Turning Straw into Gold: Creating Long Term Security & A Solid Home

jwil

£46 for not being on a meter is really cheap to me! Ours was £126 a month before we got a meter!

Prolific is my fave survey site. It's far more interesting than the surveys you get on the other sites, and when the surveys are flowing you can earn a decent amount. Cash out is only £6 too.

MillQueen

@jwil it's more than twice the price of what it used to be at my old place when I had a water meter - there's just me though and I shower briefly once a day and use the washing machine once a week.

I think it will end up being good value as a fixed price when there are three of us after the lodgers move in.

I will have a look on prolific thank you. I am using these extra bits for groceries to keep that cost down, as the biggest issue is that it's the only place I can cut costs, as I rarely pay for anything else except necessary costs and bills. I haven't bought any new clothes in 3 years, although I have bought one or two things from the charity shop for a few pounds. I really am living very frugally, but the cost of everything is huge!

MillQueen

Had a nice day getting tasks done (still got loads more to do) but I didn’t spend anything. I ate a burger in a roll with salad and some chicken salad rolls, using up stuff from TGTO. Enjoying simple things. I’ve prepared lunch for tomorrow (veggie burger, roll, and salad, with blackberries and walnuts). I still haven’t gotten around to making soup, so that’s a task for the weekend. I got a text from the bank that I’m in my agreed overdraft, so I’m not buying anything except possibly petrol until I get paid at the end of next week. I’m going to put down electronic devices now and read a book so I get a good night’s sleep. Going to bed at 9pm until my energy returns.

MillQueen

narrator: she did not go to bed at 9pm

I can’t shut my brain off thinking about the possibility of starting a SIPP pension with the same amount from my self-employed income as what I was going to put in a stocks and shares ISA from my regular income, as this would be more tax efficient.

Chocolatefund

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81891869#Comment_81891869

It’s a good idea to have an ISA alongside your pension. I’m SIPP-ing off the 40% part of my salary, but when my debt is gone, I’ll ISA the rest.

Careful though, the number crunching and spreadsheet tweaking can be addictive!

MillQueen

Yes, it would be good to make the most of that tax break, as I already pay into an employer pension in my full time job. But I’ve started setting aside a bit of money from my main role, in stocks and shares, for the long term. Whereas if I set the same amount of money aside in a SIPP from my self employed income, whilst I’m currently a bit poor, that’s stacking up better with the tax efficiency. I find it demoralising when I have to set aside half of my self employed income to send away…: as half is gone with the student loan also on top of it

MillQueen

Waiting eagerly for pay day and eating left overs today. I got a TGTG from a local bakery, which was pretty good, but I am preferring the supermarket ones for making meals. I’ve been reading about “having enough”, not needing to buy new items and having a simpler life. I think it’s important now, having fewer possessions, less consumption, sustainable purchases that last, and making do with less stuff.

What free or low cost fun is everyone having? I am getting books from the library.

jwil

I use Borrowbox for books/audiobooks/magazines from the library. We go out to the beach/countryside for walks/relaxing, and have our NT membership so we can always go somewhere without having to pay a fortune to get in or park.

MillQueen

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81894103#Comment_81894103

Thank you, I will have a look at borrow box. I turned the dining room into a gym when I first moved here, to avoid the cost of gym membership, as that used to be my main thing to do in free time. I collected a few cheap fitness bits from market place. But strangely it’s more effort to exercise in the dining room than it was to go to the gym.

sunshineli

I read lots of cheap books (I tend to get 99p kindle books). At this time of year there’s nothing I love more than just staying in and watching films on a weekend. DH and I also play video games which I know isn’t for everyone but we buy them cheap online (around £5-£10 each) and get hours of fun out of them. The last game cost us £15 and we played it for 85 hours! That was over about a 10 month period.