Settling in for the long haul

Dakota_Rose

Tuesday done. It was a productive day but felt very long by the time I finished. Had to pick Little Miss up from her school disco on my way home from work - she seemed to have a good time.

Hump day again tomorrow, and I hope it’s a good one for everyone.

Baileys_Babe

Currently Santander, Halifax, Lloyds and Bank of Scotland are all offer a regular saver with 8% interest.

ohdearhowdidthathappen

8% 😮 will definitely be checking those out!

Dakota_Rose

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82069783#Comment_82069783

My Lloyds regular saver has a terrible interest rate. Definitely need to check them out as if so, I could also make the switch to a new current account for the bonus bucks. I’ve never moved from my FD one, as it’s given me two years of a good regular saver.

Dakota_Rose

Thanks to @Baileys_Babe I’ve opened a new fixed monthly saver with 8% interest. The only difference between that and the FD one I used last time is the £250 per month maximum payment. The FD one was £300.

I’m still waiting for my FD one to clear but it’s disappeared from my account so shouldn’t be long now.

I had a very busy day at work but productive too and with an earlier than usual finish so I’m feeling the benefit of that. I came home and crashed out! Can’t really call it a nap, as it was more like entering oblivion for an hour 😂.

Just one more day to get through! Mr D has stocked us up with some lovely fresh food, which is welcome as I’m feeling hormonal and sore today.

Last year I treated myself to a ‘good pair days’ subscription that I cancelled after one month. The wines were really nice and the free gift was a great little cool box and cooler cups/bottle. Yesterday I noticed a different joining offer of a cool bag, picnic blanket and cooler cups with a corkscrew. My mum has kindly set up an account and I’ve given her the money for the new offer. £35 spent from my personal spends for 3 bottles of wine and the cool bag set which will be a welcome addition to our holiday gear. A new cool bag and picnic blanket were on the holiday wish list. The cups with lids we used loads on our camping holidays last year and worked nicely so two more will be welcome.

We don’t have too many plans for the week ahead. Lots of rest, relaxation and taking the days as they come will be in order!

Sun_Addict

Rest, relaxation and taking the days as they come sounds like a great plan.

DancingInTheRain

Well done on making it to the end of term.

Rest and relaxation sounds like a perfect start to the holidays.

Dakota_Rose

Thanks SA and DITR. Made it at last - phew!

It’s going to take a little time for me to properly relax I think. I had a night full of work dreams and woke up at silly o’clock this morning. The house is still and quiet as everyone else is enjoying their sleep. Unfortunately for me, I’m tired but wired.

Some good financial news to share though. Our regular saver matured yesterday and we earned £175 in interest for the year. I had the happy problem of deciding what to do with the amount we had remaining after the benefit charge was repaid. Mostly child-related pots were filled: college bus pass, school uniforms, summer holiday fund. But we’ve also cleared the last bit of balance on the 0% credit card, added to the home improvements pot and stashed another £300 into premium bonds. Which by the way are now sitting at £1050! Along with the EF of £1010, we finally have some savings that are going untouched and gradually growing.

Now, I’ve found the urge to save/invest has started to over take the urge to repay debt. I never thought that would happen and I’m conscious that we have a car loan and mortgage to be overpaying. I’m also mindful that the house improvements list is never-ending in this old house of ours. So, each time I stash a little bit in premium bonds, it’s with the thought of knowing I can reach to it if something is really needed for the house but is tucked far enough away to not be frittered. The EF is absolutely, only ever to be touched in an emergency. When the saver it’s sitting in matures, that will also be moved into bonds for safe-keeping.

Today’s plans? Not a lot 😂

Dakota_Rose

Popping back in to report a NSD and not a lot else as expected. I’ve lounged, snoozed, read and read some more. Gave myself a shake after dinner and took DDog out for a nice evening walk. Little Miss jumped at the chance. We’ve missed our girly evening routine with school and work being so hectic lately.

Will take a little while to adjust to a slower pace of life again. I always have real guilt or more like a feeling of doing too little when holidays start. Yet when I’m at work, I fantasise about long, lazy days at home. A happy balance will be found in the weeks ahead I’m sure.

DancingInTheRain

Sounds like a great first day off.

I get what you mean about the guilt of doing too little though. As silly as this may sound I write in our shared calendar "permission to chill today" on days when I know it's needed.

It's hard to slow down when the normal school/work week is so hectic but I respond well to a "to-do" list or specific instructions so this is my workaround 😂