Escape to the country & living off savings

Skint_yet_Again

Arrived home safely despite the rain and high winds. Called off at mr M for milk & got 2 x swede 15p each, 2 x bags of carrots 15p, bag sprouts 15p. So I will be making swede & carrot mash today, plus beef stew & chicken casserole in the new year. Used the cash in my purse, amount remaining £11.25. Amount remaining in my current account £34.04. “Payday” tomorrow. 

Gas & electric bill £134.44 paid on my credit card. It will be paid off in full once the cc bill is produced with £100 from my monthly budget and £34.44 from my winter credit pot (currently £490). The g&e goes up on 1 Jan so I will do another meter reading then. It was 12 degrees indoors when I got home yesterday so the heating went on for a few hours until it got up to 18 degrees. 

I got some lovely Christmas presents including new fleecy pj’s & slippers. Also several shower gels, a 2024 calendar, a set of new non-stick frying pans from DS & gf, plus a new book. So I am planning a lazy day today reading my book. It’s forecast dry & moderate winds so I may get some washing done & hung out. 

Skint_yet_Again

Sunny and windy this morning. One load of washing hung out for an hour partly dried and brought in as the rain arrived, so finished drying on airers. 

Sorted a bag of clothes for the charity shop. All good condition but either too big or not worn since I moved in Feb! 

Tidied my bedroom, meds boxes into recycling, clean washing put away, travel bag emptied and packed away, bin emptied. 

My friend popped in for a cuppa and chat. Have been invited out to lunch in January. Need to get 2 birthday cards. 

I also bought a pair of curtains for the living room. They are thermal lined so should help keep the room warmer than just the blinds I have now. £57.99 online from the range, a good price as similar in done elm was £150 for the size I need. Should arrive next week & free delivery. 

Skint_yet_Again

Very windy here today. I have aquafit later and will pick up a cooked chicken on the way home plus cakes to take to my friend’s house for afternoon cuppa and chat. 

I am thinking my diary is getting very samey and a bit boring now things have settled down after my move. I may leave and join one of the group threads on Oldstyle moneysaving about living a frugal lifestyle. 

For now I have paid myself today. My budget is the same as usual (£10k per year from savings)

Phone sim only £10

Tv licence 13.25

Water 24

Council tax £97

Union £2.14

Gas & Electric bill £100

Annual bills £100

Birthdays / Xmas £50

Car pot £50

Petrol £40

Entertainment £100

Food £160

Aquafit £32.50

Income £833

Outgoing £778.89

Remaining = £54.11

Savings pots 

Car £650*

Xmas/birthdays £50

Annual bills £640*

Gas & electric £490. 

(*amended to add latest monthly amounts)

Credit card bill due 5 Jan will be paid from savings pots =

Gas & electric £34.44 (plus £100 from this months budget)

Curtains £57.95

Car insurance £271.83

SuzeQStan

Hey SYA - your diary is not at all boring or samey!  It’s impressive and shows what you can do with careful well thought out planning.  

Curtains sound a proper bargain - will have to check range out - didn’t realise how cheap they were compared to dun@lm!!

enjoy Aquafit (hope water not chilly!), and you visit with friend xx

MovingForwards

Your diary isn't boring, it's a huge inspiration and proves what can be done on a 'normal' budget, a total breath of fresh air compared to other parts. I'd certainly miss reading what you're up to x

Nothing stopping participation in the old school, I randomly join in myself but it's fast moving.

What a wonderful Christmas break you've had, the joy and happiness radiants from your words and was heartwarming to read.

Absolute bargains with the shopping and the curtains sound perfect for the weather you're now living with. 

thriftylynny

Coming out of lurkdom to say I also find your diary an inspiration & definitely not samey,samey ! You bravely bit the bullet taking early retirement & clearly prove on here how with it's possible to live healthy, well & still have fun on a set amount of income . I love all your management details especially  all your 'pots' ! I too took early retirement some years ago , like you downsized house but made mistakes with a similar remaining equity & have lost a lot thru lack of knowledge with stocks & shares ...I wish I had had your diary back then to reflect on !! Wouldn't be the same on here if you posted elsewhere!! 

pastmysellby

I'm relatively new to your diary but have loved the bits I have read (haven't managed the whole lot yet).  I took early retirement a few years ago and am living off savings until my State Pension comes through.  It's good to see how somebody in a similar situation manages their money. 

Skint_yet_Again

Thank you for your kind comments SQS, MF and @thriftylynny and @pastmysellby

Christmas and new year are always difficult as it was this time of year that DM passed away. This year I have spent time with my family, have no work worries and we have a new baby in the family to celebrate and look forward to seeing him grow up. I am looking forward to 2024. 

One of my bonds matures in Feb and I will reinvest but I am 100% risk adverse so would be too scared to invest in stocks and shares. Sorry to hear of your financial woes @thriftylynny

Today is wet and windy. My friend is coming round later for coffee and cake so I bought both in asd@ and used the £2 off from the app. I also got eggs & low carb bread. Should be enough food in my fridge/ freezer/ stores to last until I go shopping in the new year. DF is cooking nyd dinner. 

Aquafit yesterday and the pool was cold again. Not sure what to do as I have complained to the staff and it’s not enjoyable when the water and changing rooms are cold 🥶 

(Edit - sorry we seem to have cross posted @pastmysellby)

SuzeQStan

Cold water again! You pay good money for these sessions - wonder why they are dropping the pool temp??

SYA - you got me back with Mr A - I’ve earned over £50 just doing regular shops over November which paid for my Christmas food shop.

in December Mr A offered £15 for doing 4 x shops with them across the month.

and I bought a delivery pass bringing my average delivery cost to less than £1 per order. 

 That delivery pass purchase also gained me £5 on the app.  

Then I was on a roll so applied for the Mr A credit card which I will only use for groceries at Mr A (set up direct debit to pay IN FULL each month) - and will get a £20 reward in app come February for getting the Mr A card.

so in total across Nov/Dec I will have gained £90 from shopping at Mr A!! 😳👍🏻🎉🙀

EDIT - hit button too soon

SuzeQStan

And should have finished that message by saying thank you SYA - wouldn’t have gotten any of that from Mr A had you not highlighted it on your diary xx