Finally I have a mortgage I can start to pay off!

themadvix · 2 December 2016 at 10:05AM

I'm now all set up and using my superfast new lappy

We ended up having takeaway last night

DH was home from work late because he had a last minute meeting, I had an awful headache and was cold and shivery and it was meant to be date night, so we'd normally have gone out anyway (except we're going away next week and trying to save so had decided not to go out). DH spent the evening setting up my computer properly bless him. All in all I'm not going to feel too guilty about the takeaway, but I do feel disgusted at how much we ate - normally there's enough left for lunch the next day/with extra rice dinner, but it was so late and we were so hungry we ate it all in the end :mad: I'm cross with myself! Today plan is to do at least two x 10 min exercise videos and go for a walk - I need to make this more of a habit anyway, especially in the winter.

ahem... in MF news... internet monitors now installed on new lappy, so back to earning through them and hopefully they won't slow me down so much on this one!

Just checked and I've won £25 on the PB again this month

:T It's been a couple of months, so glad of that! Will add that to the OP

Normal mortgage payment has gone out - £105,819 owed. When I make the OP tomorrow this should put us down into the low £105s.

Christmas shopping is coming along - have a couple of ideas in place now, including some that will save me a bit of money. Just need to order some bits... Sooner rather than later as we're away soon.

All caught up on work this morning, so going to pop out for my walk/to buy a thank you gift (the gin, if I can find it where I think I might!) soon.

Kittenkirst · 2 December 2016 at 6:32PM

Fab on the £25 win where is that from?

Definitely don't feel guilty for the takeout- sometimes needs must and you are doing fantastically on the overpayments so one takeout when you aren't feeling great can't hurt

themadvix · 3 December 2016 at 2:59PM

Thanks Kittenkirst. £25 is from Premium bonds - because I'm SE I stick all the money I set aside for tax, NI, student loan and pension contributions in there (40% of my gross income) until I've done my tax return. With savings rates on instant access stuff so poor, I figured I might as well give PBs a shot with money that isn't 'mine'. The advantage is that it's actually quite a bit of money, so higher chances of winning!

We've just made a £660.30 OP, the last of the year, bringing our total this year to £6171.82! :j We're pretty pleased with that considering it doesn't include any of DH's winnings earlier in the year, his pay rise (what did happen to that?!) and we've booked and paid for next year's holiday (unheard of at this point!). And it doesn't feel like we're missing out on much! Amazing how it adds up

Onwards to next year! Already have quite a few bits that I know are heading for the pot - who knows, might even manage a Jan OP!

themadvix · 5 December 2016 at 12:10PM

Pretty quiet day planned here - no car as it needs a new brake disc (DH to collect and fit tonight, with me providing light). Aim is to get 2 loads of washing done (done) and dry (work in progress), keep heating to a minimum, do any work that arrives (done some, quiet at the moment) and finish Christmas cards (which includes making a few!).

Have decided that we definitely have enough bits to do a boot sale in the new year, so intend to find a box to start putting the random bits in - I keep thinking of things that can go, but they remain scattered around the house! We don't have a lot of clutter as I'm pretty minimalistic and we ebay/freecycle most things. There's always more that can go though.

My new (in April) phone has started playing up, so also need to find receipt for that to take it back and see if it can be fixed under warranty.

Refund finally confirmed for clothes and exchanged item showed up yesterday (?!), so I know now that I'm starting with a £0 balance on cc from about now (10 days into cc month). Do need to buy another pair of jeans, but apart from that, no spending expected until next weekend and then on presents.

Made 6 jars of redcurrant jelly yesterday using frozen berries from the garden - bought the bush on ebay a couple of years ago, second hand (can you have a second hand plant?!), thinking it was a blackcurrant - turned out the lady had mixed the bushes up. We don't really like redcurrants and had a couple of kilos from it this year, so really pleased that I'll be able to use them for presents! This has cut down the city break to-buy gift list, which is great, both in terms of saving money and reducing stress of having to find things! More time to enjoy ourselves! Think I've probably saved about £20

Am going to keep a tally of non-WR (i.e. cash) spends on food between now and Christmas. So far: £1.71.

Bit the bullet and invited people (5) for Boxing Day tea. I wish I'd never started this, but it all gets very complicated with family otherwise. Have made a list of what we'll need to buy food-wise, and it's not too bad. No drinks as we have plenty in (including DH's latest batch of homebrew - very nice). Have saved a couple of bits that we wouldn't normally buy from other events, so that's helping to reduce the cost. Small addition to MIL's home delivery order [Edited to clarify that I'll be paying for the bits I buy!] and a few bits in WR, using the gift cards and we should be fine. I seem to be aiming for a very frugal December!!

