Escape to the country & living off savings

MovingForwards

Dumplings and steamed pudding, great for cold days and fill bellies easily.

Do look at FD as their savings account is fixed at 6% and max £300pm, but you need a CA with them; not sure if they still give the £20 just for opening the CA. 

Curry envy!

Skint_yet_Again

Have moved money into savings pots this morning 
car £50
annual bills £100
gas/electric £100
xmas/birthday £50

Remaining in current account £298.83 =

Petrol £40
phone £10
Entertainment £60 (plus cash £28)
food £118
Remaining £70

I withdrew £30 cash to get some lemonade to go with the wine I took to friends house for Sunday dinner and I was intending to use the remaining £28 for indian delivery last night but DF insisted on paying so I will keep the cash for next time we eat out.

Curry was 😋 and portions were so large that I took half my meal home, now in my freezer. 

Hopefully the weather will stay dry today as we are planning to start work on the one storey kitchen extension flat roof. 

Skint_yet_Again

We have had lovely weather so far this week. Rain is forecast for the weekend but the bbq is still going ahead 😆

The kitchen flat roof is coming on a treat. It was exhausting getting the stones off a bucket at a time, but once done DF washed the muck off. Then he chopped out the old rotten wood battens at each end, treated the remaining wood & replaced with UPVC. We have managed to save most of the guttering but have to get a few bits today and a new outside light. Spend so far UPVC £18.52 & Panel pins £7.25. Once the bathroom is done and the rest of the plastic waste pipes are replaced DF is going to put a waterproof/ sun protection coating on the roof. 

This week I made pork & apple casserole in the slow cooker and chicken fajitas with peppers and courgettes, natural yogurt and grated cheese. 2 portions of each leftover in the freezer & I froze the remaining wraps. DF also gave me some asparagus and rhubarb from his allotment 😋

I went to aldee yesterday and bought chicken drumsticks for the bbq, a bottle of peach Bellini £2.99 and a bottle of summer fruit rose wine £2.99. Also got a roasting “chicken in a bag” and root veg to make Sunday lunch for me & DF. Total spend £35.01

I have transferred money from the house account together with the money from DS for the dog food and paid my credit card in full also using the £70 that was remaining in my budget to cover house repairs/ new kitchen extractor fan. 

Remaining in current account £205.50 =

Petrol £40
phone £10
Entertainment £60 (plus £20 in my purse)
food £95.50

Skint_yet_Again

Trip to screw fix yesterday for guttering and outside light £14.56 from house maintenance fund. 

Annual Magazine subscription for DF £35 paid from xmas/birthday fund 

Remaining in current account still £205.50 but I may need to go out for milk today for over the bank holiday. 

My old school friend popped in for coffee so we had a chat & catch up. We are both going to the coronation bbq on Saturday. 

One of my new neighbours invited me to a coronation afternoon of snacks and drinks on Sunday. Not sure if I will go as I had already arranged to spend the day with DF & have lunch. They didn’t say I could bring him along. 

Skint_yet_Again

Had a great time at the bbq on Saturday despite the rain. They had a gazebo and large umbrella so we managed to stay dry in the showers. I spent less than £10 in total (I took 2 packs of chicken drumsticks and the bottle of summer fruits wine £2.99). 

Sunday I went with DF to the garden of remembrance with flowers for DM. 😢 We went ahead with a roast dinner and by the time we had eaten and washed up and DF went home it was 4pm so I didn’t go to the neighbours coronation garden party. Partly kicking myself as it would have been an opportunity to meet other neighbours but it started at 1pm and I just didn’t feel up to it by 4pm. Had a snooze then read my book for a while and watched a bit of tv. Had a long chat on the phone with an old friend down south. 

No plans for today. Bank holidays are not the same when you are not working 😆

MoneyWorry

Yes. Absolutely agree. Bank Holidays are just another day when you are not working. 

The good thing is living in North Wales, the roads are a nightmare every Bank Holiday. It’s nice to not feel that you have to do something just because you’re off and not working. 

doingitanyway

There will be other opportunities to meet neighbours.
Sounds like you are settling in well ad making good progress on the house.
It is great that you are keeping an eye on the PT job opportunities too 

MovingForwards

At the moment you don't have time for meet and greet as you're too busy catching up with friends and family, while still doing loads to the house. There's bound to be other gatherings or simply saying hello when passing will build a rapport with neighbours.

Skint_yet_Again

Thanks MF @MoneyWorry and @doingitanyway

Another trip to the tip today. Have looked at hiring a skip to get rid of the remaining tree branches but it would be about £200, so I will carry on trimming and bagging up and DF said he is happy to keep coming with me to lift the heavy bags into the skip at the tip. 

One load of washing almost dried outside and brought in before the rain this afternoon. 

Went for a cuppa at my old school friend’s house for a chat before she goes on holiday later this week. 

Off to see my sister on the east coast this weekend. It will be a nice break. 

Skint_yet_Again

Lunch at Greg’s was a pasty each, chocolate muffin for me & tea for DF £6.95

Current account now £165.58
Remaining budget 
Petrol £40
Entertainment £35 plus £20 cash
Food £90