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The Unexpected Mortgage-Free Wannabe
The title of this diary may make no sense to you, so let me explain… I’ve lived in my current house on and off for the last 35 and a half years, since just before I turned two years old. My Dad passed in 2012 so I had been living here with my Mum and my eldest brother (DB1), up until August 2024. At the end of August, my…
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Pension contributions in retirement
Hi, I took early retirement 15 months ago, using a Prudential flexi access drawdown scheme. I withdraw taxable income upto my tax threshold so I dont pay tax, and top this up with tax free income to give me enough to live on. I think this has triggered the MPAA, limiting the amount I can contibute back into my pension. I…
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The Best Is Yet To Come
The Best Is Yet To Come - or so the front cover of my new diary says. I normally hang out in the debt free wannabes, but as I have had my diary on there for almost 10 year (yes the same diary), and have been debt free since April 2018 I thought it was time to migrate over to the mortgage free wannabe area. Please be gentle…
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Sorting my life out (again)
Blimey, it's been about 5 years since I've used this forum and my life has completely changed. 2020 = married, 1 DS, full-time job, debt-free, £9k savings 2025 = divorced, 1 DS, 1 DD, full-time carer for my DD who is disabled, £7k debt, £0 savings Luckily my debts are relatively small and 0% interest... apart from the car…
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How much to live on
How much do you expect you will require to live on each month when you are retired? ie no mortgage, no commute to work BUT maybe higher heating, hobby costs. I'm getting to the stage where I'm realising that I don't need to be super rich to retire and will only really require living costs but I don't know how much I should…
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SMART PARKING LTD / ZZPS
Oct 2022 I parked on private land, not park of Alfred st car park. I receive a letter saying I owe money for parking without a ticket. Emailed asking for proof and singage. They said PCN was stuck to window. 7th may 2025 I receive a letter from zzps asking for 160£ emailed asking for proof again and basically was denied as…
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Best Junior Stocks and Shares ISA 2025?
I’m looking to open a Junior Investment ISA using funds from an existing Child Trust Fund (CTF). I’m relatively new to this area, but I want to make sure my child has the best possible start in life. My child will be turning 18 in around 4–5 years. I’m not a financial expert, so ideally, I’m looking for a simple, “set and…
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PCN for overstay in Retail Park due to blown tyre - challenged - POPLA say I have to pay!
Dear all - I am hoping someone can assist me with the best way forward. I have checked the newbies post and I have won a dispute previously but this situation is slightly different. My car had a blown tyre and limped into Farnborough Gate Retail Park. In short I had to get 2 x new tyres which resulted me going over the…
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UKPC Appeal Decision
Sorry to bother you all with something you've heard before.I looked at the guides at the top of the forum and couldn't find the answer. I had a PCN from UKPC about staying longer than I should have by 13 minutes. Then I got a Final reminder letter with increase to £100 2 weeks later. Since receiving the final remainder, I…
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Reading on a kindle or tablet
Hi all I hope you're well I have a kindle e reader....just the basic kindle, purchased 2021, which I love. BUT I cant afford to keep buying books, nor can I afford kindle unlimited each month. Also, I'm now not a huge fan of Amazon :) So....I've joined a couple of libraries and downloaded Libby. Super! However, as I'm in…
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Away From The Madding Crowd
Hello and welcome to my little part of this wonderful MSE
community. For almost 10 years I have read
the contents of various forums seeking advice and inspiration regarding a
multitude of subjects. The help and
knowledge that I have gained cannot be underestimated and there are literally
too many people to thank…
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+++ Divide By Cucumber Error. Please Reinstall Universe And Reboot +++
My third diary. <<<out of cheese error>> documented our debt free journey and then paying off the mortgage +++ Whoops! Here comes the cheese! +++ focussed on early retirement plans, and then my first year as a widow. This time I will be focussing on a positive new start in my brave new world. Final stages of renovating a…
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10 years to go .... maybe, with a fair wind
Hi, I've been lurking on here for years, but finally decided I should post a diary - more for my own sake than anyone else's!! So a little about me and my house ... I'm a 40 year old single mum with a lively 7 year old son. We live in a fairly ordinary terraced house on the edge of a large northern city, just a close walk…
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Spouse moved out. Bill-split?
Hi all - looking for advice as opposed to judgement after the painful split of a relationship that wasn't working and only one party was willing to communicate. My spouse has left our marital home. We each contributed 50/50 to household bills e.g. to the tune of £2000 per month. My spouse has also withdrawn £1000 from the…
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+++ Whoops! Here comes the cheese! +++
My original < < < out of cheese error > > > diary started in 2017 and records our journey to be debt free, mortgage neutral and then last year (hurrah!) mortgage free. This new diary is to record our current focus on my efforts to retire early. Lots of cooking, some gardening, many cats and the occasional Pratchett quote.…
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September 2025 Grocery Challenge
NOTE: This is a temporary thread Hi... I'm creating thread because we weren't sure where our regular mod was so a couple people supported me creating the September thread. This is meant to be temporary until we get back on track. – JingsMyBucket ------------------------ Welcome to the ninth Grocery Challenge of 2025! As…
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Court claim form recieved - Parking Eye - please review my response?...
*Hi all - please review my response to court claim form - thankyou kindly!* *Situation: I have recieved an HM Courts & Tribunerals claim form from Civil National Business Centre, Northampton. It appears raised through money claim online. The Claimant is Parking Eye. The solicitor is DBL Legal. I am the keeper. I will not…
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Outstanding credit card debt - now in a care home.
Good Afternoon, A family member of mine has moved into a care home. He has little income after fees et al, no savings and a 12k credit card debt over 3 cards. He tells me that a family member has phoned the individual credit card providers, explained the situation and has their agreement to cancel the debts. To me, this…
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Covered call options
I came across Schroder Income Maximiser OEIC while planning a retirement income portfolio. It uses covered call options, which the KIID describes by "To seek to enhance the yield, the investment manager selectively sells short dated call options over individual securities, portfolios of securities or indices held by the…
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Collective November 2026 switch
Hi, my current British Gas tariff is fixed till 1 May 2026. If I switch to the Collective November 2026 Cheap Energy Club tariff I will know close to exactly how much I will save till then, 1 May 2026. I am wondering, how does the MSE Program calculate my savings from 1 May 2026 to end of November 2026? That is 7 months…
