greent's mfw journey

greent

Started writing a long post last night but didn't finish - was shattered. Long week at work, which just seemed to get worse as the week went on - thank goodness for lovely colleagues (the vast majority fall into this category)

Payday yesterday - yeay! All 'normal spending' CCs paid and have now fully cleared OH's 0% CC too :j. Will close the account when the next statement comes through. That just leaves us with under £5K on my 0% CC (put some kitchen things and the new shower and radiators on there) and the BTL. My CC has 2 years until 0% expires, but I'd like to clear it this year (should be fine unless OH comes up with any large spending plans!) and then we're just left with the BTL. £300 OP to that this month but am holding on to most of the BTL money as it may need some more internal work doing....

Decent amount of 'stuff' gone in April - some to CS, some to shoebox appeal, some recycled, some sold (did quite well on £ sales this month ) Can definitely see the difference in some areas Also cashed on c £70 from cashback sites :T - a lot of which was from OH's hotel bookings - so literally money for nothing, as the hotel costs are reclaimed

Today looks like being very soggy. We are off to a charity cake sale this morning - will involve quite a lot of £ as there is also a tombola.... however, the cause is fab, the people doing it are lovely (and have a massive personal and sad connection to the cause) - how can I refuse?! - plus there is cake involved......

Tonight my uncle and aunt are taking us out for a meal to say thank you for filling in the probate paperwork for him after his mum died - which is lovely (the thanks, not the death!) - I do things like that because I love working through the forms (weird, I know!) - a great sense of satisfaction at being able to do so My uncle, on the other hand, hates official paperwork and was willing to pay a solicitor to do it. I offered because my uncle and aunt are 2 of my most favourite people and it's more relaxed going through the paperwork over coffee in my dining room than at a solicitor's office - and the estate was relatively straightforward (I'd always pass it on if it was complicated and I was in danger of making an error) We were offered a quite pricey and posh place with tasting menus etc - and chose a country pub with famous menu items instead - far more relaxed and probably more enjoyable (Plus I'd feel guilty at the first - the second makes for a relaxing and fun evening with great food and lovely people - sounds perfect )

Almost May.... the year is flying past.... (and on that note - my car insurance is due next week - off to get some price comparisons....)
x

Karmacat

You're doing so well! And what a lovely meal out you're going to have this evening, that's so nice.

greent

Yesterday was lovely - the cake/ coffee event was fun and we had a chance to catch up with some old friends. Spent a lot - but took only money which I was prepared to spend/ donate, so not an issue. Took some random items along to donate to tombola - and won a large amount of random items back!

Watched a DVD with smallest 2 in afternoon - they were so lovely! Then we (OH and myself) went out to meet uncle and aunt for food - very pleasant & relaxed 2.5hours in the pub with them. Good food and good company - great Saturday evening :T

Today is a day for homework/ ironing/ housework/ shopping for the week (assign to various people as appropriate) DS1 is off to see his GF for the day (30 mins drive away) and they are off to the cinema (a further 30+ mins drive away) so OH is on taxi duty to gf's house this morning and back again this evening.... OH and DS2 are off to cinema (here - a couple of miles away) at lunchtime, so it will just be myself and DS3 for a chunk of the day Actually, with that in mind, I should probably wake some people up soon (I'm the only one up at the mo - having been awake since 5.15 (why?!) I gave up and got up at 6am )

Ooh - also need to add 'do OH's expenses' to the list...

greent

So we're in May! Almost silly season (exam time ) I'm mainly working at my preferred school and just 4 dates at the very end at the other school - and I am resigning from that one after then - I've had enough of the exams officer's attitude.

Sold a couple more things on fleabay this week. I've got 4 more things listed on there (1 has bids), 1 of which will go to CS if it remains unsold this time (proper Tupperware but I have too much!) I have 3 more things to list - and then I really don't know what else I have to put on there! Obviously things will occasionally crop up as the children get rid of them, but I can't see me finding much else at the mo (although the planned garage sort out may reveal some forgotten-about treasures )

It's actually sunny today - hooray! Yesterday was heavy rain for most of the day, including some rather large hailstones in the afternoon! :eek: I've even had the heating on at times this week - it's May, for goodness sake!!

