Arrietty's Acorns

Skint_yet_Again

Hi Arrietty how are you and HRH. October already, any news on the new job opportunity? 

Was it your sisters wedding this weekend just gone? Hope she had a wonderful day 

Arrietty

Well hello!

I never intended to be away this long but somehow, the best part of a year has slipped by.
This post is to bring everything up to date: 

There has been a lot of family stuff going on which is partly why I've been absent. 

Thank you for your comment SKYA and I apologise for the very delayed response; my sister's wedding was an absolutely lovely event and a great time was had by all.

Sadly, it was soon followed by the death of the poorly relative and obviously, support was necessary.

Then Baby Moo finally appeared and I spent a few weeks offering whatever support was required there (and got a good amount of cuddles in too) She is now a healthy, happy 8 months old and on the verge of mobilising herself.

Not long after that, my recently widowed relative  had a TIA and scared the pants of us all.  They live an hour and a half drive away and that felt quite a challenge at times while seeing to HRH and still trying do my best at a job I came to dread daily and despise.

I had a week off over New Year and decided that if I still felt the same when I returned to work that I would hand in my notice and just take a leap of faith that 'something would turn up'.

I felt the same when I returned, I handed my notice in at the end of January, giving 2 months and I started my new role at the beginning of April and all is going well so far. A nice team, I have a decent space to work in and it's at the pay band I was on previously. I still see some of the colleagues from previous role but interestingly, 2 other people have also left since I did...

Up to the present there has been considerable spending;  some of which was planned for -  replacing or updating items at home which has created a more pleasant environment and some of which wasn't like the new glasses Ive had to buy.

Anyway, I'm still solvent and have been streamlining and simplifying my savings accounts. There were too many and their purposes had become confused. 

I'll update the balances in another post so this is to get it all clear in my head and keep me motivated.

I closed HRH's saving account because the interest earned amounted to about £1.68 or something and I was forever having to transfer money in and out every time I spent something. Too much faff for too little reward.
There's just a current account for him now and that works fine. 

I continued paying into my monthly saver account up to the full amount of £3,000 and that matured yesterday and I earned just £82.40 interest which was about half what I was expecting so I shall not bother opening another one.

£1000 of that was sent to Youngest Daughter as  I'd secretly held it or her for the last year and as she moved into a new place with her BF yesterday it was perfect timing to hand that over; she was so delighted.

Eldest Daughter is getting married next year and I'd promised to help with buying a dress so I sent her £1000 and she was also delighted  although I wouldn't be surprised if she has a holiday instead!

I decided to change my car savings account into a FUTURE FUN for ME savings account and hopefully that will teach me not to spend all my income each month so I can afford car servicing, insurance etc. at the end of the year.  Had a lot of drama over the weekend with my car being subject to a "stop-drive safety recall " but thankfully that's all sorted now and it only cost me an uber to work and some flowers for the brilliant woman who coordinated it all around me being at work.

I cashed in my old workplace pension which was worth about £3.75 and that has gone in to the FUTURE FUN acct.

I still have the account I pay cash back or Premium Bond winnings into and as this is essentially 'free money' it is what funds my splurges or treats.

I think that's everything up to date and I'll be back soon with numbers,  news of HRH and a round trip to visit everyone else's threads.

If someone would please turn down the heat, that would be much appreciated,
Thank you! 

A 
x





 

Skint_yet_Again

Thanks for the update Arrietty. Sorry to hear about your poorly relatives but lovely to hear about baby Moo, the circle of life continues. ❤️

Good to hear about your new job and nice team and that you have been able to help your daughters out financially. 

Less heat here today. Hope it’s cooler for you too 😊

Ordinary_Yet_Unique

Thank you for the detailed and very interesting update.
Looking forward to more of them!

Arrietty

Good morning 
... or most likely afternoon by the time I hit post but right now there's still half an hour of it left! 

I have taken the very deliberate decision to NOT look back at how much money I had in all the various accounts when I was previously here. That was then and this is now.

It hasn't been the cheapest of weeks and not a very thrifty start to the month and my new financial diet  but hey... all necessary.

Had a little paddy splurge stocking up on beauty products (& future gifts) £85.29 used TCB of course 

Yesterday I went to do a 'big shop' at Sainsbugs and spent £105.72
Hideous amount of money but that was mainly stocking up of tinned and dried goods such as tuna, sweetcorn, pasta, juice, laundry and cleaning bits and some basic toiletries. 

