An in-between phase

dawnybabes

PennysIntoPounds said:

You don't have a special jigsaw outfit?! @dawnybabes Sort that out 😂

Out of interest, what do you enjoy about them? I got one (free) thinking it would be a wholesome, mindfulness thing to do but I lasted about 15 minutes then thought 'why am I sorting things out for 'fun', I spend all day sorting things out'. I think what I actually wanted was the picture of the bookshop on a summers day but I can look at the lid for that 😁

I cannot just sit and watch tv, I have to be doing something (ADHD????) so it kills two birds with one stone.  I don’t like the ‘old fashioned’ ones with pictures of rivers, houses etc - I like busy cartoon ones 

PennysIntoPounds

Admin comping tidying
Survey
Very small bit of work

Item on Vinted
10 minute carpet walk reading book for ziffit

One third wussy situps

Entered some competitions, today I'm mostly looking forward to winning 1k but I would also like a bundle of fancy British brands. They seem to be mostly menswear but I'll wear them anyway (I'll give Mr PIP first dibs)

Almost an hour walk to work meeting and then almost an hour walk back, knackered but pleased I was able to do it

On way back I got my Lidl free cookie, reduced stuffed pasta and reduced grapes, and a free deluxe pizza!

Randomly occurred to me to check Olio which I don't usually do while out and someone had just posted some Holland and Barrett juice drinks three minutes before and was on the road I was walking on so that was a result

And I got an answer from HMRC about my complaint...

PennysIntoPounds

Apparently I can still pay for the three years National Insurance that haven't been showing on my record (earliest one for a decade now!), at £163.80 per year, so £491.40 altogether, by April 2025.
However I don't really trust that if I left it that long HMRC would still stand by that!

They've said to check that making the payments *would* improve my pension entitlement...
This is trickier as I'm technically on track to have full state pension by retirement age, but as I'm self-employed and have a chronic pain condition I'd rather know that I'd reached the necessary number of years to qualify sooner rather than later

So I think I'm going to go for it if I can save the money from somewhere, unless anyone points out that I'm overlooking something?
These payments can take priority over next year's LISA I think, then I'll refocus on that if funds occur

Blackcats

Great news on the premium bond win - if Ernie could add a few more zeros next month we will all be very happy for you and it will be our first opportunity to meet up as a collective in our knitted knickers and/or cardigans for a jigsawing party with wine and dry roasted peanuts.  Those that want to can also do some sit-ups.

not sure about paying for your additional NI - your thinking sounds sensible and logical to me .....best to get better advice than me though. 

I've just submitted a complaint to HMRC after I received a form for someone else which contained their full name, NI number, address, date of birth and employer name and address.  I assume a similar form about me has been posted elsewhere 😾

beanielou

I would pay the N.I. but that’s just me. 

PennysIntoPounds

Cheers @Blackcats, while £275000 wouldn't even get us a one bed round here so should probably be saved should Ernie be so beneficent, I could be willing to part with some of it for the sake of the knitted knickers 😂 
That is terrible re HMRC. Touch wood of course that it won't happen, but at least if you have any identity fraud you've got all the details of the most likely culprit! Hope you get a reassuring response soon. I still can't believe they made me write a letter when I could have done it online

I can't see any reason not to @beanielou but I am not well versed in the complexity of money matters so happy for anyone (as ever) to come forward and say 'why would you do that, that's idiotic'

joedenise

It might be better to post on the Pensions Board on here for better advice but I can certainly understand why it could be a good idea for you.

redofromstart

It sounds sensible to back pay if you can find the money, and I have (with mild bemusement) been reading the pension boards in recent months. 

The jigsaw is not progressing, the current one has a thin stripe round the edges and it's pure luck getting the right bit. I've eaten many DR peanuts, and sipped a lot of Prosecco and not got much further. Perhaps I need the right outfit?

redofromstart

(I've now got a vision of velvet smoking jackets, but courdroys and polo necks for the jigsaw generation)

WinterWarrior

redofromstart said:

(I've now got a vision of velvet smoking jackets, but courdroys and polo necks for the jigsaw generation)

I quite like the idea of a Sherlock holmes style pipe to go with that 😁