Progress is...

rtandon27

@Cheery_Daff & @Greying_Pilgrim - thank you both for sharing your lovely stories about letter writing - it is such a dying art!

For many years after I moved here, I'd take great care to send gifts and cards to my loved ones back home. I sat up straight one Bday when I realized all my cards had come from this side of the pond and e-mails and cash transfers were my lot from over there. I think this is what started my downturn in using the postal service - can't say that it is right or wrong, but it was a turning point!

OH and I have been talking about using up those stamps and think that now might be time for me to become one of those 'old aunties' who sends cards via post the old-fashioned way - if only to bring a smile to the faces of my loved ones!

rtandon27

So today's financial exercise was to figure out how S&S ISA's work and open one. I moved money from an old ISA with a pants interest rate into a new S&S ISA - I'm convinced I understand how it works and the amount I've invested won't keep me up at night if the bottom falls out from under it.

Next bank holiday, I'll be looking into SIPPs - Luckily I already have a very good pension pot through work & also a state pension - as well as a very meager one from home but I'd like to ensure that I have a third solid source of pension funds set up so that 'diversifying the portfolio' is a reality for me by the time I decide to stop working! I've watched my Mom and her siblings live very full retirement lives due to their savings habits and want to make sure I have the same freedom.

rtandon27

Weather-wise a really pants weekend - 1 of 3 days was sunny so plenty of gardening done in the morning and 1/2 the afternoon of Saturday.

Ta-da list to follow…
xxxxx

Meal Plan
✅🥧🍟Friday May 01 - Fakeaway Day -- Pizza & tempura prawns
✅🍜 Saturday May 02 - Easy Peasy Day - Dim Sum & Gyoza & leftover stir fry
✅🍖🥕🍠🍅🥔 Sunday May 03 - Roast Day - chicken for her + fish for him with spinach & chunky chips
🥬 Monday May 04 - Veggie Day - cabbage & peirogies & sausage
🐟🍟 Tuesday May 05 - Fish Day - Chippy Fish & Chips or dinner out after medical appt
🍗🍄🥕🥦🥔 Wednesday May 06 - Chicken Day - freezer dive chicken drums & veg & rice or noodles
🍔🌽🥔 Thursday May 07 - Meat Day - Hot Dogs & home made wedges
🥧🍟Friday May 08 - Fakeaway Day -- Charcuiterie, Cheese, olives, baguette
🍜 Saturday May 09 - Easy Peasy Day - Lunch = Dim Sum & Gyoza Dinner = Pizza
🍖🥕🍠🍅🥔 Sunday May 10 - Roast Day - freezer dive Pork Chops & croquettes & veg

greent

I sold a lot of my excess free stamps at work (mostly in the run up to Xmas) at 4 for £5/ 8 for £10. I got back over £200 in 2 years - very worth it, and my colleagues got a bargain 😃

rtandon27

@greent - that is a good idea & really good return - I'll ask around informally - will also have to check if HR will allow this as we have a really robust V&E code - not sure if it falls under the category or not!

rtandon27

So on the subject of Mortgage! - I've checked out renewal offers as my five-year fix is coming to an end in 3 months and the best rate looks to be a 4.4% tracker with the same provider as I have now - overpayments still allowed, 2 year fix, the next best is a similar at 3.9% but the fee and lawyer fees to transfer make the 0.1% a moot point - so I shall request it to go into place on September 1st. It won't be the lovely 2.32% I have now, but not doubled is a start.

So over the next few days, I'll be paying a lump sum of 10000 to the mortgage - did the math the difference between the piddly interest it is earning and the interest I'll save is about 500 pounds - as the effective rate on that money after taxes is currently 1.63 - it will also save me thousands in mortgage interest in the long term and reduce the effective end date by 15 months!

Watty1

Great calculations.

KajiKita

Yes, great calculations 😊 and reducing the term by 15 months is massive! 🎉Is that in addition to the 21 months in your signature?

KK

greenbee

Thanks for the reminder to do a quick check on my remortgage options. It looks as if my rate will increase by around 1%. And if there is money left at the end of of the build, I can pay a lump sum off at the anniversary and remortgage for considerably less so cut the term drastically. Which means I need to keep momentum up on the build so I.have an idea of how much of a lump I can throw at the mortgage!

rtandon27

@KajiKita - it is indeed hunny! - every 10000 decreases my mortgage between 12 and 15 months depending on how I pay it and over what timeframe. Atm I am paying my minimum mortgage payments plus voluntary top ups are 1000 a month and then I scrounge together a midmonth payment to cover the interest. When the rate goes up I don't think I can do that so want to hit it with a lump sum before the mortgage interest rate increases!