Living the Good Life - mortgage free and living in line with our values

rtandon27

Thanks Vix - I was also hit with a higher than expected reverse IOU by the tax man because of savings interest - so that is a good tip!

badmemory

You can't pay HMRC early (faints with shock horror), I'm sure it is against the law & if it isn't it should be!!!!!!

themadvix

badmemory said:

You can't pay HMRC early (faints with shock horror), I'm sure it is against the law & if it isn't it should be!!!!!!

I have paid my January bill - I hate to leave it to the last minute, especially with it being the return deadline too.

badmemory

Mine, being simple assessment, isn't due until mid March so will go in the post on 1st March.  Mine is getting later I think because of the numbers of extra people that they are doing by simple assessment.  I also suspect that they are being scared into paying immediately rather than waiting until January.  I would pay online if I could but I can't open an account because I already have one & trying that I can't use that account because it has been deleted because it hasn't been used for 3 years.  How did we manage without online access to everything??

themadvix

badmemory said:

Mine, being simple assessment, isn't due until mid March so will go in the post on 1st March.  Mine is getting later I think because of the numbers of extra people that they are doing by simple assessment.  I also suspect that they are being scared into paying immediately rather than waiting until January.  I would pay online if I could but I can't open an account because I already have one & trying that I can't use that account because it has been deleted because it hasn't been used for 3 years.  How did we manage without online access to everything??

This sounds like a bonkers situation with the accounts! I am beginning to think life was a lot simpler before the Internet....

themadvix

Morning all,

Quiet weekend here - it was lovely! Just Mr MV and I for the pub on Friday - took a game, had two halves each and back in time to have dinner at a reasonable hour (we did go fairly early). So £6 spent there and that was it I think. Should have spent some money yesterday on a present but family gathering was cancelled, so didn't need to buy it! (It was for my cousin's little boy - I only buy them birthday presents if we're seeing them.)

Had a good sort out and clear out at the weekend - two items listed on Vinted and a whole bunch of fabric/crafty things freegled and jam jars let go. The guilt associated with the unfinished/unstarted craft projects has gone with them and I've actually felt able to do/finish some of the other ones, which has been nice. Made a couple of non-Christmas gift wrap bags yesterday (partly for aforementioned birthday present before it was cancelled), have discovered a knitted hat for a baby boy that just needs sewing up (will ask my friend to help, as the instructions make no sense and this is always the bit that I fail with) - perfect timing as a baby is due in a couple of weeks, and found a Brownie-suitable craft that I will teach Niece. (Niece currently has shingles and is off school again - she's having a rough time lately. 😔) Also found 7 jars of marmalade... which led Mr MV to question why I've just bought the R'ford marmalade kit.... ahem... It makes good presents!

Am still working on some very tedious stuff for US client - extremely repetitive and no brain required. Main client says there's something coming, but it's not ready yet. Also expecting some possible follow-up from another US client tomorrow.

So I'm finishing the boring US stuff and then making marmalade today. I managed a 10 minute yoga video this morning (after I got back from cat sitting at 6.30am) and have a drs appointment later that I will walk to - so getting in some exercise too.

It's Mum's birthday tomorrow. I was planning on taking her out for lunch, but not sure now as she is on Niece duties while Sis works. So we'll see... I'm hoping she might be let out for lunch! I've had chickenpox, so would be fine to see Niece, but Mr MV hasn't and while the risk I could infect him somehow is small, given he starts his new job on the 2nd, I don't want to risk exposing him to it - so all Niece cuddles are virtual currently.

MS things:
* Whole bunch of 1P/PA surveys this morning to relieve the tedium of the US work
* Continuing to eat from stores - I still need to inventory the freezer. Tonight I think we'll have spag bol or something similarly easy
* HW done (nothing to report here from the weekend)
* 🤞🏼the Vinted listings/thing Mr MV put on the Bay sell - not holding out too much hope on the V stuff as I'd like £4 for the items which seems to be asking a lot on there these days. If they don't sell I'd rather take them to a charity shop.

Gratitudes:
* A quiet weekend at home with Mr MV
* A cuppa and brief walk with mum yesterday afternoon
* Some crafting, without feeling like I'm drowning!

