pammyj74's MFW diary (or possible wishful thinking!!)

CathT

Well done on your final OP, you even smashed your target with that one!

I am sooo looking forward to the new year and all of our new targets! Going to put the christmas decorations up one day in the week. Try and find some time DH and I are both around (not an easy task!) but I am feeling quite festive now.

pammyj74

Thanks Cath, I cant quite believe it. I read my first post last night to see how far I have come and my first year my target was £2k then this year was £3k so I think next year will be £4k but that works out at an average of £333 a month. I can only usually OP about £150 but want to try and do a bit more ebay next year.

Today is supposed to be a big housework day, really need to do the kitchen and bathroom! They are shocking. Wanted to go back to Aldi today as well as they have jigsaw books for £3.99 which my DD had her eye on. Lovely enchanted fairy pictures with 6 x 96 piece jigsaws. She's been really into jigsaws lately.

pammyj74

cha97michelle wrote: »

;)I know how you mean Pammy. I too am pleased i have done what i wanted to this year, and just wondering how i can do the same or even better. Do i have it in me to keep doing so much all the time for pennies?

Ultimately, i will try. I will be over the moon if i can do it. Interest rates have been our friends, and who knows how long it will continue being low for. Got to try while it is haven't we.

Congratulations to all you have achieved this year. I wish you equal success for next year. Even half that would still be fantastic wouldn't it. :beer:

Sorry Michelle I must have missed this post as I just saw the dooyoo post.

I really do think how can I keep up living like we do for another 8-10 years. It does seem to take a bit of my life away iykwim and I dont know if I can carry on being a penny pincher for the next few years. And is it fair on the kids? I am doing this so that I can have a better financial time by the time they leave school and a few years after that they will be starting their own lives.
They dont miss out, dont get me wrong, they do school clubs, have consoles and tvs, and this year a laptop for goodness sake so i dont know what I am fretting at. We have had holidays and days out so they definitely do and have more than a lot of kids have. They have a whole lot more than I ever had thats for sure!!!

Doing surveys constantly over and over, there is only so much you can take!!

I often wonder what release I would get when I am MF or if I will then transfer it to getting as much savings as possible for retirement. Will it ever end??

[Deleted User]

Pammy
I hear you on the balance - and perhaps the surveys are a time consuming effort to MF life?!
I too wonder "what will I actually do when Im MF?" I like the idea of not having it hanging over my head, but yes I will probably then start planning (panicking!!;) ) for retirement!
sounds like your kids are doing pretty well but I think its important for you to have nice things on the way- that might mean a nice holiday or trips out or shopping or whatever- I dont think depriving oneself totally for years and years can be good (despite how much I was tempted to try it to pay it off instantly!)
another one looking forward to xmas here!! and the 2011 targets ..maybe we'll have a flurry of new diaries, I agree its nice to look back and see how far youve come between diaries!

CathT

The balance is tricky but you being financially secure as you will be MF will definitely be the best thing. Your children don't go without, you find the most cash efficient was of treating them.

It is hard wondering how you can 'up the ante' though when you are surveyed and clicked out to the max!!'

cha97michelle

Maybe we all need a good break from it over christmas so we can come back a bit less jaded. We can do it Pammy.

Like you say, you do get treats. We have had holidays. If it came to it we would just have to overpay less, and if rates go up, we pay less. I also agree i will then focus on savings for uni and retirement. I have however promised the kids i will take them on an aeroplane and visit the disney castle.

Just the mortgage will be going first.

We'll just have to keep each other going as we do now.

pammyj74

I agree maybe to have a week off from it all over xmas but its like an addiction isnt it? It pains me if have to pay full price for things or payout for something unneccessarily etc.

I am going to go full pelt at ebay next year I think. I am going to start doing my poem cards and handprint keepsakes again. It was a bit time consuming though when people dont give you the full info that you need to complete the order. And I have not done any comps lately either, I am really slacking there. I really want to do that full on next year but I think I might do it every other day so I am not constantly using my time on mfw tasks.

Had a busy morning already today, went to Morrisons and picked up the B1G2F on roses and heroes £3.99 for 3 boxes is a great deal. They will fly out I reckon. I will use two of them for the kids to take for tombola on mufti day on weds. I also picked up the sticker books for DS for xmas that we saw and I couldnt get as he was with me. They were £2.99 or 2 for £4.
Then went to RM to pick up a parcel that I thought was my glitch matalan order but it was a freebie John Frieda gift set worth £10. I was going to give it as a gift but will keep that as a present for myself. Might even wrap it up and put it under the tree
Then went back to Aldi to get the jigsaw books kids liked and I am really impresssed with them. They are lovely and not bad 4x96 jigsaws for £3.99. Got DS the big truck one, DD the enchanted one but they also has goblins, fairies and a couple of others.
I need to get DS a few more things as DD has overtook him with the amount she has.

Need to wrap up the extras that I have and maybe everyone elses as well to see where I am.

yukkibear

Go you, you sound so organised.

I think everyone struggles with the balance, I know I do. Don't worry about it, and have a break if you need to.

Baby_steps_2

pammyj74 wrote: »

Then went to RM to pick up a parcel that I thought was my glitch matalan order but it was a freebie John Frieda gift set worth £10. I was going to give it as a gift but will keep that as a present for myself. Might even wrap it up and put it under the tree

Oh where did you get this?? Nice treat for yourself, enjoy it after all your hard work you deserve it.:)

pammyj74 wrote: »

I agree maybe to have a week off from it all over xmas but its like an addiction isnt it? It pains me if have to pay full price for things or payout for something unneccessarily etc.

Pammy, What you have achieved this year is amazing. But as everyone says remeber its a marathon not a spriint. get the blanace right so you also enjoy life.

A friend of mine died recently at 33 and it just made me think, life is to short to not treat yourself sometimes. You never know what is round the corner and you have to enjoy the life you have.

I'm all for tryinh to pay my mortgage off as quickly as possible, but if I want a holiday etc I will have it as long as i'm not getting myself back into debt.

I know what you mean about surveys. They are very time consuming and I sometimes wonder if the time you give up is worth the reward. Epsecially when you spend 15 mins answering questions only to get screened out:eek::eek:

Just decide how much time you can dedicate to the challenge and then take some time to enjoy yourself. Every other night on MFW tasks seems a good ides to me.

Finally (Sorry for the the long post!!) just look at how much you have already knocked off the mortgage and remember to be proud of what you have achieved:T:T

pammyj74

Thanks guys, its great to be able to share it with other people. I think I get the balance right. We have always had at least a week away each year and kids go on all school trips and every party they can.
I dont drink or smoke and being a single parent dont get out much either so save loads there lol. Hope that changes when kids are older and I can get a bit of my life back.

Have wrapped everything up and only need to get a few presents now Some presents I have had second thoughts about but what the heck they have to have them now lol.
This year I have been really slack in getting presents through the year like I used to. I am really going to trawl the jan sales hopefully.