Escape to the country & living off savings

SuzeQStan

Glad your snows gone SYA - some of my
colleagues near Sheffield had a right bad time today - darent stop the car whilst driving in case they got stuck in the snow -  they saw a lot of cars that had foundered.

cant beat a tin of peaches - love the idea of warming them up and having them with cream 😋

~FlowerPot~

I am very inspired by your retiring and living off the equity until you pension kicks in. You seem to have all your spends well organised.

Glad the snow has gone. DOwn here we have just had rain rain rain and yet more of the wet stuff!!

MovingForwards

The meals sound delicious and not a bad price with wine too!

Home cooked meals are well thought out, warm and filling, perfect for the current weather. There is something very satisfying about tinned fruit.

Boo to the tax, but thank goodness you've a small car to keep overall running costs down.

Skint_yet_Again

Thanks SQS, Flowers & MF 😊

Thankfully all the snow was gone by the next day. Am glad I didn’t have to commute to/from work in it! 

I was looking at my pots / budget & what I had estimated a year ago was about right overall

council tax £100
(DF lives round the corner same rating and single person discount currently £90)
Actual £97 over 10 months and 2 months spare £100 put into holiday pot for petrol to visit relatives on east coast / south coast. 

Annual bills £100 ✔️ 
(car tax, dentist, clothes, house & car insurance. Car breakdown cover. Haircuts. Eye tests & medical prescriptions are free due to medical condition. Glasses are bought cheap online). 

Mobile phone £9.26
Actual £10 which includes enough data to live without home broadband 

water rates £41
(This is current amount for 3 people in 3 bed house in south. DF has a water meter and pays less than half this. Will look at getting a meter fitted)

Now water meter £13 a month

Gas / Electric £130
Actual £110 a month through the summer has built up more than enough credit for winter increases. Now £100 a month 

Petrol £100

Actual £40 a month

car maintenance pot £50✔️
(repairs/tyres/service/mot)

xmas / birthdays £30.                     Actual £50 a month to include cards & stamps

Entertainment £100 ✔️

Tv licence £13.25 

Food £150                                      Actual £160 a month /£40 a week

Plus leisure centre monthly £32.50

Union £2.14 (retired).                        Now increased to £2.24 a month 

Still within £833 a month / £10000 a year with approx £50 a month left in the budget which should cover increase in council tax in April. 

peewhyeff

To SkintYetAgain......can I ask?  Is £13 per month for water for 3persons?  Ours is soon to be £1100 p.a.based on old system of reusable value, 2 persons in the household, likely down to 1 later this year.

Skint_yet_Again

Hi @peewhyeff £13 a month is for one person on a meter in the yorkshire water area 

It might be worth you taking a look. at the MSE guide which includes a link to the water council calculator 

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/cut-water-bills/#save

MovingForwards

It's good to see how estimates compared to actual outgoings and you've wiggle room each month too.

How did your planned lifestyle compare to reality and now it's a year on, would you have done anything different?

Skint_yet_Again

I think the main lifestyle change was giving up work. I was so miserable in a very stressful job and that decision was the best I could have made. Once I decided to move up north I knew there would be no going back once I started spending the equity. I could not afford to move back down south now. I miss puppy dog every day but don’t miss having to do the walks. 😆 My health has improved now I am not chained to a desk & going to aquafit twice a week gives me an all over workout plus I do more walking in the warmer months and I can now choose when / where / what time & how long I walk. 

I see DF most days, my niece & new baby once a week, my sister about once a month and DS & gf and dogs a couple of times a year. I miss my friends down south but keep in touch and see them when I go to visit DS. I think I would have struggled without my old school friend here and we meet up for cuppa twice a week or go out on shopping trips/ lunches. We also walk to local pub on evenings & weekends in warmer months for music/ food events.

I have seen a few part time jobs but usually find I would have to give up aquafit or the two afternoons I see my friend & to be honest I have had a good & fulfilling life on £10000 a year so do not “need” to work. 

My house is cosy and comfortable. I have lovely neighbours. There are still a few little jobs to do & they will be covered by the interest on my savings. I am glad that the major jobs were done initially (roof, new boiler, new bathroom) and that DF was here to help me with tradesmen. 

I have been thinking about doing some volunteering but not sure what I fancy doing and it would have to probably be in the warmer months. I am going to look at local weekly events and maybe join the village history/ craft group. 

I have a lot to be grateful for & don’t think I would have done anything differently. 

[Deleted User]

This thread is a wonderful inspiration to others. It demonstrates how somebody can live a fulfilled and happy life without the need for tens of thousands of pounds. 
Some posters or certain other boards should come and read and learn!
Very best wishes!

SuzeQStan

Your lifestyle is fab and you are living my hopefully not too far off dream xx