Have a good day all!

themadvix

Afternoon all,

Am having technical issues now with the US work, which is really frustrating as what should have been a boring but easy task is now taking far longer/is virtually impossible to finish. Support has not been particularly forthcoming from my contact either. At Cambridge things are getting worse not better, so that's not much fun either. Friend/boss is definitely leaving but not in a good way (without it being her fault) and the atmosphere is fairly unpleasant - and they're still waiting for news of the restructure, which is crippling the ability to plan anything. I don't want to abandon ship, but if things don't improve soon (and it seems unlikely they will as I'll likely be managed by friend's boss once she leaves), I may well not be there much longer. Annoyingly, I could really do with the income, so we'll see. Other boss will be back from mat leave in less than a month, so if I can stick with it until then, at least part of my role should improve. Still waiting on new projects from main client - would really like something substantial to come in that I can get done before month end otherwise it's going to be a tight February - US client is 45-day payment terms - from when I can invoice and I still haven't been able to invoice! 😡

Octopus are here tomorrow for the final push to sort the install out - I'm looking forward to that being finished - Mr MV's wardrobe has been lying on the bed in the spare room (my office) for over a month now as they need access to his cupboard. It's just annoying now!

In other news, the marmalade is part made. I'm going to do that when I've finished here - at least I can control the outcome there! I have been plodding away at PA surveys - no big ones, but total earnings are slowly ticking up. Dinner last night was spag bol (sunflower seed mince) and tonight will be masala carrots and dal. I did get an inventory of the freezer done yesterday and it was enlightening! Plenty in there that can be turned into meals, plus quite a bit of rhubarb, so I think we'll be having rhubarb crumbles for a while (yes, I know there's more rhubarb about to be available and I have jars of stewed rhubarb too....). So not expecting to spend on food apart from milk for the rest of the month. Mr MV is away tomorrow night and I'm taking Mum out for her birthday (today) - hopefully not an expensive meal! Thursday night will be gigantes plaki to use up the passata we opened last night. And perhaps Friday (if we go to the pub) will be turkey curry/parsnip dal and rice from the freezer.

With Mr MV's new job likely to include travel to some far flung places, we're hoping that our holiday might be to one such place - it will at least reduce the carbon impact (it may not reduce the flight cost as we'll be likely booking my flights fairly last minute). So I am trying to save where possible towards a last-minute holiday - potentially to Japan or Canada. Plus, I want to finally make the trip to see my friend on the Isles of Scilly this year (I think the original plan was a victim of the pandemic) - the trains/ferry/YH combination won't be particularly cheap, especially as I'd like to get the Night Riviera one way. So there's that to save for too, plus paying off the rest of the heat pump (I think we've got about £600 still to save/pay off 0% cc when we've actually paid the bill) and about £500 of vet expenses not covered by the insurance (also on 0% cc and we've got £200 towards that already too). All that to say, I could really do with some good earnings the next few months and some good savings too!
MS things:
* Clicks and HW
* Food from stocks
* TCB on cat litter order (plus members savings scheme saving and free tin of food with reward points)
* PA surveys
* YG surveys

Gratitudes:
* Niece is much better today (not only does she have shingles, but also tonsilitis! It'll be the result of all those antibiotics wiping her out before Christmas)
* Sunshine!
* Lovely nurse this morning at the drs (for the less-than-lovely screening appointment)

Have a good day all!

Greying_Pilgrim

Oh your poor niece! ☹️  That is rough - and I would agree, it's most likely the anti-b's unravelling her natural defences ☹️  Chickenpox is doing the rounds at LG's school at the mo - although LG has had it.  Here's hoping her immune system is able to bounce back and she makes a full recovery - and that all other aches, pains, rashes, and viruses booger orf and let her alone - she's had her quota for the time being!  

Greying X

themadvix

Thanks GP. I hope she’s left alone now too! She’s gutted because she was meant to be singing with lots of other schools at the o2 last night. I’m really pleased she’s brighter today though, even if boredom does set in - it means she’s on the mend!

rtandon27

Oh - poor neicey - no fun missing out on the o2 singing! - hope she fells better soon.

I saw the magic word in your post! - Canada - if it's any of the parts I've lived in or know well, I'm happy to chat about it if you want some trick/tips!