This morning I went to pick up my 2 new pairs of glasses for £435 (eeeghh but that's it for a couple of years now and I used my cash back CC and will pay it straight back before bill due)

I had to spend £2.20 on parking which is outrageous as I was in and out in 45 minutes

I then collected my prescription which was another £19.80 

Needless to say I'm pretty much skint now for the rest of the month which is fantastic because who do you think booked a week's annual leave for the week BEFORE payday 
I can of course, dip into my trips, treats & gifts fund which is its main purpose but I shall use it sparingly.

This is probably a good time to declare those finds I think:

HRH fund = £471.47
This is after livery has been paid and NOT having to keep shuffling money between savings is great.
I'm currently in talks with yard manager to rent a stable for HRH ( been on the waiting list for 4 years and other people who arrived after us have been allocated them Grrrr) so I've gone in with a low offer as it's very dilapidated and Manager said she'll have to think about it ...
I am no longer paying for lessons up front, I just pay in cash when I have one which means instructor isn't sitting on my money - I am!

Future Fun Fund = £3,400.25
This was my car spares and servicing fund mainly because I can only make 3 withdrawals a year without incurring a reduced interest penalty.  It works because I have never taken anything out of there  so I thought it would be the perfect place to put money I want to store for longer term savings which will be used to pay for holidays and trips and such once I'm no longer working full time. I put the cashed-in pension money in here and am also paying in £100 from my salary each month.

Trips & Treats Fund = £1755.00
Any Premium Bond winnings, cash back or interest earned from other accounts goes in here. It's essentially a self-funding account for when I want to have a little splurge and is probably much reduced from last year due to my New Year furnishings spendfest. I will also dip in here if there's an event or occasion or gift I don't have enough in my current account for. Not much of that expected this year as I'm focused on making home a pleasant place to be ( no, I haven't painted anything yet  ) I'm kinda done with dynamic pricing for gig tickets and definitely done with going to events and being around people who are not not living in the moment as they're too busy watching with their phones up in the air. 

Current Savings Fund = £1350.25
This is linked to my current account and has a paltry interest rate but it's where my CC cash-back goes, rounded up pennies go in there and it's useful to have something alongside my current account in case I miscalculate and need to top up my account towards the end of the month, I once had vague plans to to get 3 months of income/outgoings in in there but now realise that's a terrible idea due to the interest rate and most emergencies can be covered by either a CC or I could raid the the other savings funds. 

So, the savings are much simplified, all with clear purposes and far more manageable.  
I intend to increase contributions to all the savings funds in the future; I just need to settle into my new income/outgiong budget as I've only had 3 paydays and some unexpected expenses during that time.


In other news... HRH is now 16 and getting spookier and more terrified with age 
 Last year we were hacking out on our own around all the tracks and fields... this year he won't go anywhere unless there's either a human or horse ahead - smart boy, lets them get eaten by the monsters while he spins and runs. I have to say that usually the monsters are imaginary or something as terrifying as the grass having been cut  or most recently, a fox. He literally leapt in the air when we came across one yesterday.  Thankfully I was leading him in hand.
Such spooks have resulted in me coming off a couple of times this year and the last one was at a gallop when the ground was rock hard and I HURT.  Could barely breathe but managed to get up, chase him down ( he bolts - rude git ) and get back on to ride him back down to the yard.  My ribs were sore for about 6 weeks, no I didn't go to get them checked out, I could breathe ok and had no other symptoms.
I could just feel a bit of movement and cried or swore a bit when I coughed or sneezed unless I held them so I invested in a body protector and despite the recent searing heat I wear it EVERY time we hack. I hated it at first but it's moulding to my shape now and I sit better and definitely feel a lot safer.

They've been in their summer fields for a few weeks now and he's been as fat as pig and jet propelled by his own gas releases when ridden but they've eaten all the grass and the fields are now parched as there's been no rain so he'll be slimming down again soon I reckon. The pollen count is very high most days and it's just dry and dusty everywhere so we're chomping through his allergy supplements like nobody's business.  

How very typical that I have a horse who flourishes in the cold wet weather when I least want to ride. I'm starting to wonder if he's learned how to cough / sneeze on demand as I rarely hear it in the field but he has a fit of it as soon as I come out of tack room ...

It is now afternoon so I shall away and return once I have more savings updates.

A x

Ordinary_Yet_Unique

A fantastic update! You are very well organised with some well thought out plans and objectives.

