ATB'S Frugal Foray to Freedom

atypicalblonde · 21 January 2017 at 9:46AM

Back to grey skies here sadly.

However, I am typing this while lying in bed with a cuppa so I am very thankful to DH for giving me a lie in! In-laws are taking the kids for new shoes this morning, and I will spend the quiet time whilst they are out reading

Happy days x

CathT · 22 January 2017 at 10:32AM

Another vote for sunshine! It's trying it's hardest to snow here! Fantastic 3bay sales!

atypicalblonde · 23 January 2017 at 7:55AM

Morning all

A lovely weekend was had, and only spends were £6 on several packs of firelighters

Today will be an admin, housework, financials kind of a day - the best sort :j I never did list a few more bits on eBay, so I am determined to do that today. Another £30 in the pot would be fantastic and push our January OP to £2700 :j

Cuppa needed first though I think!

atypicalblonde · 23 January 2017 at 12:59PM

7 more items listed on eBay and one has already sold :T

I have had a manic morning, will be making some lunch shortly then cracking on with yet more paperwork. Where does it all come from?!

Post edited to add - two more items sold, so the illusive £30 target has been met! 4 items still listed on there, which are the lower value bits, so if they sell that would be another £15-ish. Better money in my pocket than clutter in the house.

I have also been contacted about another piece of freelance work, which I would earn around £300 from. I have a meeting about it on Wednesday, so fingers crossed x

atypicalblonde · 24 January 2017 at 8:39AM

Morning all

Well the mortgage company finally replied - our 10% OP allowance runs with the calendar year so we have around £13,700 allowance from 1st Jan-31st Dec.

The plan is to have OPd this by the end of June then stash the rest in readiness for making a big OP in January, with the rest saved to make a humdinger of an OP when the 10% cap is lifted next April.

So, to be clear on targets:

- OP £13,700 by June 17
- OP full 10% allowance in January 18
- Have the balance stashed in "offset" pot bringing us under £100k.

The 20s are within touching distance now, it feels fabulous :T

Have marvellous days all x

atypicalblonde · 24 January 2017 at 9:19AM

Meals today will be from the stocks we have in, so no spends needed. I will be batch cooking a chilli later, in readiness for an easy tea for us later in the week. DH is away tonight, so salmon with cheesy pasta for me

It is freezing cold here but much brighter than it has been, hope it stays this way all day - I hate the grey days x

atypicalblonde · 24 January 2017 at 6:27PM

Apologies for the brain dump of a message I'm about to post, but I need to get my thoughts/plans down:

One ebay item sold today and I need to package that up. Must list at least 3 more things tonight. When I am looking for things to sell, the question I am asking is "will this item not being in our lives impact upon our wellbeing and happiness in any way?" The answer is so often no. it's opened up a whole new approach to decluttering for me :j
Healthy OP made today - moving ever closer to the 20s
The only money needing to be spent between now and Friday is £10 on fuel and ebay postage
We have been asked a few times now when we are going to do X, Y, Z to the house. It is a little shabby in parts and could do with sprucing up, but it's our home and we love it. This was all sparked by a family member announcing at the weekend they are remortgaging to extend their (already very large) house. Sigh.

Once again, apologies, I'm not sure why I needed to get all of the above out but I have and it feels better.

Now, to have a cheeky Tuesday glass of wine or not...

atypicalblonde · 25 January 2017 at 7:28AM

I managed to get my eBay items listed and two sold overnight

I'll pop £10 of fuel in the car today, but no other spending needed. Steak & kidney puddings from the freezer for tea, with the usual assortment of veg.

I have finally booked a reiki session, 2.5 hours of massage and deep healing reiki. I've arranged it for the half term holidays when both children are at grandparents for a day & night. It's £75, but I already feel as if it's going to be money very well spent.

ATB xx

Watty1 · 25 January 2017 at 10:26AM

atypicalblonde wrote: »

One ebay item sold today and I need to package that up. Must list at least 3 more things tonight. When I am looking for things to sell, the question I am asking is "will this item not being in our lives impact upon our wellbeing and happiness in any way?" The answer is so often no. it's opened up a whole new approach to decluttering for me :j

QUOTE]

I love this approach to decluttering. Very nice.

themadvix · 25 January 2017 at 12:32PM

atypicalblonde wrote: »

[*]We have been asked a few times now when we are going to do X, Y, Z to the house. It is a little shabby in parts and could do with sprucing up, but it's our home and we love it. This was all sparked by a family member announcing at the weekend they are remortgaging to extend their (already very large) house. Sigh.

I feel your pain ATB. We bought our house knowing that it needed doing up, and we are... it takes a long time though as DH is a bit of a perfectionist and we're both working full time - I have a friend who is much better off who said, quite dismissively, last time she came round that we should 'just pay someone to do it, it's not worth the effort'. As the hall is still in progress, several months later, I don't feel I can invite her around without her passing further rude comment! She's a good friend, but we don't talk about money - she has no idea how well off she is and definitely wouldn't understand OPing the mortgage. Sigh indeed!

ATB'S Frugal Foray to Freedom

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