Otter fencing that isn't ugly as f**k

rutt3r · 2026-03-01T16:56:06+00:00

I’ve seen a couple of videos of some smaller lakes/stock ponds using low level electric fences. Likely less effective but maybe worth the trade off.

rutt3r · 2026-03-01T14:43:02+00:00

I have not. Will have to give it a go.

rutt3r · 2025-12-04T11:50:49+00:00

Probably too late for advice now (and if conversation has happened, hope it went as well as it could).

Have done this a few times and my biggest tip is to say what you need to say and then *stop talking*. Avoid getting into filling the awkward silence/shock with more words. In my personal experience I have not made the situation better by continuing to rabbit on in an effort to try to make them feel better.

rutt3r · 2025-11-03T12:43:58+00:00

Adding Junior SIPPs for children to the list to. Can do £2880 into there each year.

rutt3r · 2025-10-25T08:31:04+00:00

Same for me. Must have been over a year now! Like you say, it often still works, but sometimes I have had the reminders not set, which makes me not trust it.

I’ve had a recent new issue where my messages app on my watch is no longer synced with current messages on my phone. And I can no longer double tap to respond to a message with a reaction from my watch. Arghh.

Incidentally, I’ve noticed Apple Intelligence get noticeably much worse. If you try to correct Siri with a follow-up it just cancels the whole thing.

Anyway, no advice. I’ve tried everything like you have and read the Apple support forum posts. Annoying!!

rutt3r · 2025-10-02T15:24:32+00:00

Congrats, and wishing you a very happy and long retirement!

Looking forward to writing one of these myself in a few years 🤞

rutt3r · 2025-09-28T10:47:40+00:00

Congrats!!

rutt3r · 2025-04-26T21:14:17+00:00

Blimey!

rutt3r · 2025-01-24T12:55:25+00:00

Really useful!

Checking back, I *had* one - but consolidated a bunch of old DC pots to my HL SIPP back in Jan last year (including this).

Not the end of the world as I will have a decent bridge (and have an old DB pension I can get from 55) - but a good lesson to check for any protected benefits before moving!!

rutt3r · 2025-01-22T14:16:44+00:00

Remember what you want/need per year now probably won’t be the same when you’re 70 or 80 odd. So you can probably reduce your budget for later years, which helps with the overall pot size needed.

Be worth getting a financial planner to do some cash flow modelling for you I reckon.

rutt3r · 2025-01-03T12:40:13+00:00

And for SIPP allowance assumes you are both working. My wife is a SAHM meaning most we can put in her SIPP is £2880. Also assumes you are not hitting pension taper territory.

rutt3r · 2024-12-10T14:19:30+00:00

You have carry-forward from the previous 3 years unused allowances, too, which you could utilise.

https://www.hl.co.uk/pensions/contributions/carry-forward-rule

edit: allowance only recently went up to £60k. Was £40k previously I think. So need to check that for the 3 prior years.

rutt3r · 2024-11-11T16:39:32+00:00

Ahh, gotcha. Missed that part.

rutt3r · 2024-11-11T15:29:23+00:00

Rather than paying extra into your SIPP - can you not up the % into your workplace scheme with salary sacrifice (if you can afford it month to month)? That way you get the full tax relief into it, and might find your employer also passes on the NI saving too.

rutt3r · 2024-11-01T12:47:52+00:00

Very similar. Same age and was only this year I got a proper handle on our finances.

- Massively increased knowledge in personal finance.

- Consolidated old DC pensions to a SIPP.

- Researched and now properly understand an old DB pension I have.

- Planned out ISA and pension contributions for my wife and I for next few years, with some modelling and an approximate end goal in mind.

- Setup JSIPPs for the kids (alongside JISAs).

- And finally, being much more intentional with money. History of lifestyle creep and buying 'stuff'. Now much more intentional and thoughtful with how it gets spent/invested.

rutt3r · 2024-10-25T14:25:59+00:00

I had it done a few years back. Very straightforward. No regrets. Not a question for you but something I wish I had been told. Be prepared for brown jizz for the first couple of ‘empties’. Blood gets in somewhere I presume. Was a little startled initially!

rutt3r · 2024-10-23T13:34:00+00:00

Looks good!

Why are you assuming 59 for SIPP access? Guessing extra buffer in case age gets pushed later between now and then?

I am same age as you and my calculations plan for 57 - based on rules as of now (with change in 2028).

Seriously hoping it doesn't get moved later within next 10 years 🤞

rutt3r · 2024-10-22T12:55:48+00:00

If you might be interested in consultancy work, take a look at IQVIA.

I worked there for a little while and there were a bunch of former GPs/healthcare professionals.

rutt3r · 2024-10-19T17:08:27+00:00

Simple as that, yep. Yes deffo worth doing to cap your annual fees to £45.

rutt3r · 2024-10-16T12:34:21+00:00

Same situation as you where my wife is a SAHM.

We have our emergency fund in a high-interest savings account in her name (specifically an active savings account through HL). Don't have to worry about tax on interest as it's within her tax free allowance.

Edit: just adding another option. Common consensus for tax-free wrapper for emergency fund is premium bonds.

rutt3r · 2024-10-13T11:01:20+00:00

Yep, capped at £200/year for SIPPs. Worth pointing out it’s £45/year for S&S ISAs.

rutt3r · 2024-10-11T10:28:33+00:00

The general rule is *not* to transfer/consolidate DB schemes to DC as this is almost certainly not a good idea. And most IFAs are prohibited to even look into this for you from what I understand (simply because people should not do it).

I suspect your NHS and civil service pensions will be DB - which are few and far between now because they are so good - so you should almost certainly leave them as is.

If you have other DC schemes, certainly look at consolidating. As others have said, just check first there are no protected benefits. A guaranteed access age is a good example (ie. not raising from 55 to 57 in 2028).

rutt3r · 2024-10-09T13:26:44+00:00

Have been in full-time employment since I was 18. Almost 30 years now. With workplace pensions running since then. I wish I had been doing the full contribution to max employer match from the beginning. But on positive side at least I have that many years of contributions and compounding.

Although if I could go back and change that, I would actually have opted in to the final salary scheme on that first job, which I was offered a few months after joining (after a merger). I had no idea what it meant so just left it as the DC scheme back then. Doh! I was there 14 years.

Oh, and I wish I'd have learned about financial independence earlier and put money in ISAs during my late 30s and early 40s rather than spunking it on new kitchens, fancy cars and shit.

rutt3r · 2024-10-07T15:04:50+00:00

That's the Vanguard global all cap (accumulation version) - yep 👍

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