Louba's MF Challenge

Louba

Thanks Bungrefurb! It's only because I know I get all in a mess when I'm not :rolleyes: Not sure it will last though.....hmm positive thinking

Kittikins hi and thanks for dropping in I think you're right about AMEX they have credited the cash back to the card so it's just sitting there at the moment waiting for me to find shops which take it.........and to remember the pin :mad: Arg, I haven't used it since the introductory cash back rate ended so I can't remember what it was. Having a scatty week!

November savings update: yay I should be up £2428 taking me to £28928. I'm still waiting for NS&I to send through the request for ID checks for premium bonds so this month's savings are sitting waiting to go but as they are earmarked I've included them for motivation.

Louba

Ahh, did some sums and now I'm horrified! My own individual mortgage for the lfat I don't live in and rent out is currently £152,000 and will run to March 2028 (a year early due to overpayments). I had been overpaying but have stopped so we can save for a deposit. The interest rate is 5.69% until April 2010 and I've just worked out that I'm paying £28 a day in interest :eek:
Doubly frustrating because at the moment the priority has to be saving for a deposit but I guess it should push me to save extra hard and use all the tips I can find and also saya i need to stop being sentimental about my falt and think hard about selling in the new year. Finding that hard as it was the flat I bought after I split up from my husband and I have lots of great memories of getting my life back together there , hmmph.
I haven't allowed for any extra cash coming in once the term ends and the rate drops to SVR as I'm a conservative kind of girl but I'm hoping it makes a bit of a difference. Based on an SCR of 3% from April 2010 (allowing for a rise - it's at 2.5% just now) that would mean an extra £253 in my pocket....well to savings from April :j. if I haven't sold. Still don't want to tempt fate by counting it.
Think I need to get on the groceries challenge........and stop using the car.......

Louba

Progress on today's challenge....
1 - make chicken soup if not finished tonight........done and there is loads, and I'm not sure it's very nice, eek
2 - Call Amex and ask if they will send me a cheque for the cash back sitting on my card, em no - think I'll leave it there and use it for shopping this month and just transfer the same amount to savings
3 - call bank and unlock switch card - had a total mental block and locked it out today, numpty! oh dear I locked out the online account too, not sure what's happened to my head
4 - update numbers mostly done

Hmm not a very productive day...:( So tommorrow I need to do this stuff I didn't do today!

I did start my pre marathon training plan though :A. That kind of makes up for not doing the other stuff. Another CD went on Amaz*n too so the pile of stuff is gradually going down. Woo
Lx

SmlSave

Hi Louba

Have you managed to unlock your card and account? I'm forever calling up ING as I keep forgetting my log in details!

Hope you've had a good day today and I'm sure your chicken soup is fine, perhaps it just needs some extras throwing in?

Louba

Thanks Smlsave - so glad it's not just me! Nope haven't unlocked it on account of having forgotten to lift my chequebook for the account details this morning ....tonight's task I'm afraid. Soup was a little watery but not too bad with salt and pepper, just as well as there are ten portions of it in the freezer :eek:. Your live on £5k a year figures are really impressive I think I need some lessons!

Louba

Yay, account and card are now unlocked! Hopefully my head is back on form and I won't lock out anything else..........

Tomorrows tasks........
1 - list books on Green Metropolis - anyone got any experience on this and whether things sell?
2 - run - its training day 2 on my pre-marathon schedule

L

SmlSave

list books on Green Metropolis - anyone got any experience on this and whether things sell?

I've heard good things about Green Metropolis but not listed anything on there yet - even though I have a box of books waiting!

I'm very impressed with your running schedule

Louba

Half done for today Run complete in the rain no less :A Didn't get the books on though - our downstairs neighbour had popped in for a chat and then I discovered..........the TV and the new series of Spooks

Books on tomorrow then.....Amazon credited £7 to my account and I think there is about £15 more to come. Debating whether to out it straight to sainvg or start a small fund for treats that we would be doing without while saving like a weekend away once we've got enough. Wonder if it might help us stay motivated in a funny way as we wouldn't feel deprived.....something to think about.

Booked train tickets for a trip home using the Sainsburys ticket offer, it saves us driving the 300 mile round trip and works out cheaper and more relaxing. Just need to make sure I don't spend the difference on magazines and sweeties for the journey.

So for tomorrow - 1 Hope my legs aren't too sore
2 put books on GM
3 take the recycling to the centre - we don't have a collection so this requires some dedication!

cha97michelle

Good luck on your journey. The small things do all count, and you seem to be quite organised to help you with it. The treat idea seems a good one. We all need small things to look forward to in order to keep us motivated.

Michelle

Louba

Thanks Michelle! Love your signature

Feeling a bit more organised today! We've decided to put most of the cash back money and cash from selling things to the treats fund so we have something nice to look forward to. That said I've done all my sums for the month and doing all the things we have lined up without the savings taking a hit or the treats fund getting reduced will be a challenge. There are few things on my credit card which will need paying too, nothing big mainly payments for signing up to the various runs.

The challenge is to keep costs down this month by
1) not overspending on groceries - doing well so far, I haven't been to the supermarket since Saturday and shouldn't need anything until late next week thanks to the meal plans
2) keeping fuel costs down - I wonder if I can mange to not fill the car up to the end of the month.........I really shouldn't have to drive to work, it's only three miles but I find it hard to get out the door in time to walk Let's see how I get on with that!
3) delaying haircut until next month.........this one is making me feel a little deprived I could get it cut and not coloured as a compromise......hmm decisions.

I keep seeing nice running gear that I would like but I'm trying to be good and tell myself that I'm not buying anything untill I can prove that I'll stick with the running :A

I'm realising that I'm good with the big chunks of savings mainly but I have never thought of that money as mine but the smaller extra stuff is much harder

Lx