Although I'm not doing an 'official' challenge this year, this year is probably going to turn out to be my biggest ever Challenge.
I have retired a year early to join Alan who is officially a pensioner now, with his State Pension going into the bank every four weeks, his bus pass in his wallet and time on his hands. Well maybe not that much time on his hands up to now, but you know what I mean. It means that now I no longer have a regular income at the end of each month as my company is in the final stages of being closed down.
I do have a teeny tiny little pension from my years working for the charity Scope, and that will start on the first of May. It's a grand total of £77.02 each month, and I am very grateful for it while I await the State Pension kicking in next year just after my next birthday.
Between the littlest pension in the world, my son's repayment of a loan to me and the sixty or so pounds of interest on my savings that, as I have previously mentioned, I am moving in the opposite direction this year, I am now living on less than I have ever lived on before.
It feels like now is the time all my previous challenges were leading up to.
BUT ...
... I do have to stop the splurging on things that I really don't need and get my challenge head on and fully in action.
This Booths shop was hopefully my last splurge, as I wanted to get Alan something for Easter that in his words 'are not to be a chocolate egg'. So cheese and crackers it was then, cheese from Sainsbury's and crackers from Booths as I forgot them earlier ... along with the tiniest chocolate bunny I could find.
While I'm not officially blogging my challenge this time, I have no doubt whatsoever that it will come up in day to day conversation, whether it works out or not, so you don't have to feel that you are missing out in any way. 😄
Sue xx
Cheese and crackers would be my Idea of a treat too.....and that cute little bunny. I'm sure you'll be doing a challenge, you won't be able to resist 😀
ReplyDeleteOh I'm definitely doing a challenge, I'm just not blogging about it day in day out like I used to. It will no doubt be mentioned but only in day to day life and not as a huge countdown or anything. Mind you after watching some of my YouTube videos, someone has just sent me an email asking me to go through the freezer drawers again on film. So, I watched those videos back and had a great laugh. :-)
DeleteI look forward to reading about your not-a-challenge challenge!!
ReplyDeleteIn passing, but not daily ... unless I get carried away. ;-)
DeleteUntil I started reading your blog I never realised just how much money I was spending on junk!! We are now eating more healthily and my food bill has gone down quite a bit. Thanks Sue, keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteThat's brilliant Yvonne, well done you. ❤️ I think we can all slip into bad habits occasionally, me included. But recognising it and doing something about it is always good.
DeleteTurning a negative into a positive. Enjoy your well earned retirement.
ReplyDeleteCovid really altered my shopping habits, one delivery from Asda a week, which had to last all week as we couldn’t go out and shop elsewhere.
There was inexpensive, healthy food there amongst all the junk food they sell, and I had plenty of time to read old recipe books, especially my books on WW2 rationing, and to cook from scratch. It cut my grocery bill a lot, and I set a target of £30 a week for the two of us.
We saved a lot by having no meals out, or coffee and cake treats, and no snacks, which we took for granted. I think we appreciate them more now as an occasional treat. I take a flask of coffee and picnic more often.
You've got to turn negatives around haven't you. 😀 Covid while terrible for so many people, was a time when lots of us had the time to reassess our lives. It sounds like you did well to turn things around, both food wise and financially.
DeleteI’ll look forward to hearing how you live well on less and it will be such a difference when you finally get your State Pension that you should have received when you were 60! I found one habit that I gave up during Covid was buying charity shop fabric and haberdashery just in case I would need it. Catriona
ReplyDeleteI'll be rich when I finally get the State Pension. 😄 I think I stopped buying 'just in case' things too ... well maybe apart from books back then, but now I only buy things that I really need and very good books.
DeleteWhatever you decide to write about I'll enjoy - your blog contributes to my ' happy place ' each day.
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
I'll just be writing about the same sort of things. I'm chuffed that I'm a small part of your 'happy place'. Gosh we all need those don't we. 😀
DeleteI like the idea of the 'not a challenge' challenge! It will certainly be tricky living on such a small pension. Mine is £113.59 per month and a number of things have been cut back, as you know, so that I don't eat into my savings. I look forward to your posts!
ReplyDeleteAlan's Easter treats sound delicious! I've cut back on chocolate treats too and don't really miss them :)
Angie x
Yep, it's just day to day life, on my little budget and not an official challenge. I was racking my brains trying to think of what to get him, then I passed the cheese shelves. 😄
DeleteHmmm, a not a challenge, challenge sounds interesting. You really do have a very small pension.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
It's more than I was expecting, I only paid into the scheme for four and a half years. Luckily we have the rent from our rental property that was bought as our pension pot to pay all our household bills etc So my tiny pension is just for my food and things like haircuts ... and books. 🙂
DeleteI like the idea of a "not a challenge" challenge. I don't think I could manage to live on $77 per month! As it is, I budget $100 for food and find that a bit of a challenge.
ReplyDeleteLast year I just about managed on the £100 a month. But I did take my eyes off the ball a few times. It was good to practice for this year though, and see where I could do better. 🙂
DeleteGood luck with managing this pittance you'll be getting. I take it that you and Alan don't pool your money for food etc?
ReplyDeleteIt's a manageable pittance. 😄 I have a lot of food in store, so I'll be buying mostly the fresh weekly items that I need and living of the stores. 😀 Occasionally we do, or he buys the odd thing for me when he's out shopping, I balance this out by sharing my homemade jams etc with him. We each keep our own kitchens stocked.
DeleteIf anyone can do it, you can! xxx
ReplyDeleteI'll be doing my best. 😀
DeleteI love that tiny little bunny, although it would be gone in one mouthful 😂
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely a one bite bunny. 🐰 😄
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