sorry to hear about your friend and I hope she has fully recovered. I have chosen the no contract option which is paid monthly and can be cancelled any time after the first month by giving a months notice. 

    Went out to lunch today with my old school friend, her sister and her mum. I have known them all for years so it was nice to catch up. My friend bought me a drink as I drove and I paid for my meal £12.90


    0% credit card £1360 & 0% Car Loan £7500 ~ paid in full JAN 2020 = NOW DEBT FREE 🤗
    House sale OCT 2022 = NOW MORTGAGE FREE 🤗
    House purchase completed FEB 2023 🥳🍾 Left work. 🤗

    Retired at 55 & now living off the equity £10k a year (until pensions start at 60 & 67).

    Previous Savings diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5597938/get-a-grip/p1

    Living off savings diary
    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6429003/escape-to-the-country-living-off-savings/p1
  • MovingForwards
    MovingForwards Posts: 17,150 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Seventh Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic
    It's a good price for the leisure centre.
    Hope the ice cream perked you up and I'm pleased to note you managed the day out.
    Keep resting up.
    Mortgage started 2020, aiming to clear 31/12/2029.
  • Thanks MF 😊 I am feeling back to normal now. Ice cream was very nice 😋

    I have “paid” myself a day early this month so I could go shopping today. GP appointment tomorrow and aquafit on Friday. Trip to the tip this morning with DF. Put £15 of petrol in the car as the cheapest petrol is in that area 146.9 p/l 

    DF came back to mine for a cuppa, then I went to aldee (in opposite direction to the tip) and spent £51.16 😳 That did include lots of meat, fruit & veg, bread & butter, ham & cheese, tea bags & hot choc, eggs, no added sugar jellies, shower gel, 9 toilet rolls & anti-bac wipes & 8 cans p.max cola. Also bought a salt and pepper grinder. (£1.49 each). Lots of stuff will last the month so I should claw some back in my grocery budget when I spend less most weeks. 

    I have put a gammon joint in the slow cooker and will have some for dinner. 

    I found a war b tons no added sugar wholemeal loaf only 9g carb per slice so had a ham and watercress sandwich for lunch. I felt very indulgent having 2 slices of bread 😆  Still trying to cut carbs & processed sugars. One month to go until my 3 monthly hba1c 🤞


    0% credit card £1360 & 0% Car Loan £7500 ~ paid in full JAN 2020 = NOW DEBT FREE 🤗
    House sale OCT 2022 = NOW MORTGAGE FREE 🤗
    House purchase completed FEB 2023 🥳🍾 Left work. 🤗

    Retired at 55 & now living off the equity £10k a year (until pensions start at 60 & 67).

    Previous Savings diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5597938/get-a-grip/p1

    Living off savings diary
    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6429003/escape-to-the-country-living-off-savings/p1
  • Skint_yet_Again
    Skint_yet_Again Posts: 8,456 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Hung up my suit! Mortgage-free Glee!
    edited 31 August 2023 at 8:46AM
    Budget for September 

    Phone sim only £10

    Tv licence 13.25

    Water 48.90

    Council tax £97

    Union £2.14

    Gas & Electric £110

    Annual bills £100

    Birthdays £50

    Car fund £50

    Petrol £40

    Entertainment £100

    Food £160

    Aquafit £32.50


    Incoming £833

    Outgoings £813.79


    Spending so far

    Petrol £15 / £40

    Food £51 / £160

    I have adjusted the aquafit for new membership price and will put an extra £10 into gas & electric pot. 

    I went for a walk yesterday evening and it was sunny when I set off at 7pm but it was chilly and soon started to get dark. I am beginning to get worried that I have not built up enough credit for winter heating. If there is anything left at the end of the month I will put that into the pot too 

    Gas & electric credit currently £236.02 plus £110 = £346.02        

    Last bill August £ 58.98 hoping September will be about the same

    0% credit card £1360 & 0% Car Loan £7500 ~ paid in full JAN 2020 = NOW DEBT FREE 🤗
    House sale OCT 2022 = NOW MORTGAGE FREE 🤗
    House purchase completed FEB 2023 🥳🍾 Left work. 🤗

    Retired at 55 & now living off the equity £10k a year (until pensions start at 60 & 67).

    Previous Savings diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5597938/get-a-grip/p1

    Living off savings diary
    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6429003/escape-to-the-country-living-off-savings/p1
  • I always admire your budgeting and financial discipline. I wouldn't worry too much about energy costs. I am sure you can budget successfully for them knowing your track record!
    Do you plan any longer holidays in 2024? How are the savings looking? Hopefully you will benefit from increased interest rates.
    Have you heard anything back from pension providers concerning figures if you took ay of the pensions earlier?
    Sorry about all the questions but just being curious!  :)
    Weather here is very wet indeed!
  • You've a lot of shopping for your money. 
    Hope the jab is helping and class was a bit easier. 
    Do you need the subs? I know they offer a few perks but it might be worth seeing what perks are included with your home / car insurance. 
    Mortgage started 2020, aiming to clear 31/12/2029.
  • Thanks MF. My arm was still hurting yesterday so I just took it easy with that arm. Today it feels a little better and there is a bit more movement in my shoulder. Hopefully it will continue to improve. 

    Not sure what you mean by perks of insurance? I don’t think I get any perks with my house or car insurance. 

    Being a retired / former employee member of my union I retain access to union rep advice, help if needed with pensions, free legal advice line & free wills service (I must get round to making a will !)

    Thursday curry night was lovely. Beef madras, rice, 2 x popadoms and garlic Nan with mango chutney and pint of soft drink for two of us just over £17 and DF paid this time. 😁

    I picked up a hot roast chicken after aquafit yesterday £6.50 and had some with salad for lunch and some with carrot & swede mash, steamed broccoli and cauliflower & runner beans from the freezer for dinner. Lots left for lunches over the weekend. 

    It’s a fine sunny day today. I’ve just washed & hung out towels. This nice weather is forecast to last into
    next week 🤗




    0% credit card £1360 & 0% Car Loan £7500 ~ paid in full JAN 2020 = NOW DEBT FREE 🤗
    House sale OCT 2022 = NOW MORTGAGE FREE 🤗
    House purchase completed FEB 2023 🥳🍾 Left work. 🤗

    Retired at 55 & now living off the equity £10k a year (until pensions start at 60 & 67).

    Previous Savings diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5597938/get-a-grip/p1

    Living off savings diary
    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6429003/escape-to-the-country-living-off-savings/p1
  • doingitanyway
    doingitanyway Posts: 10,048 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Mortgage-free Glee!
    Im always amazed at how well you do with food shopping. 
    Glad you are enjoying the leisure centre. Also good value.
    If you have built castles in the air, your work should not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them

    Emergency fund 100/1000
    Buffer fund 0/100
    Debt Free (again) 25/072025
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