Escape to the country & living off savings

MovingForwards

Glad your home ins got sorted.
Hope the dishwasher arrived.
Party sounded fun.
Slot in some chill out time this week.

Skint_yet_Again

Thanks Doris, thriftylynny and MF. 

Dishwasher has arrived! DF has been measuring and bought bits needed to plumb in tomorrow. Curtain pole put up this morning. 😊 Spent over an hour ironing one curtain to get rid of the worst of the creases and straighten the hem so it hangs right. My back started to ache so I will do the other curtain tomorrow after aquafit 

SuzeQStan

Ooh happy days new dishwasher is brill + fab DF getting it plumbed for you 🥰😍 . throw the mar1golds in the bin! 🧤🧤

you’re very good ironing those curtain/s - I’m afraid I’m one of those ‘the crease will drop one of these years’ people 🤣.  My DM despairs of me! 

Enjoy aquafit tmoz - don’t be working too hard if your back is giving you trouble xx

Skint_yet_Again

Thanks SQS. Lol about the creases in the curtains 😂 

Bright sunny day today but bitter cold 🥶 Went to aquafit and water was cold again 😕 lots of people complaining. At least the changing rooms were warm. No washing done as water has been off. DF plumbed in my new dishwasher 😁 I am going shopping in the morning then DF is coming round to try a trial wash & make sure nothing leaks. 

I ironed the other curtain and DF helped me hang it. It’s much warmer with the curtains closed! They have thermal blackout lining and I have read reviews on other sites saying the creases do not drop out (done elm). The instructions say they can be ironed with a low heat so I have taken the worst creases out. I don’t have an ironing board and don’t usually iron my clothes, so I put a bath towel over my dining room table & used that. 

Popped down to my friend’s house for a cuppa & gave her a shoulder to cry on over problems at work & family issues bless her. 

Skint_yet_Again

I am feeling the cold at the moment 🥶
Just got out of bed enough to make a cuppa & nip to loo 😆 Lovely and warm in bed 😊

The heating was on for most of the afternoon yesterday when I got back from aquafit. I had a Tshirt, jumper and fleece on. Plus when I was sat on the sofa I had a fleece blanket over my legs. I had lots of warm drinks and the thermostat was set at 18* I only turned the heating off when I went to my friends house and it was put back on again when I got home as it had gone down to 14* It was then on until 9pm but the temperature didn’t seem to drop as much in the evening so the boiler didn’t fire up as much. I always close the blinds when I go out but I am now considering shutting my thermal living room curtains when I go out during the day to try and keep the heat in. 

I may put on my thermals this morning to go shopping. 😆 I am thinking of cancelling aquafit on Friday as it’s not enjoyable when the pool is cold, even though I do keep moving from the minute I get in to the minute I get out. Might be going to my sisters for the weekend. 

SuzeQStan

Cold pool does not sound fun! Closing the curtains to keep the heat in is a great idea. As long as the sun ain’t gonna be shining through them warming everything up 😉😉

Skint_yet_Again

No sun here today SQS 😆 

Have cancelled aquafit on Friday and I am going to my sisters with DF for the weekend. 

Phoned breakdown company as I have not received my renewal and it runs out in 14 days. Last year was £64.65 and renewal is £97.44 😱 I said I would not renew & she checked the price & offered me £63.84 !!! So I renewed on the phone, couldn’t cope with the hassle of getting more quotes. I have home, relay & national recovery, just no abroad cover. Was happy with that. 😊

Shopping this morning was £39.56 including 9pk toilet rolls £2.05, dishwasher tablets £3.35 (all in one), box tissues 75p & clothes washing liquid £1.89. 

Chilli is bubbling in the slow cooker for dinner and the leftovers will be frozen. Half the Chicken thighs will be roasted with tandoori spice & Mediterranean veg and the other half pack of chicken thighs will make a chicken & mushroom casserole in the slow cooker tomorrow. 

DF came round for a cuppa and we ran the dishwasher for the first time. All works fine ☺️ No leaks! Also did a quick clothes wash & washing machine also running and emptying fine so plumbing all ok 😁

Am now lazing on the sofa for the rest of the day 😴

SuzeQStan

Dang SYA - you are a negotiating whizz! 👏🏻👏🏻

promise I’m not stalking you but gonna peruse your previous diaries.  You are coming up on one year of retirement - anything you would have done differently? Any recommendations for those who may be considering the same?

Skint_yet_Again

Lol SQS I was really shocked how easily & how much the breakdown company reduced their quote ! Especially as I couldn’t get any reduction on my car insurance. 

Hope you don’t get too bored reading my old diaries 😂 At one point I was going to rename it “Boring middle aged women does washing and cleaning whilst trying to save money" lol.

I’m not very good at giving advice. I can’t think of anything I would have done differently. I started out with saving £100 a month and once my debts were paid I think it went up to £300 a month. I think everyone has to decide what they want out of life and budget accordingly. I didn’t intend to move back up north, circumstances changed and once I knew DS was settled and happy for me to go I seized the opportunity. Giving up work was the best thing I have done. 😊

Time2count

Glad you have your dishwasher all going well and your nice warm curtains up - are they the ones that are meant to reduce the heat coming in in the summer as well? I'm considering some of those as I live in a high rise and all my windows face the sun during the afternoon - it rarely gets below 28 indoors in July and I just don't cope well with anything over 20 (or below 10 😂) I am def a spring and autumn person!

Such a shame about the pool temperature, have they said anything about why it's cold so frequently?