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Getting out of my comfort zone

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Comments

  • gilligansyle
    gilligansyle Posts: 4,124 Forumite
    Was very quiet round here yesterday, still not sure what happened.

    Fortunately one of the working radiators is in the living room, although there is a gas fire in here too, and one is the bathroom, so thats not a problem. If the hall one was working the house would feel warmer. DS is going to ask round his friends for a plumber to do it as a foreigner.

    Money situation
    Put petrol in car yesterday - I normally wouldn't bother as its half full, but just in case the promised interviews come off.
    Put more gas in meter.
    Spent money in Tesco, so have £25 left in purse, may need to get milk and stuff, but generally OK

    Still got tips money in purse from Christmas, but reluctant to use that for debt payments/groceries. May use for 'treats' to stop me going mad.
    Obviously not touched money in bank yet.

    Went to Mr T yesterday but it was for soft drinks for DS, which he pays for. Just got a few as some should be arriving soon from approvedfoods. The Kenco refills were only half price, so bought a couple of them. Worked out at about £3.50 for 300 gm which is well cheaper than buying a jar. Also got some whoopsie bread which has been split up and put in freezer, and some tins of tomatoes as I figure they always come in handy. It was absolute bedlam in there. Friend on the till said the car park was full at 9am because people had finally got to the point when they had to go shopping.

    Should be NSD here, need to decide what to do for tea, as DS has had a cold and not really got any sense of taste so plan for 'cook from frozen' chicken a bit of a waste. Have got lots of sausage in freezer, so may do a casserole. Lots of spuds that are starting to sprout a bit need to be used up. So lots of mash, really filling.
    Debts at LBM - Mortgages £128497 - non mortgage £27497 Debt now £[STRIKE]114150[/STRIKE][STRIKE]109032[/STRIKE] 64300 (mortgage) Credit cards left 0



    "The days pass so fast, let's try to make each one better than the last"
  • hypno06
    hypno06 Posts: 32,296 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    sausage and mash is my daughter's fave - very cheap and filling and lovely comfort food.....ideal for January!

    I've got to head to Tesco's shortly - not looking forward to it, but needs must.
    Successful women can still have their feet on the ground. They just wear better shoes. (Maud Van de Venne)
    Life begins at the end of your comfort zone (Neale Donald Walsch)
  • When my son was small he would moan if I did a roast and ask can't we just have sausage and mash. Its still one of his favourites, together with cottage pie. Easily pleased and nice and cheap.

    Casserole is easy because don't have to use 'decent' sausages.
    Debts at LBM - Mortgages £128497 - non mortgage £27497 Debt now £[STRIKE]114150[/STRIKE][STRIKE]109032[/STRIKE] 64300 (mortgage) Credit cards left 0



    "The days pass so fast, let's try to make each one better than the last"
  • hypno06
    hypno06 Posts: 32,296 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    we are having a variation on the same theme today - I have some sausagemeat defrosting and will make pork and apple burgers. Same carp, different shape :o
    Successful women can still have their feet on the ground. They just wear better shoes. (Maud Van de Venne)
    Life begins at the end of your comfort zone (Neale Donald Walsch)
  • savingholmes
    savingholmes Posts: 29,087 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Hi Gill - I love bangers and mash - still my favourite
    Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
    1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £171.8K Equity 36.37%
    2) £2.6K Net savings after CCs 10/10/25
    3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £27.9K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.25K) = 34/£127.5K target 26.6% 10/10/25
    (If took bigger lump sum = 60.35K or 47.6%)
    4) FI Age 60 income target £17.1/30K 57% (if mortgage and debts repaid - need more otherwise) (If bigger lump sum £15.8/30K 52.67%)
    5) SIPP £5K updated 10/10/25
  • Cheapest tea and really tasty. Sausages were on offer and put in freezer, worked out at 50p, spuds were £2 for a 10kg bag (can't even work out the portion cost for that.
    Have done nothing but watch DVD's all afternoon as DS went out to pub and then came back with friends so was playing music etc.
    In work tomorrow, there is probably a bit of a backlog of packages to get out so will be busy. Glad the weather is better.
    Hoping to catch up with some friends next week, as they are home from Spain during the winter season. This time last year I was out there visiting them and it snowed, we' have pictures of cafe's with 3 inches of snow on the tables and grown adults in their 50's having a snowball fight.
    Debts at LBM - Mortgages £128497 - non mortgage £27497 Debt now £[STRIKE]114150[/STRIKE][STRIKE]109032[/STRIKE] 64300 (mortgage) Credit cards left 0