Skint_yet_Again

Your savings funds are looking great. Fall from HRH sounds painful. Good idea to wear a body protector in future. When I was younger I would bounce. Definitely would not want to fall off a horse these days. 

Ordinary_Yet_Unique

Hopefully an August update soon!

Arrietty

Hello, helloooo.

Welcome and thank you to Ordinary_Yet_Unique

I did mean to do an update a couple of weeks back but, life...  and also didn't feel right blathering on about HRH and money with what some other lovely people have been going through  at that time

My intention has always been to post twice weekly, to keep me motivated and focused but clearly that has not happened.  I shall try harder.  I don't know if it's the heat which has been relentless here and I haven't been sleeping well, but I am just so tired when I get home that I often shower, eat, potter and then fall asleep on the sofa before 9 and then when I get myself off to bed I consequently wake up at about 3:00am.  Very annoying!

I had a week off at the end of July and that was the last time it rained in this area.  The fields are dry, crunchy and dusty, the horses are bored and grumpy as there's no grass  and very few people are riding as it's too hot.  I'm due another week off from next Friday and I've been asked on more than one occasion if I can bring that forward just so we get some rain!

I had a nice week off despite the rain on a few days; spent time and had lunches and days out with both daughters and also spent a considerable amount of money! Just going out for lunch and parking can cost £50!

In one week HRH had a new pair of shoes, a physio session, a new joint supplement - as suggested by physio - to add to his asthma supplement, also stocked up on bags of feed and mash etc and hay , bought a new shelving unit for the container as both Daughter and I fed up rummaging through boxes...and the total was just over £500   
It all came from his account but still ... and my colleagues wonder why I don't have fancy holidays!  
Anyway, our stuff is now all beautifully arranged and we got rid of a lot of things that had just been lurking in the bottom of the boxes and my garage is now a fully stocked feed / rug room!

The yard are now putting hay out in the fields for the horses and whilst HRH hasn't really dropped much weight  - because this idiot is there every day not only mixing up feeds for him but also filling, soaking and draining hay nets and then either wheelbarrowing them up to the corral for him to munch on while I poo pick or dragging them to the tie up area for him to munch on while I groom his dusty self - it does give them something to do rather than bite each other.  HRH always seems to be the one with the injuries and I'm an expert in hibiscrubbing and silver spraying him which so far - and fingers crossed - means no vet interference has been required. Long may that continue! 

The price of a bale of hay has increased to £9.50 due to scarcity and there's low level concern as to what will happen in winter as manager is struggling to find supplies due to poor harvest.  I have invested in a new hay bale bag in case I need to start getting some from the local farm shop - I learned the hard way that whilst a small car CAN take a couple of bales of hay if you put the back seats down ... to do so without wrapping them first is utter insanity - trust me on this. My immediate thought on unwrapping the new hay bale bag which is both waterproof and yet has breathing holes, was how it would also make an excellent bag for disposing of a body should the need ever arise.   Don't know why that came to mind but I do like to be prepared for all eventualities. Anyway...

HRH fund  £94.97.
 Pay day next week will boost the balance somewhat, although he is due shoes again. at the end of the month!



I spent a fair bit from the Trip & Treat Funds during my week off in July, but had a £25 win on the Premium Bonds at the beginning of the month ( I'm well below my yearly average this year so I'm hoping for a juicy win in the next 4 months) I also claimed £26.26 in TCB payouts - not hard when spending over £200 at viovet and I am super-impressed at how quickly they track and the Cashback becomes payable.
From the 1st August I also started a new game of scooping untidy money over from my current account. My bank always round up any purchases to the nearest £1 and send them to the linked savings account but I thought I could go one better and decided that every morning I would scoop over whatever the untidy balance was to the nearest £10.00
So far this month I have scooped over £58.12p and the good thing is, this doesn't rely on me spending to save  Any direct debits or standing orders leave untidy money too. All this is helping to build up the fund again.

Trips & Treats Fund = £ 1489.48



In terms of long-term savings for  Future Fun, I've bumped up the amount I pay in there too; as from the beginning of August, I'm paying in £150 a month.  I've been told we were awarded a pay rise in April which will be paid In August and from the figures I've been given, this should amount to about £40-£50 a month.  I've clearly been managing without this money so my intention is to add this to the £150.

