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A Better View 🌄
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FlacosFloozie said:Congratulations Fortune! Qhat wonderful news.
Thank you @FlacosFloozie - it's been a long time coming.
Fortune x
Mortgage: 100% paid Emergency Fund: 100%
A Better View 🌄 'Being on the edge isn't as safe, but the view is better' - Ricky Gervais5 -
LadyWithAPlan said:Fortune_Smiles said:teapot2 said:Congrats on your lovely secret news x
Thank you teapot - we'd almost given up hope of seeing grandchildren so it was a wonderful Christmas present.
Fortune x
The start of the business sounds great with the contracts rolling ina more relaxed pace of life hopefully and only 14% of the mortgage left wow - do you have a schedule for it being paid off or a certain amount of Op? Or are you waiting for money to start coming in first !
Happy new year
Hi there LaPlan. We're on a good fixed rate until July 25 so the plan is to overpay if we can and, if there's anything outstanding at the end of the fixed rate, drawdown a pension to clear it.
Fortune x
Mortgage: 100% paid Emergency Fund: 100%
A Better View 🌄 'Being on the edge isn't as safe, but the view is better' - Ricky Gervais9 -
Not Taxing 😆
I didn't get to do Mr F's tax return yesterday. I chose to finish the jigsaw while there was still some natural light and intended to do the return during the evening whilst I had the house to myself. However, Mr F rushed out the door to his fitness class before I could get a code from his phone to access the HMRC site 🙄 I did make it my first priority this morning though and it was surprisingly straightforward this time. Next year I'll have three, more complicated, returns to do - mine, Mr F's and the Company's. Oh joy 😆
So the morning has been spent thus:- completed Mr F's tax return and paid the £29.80 owing to HMRC
- paid £395.80 to my own tax account. This was a rebate they gave me some months ago. I knew it was an error and would need to be paid back eventually so I ring-fenced the amount in our savings and earned some interest on it in the meantime 😊
- Mr F received a call and earned his first hour on the long-term contract 🥳
- the veg box was delivered. Shopping this week has come in about a third under budget, largely because we've got leftovers to use up.
This afternoon I'll be de-Christmassing. But first Mr F needs to clear the dining room table of lego 🙄
Happy Friday all.
Fortune x
Mortgage: 100% paid Emergency Fund: 100%
A Better View 🌄 'Being on the edge isn't as safe, but the view is better' - Ricky Gervais12 -
Fortune_Smiles said:As I didn't have to be compos mentis to do the tax return last night, I de-cluttered the last of the prosecco leftover from New Year's Day 😉 So de-cluttering is going well.DON'T BUY STUFF (from Frugalwoods)
No seriously, just don’t buy things. 99% of our success with our savings rate is attributed to the fact that we don’t buy things... You can and should take advantage of discounts.... But at the end of the day, the only way to truly save money is to not buy stuff. Money doesn’t walk out of your wallet on its own accord.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6289577/future-proofing-my-life-deposit-saving-then-mfw-journey-in-under-13-years#latest6 -
Well done on the tax returns.
Great news on the new contracts and first invoice due to be paid next week. Sounds a lovely leisurely start to the year.Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £174.8K Equity 32.77%
2) £3K Net savings after CCs 6/7/25
3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £22.5K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.1K) = 28.2/£127.5K target 22;12% updated 6/7
4) FI Age 60 income target £16.5/30K 55.1%
5) SIPP £4.6K updated 6/7/254 -
Wonderful @Fortune_Smiles! The air of relaxation and civilisation wafting from your diary is a true tonic. Love Humdinger xx5
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LadyWithAPlan said:Fortune_Smiles said:As I didn't have to be compos mentis to do the tax return last night, I de-cluttered the last of the prosecco leftover from New Year's Day 😉 So de-cluttering is going well.
I feel it's the best kind @LadyWithAPlan. Mr F has been busy decluttering a red wine box too 😂
Fortune x
Mortgage: 100% paid Emergency Fund: 100%
A Better View 🌄 'Being on the edge isn't as safe, but the view is better' - Ricky Gervais6 -
Humdinger1 said:Wonderful @Fortune_Smiles! The air of relaxation and civilisation wafting from your diary is a true tonic. Love Humdinger xx
Thank you @Humdinger1. It does feel quite relaxed in the Fortunate household at the moment. We'll be properly back to normal on Monday though and the pace will pick up so I'd better make the most of this weekend.
Fortune x
Mortgage: 100% paid Emergency Fund: 100%
A Better View 🌄 'Being on the edge isn't as safe, but the view is better' - Ricky Gervais5 -
Undeck the Halls
We are de-Christmassed! I normally don't mind putting the decs away but, this year, I felt a little sad to see them go. I will miss the soft, twinkly lights warming the house. Maybe it's because I think of the decorations as a celebration of the winter solstice and the return of the light - and, with all this rain, we haven't seen much light returning yet 😆 The weather is forecast to change today and be brighter and drier going forward which I'm very much looking forward to.
All the boxes are piled up in the dining room waiting to be moved to the Annexe or the Barn. I have a few outdoor things hanging up in the house to dry out and two gnomes (a snowman and a santa) have been kept out as they need their paintwork touching up before they get put away for their big sleep.
We had Carrot & Ginger Loaf again with our morning coffee yesterday and the last of the Cracker Crust Quiche for lunch with chips and beans. I cheered myself up whilst de-Christmassing by decluttering quite a few chocolate biscuits from the Christmas tin so wasn't hungry when supper time came - I had a slice of buttered panetonne. So not a heathy eating day at all 😲 Mr F wasn't very hungry at supper time either and had cheese and biscuits and wine 😲 I've put the breadmaker on this morning so we can have a healthier and more nutricious soup for today's lunch... although I expect tonight's supper might involve more cheese 😂
We've nothing planned this weekend so will potter along and enjoy some further 'relaxation and civillisation' before normality returns on Monday.
Enjoy the weekend all
Fortune x
Mortgage: 100% paid Emergency Fund: 100%
A Better View 🌄 'Being on the edge isn't as safe, but the view is better' - Ricky Gervais8 -
Everyone seems to be talking about the rain today, but I live near a city that is renown for its rain & yet I have sun & a clear sky. So frost to start but otherwise a lovely day which makes a great change from all the dreary days we have been having.
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