Escape to the country & living off savings

SuzeQStan

Happy NYE for later SYA 🥰 agree with Tresinia’s post 💯 - all the best for a peaceful 2026 -enjoy the pizza tiramisu and Asti 😋 big hugs to you ❤️

Skint_yet_Again

Thank you Tresinia and Suze 😘 and all of you who keep me company on my journey and have supported me in my grief over the loss of my lovely Dad, I truly appreciate you all. 

Happy new year everyone 💖

Tresinia I can’t believe your level of forensic accounting 😁 it is very impressive and interesting to look back on. I can’t take all the credit though as there are others on these forums who live on similar or less and offer their help and advice. I do feel that I have a good life and don’t feel it is a hardship or that I’m missing out. A few times since Dad passed I have fleetingly thought about moving back down south but I am not going to make any hasty decisions. 

So today I am going to be relaxing and enjoying being with my friend and her family for lunch. I didn’t drink last night so I will take the asti with me and I have flowers for my friend. 

Today I have cancelled the amaxon free trial before it runs out & they start to charge on 3 Jan. I have booked aquafit for tomorrow (Friday), hope it’s warm! Then I will be taking down my Xmas decs. 

Friday afternoon I will start paying Dads bills and over the weekend I will get some insurance quotes as my house insurance is due for renewal. 

Have a lovely day everyone xx 

jwil

Happy New year! 

Tresinia511

Sya, not exactly forensic lol I just copied the link on the thread and change the page number.  It seems about 100 pages per year.  So changing the page number to 150 takes us back to January 25 and page 50 to January 2024. There or thereabouts is your post related to then.  I find it very interesting  given the increases in cost of living and inflation that it's been possible to maintain a budget, and exactly what mse is about

doingitanyway

Tresinia511 said:

SYA: I have lots of time on my hands and your diary has keep me entertained for last 3 years. In that time you have posted your outgoings each month,  and I've gone back and looked at a snapshot of the end of December, since you started this diary as follows:
2023: £778.89
2024: £791.74
2025: £771.42
They talk a lot a lot about the cost of living crisis but this truly inspirational diary shows you winning the odds. You have managed to spend less in year 3 of your retirement  than in years 1 and 2!  Added to that,  you run a car,  visit family on the other side of the country,  buy birthday and Christmas gifts,  feast out with friends and family as and when occasion arises,  have yes and cake with friends and honestly if there was an "mse"  'obe' gong,  I would nominate you and you would deserve to win.  You are amazing. I and your loyal followers have been with you through the events of the year and truly hope 2026 will be a year of peace xxx

I lost my post! But just to say, I can't express it any better than @Tresinia511 has.
You have my admiration and all best wishes for 2026 x

Doris17

Happy New Year!

Skint_yet_Again

Thanks jwil, Tresinia, dia and Doris 😊

Have had a peaceful relaxing day. Was a bit tearful this morning but have been in contact with my sister and other family. Had a lovely lunch at my friends. Then home relaxing & watching recorded tv. 

I don’t seem to have the … Oomph ?? Get up and go?? …. to set myself any new year plans. I would like to find something new to do to use some of my free time. I will have a think about it 

Skint_yet_Again

In the meantime I am going to try and use my airfryer more. Tonight I have done 6 wings sprayed with olive oil then sprinkled Cajun spices & garlic granules 15 mins each side at 200’ Yum 😋 

Aquafit in the morning 

Tresinia511

Omg those wings look AMAZING😋😋😋😋😋

Skint_yet_Again

Thanks Tresinia 😊

It’s 12.5 degrees this morning in my bedroom according to my portable thermostat so heating is on before I get out of my cosy bed! 

Yesterday was sunny and breezy. I hung out a load of washing and put chicken thighs in the slow cooker with the last of the 8p carrots and swede and dad’s onion from the allotment last year. Not many left now. Aquafit was not warm, but not as cold as it has been. Was good to get moving and have a laugh. 

Home and had some soup to warm up then did the rest of the chicken wings in the slow cooker for lunch with Cajun seasoning. 😋 Did some sadmin and some bank transfers to pay back overpaid pensions now that the executor account is on my banking app. Will sort out utilities next week. Pottered about for the rest of the day and sorted / binned a load of my receipts enough to fill a carrier bag 🙄 don’t know why I hoard them 🫣

Today I will take down decs, dust & hoover mine and dads, then off to my friends for a cuppa