-
In 26k debt, is a career change right now worth happiness over being miserable? 35M
As the title suggests, I am currently in 26k debt, it was just shy of 40k post divorce 3 years ago but have managed to reduce it back to the current amount within just under 2 years. My situation isn't the best in terms of where I want to be. I'm a military veteran and have struggled with my mental health since leaving 6…
-
Received someone else’s DSAR, would you tell them?
Hi I made a DSAR to my bank and it arrived as a hard copy within the permitted time frame, however it also included another customers DSAR, this was quite a few pages long including their personal contact into, full details of the 2 accounts they hold with the bank, details of their complaint, internal emails between…
-
2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering
To use Guineapigsqueaks/Sa1sysoo words “A new thread for declutterbugs in (2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024) 2025 !" My 2024 was another washout on the decluttering & decorating fronts. That is what happens when I don’t plan ahead 😔 Neither DH nor I have managed to summon up any enthusiasm for anything…
-
Tiling
Do you tile a bathroom before you fit the bath or after?
-
Am I too cautious?
I staircased to 100%, I now have: primary mortgage £29,000 at 1.4% until April 2026 Secondary mortgage £125,000 at 3.97% until November 2027. (both 11years term)Per month that amounts to about £1500. My bills come to £500/month. I have £5000 on a 0%interest card which I am paying off £200/month. I have £15,000 in savings…
-
Solar, is it worth having a battery in my case scenario?
Hi, I have room for about 13 x 460w Aiko panels with a 10 Kwh inverter (and that's the plan), I've been allowed 3.9 Kwh export by my DNO and I use 3200 Kwh average electricity a year. I currently don't have a heat pump or EV. Is it worth my while having a battery at this stage based on my usage please (I've been quoted…
-
Buying a house and the kitchen extension done without proper Restrictive Covenant consent
Hi Hoping to get some advise here. I am close to completing on a purchase and the enquires have come back to say that the kitchen extension done to the front of the building in 2019 does not have restrictive Covenant Consent. (Slightly annoyed that the enquires came back so late. Not sure if this is the norm.) The seller…
-
NS&I boosts savings bond rates – here's how they stack up
NS&I has increased the interest rates you can get on all of its fixed-term 'British Savings Bonds'. Its new deals are strong across the board, especially if you're looking to save with a well-known name – though you can earn a bit more from the top-paying accounts elsewhere... Read the full story: 'NS&I boosts savings bond…
-
Applying to Barclays for bank switch - need an in branch appointment?
Ive downloaded the Barclays app to apply for an account and the switch. But when I got to the ID page it said that the ID would be needed before I go to the appointment with them. Ive never had to do that before - switched with TSB, co op, nationwide and first direct..no appointments needed. Is this a regular thing with…
-
MSE Forum Poll: What day of the week does your household typically do its main food shop?
Our shopping habits are constantly changing when it comes to how we get our groceries. Supermarkets are offering more online shopping and home deliveries, stores are increasing the use of self check-outs/scan and go and there isn't even an Eastenders omnibus window on Sunday afternoons to guarantee a quiet shopping window…
-
Onshore Investment Bond Gain.
If the basic rate of income tax is raised will the tax already paid by the insurance company cover it or will more have to be paid. As it is a large gain over 25 years it would be very expensive and I'm tempted to cash it in right now.
-
Being nosey... How many Regular Saver accounts do you have?
For ease of finding the RS League Table that Bobblehat compiles, I've added it to this 1st post. The updates will appear here periodically rather than embedded in the thread and a post will be made to the latest page to announce an update. Please send your data as usual and it will appear in the next update when it's…
-
Green, ethical, energy issues in the news
MSE Insert: We've seen some debate on this thread about the relevance of some posts to the topic. To ensure the thread remains on topic for forumites wanting to discuss the latest news we're asking that all posts contain a link to the news you're discussing. For the purposes of this thread the "news" needs to be within the…
-
2025 Fashion On The Ration Challenge
(The Fashion On The Ration Challenge is about restraining our shopping impulses and buying the clothing we need as well as what we want. As @Laura_Elsewhere said "If this group is about anything, it's about understanding how we buy and what we buy and when we buy...". We use the original, 1942, clothing rations.) ---------…
-
The Case of the Overwhelming Mortgage
I’ve lurked for a long time. I have no-one in real life I can discuss these issues with and thought it might be helpful to get it out of my head and on to paper. I am mid 40s, married, with two pre-teen children. We moved in 2017, with a 20 year mortgage of £140,000 and interest of £10 per day. We now have a mortgage of…
-
taking responsibilty to get me where I want to be
Good morning MSE'ers I have been reading diaries for the last few months and have found peoples stories so inspiring that I am hoping for some company on my own journey , this will be my own log which hopefully will motivate me at times of bleakness so I can look back on any progress I have made My sitituation is quite…
-
Should itsthelittlethings spend less on coffee?
Hopefully this works as an all new diary for me. Will add my debt into my signature and keep track of how I do going along.
-
Saving/investing income - in a lucky position with no idea where to start
Hi all. I'm in the very fortunate position of being mortgage
free in my 30s. I own a house that myself and my partner live in (unmarried at
the moment, this is likely to change at some point when we get ourselves
organised). We earn a decent amount a year (approx £100k pre-tax) and now that
the mortgage is paid off we…
-
If you inherited £20k, what would you do with it?
For context- when my Grandad passed, money from the sale of his house was put into a Trust, ready for me when I turned 21. I have used a large proportion of this money for a deposit on a house, and so I now have roughly £20k left over. I have an additional £5.5k invested into a Trading 212 Stocks ISA, investing into the…
-
Let Thrift shopping thrive in 25!
A shiny new thread for the thrift shoppers amongst us - those who haunt car boots, FB marketplace, Vinted, Ebay, jumble sales & charity shops to score bargains galore!
