Retirement planning post mortgage free

V3cash

so another small OP of £14.84 this month, getting close to 10% allowed until May.

Not long now before new allowance starts.

Sold more stuff on Vinted and then sold desk on Facebook marketplace so that will go towards new bed in that room, looked on gumtree and found a bed only used once but annoyingly person hasn’t replied yet. Maybe today?

Mattress only used once and looks immaculate but I’d still prefer new one, is that strange?

Anyway I have lots of stuff in our store cupboard that I could sell so I need to get on that this week. Feeling buoyed up by sales, some things haven’t gone yet, people are not quite summer clothes ready.

Had really reasonable shop this week, under £50 and included bottle of red.

I have not started this yet as we went out Saturday.

I have had a phase of buying glass storage from home bargains as I hate plastic and it keeps breaking in freezer as it goes brittle.

So over last few mths I’ve replaced all my plastic Tupperware with glass. I was in Ikea and a woman was buying loads of glass stuff and it was about £6 there, went next door and same thing was £2.60 😳

I wash and take grapes off vine and they keep lovely in glass.

We prepare melon and pineapple for the week now and we have no waste as it keeps better and is easy to just dig in when you want. I also prepare my apples for week for my breakfast as I have apple and frozen berries (cooked and stored) with seeds/oats (I make mix myself and Greek yoghurt.

Had lots of cooked turkey in freezer and some frozen fish so I didn’t buy and meat which makes it so much cheaper.

I also grate a block of cheese and store for week, you use less cheese on rolls etc that way.

Hubby and i have nearly finished decoration of spare room. He’s terrible, just cursed and complaining all the time as I chose white, which to be fair is a pig to do, the room looks brighter and mirrored wardrobes will create more reflective light in there.

I will do 3rd coat this week as it still needs it in parts and hopefully we will assemble new IKEA wardrobes this weekend.

Still have light to buy and bed and a few bits.

Saw a really reasonable light which looks lovely in the range but it’s quite cheap, makes me think it will be bad quality??

Anyway, new week and i have interview for temporary job this week.

Have not had any updates from my upcoming job so think i need a backup now , i know its just usual terrible nhs hr recruitment timelines but their communication is so bad , making me nervous!

So today i will be hopefully selling desk and prepping for interview Wednesday.

northwalesd

I've been buying glass storage recently too V3, and like you I've found it cheaper in HB or even Asda than it is in IKEA.

V3cash

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81866480#Comment_81866480

definitely pays to shop around.

I love mine and I’m glad I made the swap, definitely feel it will last longer.

V3cash

morning, not sleeping again so writing this at stupid o’clock!

Think I might have start date for new job soon as I got an email from hr saying she had sent my application for wage payment approval.

I’m hoping I get top 5 but would be ok with middle 5 if necessary, hopefully it will be top 🤞

Anyway we put IKEA wardrobes together and they fit in that room lovely, unfortunately due to mirrors on slide doors being heavy they need fixing to the wall, this involves getting wood behind it due to skirts board creating gap behind back, so nothing to fix to.

It all needs to be square and level for doors to work so it’s a bigger job!

Then one of the plinth bits at front broke when putting together so we had to go back to shop and get replacement, that was sorted but of course bit won’t be delivered until 2 weeks so that’s put spanner in works, husband will get his brother in law to help as he’s not confident and I’m a bit rubbish when it comes to that, wish I was more DIY but I’m better at decorating 😊

We also got more paint and I’ve gone for white again as it’s bright and neutral and cheaper than colour.

I saw 15L paint for £58 in B&Q 😳😳

I have a 5 bedroom 4 bathroom house and the bedroom I just did took nearly 1 15L tub.

My lounge is 2x as big.

My hubby got 2x15L white in wicks for £28

So white it is 😜

It’s harder but easier, easier as you don’t need to cut into ceiling but you need 3 coats.

Once it’s done then hopefully it will only need one coat to freshen it up.

Definitely downsizing in retirement as the cost of decorating this house and upkeep would be too much on pension.It seemed like a good idea at time and I do love living out I countryside but you learn a lot each move.

I need a house with regular bus route and 3 bedroom will be fine.

Less cleaning 🤣🤣

So next I’m decorating the stairs and hall as I can get on with that whilst we wait for IKEA.

Found some nice lights in Next, didn’t go for the really expensive ones as it’s a spare room but they are nice and hopefully they will go, hubby not too happy about fitting lights, again I wish my electrician dad taught me how! He’s in NZ so he’s no use to me there 😢

Meeting friend today before her interview as she’s not sure where to go and I successfully interviewed there last week, (temporary bank job)we can have coffee after then I’ll start decorating later today, hopefully that’s my job for the week.