try_harder · 5 December 2016 at 1:43PM

You sound so organised TM ,could you possibly give me just a little of your energy please.The jam sounds delicious ,we often receive lovely handmade gifts such as jam ,chutney,cakes and best of all a friend makes me a trifle for christmas which i absolutely love.I am still struggling with the cards ,i like to write a letter in each one of the cards that i post as these are mainly friends who i dont see or speak to during the year,i have around 100 altogether,i like to do it but it does tend to take a while.Hope you have a good day .

themadvix · 5 December 2016 at 3:03PM

Hahaha TH, just because I write these things down, it doesn't mean they happen!! Although Christmas cards are more or less done now. Have annoyingly discovered I'll need some more as the last three I have are not suitable for my clients! I don't tend to write much in them generally (not client ones) (beyond 'hope to catch up soon'), so it doesn't take me too long - nor do I have 100 to write!

themadvix · 6 December 2016 at 11:29AM

I think it's a good job I'm planning a frugal December. Had an email from a client to say that the project we're working on has pretty much ground to a halt now until the NY. He wasn't expecting that to be the case and nor was I. As everything else seems pretty quiet at the moment, this means pay at the end of Jan is likely to be pretty paltry. Even more reason to keep chasing the non-payers, although I doubt that'll have much effect (and as I've mentally written off the money, I was planning on sending it all to the mortgage if I ever received it). Fortunately this particular client (whose project is on 'pause') is extremely reliable and lovely, so I've no concerns there.

Didn't find a box for CB things yesterday as our 3rd bedroom (read cat-free dumping ground) is a tip and I'll need to put box in there. Sorting it out a bit is a task for this morning - will be putting things in the box as I go along! DH working from home this afternoon, so I'll have a car (and already have plans!), he's also going to fix my brake disc in daylight too. Need to put the dough on to make pittas for lunch (to go with leftover quorn meatballs from dinner last night).

Have just ordered the euros we'll need for our trip - using Martin's currency checker of course. £250 gets us 290 euros! It's shocking, but as I get paid in euros I can't really complain! Have reduced the amount we'll take based on the fact that we need to buy less due to redcurrant jelly!

themadvix · 6 December 2016 at 3:45PM

Got a bit distracted this morning and did some deep cleaning of kitchen while making pittas, so 3rd bedroom still a mess. Pittas were lovely for lunch and DH came home eventually - I was starving! He's out fixing my car (hopefully) now

Washing all done now, ready for trip. When DH has finished outside I'll head into town and collect our cash and a couple of other bits needed. Annoyingly I think I might have to pay for parking... unless I can get in and out in 30 mins.

Have done various surveys this morning as I've had time. Right, better go and have a look at that spare room!

themadvix · 7 December 2016 at 10:36AM

Never did get around to spare room yesterday. Did collect cash and do a couple of other bits in town and managed to park for free.

Couldn't get jeans, so will pop to another branch today. Also need some onions and tomatoes for dinner (trying to use veg box ingredients but need more stuff!) - butternut squash, (spinach) and chickpea curry - no spinach and not going to buy any, so will substitute it for kale, which we have plenty of! (It's green, isn't it?!)

Annoyingly I discovered that my last OP was £630.60, not £660.30 as it's now showing on Santa's website (but not applied to the balance yet!). Have amended signature and spreadsheet.

£4 website monitoring money received, but ebay fees to pay, so will leave that in PP - have had an offer on something on ebay - waiting to see if they accept my counter-offer. Also have a bid on another item, ending on Sunday.

Only a few pounds, but it all helps.

After reading about everyone's Rightmove obsessions on here I caved and had a look last night. It was a pleasant surprise that we could get quite a lot for our money (equity in this, plus extending mortgage by ~40k, which should be affordable) in the area we'd like to be in. We're not planning on moving for a couple of years, and have yet to work out DH's commute, but in theory things are looking good. This cheered me up no end! Just have to work as hard as possible to get mortgage down in the meantime so we can borrow as little as possible extra.

themadvix · 8 December 2016 at 11:42AM

Another PC survey done, so enough to cash out another £5 in am vouchers towards car parts - at this rate I'll be able to pay all of it in vouchers (leaving lots for a nice big OP from car maintenance fund

).

Finally finished up two of the WR gift cards yesterday, so have transferred £50 from current account to OP fund to match those.

It was so warm yesterday that I only had the heating on for two hours - 1 on timer in the morning and 1 in the evening.

Also got around to enquiring with the vets about how much the cat's flea treatment is (he won't have the spot on stuff, we used to do it but it was becoming a horrific battle every month - tablets much easier). Have worked out that even paying for a £12 prescription for the stuff from the vets we could save ~£70 per year by buying online. The tablets are about £10 each from the vets!! :eek: Will be doing that I think - a job for next week.

Made the butternut sqaush, chickpea and kale curry last night - was delicious (despite my adaptations!) and have frozen 3 generous portions too

.

Have a long non-moneysaving (but not wholly money-spending :rotfl:) to-do list to get on with....

Finally I have a mortgage I can start to pay off!

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