Prosperous and Creative Soul Year 5

KajiKita

Can’t advise on the financials but would it be worth asking your neighbours or vet which catteries they would recommend?

KK

savingholmes

Thanks Lauraebrad, Merlin, KK, Beanie, @SuperSecretSquirrel

Laura - Currently part way through a landscape painting from Italy which I'm enjoying. I used one of my photos.

Yes - Beanie - if I achieve any age before SPA despite getting divorced and going down to one income that will be huge.

SSS - I greatly admire what you have achieved for yourself and your family - I am significantly less disciplined with money than you appear to be.

I am also unlikely to be completely debt free. There is also a single person premium - it is expensive to live and travel alone. Quite a lot of fixed costs are the same or similar regardless of the household number. While a 25% reduction on C Tax for a single person is a help - it's not 50% reduction etc…

If I worked to age 60 I might have £17K after actuarial reductions from one pension and £3.5-5.1K (plus inflation) from another - guaranteed a year. At the moment I get some disability benefits - but there is no guarantee they will continue. From age 67 - the £12.5K SP would be a huge uplift in income.

I would hope to be mortgage neutral - but that isn't the same thing - as I am likely to use some of that money to bridge the gap between early retirement and when I get extra funds at state pension age. So unless I get a significant influx of £ likely to still need £1K+ a month for the mortgage (until age 74/5). I'd rather keep the money invested as long as possible rather than locking it away in my house.

I estimate at today's £-

I could need £12.8K a year just for the mortgage - if that was gone - you're right I wouldn't need as much a month/year - but even at age 67 - I am currently due to have that cost 7 more years.

council tax could be £1.8K,

plus energy £1.7K, water £0.4K, broadband £0.3K,

insurances £1.9K etc. (car, dental, life, cat)

I'm at £18.9K cost before other bills…

car maintenance & sinking funds (would need replacing around 2030 - current car nearly 10 years old with over 95,000 miles on the clock)

home maintenance

ict £0.2-1K, food £3K, eating out / entertainment £0.6K+, fuel £1.2K+, travel £2K+, gifts £0.5K+, clothes £0.4K+, art ££££££, gym £0.7K etc -

I am at another £8.6K without art or car spend - so £27.5K plus art, car costs and any tax and NI

My £30K notional figure makes an allowance for tax on any amount over approx £12.5K… Given my DS now lives abroad and I want to see him - I have probably under-estimated my travel costs.

From what I've read - spending is not even throughout retirement either. So I'm likely to frontload some of my spend to a degree….

Without further growth - (but not loss) - my AVCs could be:

£95K at age 60 vs £127.5K mortgage,

£109K at age 61 vs £118.7K

or £123K at age 62 vs £112.9K

But only if I can 'hack it' where I am for that long which currently feels unlikely.

savingholmes

This week has been a struggle - I stopped work early the other day as I couldn't stop crying. I went to a garden centre cafe so I could at least get fed and bought a few bits for the garden. The next day I physically went to site - and started crying not far from the site - and continued for at least 20 mins after. So I'm definitely not at my best MH wise currently. I've not spoken to my counsellor for about 4 weeks - as I cancelled one session to declutter instead - and then she's been on holiday. My next session isn't until the start of May.

I had the declutterer over for another 4 hours yesterday. It has made a difference and I've reorganised one of my areas in my back L shape. The front room is also clearer. The kitchen counters were largely cleared for the first time since the new year.

She collapsed a cupboard for me (as I got a replacement that works better from FB). I put a big houseplant and a couple of mini metal and glass tables outside - that I may let go - or use alongside my garden furniture. I'm debating getting rid of my kitchen/art table - and getting a collapsible one instead as it is just a dumping ground currently. My space would then function much better. Ideally I'd like to put it in the garage - and use it there - although that would also require me to let go of other stuff that is in there…

I need to find homes for an item of furniture DS made that I want to keep for sentimental reasons despite it not being that convenient. Plus relocate / let go of another mini cupboard and an 8 cube unit… We half filled my non-recyclable bin and she took 3 or 4 bags of stuff for charity.