Put more stuff on Vinted, interested people but no offers yet, hoping I sell more soon, put some books on this time, if they don’t go I’ll car boot them. I’ve told hubby if we don’t car boot this year it all must go to charity shop!

We need to clear out some storage this year.

I did a couple draws yesterday and chucked a few things away which always feels great.

Grocery shopping going well, less waste and using what we have.

When I go back to full time work it’s going to be hard but I’m going to have to get organised with hubby.

Putting fruit in glass seems to make them last better. I wash grapes then take off stems so it’s easy to grab some.

Kev got a pineapple peeler gadget which is great, we used it yesterday then put that in glass container so this week we have fruit.

I’m gonna try kiwi and oranges and see how they last. It may be all about the food preparation 👍.

Dare I say it, I might need to buy a couple more glass containers today 😜

South_coast

Could your Dad give you advice on the light fitting via Face Time?

V3cash

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81876592#Comment_81876592

Unfortunately not as he has a few health problems.

it will be easier for us to muddle through, we have friends who can help or I’ll pay a sparky if it’s too complicated.

V3cash

6 mths til MF

170 days

COUNTDOWN 😊

V3cash

30 day countdown til i see my girl in Florida, can’t wait, ive missed her so much!!
Still haven’t got a start date for new job, while I don’t want to start until April, I’d like the go ahead and start date would be useful, now i feel I need to continue with back up plan which I’d rather not do! Don’t really want to make HR do onboarding for temporary job if I’m not taking it😢

Anyway they have not left me much choice really so I better get on OH appointment.

Anyway seeing friend this morning then I’ll go pick up lights from next as they are now in.

Typically I was near next yesterday and email had not come in so I couldn’t pick up, when I got home there sat email saying lightning was in store.🙄

Trying to decide what decorating to do next.

En-suite ceilings x2 ?

Smaller and easier to do, I will also do a deep clean at same time so i think that’s probably a good choice, can get on this week with that.

Healthy eating is going well and im not eating after 7pm, i find if i do my teeth it stops me snacking on biscuits and chocolate.

Hubby ate last of mini snickers last night so no chocolate left in house now, just a few chocolate malted milk biscuits which I avoided yesterday, had coffee with no biscuits, can be done!

Had a lovely turkey/hard boiled egg white, avocado salad last night. Trying to increase protein in diet and reduce carbs.

My trousers are getting tighter than I’d like since loosing dog and not running the weight has gone on and I refuse to buy bigger trousers so I’m on a mission to loose a few inches around waist.

I don’t do weighing, just go by clothes and since hitting a certain age it’s so much harder.

Anyway I am in a good place with my mindset and I’m starting couch to 5k today. Also had breakfast this morning so avoiding toast and jam at Costa this morning,Wish me luck!!

V3cash

so I actually started couch to 5k this morning, felt proud of myself as it was raining and I still went out, not too bad if you wear a baseball cap. Stops rain going in your eyes. Mind you one lovely van soaked me and it went in my ear. Not too worried as I was getting wet anyway but the ear., that was wild!

Came back and I then painted en suite ceilings and cleaned the en-suites so they look lovely now.

Tomorrow I need to post some Vinted stuff so I plan on parking a few miles away and walk over fields to post office. Get some exercise , hoping it’s dry tomorrow morning 🤞🤞🤞

I have had enough of this dreadful weather, it’s been so wet!!💦

Anyway I plan on painting some woodwork tomorrow so a nice easy day really compared to today.

Feel proud today of everything I’ve achieved and i have not spent any £.

Next week I think I’m going to tackle painting the boot room!

I’m hoping that I get majority of painting done before I start my new job. A few rooms still to go but I’m paying someone to do kitchen and lounge when I start work as it will be too much. Mind you I’m getting stronger with this painting workout 😊😊

Hopefully this weekend hubby will get half the wardrobes done, can’t do all as waiting for a part to be delivered.

V3cash

Was using chat GPT today, made me realise that wanting to pay off mortgage August this year is an emotional response and not the best financial decision so I’m being totally unemotional and rational today and deciding to not pay it off but wait til 2027.

I have the mortgage amount in saving earning more than mortgage interest is currently so there is no financial advantage. I also will still have a £400 ish ERC to pay in August and that is our money which is hard earned/saved.

After working out saving/ERC versus interest it would be over £1000 saved so it’s a no brainier really.

Its totally because I’m in limbo and the only thing at this point I feel I have control over. Waiting is so hard!

Anyway, the plan for today is park a mile from postbox office and walk to post Vinted item, get fresh air and a bit of exercise today.

Later I plan on painting some woodwork in house so another productive day planned.