This month sees my sister's bday (bargainacious present purchased a few months back and small etsy present also sorted. Just need some pretty cupcakes now - will cheat and get those from s'mkt on the day ), my mum's bday (so far 2 small presents from kids - need to get some ideas from her - she is a nightmare, as she has a decent amount of money and her favourite activity is shopping....), DS3's bday (sorted, I think - just cake to sort), best friend's hubby's bday (card and maybe something small - might bake him a cake, actually), aunt's bday (just a card - need to post it). Think that's it.... Also have half term (planning on Leg0land with Tesc0 CC vouchers and that's as far as I've got!) & DD coming back from uni. Also spent £50 at vets this morning, as all 3 g-pigs have lice, poor things - so have the equivalent of fr0ntline but for g-pigs for them. I also might need a new car battery - it's playing up, and the symptoms it has are indicative that the battery isn't good. Will get OH on the case!

BTL needs some work (an internal wall needs the surface knocking back, replastering and repainting) so that will minimise OPs to there this month. Really hope that's it for a while! Once we've paid it off I think I'd like to sell it and buy somewhere else (yes, I know that involves costs etc, but I'd like somewhere a little more marketable to perhaps longer term tenants and newer, so less likely to have problems) We could look at doing that now, of course, but the mortgage isn't portable and we wouldn't get as good a rate on a new BTL loan (assuming they'd lend to us.....)

Have just had a look at my goals I set for 2018 - most are looking good at 1/3 way through year, so that's pleasing. Will likely do an update end of June x

greent

So today I've paid a whole £10 OP to the mtge - from OH's current account transaction auto tidies, Have also spent 45 mins (max) on some online market research, which should see me get £50 next week :T - that'll go on my CC. Have listed an item of silver jewellery on flebay (it might go, worth a try), posted a bday card to aunt from stash (and actually got it free in the first place!) and used a free RM survey stamp - and spent just over an hour sorting out fraud on the business account for 2 transactions (and H58C were not that helpful at first :grrr:) Not a bad day. Oh, and paid OH's expenses, so his c/ac is looking healthier (and that's how I noticed the fraudulent transactions)

Now off to TEsc0 (where I'll be using a cashback voucher from a quidc0 payout) to get a medium bit of shopping for the long weekend

brizzlegirl

All sounding good - great to read.

Have a fab weekend

brizzlegirl

Oh and we have had the heating on a bit. Bonkers. Feels very un Spring like.. mock orange is normally out by now.. not this year.. too chilly

greent

What a beautiful, beautiful Bank Holiday weekend that was!! Not that we did much, really. OH and I went to the opening of a photography exhibition by an old friend on Sat night (free ) and yesterday we went to Slimbridge WWT with the smallest 2 and later on a canal path walk (OH, myself and DS3) Other than that OH did lots in the garden and I did some housework and some sorting/ tidying in the garage - lots of bits recycled and some bits reclaimed for using elsewhere (eg: a box of mulberry paper (flower petals & leaves in it) and coloured raffia from when I made and sold soaps is now earmarked for present wrapping Oh also cleaned the caravan and then he and smallest 2 slept in it for 2 nights - they love doing that! We also scored really well on YS items in several smkt visits, so supplies are well topped up

All weekends should be like that......
x

brizzlegirl

Hope youve had a good week greent...your Bank Hol sounded absolutely perfect

greent

Day 4 of DS3 being ill with a virus, poor thing No food, lots of cuddles.

Day 3 of the exam season and it's been busy so far!

1st exam of the season today for DS1. 11 more to go! :eek:

DD had a uni exam yesterday - and her last one is tomorrow - she's then finished for the Summer (collecting her on Saturday )

£220 paid to BTL mtge yesterday - but it's not showing up online in the acct today - Grrrr to Ll0yds online banking - it's sometimes laggy with the mtge, but normally end/ start of months, not mid month! Need around another £1600 to get balance down into the 50s, but am awaiting some quotes for some work, so unwilling to pay over too much atm.

Looks like OH's car issue (ongoing since Nov) has finally been sorted - yeay! :T Have likely had some needless work done along the way, whilst they were trying to figure out the problem, but fingers crossed this time!

My 0% CC is now at £4735 - as we started out the year owing over 18.5k on CCs and car am happy with the progress - esp as we've also paid out more than 25k for the kitchen and some other jobs Am hopeful of sticking a lump to it at the end of the month from exam invigilating

Fleabay pile is very low - currently have 2 listings on there, one of which has a bid (other is BiN) with only 3 more things to list at some point. I think the decluttering is really beginning to show! We are much more mindful about what comes in the house nowadays (although DD will be bringing lots back for the Summer -argh!