Future Fun Fund = £3550.25


 I've already been notified that the interest rate (payable annually) on this account will reduce in October and I'm deliberating as to whether I should apply for the newest version with a slightly higher interest rate of 3% or  whether I should just close that account altogether and throw the whole lot into the emergency pot I have for HRH with an interest rate that is currently 4.3% and pays interest monthly. 

 I know it makes sense financially to earn more interest but I struggle to maintain focus if I don't keep things for different purposes in separate pots and also it's not immediate access. It takes 2-3 days should I need to access the money urgently.  There are no penalties for withdrawing however whereas there are penalties if I withdraw more than twice from the current one. 

I don't really want to open a new current account just to access a savings account and wonder if perhaps I'm being a bit greedy just chasing interest rates.  Although, the idea of heaving fewer accounts to administrate is appealing! 

All this pondering and deliberating has come about since I became absolutely determined to retire before the current state and workplace pension age of 67!  I have even started a new notebook purely for this purpose where I jot down ideas for a bit of earning ( no more than 2 days a week doing a 'job' I have decided) and calculate my projections for everyday living expenses and how much income I'll need!  


I think I need to spend some more time on the savings and investments board.

Hopefully, I'll have made a decision when I return!

A xx

Arrietty

Good morning,

it's a beautiful sunny one here and at a manageable 25 degrees which makes a nice change.

After my long and slightly unhinged manic ramblings the other day, I realised that I forgot to mention I was off sick from work with a sore throat, fever .and extreme tiredness .. I think there was a sdegree of delirium too which may have been apparent 

Anyway,  I felt less feverish on Friday and decided to use my unexpected free time wisely. Lots of reading other boards and research into various savings and then I went out to the garden to mull it all over in my brain.

I also forgot to mention that my previously wonderful gardener has disappeared without trace.  He missed on week but I didn't think too much of it as I assumed he may have been away on hols.  The next week it was actually chucking it down with rain ( the last time we had any) so again, I didn't think much of it as in previous similar conditions he'd messaged to say he wouldn't be round and of course there'd be no charge.

But Thursday just gone I was expecting him and despite my delirium he definitely didn't show up and he has not responded to me message asking if he's ok... so come Friday I thought I'd inspect the damage from neglect.  Grass all dead so no mowing needed and I just raked up all the fallen leave/seeds and had a tidy up. Created a bird bath and washed out the bird feeders. £45 saved and if I'm honest, I've kind of missed not having to go out in to the garden and do things so I'll not been a rush to hire another one. 

I'm rambling again... sorry!

So, on Saturday, having mulled and investigated some more and still not had a response to my application for a new co op saver account at the better interest rate I decided to open one of the easy saver accounts you don't need to open a current account for as recommended here.  It took less than 10 minutes on their website and I received verification codes throughout and had a sort code and account number at the end of the process with a 4.3% interest-paid-monthly rate. It's slightly lower than their annual rate but I like to see regular progress so it works for me and keeps me focused. It's also the same rate as I'm getting for the account for HRH emergency fund via Raisin.. I may consider consolidating at some point as it's immediately accessible. 

Anyway, I then went back to my co op account and transferred the entire amount to my regular current account and sent them a secure message to say I wished to close the account and could they please action that asap.
I'm really disappointed with the co op; I've had various accounts with them over the years since my DFW days over 10 years ago and the last time I applied for their regular saver I never got a response.  Their banking app and online service crashed a year or so ago which was why I opened an account with my current bank and the recent data breach has left me feeling very uneasy too.  

I will keep HRH current account there and also the online saver for Trips and Treats as it has a better interest rate than my current account linked one and I have Premium bonds and TCB payouts paid in there.  I also still hold a credit card with them which may be useful as  like to have both flavours of CC available ( Visa and Mastercard) in case one or other of the systems crashes. 

Formulated a new savings strategy in my head and then returned to my regular bank via their app and applied for a Monthly Saver Account ... which was set up with sort code and account number pretty much as I typed in the last digit. I cannot express how much I appreciate efficiency and a great banking service where everything is available via the app. 

First deposit of £250 paid!

Tried to send a deposit to my new Easy Saver but my current account bank said the account didn't exist yet and the new one  said I had to wait until the next day....