    "The days pass so fast, let's try to make each one better than the last"
  • Working yesterday, wasn't fun, driving in slush is in some ways worse than driving on ice, stuff had been held up in depot's all last week and arrived at lunchtime, so all has to be got out. Means wages will be ok, but a hassle nonetheless. Other job in off license people were trying to buy lots of bread, we are an off license, we sell it as a favour to customers, we can't deal with selling lots of it. Courier work was manic,

    After Tesco shop, haven't done any more shopping. Slow cooker is on the go, you name it , its gone in it! Washing machine going, but not sure how to get everything dry!
    Still got soup left over for lunch, but really must do some flylady tasks. Ironing to start with, keep me warm, watch Heroes at the same time.
    Debts at LBM - Mortgages £128497 - non mortgage £27497 Debt now £[STRIKE]114150[/STRIKE][STRIKE]109032[/STRIKE] 64300 (mortgage) Credit cards left 0



    "The days pass so fast, let's try to make each one better than the last"
  • NSD today.

    Have cleared most of the ironing mountain, at least that kept me warm.
    Agency have put my CV forward for a couple of temp vacancies, have interview in Bradford on Thursday. Will look at it as interview experience. Can potentially work in Bradford as have friend who lives there part of the week and here the rest so may be able to do a deal.
    DS friend has looked at heating, he has managed to get 2 more radiators working but he says the valves are shot. He is going to get new ones about £7 each. So not as expensive as I first thought, had earmarked at least £100.

    Need to think about getting fit/losing weight.
    Debts at LBM - Mortgages £128497 - non mortgage £27497 Debt now £[STRIKE]114150[/STRIKE][STRIKE]109032[/STRIKE] 64300 (mortgage) Credit cards left 0



    "The days pass so fast, let's try to make each one better than the last"
  • savingholmes
    savingholmes Posts: 29,087 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    hi gill good luck with the interviews. Glad you have someone who could help you with your heating and so cheaply!
    Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
    1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £171.8K Equity 36.37%
    2) £2.6K Net savings after CCs 10/10/25
    3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £27.9K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.25K) = 34/£127.5K target 26.6% 10/10/25
    (If took bigger lump sum = 60.35K or 47.6%)
    4) FI Age 60 income target £17.1/30K 57% (if mortgage and debts repaid - need more otherwise) (If bigger lump sum £15.8/30K 52.67%)
    5) SIPP £5K updated 10/10/25
  • Been forgetting to update this, been busy working, PaDding etc.

    Interview in Bradford went Ok. They gave me a form to claim back the coach fare, so that was good. Also there was a meet & greet sort of thing, with lunch provided. Not sure if the job is for me though, have had a few phone calls from agency so its looking better. Have been doing research about hourly rates, etc. and think that at the moment contract is the way to go, not enough permanent jobs around and money really rubbish, whereas people can justify paying decent money for a short term contract. Can't afford to take too big a drop because of having to cover mortgage etc.

    DS has given me £20 to go and get him some drinks for work so off to H&B and pound shop in a bit to see what I can get. He works nights and there is nowhere to get anything so he takes drinks in and leaves them in his locker. He goes through about 4 x 500ml bottles a shift, and loads of sandwiches and crisps, mainly because he's bored. Otherwise he has to take stuff in every day and its a bit bulky on his bike.
    Heating almost sorted now, but DS' friend can't get the shower to work consistently. At least it's hot!

    Money stuff:-
    Cash in purse £30 - have done big shop, and gas and electric, but haven't put any petrol in car. About half full, so will try and leave it as next weeks wages should be better.
    Money in bank £120

    Should be better off from now on as have paid off one of the Provi loans, so £60 a month spare. Will use that to overpay on the other loan and get rid of it by April. Also lent Mum money before Christmas and she is paying me back at £30 a month so will put that into a separate jar, for Christmas spends.
    Asked Mum's gentleman friend if I could borrow his sat nav if I get any job offers, that aren't local. He moaned a bit, but he's never used it. Asked if he was not going to use it often, he could consider selling it to me, so he's going to think about it. It's a good one, and he bought it on impulse and other than me using it a few times, its not been out of its box.

    Right - off to Home &Bargains.
    Debts at LBM - Mortgages £128497 - non mortgage £27497 Debt now £[STRIKE]114150[/STRIKE][STRIKE]109032[/STRIKE] 64300 (mortgage) Credit cards left 0



    "The days pass so fast, let's try to make each one better than the last"
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