Escape to the country & living off savings

Skint_yet_Again

Thanks MF 😊

Total spend at aldee £42.89. Lunch for 2 including drinks £18.69. Remaining to end of month £15.26 should only need milk, yoghurts and fruit. 

Food plans 
- slow cooker mince beef & butternut squash chilli with rice / chips / wraps
- batch cook chicken, chickpea and butternut squash curry 
- batch cook mince & onions in gravy with veg to have as shepherds pie / jacket potato filling / with chips

Lunch out yesterday was lovely. Spent the rest of the day relaxing and catching up with recorded tv. 

Friend is coming round for cuppa and a chat today. Sorting more stuff for the tip over the weekend. 

MovingForwards

Enjoy your catch up and don't overdo the sorting, you've plent of time to clear things out.

Skint_yet_Again

We’ve had a couple of sunny but cold days.

Did a tip run so there is more space in the house now. Also took a horrible old marble top side table that the previous owners left behind to the auction house. They bought it for cash which I used to put petrol in the car. 

I used my remaining £15 to top up with milk & fruit & yoghurts. I have plenty of batch cooked meals in the freezer, chilli, chicken curry, beef mince & onions in gravy, plus a pizza & some veg & bread, with plenty of potatoes and rice in my store cupboard plus cereal and soups, eggs, cheese & tinned tuna. 

So that should be it for spendy April. I have 15p left in my account until I pay myself again on Friday. Extra money this month was spent on petrol and meals out during my trip back down south. 

Gas and electric was covered by credit on my account. Remaining credit £91.97. I am going to start to put £100 a month aside in my budget for gas and electric. The bills should be less now the heating is off so I will start to build up some credit for next winter. 

MovingForwards

The side table sounds like it's benefited you and the auction, great use of the money too. Anything hidden in the loft that can be turned into cash 😁

Good idea about the utilities. 

Batch cooked and store cupboard sounds plentiful, which I'm pleased to hear. You shouldn't be running low now the kitchen space is all yours.

MoneyWorry

You are managing so well financially. 

Skint_yet_Again

Thanks MF and @MoneyWorry

I am still waiting for my final pension statement after leaving work. I hope I have calculated my figures correctly! I phoned the pension company this week and they confirmed they have a reply from my former employer so I should get a statement after 2 May. It does feel strange having no income and scary spending savings after saving for so long. 😆 Pension 1 is due to start in 5 years. Pension 2 & state pension in 12 years. 

I have transferred £833 from savings to pay myself for May. (£10000 for 12 months). I have also transferred £150 from 1.39% instant access savings ready for May transfer to 6% account (max £150 a month)

Outgoings for May

Phone - sim only - £10

Council tax £97

Water £50

Gas & electric £100

Union £2.14 

Annual bills £100

Xmas/ Bday £50

Car mot etc £50

Petrol £40

TV licence £13.23

Entertainment £100

Food £150

Monthly income £833
Total outgoings £762.37
Remaining £70.63

I am meeting up with my old school friend today.  The weather forecast is not so good, so a typical bank holiday weekend! ☔️ 

[Deleted User]

I know it is early days but what is the part time work situation in your new area?

Skint_yet_Again

Although I am not looking for a job at the moment I have been keeping an eye on the local job market within 5 miles. There seems to be several part time positions being advertised, there is a hospital nearby with admin jobs, others are mainly for retail or food industries plus a part time banking role but it’s too soon for me to consider applying. Maybe once my bathroom is fitted I will look a bit more seriously. 

Lovely sunny start to the day today. One load of washing on. Planning to chop up more twigs from the felled tree & put into garden waste bin and empty broken plastic pots with dead plants in left by previous owners. The pots are mostly broken so will go to the tip once emptied. 

Did my shopping yesterday instead of waiting until after the bank holiday. Total spend £31.56/150

Met up with my old school friend & she gave me a bag of plain flour which was surplus to requirements (as she bought a bag thinking she didn’t have any only to find she did already have a bag at home) I’ve put it in the freezer to kill any nasties. I don’t usually buy/use flour so I will try to find some recipes other than Yorkshire puddings, pancakes and muffins 😬

savingwannabe

This sounds wonderful I am sooooo  happy for you! Happy baking and chilling. 

Skint_yet_Again

Thanks SW 😊 good to see you posting again 

Lovely weather yesterday until mid afternoon when it clouded over, then rain around 5pm. I got 1 load of washing dried on the line, dusted and swept the living room and emptied 6 garden pots & bagged them up ready to go to the tip. Had a bath at home in the evening which is a bit of a faff as I only have a hot tap. Will be glad when my bathroom is done and I can have a shower again. 

Plans for today, another load of washing as it’s a sunny morning so far and hoover the stairs. I am out to my friends house for Sunday lunch so will probably have a lazy afternoon. 

Plans for bank holiday Monday are to empty another 6 garden pots and chop up the soil thrown onto the borders. Dust and sweep the kitchen and mop the kitchen floor. Will be going to DF’s for a shower in the evening and we are having an indian curry delivered 😋

I need to phone to renew the magazine subscription for DF on
tuesday which will be paid from xmas/birthday pot.