1 mortgage, 2 babies, 3 years to be MF, 4 goodness sake!- weezl's diary

weezl74

thanks

And for those looking to make the food bills cheaper, here's a fat-free weetabix cake recipe costed out:

it's a bit of a bargain

... a very thrifty cake for DH's lunch box

Weetabix Fruit Loaf Ingredients:

2 Weetabix- 8p
190g Sugar- 8p
190g Sultanas- 25p
250g Self-Raising Flour - 7p
240ml Milk - 7p


Preparation:

1. crush the weetabix into fine crumbs
2. add sugar, fruit and flour
3. add milk and mix well
4. Pour into greased lined loaf tin
5. Bake at Gas Mark 4 / 350F for 60 to 70 minutes
6. Cool for 10 minutes
7.When cold store in an airtight tin

3.6p per slice! :money:

prices are from Asda and costco

evab_2

Fantastic OP weezl, well done and what a great amount to clear in two years. I must get more focused in the new year!

Great savings on your insurance, life cover and tax returns too x

cha97michelle

wow - feeling even more inspired when i hear what you have paid off. How you do it i don't know. That is nearly my original mortgage amount too. Like Eva, i need to get a lot more organised in the new year.

I think my 2 kids are particularly foodies. I don't think they are being greedy or they would be putting on weight. My 18 month old eats 2 weetabix for breakfast. If i give him one he demolishes it within seconds and says more please mummy. Today they had breakfast with me, then we went to playgroup and there was toast and apple for a snack at 9:30 (only just over an hour after breakfast) and they scoffed about half an apple each and a couple of quarters of a slice of toast. :eek:

I tend to buy the cheap fromage frais that are 45p for 6, but DS1 has wised up to the fact that the yoghurts that Daddy gets are bigger. :rolleyes: I think i might save some with trying out making my own like you suggested.

I also picked up some milk powder when i went shopping last with the intention of using it in cooking and making the boys puddings. The Mr M whips were 7p each, jelly is another favourite pudding at only 6p for several days.

I can do cheaper, i just don't record my efforts. I think i am going to have a go at costing out more recipes in the new year to help my challenge. I would try before but it is a bit hectic trying to sort Christmas out cheaply, and i have got DS1 into pre-school for after Christmas so i might have a bit more free time then.

Keep the ideas coming. I'm going to try that cake recipe. The boys want to bake again tomorrow anyway.

Michelle x

weezl74

Hi Michelle

Would the boys eat porridge for a warming winter breakfast? That could be quite filling and be slow-release energy and is very thrifty!

Another update on the mortgage: When I called the halifax to discuss my last overpayment, they very helpfully suggested that I open the current account that gives £5 a month, just as a holding vehicle for the mortgage payments each month. ie I transfer it in on the 14th of each month and it comes out on 15th and that's all the current account does, but it earns me £60 a year which can painlessly go on the mortgage I think I'll do that now since I'm up with insomnia anyway, so may as well earn some money! :rotfl:

LilacPixie

I have the reward account for that very reason Weezl. You seem to keep strange hours like I do. Damm exhausting with 2 kids I tell you

setmefree2

weezl74 wrote: »

I know lots of folk on here are a bit worried about having no savings, so I wanted to explain myself a bit...

• Although DH's job could be vulnerable as anyone's can, universities and hospitals are not as affected during recessions as retail-type jobs and professions.

Ummmm. Not sure I agree with you on this. There are massive, massive cuts coming in public sector spending from next summer (once the election is out the way). Unless your DH is a front line worker then I would not assume he is safe tbh.

I'm not trying to be aggressive in any way. It's just that once mortgage over payments have gone, they have gone and it wouldn't be right if we were dishing out poor advice would it? Most posters on this board think you should have at least 3 to 6 months worth of pay as emergency savings. Indeed, this is Martin Lewis' advice too.

In the end, however, keeping no emergency savings is your decision and I wish you good luck whatever you decide to do.

shaz_mum_of__2

:j Wahay another fab weezl thread:j

Impressed with your OP missus we are still waiting to get into the halifax to discus our options but think reducing the term by 5 years at an extra cost of £200 pcm is where we will start

Love the decorations i generally make gingerbread men for mine and guys don't forget natural foraged stuff too.............cinnamon sticks from the asian grocers wrapped in bundles with ribbon(mine are 5 yrs old) dried oranges(whole or sliced) popcorn threaded on thread /fishing line pine cones coloured felt scraps made into rustic ornaments. Better stop now or will be in trouble for thread-jacking.


I have to agree with weezl that its the small changes that make the big difference ................look after the pennies and all that!!

Shaz

mambury

setmefree2 wrote: »

Ummmm. Not sure I agree with you on this. There are massive, massive cuts coming in public sector spending from next summer (once the election is out the way). Unless your DH is a front line worker then I would not assume he is safe tbh.

I'm not trying to be aggressive in any way. It's just that once mortgage over payments have gone, they have gone and it wouldn't be right if we were dishing out poor advice would it? Most posters on this board think you should have at least 3 to 6 months worth of pay as emergency savings. Indeed, this is Martin Lewis' advice too.

In the end, however, keeping no emergency savings is your decision and I wish you good luck whatever you decide to do.

I think I'd have to agree with setmefree2 on this one..... I am a school governor for a very small rural primaryschool and we have heard rumours of cuts around the 20% mark, if not more :eek:, in the education budget for this county alone. How accurate that figure is, who knows but I think its safe to assume the worst. I have a horrible feeling that after the next election the cuts are going to have to be massive in order to start paying back some of the billions the UK owes.

Stick some money in savings just in case

shaz_mum_of__2

Forgot to say Weezl if you register to complete your tax return online it is so much easier as it only brings up the boxes relevnt to you(based on your answers to certain questions) Also it works out your under/overpayment there and then and the refunds if due are processed quicker. You do have to register in advance though as it takes a couple of weeks to process applications to government gateway you can also register to do certain benefit applications through the same system but i forget which

Unless anyone has a complicated business(small ones easy) i would thoroughly recommend you do your own although for bigger companies a good accountant will easily save you the cost of his fee.

Shaz

Tesco_points_addict

Wow how fantastic is this diary! I think I might have read another one of your diaries a while back...was it you that managed a very well balanced diet for pennies per day (I know you mentioned on here 50p but I cannot remember if that was the one I read, however I do remember there was lots of nutritional information and I was VERY impressed!)

I have added this thread to my favourites and cannot wait for more of your great recipies. Where is the closest Costco to Cardiff?? I have used the Bristol one a couple of times (took my Dad to use his card) and been very impressed with the prices.

We are hoping to pay off our mortgage by the time i'm 40 - we have done very well this year but the last month or so I have let my guard down and spent far to much:eek:.

We are lucky to have a very low rate on our mortgage at the moment 1.09% so we put our extra money into savings to offset rather than pay it off the capital at the moment - this has the advantage of being fairly accessable if the worst should happen.

Good luck xxx

TPA