The Senior Wonder Years!

FreetodoasIlike

Interesting discussion about premium bonds. I had about 22k in them when interest rates were dire and won £25/£50 a few times. When interest rates increased, I took the money out and put it into a two year savings bond, and elected to take the monthly interest of £72. I have since built up PB funds (only £5000) but won £100 today! I also won £50 three months ago. I know it’s just luck, but you never know…… and you can always withdraw the money quickly if you need it.

[Deleted User]

I visited the the garden centre this morning to purchase the final perennials and annuals for Summer 2024.
I have just spent a few hours planting everything up. Some winter pots and containers have been emptied and stored. A few perennials. that have been nursed back to health in pots have been re-planted in the perennials bed. The garden herbs in their various containers have been sorted and placed in their summer area lol!

I am keeping things simple this year with fewer containers and fewer varieties. I am quite pleased with the result.
The large plant containers that go at the front of the house have been planted up and will be put back into position tomorrow when my nephew comes to help me move them. Those containers are extremely heavy! They were moved into the garage to allow the paved drive and surrounding area to be cleaned a few weeks ago.

I can now sit back, watch things grow and just have to keep things maintained for the summer.
Total spend on plants, compost, some fresh gravel and a new glass topped garden table for summer 2024 was £300. My elderly relative contributed about one third of that amount.

I have also spent £1650 having our large paved driveway cleaned and re-sanded in addition to the two paved rear garden patios. This amount also included a complete exterior clean of the house fascia areas, the conservatory as well as  all the guttering being cleared and cleaned.

So the house exterior and garden are ready for summer!

Measurements and fittings for the cloakroom and utility area upgrades are done and in place. I just now await the start dates. The money for these is already put by and should not exceed £4000. I will be content if they are completed by the end of the year.

[Deleted User]

Forgot to mention that the winter duvets have also been dry cleaned ready for winter 2023/2024. Total cost £60 .
I now need to water all the recently sowed plants. Swimming later this evening.

Organgrinder

[Deleted User] said:

I have been doing some gardening for the past couple of days. Purchased a couple of hanging baskets as well as some new perennial plants for a couple of flower beds. Total cost about £100. The lawns have also been mowed and fed. Need to buy another 2 or 3 perennials, plus some flowering annuals for the containers. My elderly relative has shared the cost.

I have also put in a further expense claim to BA for my overstay charge of £30 at Gatwick Parking owing to the cancelled flight. Gatwick kindly provided me with a replacement receipt, which I was able to upload as proof of expenditure. Hopefully it will be approved as quickly as the flight cancellation and extended car hire fees were last week.

I have also won £50 this month on the Premium Bonds.

Interestingly I have been considering selling the PBs. I only have £10000 worth, and in the last year they have generated about £175 in prizes. In my cash ISA that amount of money would have made £425 interest! Perhaps a bigger prize could be just around the corner! Who knows!

My £100 NW Fair Share payment should also arrive in the next few days!

I have just sold my bonds. I invested £15,000 11 months ago and they've returned £1150, or 7.6%.

However they've won nothing for 2 months, and whilst the thought of winning big looks attractive, the odds of winning £1,000,000 are in terms of my investment one in four million.

I've decided to invest in another ISA. Obviously not for big returns. However beating inflation is good enough for me.

[Deleted User]

I have a school reunion lunch on Thursday in the London Borough of Richmond. Four of us last met 5 years ago and another is joining us who we haven’t seen for 51 years!

I have managed to reduce the cost of the visit by making it a day return trip. The ferry is £75 day return, fuel  £30 and I am allowing a maximum of £50 for morning coffee and lunch.

The ferry fares are beginning to restrict time away to the mainland. The £75 for this one included a discount of about £10 using some vouchers. If I had stayed away for a night the cost would have been about £140 return. So for any multi night trips away you need to budget anything from £120 to nearly £200 just to get started on the journey!

Of course if you travel in the early hours of the morning it can cost a lot less, but I don’t really want to be driving in the early hours!

Farway

[Deleted User] said:

I have a school reunion lunch on Thursday in the London Borough of Richmond. Four of us last met 5 years ago and another is joining us who we haven’t seen for 51 years!

I have managed to reduce the cost of the visit by making it a day return trip. The ferry is £75 day return, fuel  £30 and I am allowing a maximum of £50 for morning coffee and lunch.

The ferry fares are beginning to restrict time away to the mainland. The £75 for this one included a discount of about £10 using some vouchers. If I had stayed away for a night the cost would have been about £140 return. So for any multi night trips away you need to budget anything from £120 to nearly £200 just to get started on the journey!

Of course if you travel in the early hours of the morning it can cost a lot less, but I don’t really want to be driving in the early hours!

I assume you looked into foot passenger on the ferry & train / coach, but is not wanted or practical option?

Not knowing your exact IOW location, but it's not far from the Portsmouth ferry side to the Harbour station for train or coaches

Maybe even with Taxi at the other end it could be a cheaper option

Katiehound

[Deleted User] said:

 

Of course if you travel in the early hours of the morning it can cost a lot less, but I don’t really want to be driving in the early hours!

I know you are going for a daytime reunion but just to say that I always travel by ferry in the middle of the night (02.15 sailing) not only is it much cheaper but there is far less traffic on the road: no traffic jams.
Only problem is that sometimes there is night working on the motorways and no signed diversions!

[Deleted User]

I prefer the convenience of the car especially when travelling with luggage. I am not a light traveller.
I haven't been on a train or bus for years.
I would be nervous about travelling late at night or in the early hours alone. Always have been since young.
Also arriving at your destination extremely early or very late is can be difficult.
I think my main issue is just how high some of the fares are across the Solent. For example a holiday maker with a caravan could pay up to £500 return in the summer for two 40 minute journeys!
We do have offer booklets posted through our doors but some of the restrictions on these are ridiculous. Also they rarely apply at weekend or during key holiday periods.

Clowance

shame that the island being in the 1950's doesnt include the fares!

[Deleted User]

Clowance said:

shame that the island being in the 1950's doesnt include the fares!

The Island is far from being in the 1950s. I am sure you were teasing. If not I’m offended😀