I also found various things I could give DD for her birthday - on top of the main thing she asked for - so that's good. I've even wrapped them. We are hoping to go to a safari park together soon as a joint birthday treat. My birthday is shortly after hers.

savingholmes

I spoke to DS today - and we've agreed I'll fly out for Xmas and spend that time with them. Some of his partner's family are also flying out - so we said I'd probably go over a week earlier than them so I have time alone with DS too. At least I've met them at the wedding so I know what to expect. Can't book flights yet - as the employer paying for them wants to wait at least another month in the hope prices drop. Trying to decide where else to go while I'm in Oz but an isle of penguins is high on the list, alongside Melbourne and Sydney… Hoping to go to the Blue Mountains too but other than that I don't know.

I'm mentally allowing £3K for the trip… plus cattery and any parking / airport transfer fees. That is on top of my Italy trip with my Mum which is likely to be over £2K after I've also allowed for the cattery - need to find one and book, plus the cost of my passport renewal and insurance upgrade. This is another expensive year - but very much seeing it as the future isn't promised… I'm still working - and these are hopefully great memory and family investments.

My remortgage is due by the end of December but I'm assuming I'd apply a few months before. So although my current plan is to clear my CCs using partly salary and partly savings and investments - I've applied for and been accepted for a 25 month 0% rewards card. That way depending on when exactly the remortgage goes through - I may not need to take as much out of my investments - and may be able to continue 'stoozing' the money instead. I'll then switch to using the new card as soon as it arrives - and pay the equivalent off the CC with the earliest 0% expiry date (start of August). Closer to the time, I may also speak to the broker again to check if it is essential or not to clear the remaining CCs ahead of the remortgage.

Viking_mfw

Oh @savingholmes the penguin island is absolutely wonderful! Thoroughly recommend the free walk on the headland where you can see inside burrows and catch a penguin eye to eye. There's also some fabulous geese all over the place there - can't remember their name but their defining feature is how much they hate water 🤣

I would really recommend Adelaide as a place to go - much smaller than M or S and just a really lovely city with gorgeous seaside etc.

jwil

Glad the declutterer is making a difference. Hope work improves.

Blackcats

I would recommend the Blue Mountains, particularly for inspiration for your art as the colours and the light are stunning. It's a reasonable distance from central Sydney (by Australian standards) but definitely doable in a day. Taronga Zoo is fabulous - the most glorious views of the city! An evening harbour cruise sounds touristy but is very nice.

Merlin's_Beard

Sounds like some great christmas plans!

TallGirl

Sounds like an amazing trip for Christmas well worth staying for that amount of time and sounds like you're getting some good recommendations. I saw penguins in South Africa we got right up with them it was amazing.

As for a cattery is there no way you would have someone stay at your place at cat sit? There are sites etc which I am sure the cat would prefer.

savingholmes

Thanks @Viking_mfw Blackcats, TG, Jwil, and Merlin

Thanks for the recommendations. I am very excited about the penguins! Yes I agree the blue mountains sound incredible. I'll look into the other suggestions.

On the decluttering - it feels like a constant - two steps forward, one back but I'll get there. I've booked another 2 hours for Friday so I keep up some momentum.

Mortgage has gone out - so around £680 off the principal. I spoke to a mortgage broker the other day - and I'm going to get my CC's down to £10K or less by the end of May and then apply 1 July. That way I'm keeping my options open for now.

I took half a day off the other day when it was sunny and went to Powys castle gardens - they are gorgeous. Lovely listening to the bird calls. Lots of azalea and rhododendron in flower. A yellow one in particular smelled like honeysuckle.

Today I'm off to try tie dying with 3 kids aged 7-12. Given I bought some cheap t-shirts and cotton bags to dye too, a kit, plastic gloves and soda ash - it ended up more expensive than I originally expected. Hoping the results are worth it though. Should be good fun. I've always wanted to try it - and now with my niece and nephews I have the perfect excuse.

So glad it is a bank holiday weekend too - as lots of recovery time.