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🌞 Happy Days in our Golden Years 🌞
Fortune_Smiles
Posts: 5,130 Forumite
Just over a year has passed since the final entry of my last diary. A whole year of no debts and no mortgage 😁 We are semi-retired, using our private pensions to cover the cost of bread and butter and running our own business part-time to put jam on it. You’d think I could do without a money saving diary in those circumstances.
However, after years of developing and practising good money saving habits, I’m finding it difficult to break free of a scarcity mindset. (It’s a common challenge for the newly retired apparently.) I feel as though I’m overspending or am not spending mindfully. This isn’t rational as the house hasn’t suddenly filled with diamond jewellery and there wasn’t a Porsche on the drive last time I looked. I think it’s because I’ve stopped thinking about money so much. That could be considered a good thing but it’s making me feel unsettled and out of control. I’m hoping a new diary will help me, as it has before, with finding the right balance to fund happy days in our golden years.
In the absence of a ‘Retirement diaries’ thread, I’m returning to my old home of ‘Mortgage-free wannabe’ which I hope is ok with everyone. Although I have been quiet on the Forum this last year, I have been keeping up with diaries and silently cheering everyone on. It would be lovely to ‘see’ some old friends.
Fortune x
PS If you'd like to read about my previous adventures you can find them here:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6466434/a-better-view/p1
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6623005/happy-days-in-our-golden-years/p1?new=1
Working at Living
Working at Living
18
Comments
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Welcome back (although you've not really been away). It sounds as though you are missing talking about money, maybe?
I think a 'Retirement diaries' thread would be very popular, and helpful too.I think a bit of sunshine is good for frugal living. (Cranky40)
The sun's been out and I think I’m solar powered (Onebrokelady)
Fashion on the Ration 2025: Fabric 2, men's socks 3, Duvet 7.5, 2 t-shirts 10, men's socks 3, uniform top 0, hat 0, shoes 5 = 30.5/68
2024: Trainers 5, dress 7, slippers 5, 2 prs socks (gift) 2, 3 prs white socks 3, t-shirts x 2 10, 6 prs socks: mostly gifts 6, duvet set 7.5 = 45.5/68 coupons
20.5 coupons used in 2020. 62.5 used in 2021. 94.5 remaining as of 21/3/227 -
Welcome back dearest Fortune! It will be lovely to 'hear' your voice again & see pics of your creative endeavours!4 YEARS 10 MONTHS DEBT FREE!!! (24 OCT 2016)(With heartfelt thanks to those who have gone before us & their indubitable generosity.)...and now I have a mortgage! (23 AUG 2021)New projection - 14 YEARS 8 MONTHS LEFT OF 20 YEARS (reduced by 16 mths)Psst...I may have started a diary!7
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You’ve been busy living 🤷♀️😊 No bad thing I think 😊
What are you doing with your time now? Have you taken up hobbies you didn’t have time for before? That might help with the scarcity mindset feeling - that you are using your time and money on something fulfilling for you?
KKAs at 15.08.25:
- When bought house £315,995 mortgage debt and end date at start = October 2039 - now £232,244
- OPs to mortgage = £12,148 Interest saved £5,738 to date
Fixed rate 3.85% ends October 2030
Read 47 books of target 52 in 2025, as @ 30th August
Produce tracker: £353 of £300 in 2025
Watch your thoughts, they become your words.
Watch your words, they become your actions.Watch your actions, they become your reality.8 -
I'd love to read a retirement diary - show us all what we're aiming for!Start mortgage date: August 2022; Start mortgage amount: £240,999; Original mortgage free date: August 2056
Current mortgage amount: £226,957.97
Start student loan 2012: £29,750; current student loan: CLEARED July 20259 -
Yay welcome back Fortune! I always love reading your posts, consider yourself subscribed!"You won't bloom until you're planted" - Graffiti spotted in Newcastle.
Always try to be nice, but never fail to be kind - Doctor Who
Total mortgage overpayments 2017 - 2024 - £8945.62!8 -
(Semi)Retirement is wonderful @Cherryfudge but comes with it's own set of challenges. If we needed more money when we were younger we could either go out and earn it or cut back and make savings. Now we're older we may not always have the first option. So it's a matter of working out how much to spend and when. I know we're not alone in puzzling over this question so a 'Retirement diaries' thread would be most useful.Cherryfudge said:Welcome back (although you've not really been away). It sounds as though you are missing talking about money, maybe?
I think a 'Retirement diaries' thread would be very popular, and helpful too.
Hello dear RT. I am looking forward to some intelligent conversation again here on the Forum.rtandon27 said:Welcome back dearest Fortune! It will be lovely to 'hear' your voice again & see pics of your creative endeavours!
You're absolutely right KK - we have been working at living 😁 And that's the whole idea isn't it. I have had time to focus more on hobbies but my workload hasn't actually decreased much - I do more work work now for our business but have a little more help around the house and a lot more help in the garden.KajiKita said:You’ve been busy living 🤷♀️😊 No bad thing I think 😊
What are you doing with your time now? Have you taken up hobbies you didn’t have time for before? That might help with the scarcity mindset feeling - that you are using your time and money on something fulfilling for you?
KK
Thank you MB - that's a lovely welcome back.Merlin's_Beard said:I'd love to read a retirement diary - show us all what we're aiming for!
Fortune x
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6623005/happy-days-in-our-golden-years/p1?new=1
Working at Living8 -
Hi there VH. I have been keeping up with all your adventures - you're doing brilliantly.VintageHistorian said:Yay welcome back Fortune! I always love reading your posts, consider yourself subscribed!
Fortune x
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6623005/happy-days-in-our-golden-years/p1?new=1
Working at Living6 -
Oh Fortune, its lovely to 'see' you back. So happy to hear things are all well with you and Mr FI'm another who loves to read your posts. How's F- Dawg (and if memory serves me right a grand baby?)BW x6
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Lovely to have you back Fortune! 😁Mortgage free 16/06/2023! £132,500 cleared in 11 years, 3 months and 7 days
'Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.' Ernest Hemingway7 -
Hi there BW. F-Dawg is his usual mischievous self and yes, your memory serves you well, we have a grandson who has just turned one.BookWorm said:Oh Fortune, its lovely to 'see' you back. So happy to hear things are all well with you and Mr FI'm another who loves to read your posts. How's F- Dawg (and if memory serves me right a grand baby?)BW x
Thank you MV - it's good to be here.themadvix said:Lovely to have you back Fortune! 😁
Fortune x
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6623005/happy-days-in-our-golden-years/p1?new=1
Working at Living7
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