So, after all that fun and games with money I went to the yard to see HRH.  It's quite a long-winded affair at the moment due to the whole hay soaking and draining routine but I do that whilst I'm getting tack and grooming kit out and making up his feed ( also needs to be wet ... so much water involved 

It was warm but cloudy with a. bit of breeze which is perfect riding conditions in my opinion.  There was also no one else riding which was good as he has a tendency to want to follow any other horse he sees being ridden, even if they're in the next field.  It's quite annoying at times. He's more than happy to head out alone, however, if there's  noone around.  Had a munch on the hay, worked hard on the respiratory lick .. which looks like black minty treacle and tastes similar too - don't ask how I know 

Headed out to the riding fields but had to stop for a few minutes by the entrance to the woods as there were acorns dropping all over the place, bouncing off the ground and making a lot of popping noises.  HRH was most concerned but eventually, once he'd observed for a while he realised they were not killer horse-eating acorns and we walked through without incident.  

Had a lovely relaxed hack apart from some slightly scary roadworks with flashing lights on the dual carriageway and someone somewhere having a party and everyone singing along to Sweet Caroline ... which we both agreed was a bloody awful racket and I can say that the minor investment in what is known as a 'crap strap' was worth every penny.  As we headed back towards the gate next to the woods HRH stopped, stiffened and went into Hight Alert Mode;  ears up, eyes on stalks, nostrils flared and poised ready to bolt.  He went backwards, I tried again and he went sideways, I tried again and he spun and next thing I know we're trotting back up the hill we'd just come down  He went over to the other gate into the field and stood there waiting for me to open it.  
It's dropped so I was unable to open it while onboard so decided to haven last bash at getting back through the gate to the woods.

He was having none of it and pretty much told me he was prepared to chuck me off  or gallop backwards if necessary so I got off and gave him some reassurance and we walked back together with me leading him.  He was still wary going through the woods but with me leading he decided with clear horsey logic  that if the Killer Acorns ( or deer, or fox or whatever) came for us, they'd eat me first and he could save himself while they were busy!  



Back to money matters:

This morning I opened up my current banking app and set myself up as a new payee for the Easy Saver and it agreed that the account now exists - hurray!
I first sent an untidy £1.20 that was lying around fin my current account, just  to check.  Immediate text message from Easy Saver peeps to advise they'd received it and would pay into my account.
Very impressed with that.

Felt pretty confident  then so sent £3000 which I'd take from the old co op saver and again received an immediate text to advise they'd received it.  
Very happy with this level of efficiency and communication.

Surprisingly, I'm also happy that they don't have an app; this means I can quickly send money to the account via my banking app...but in order to retrieve it I need to log in to their website.  

So, having read a bit on the Savings & Investments board what I learned was that people dump all their money in an easy access account and then drip feed to their regular savers which usually offer a higher interest rate. This way, they're maximising interest wherever they can.  They tend to do this after mixing out ISA's of course. 
Some of these people have multiple regular or monthly saver accounts and whilst I'm unlikely to either 
a) max out an ISA in one year, or
b) require multiple regular or monthly savers accounts... the principle is the same.

I can pay up to £250 into my monthly saver and my initial strategy was to open the Easy Saver and then drip feed £250 a month from there into the Monthly Saver.  

This is silly however, and not how to maximise my interest, therefore I have adjusted my plan accordingly;
I will keep the £3000 in the Easy Saver and add to it whenever I can.
I have chosen to have the interest paid monthly on this account so the more I have in there the better. 
I may add in the HRH emergency fund as I'm not sure of the benefits of keeping it separate, especially as the interest rates are the same.  I will think about this and decide after this month's interest payment has been added. 

I have just increased my monthly savings payments to £150 and if/when the predicted pay rise comes in, I should be able to increase this to £200 a month, especially as  I'm no longer paying a gardener! 
I don't have to pay the full £250 into the monthly saver each mont and it doesn't have to be paid in one go so I can do a larger payment at the beginning of the month and then add whatever I can when I can.

Once the term ends on the Monthly Saver, I guess I then add this to the Easy Saver and if rates are decent, start again with a new Monthly Saver.  If I get to the level where I'm about to pay interest on the Easy Saver then I assume I open a Cash ISA ( if rates are decent)  and then start again with the Easy Saver.  Or, I could add to my S&S ISA or SIPP.  
My dilemma is that the closer I get to retirement age (and I have more than 10 years to go)  the more eager I am to increase my wealth and yet the more reticent I am about risking losing it all!


HRH account = £94.97

Trips & Treats Fund = £1489.48

Linked Saver + £1269.29

Monthly Saver = £250.00

Easy Saver = £3001.20



It's not delirium, I just waffle on a lot!

Have a lovely day

x