Pay off mortgage and start having fun!

pammyj74

I would love to have a loft conversion here, but there is nowhere to put the stairs. DD would love a bigger bedroom.
Glad you have 'finally' made the decision. Sounds like me with moving lol. I am definitely staying where I am now as I have commited to 18 months with volunteering at Homestart. I think deep down I was always going to stay but every time I go back home and have a laugh with my mum and sisters it makes me sad coming back. But have realised I can go over every few weeks and have the best of both worlds really. (not as good as being closer and more costly though)

I too have not put the heating on yet, told the kids to start wearing their dressing gowns, its what they are there for and they also have their blankets (which they leave all over the place!) I am determined not to put it on til at least October. At least the weather isnt too bad today and I have two loads of washing out.

newgirly

I bought the boys new dressing gowns and a fleece each as they always get up very early and its cold, I even got a size too big so they go down to their ankles

newgirly

I have been looking at my current account and cc usage last night as I was hoping to switch to using cash instead of the card. Change of plan now, I will still with the cc, as it lets me spend a month ahead and I would have to catch up.:o
I'm currently living off £250 PM on the cc and my small wages from dh. I really need to try and keep back some of the wages though as I want to pay for a weekend away for dh's 40th next sept, either a mini cruise or potters holiday village in norfolk where we went for one night a couple of years ago and it was great but expensive.

I need to rumage through my cupboards as I have so much food, but am doing so little cooking at the moment, dh has a huge plate of roast dinner left over from mums yesterday. I may roast the M&s chicken for the kids and keep back some meat if dh is not eating it too.
There is so much extra money I could be saving, its been a very expensive time though, I still need to buy a blind for the bathroom, and 2 x swim shorts this week for the boys' new school, I have bought and named 2x black speedo shorts already but apparently they are too short and need to come to the knees, another £40 odd, what a waste of money.

newgirly

Not great news today, dh has had a meeting with the accountant and it looks like to keep things going he will have to make a pay cut of 10% across the whole company, he will have to put it to the other shareholders first but there is not really many options at the moment.
The annoying thing is he has been so busy lately, having to do very long hours as some of the work can be seasonal.

So we are down around £230 pm. I think its fate trying to stop me getting the bloomin loft done:rotfl:

I know we are much better off then lots on here, maybe I need to pop into the debt free wanabee, that really puts things into perspective and might stop me feeling so sorry for myself.

newgirly

Feeling a bit more postitive today, in the past losing that much money would have tipped us over the edge, always having large debts paying high interest on cc. etc.
We are more in control now though, and thanks to mse I have lots more info on how to make things stretch a lot more.

I think its a good idea to continue paying off the 0% so its cleared in june, instead of reducing the payments to start saving for the loft.

There will be no money this year to op or save, so I can put off the descision to op or save until next year.

I need a new challenge this year money wise, which will have to be a grocery challenge one rather than a saving one. I can't just do nothing for the next 3 months.

This friday there will be 100 days left this year, so, starting then my new challenge will be :

£10 per day, a total of £1000 for the rest of the year to live on, for food, petrol, going out, clothes, birthdays and treats.

The two things not included in this are dd's halloween party £50, plus xmas presents still to buy £250. So an extra £300 set aside for this.

Hopefully this will keep me busy for the rest of the year and I can start afresh in january with a new challenge.

newgirly

Due to the more restricted finances I am trying to get more mse, so things done today include:

• I have just checked the gas/elec and had a bill created, since the last bill in august it has worked out at £3.08 a day for both. I shall read the meters every tues and request a bill if thats possible, so there are no nasty shocks when it gets really cold.
• Left over veg for soup tonight in the sc for me and dh, (kids won't eat soup, they have got pasta)
• mananged a £1.50 survey on VO, will do onepoll later
• reduced dh's money by £20pm, with his agreement
• set myself a new £10 per day budget.

I am thinking I really need to get the homwbrew kit out i bought earlier in the year, I can't do without my wine!

B-J-D

the £10 a day budget sound great!! what a good challange to keep you focused!!

newgirly

Shopping went well today, mr s, spent £23, which was £3 over todays and yesterdays budget, I did get a small trolley full though.
I think I buy less junk food when I'm on a tight budget for some reason, less processed stuff as well.

I have been trying to get a couple of stocking fillers on ebay for the boys as dd is done now for xmas. DS1 collects old comics , so Igot a bundle of those for £8 , plus I am trying to win a subbuteo football team in his club colours as he hasn't stopped playing with the set he got at a boot sale the other day.

Dh is still debating what to do to make cut backs at work, I think he may have to lose a member of staff as well as cut the wages, which is the last thing he wants. One of his staff members is in the process of re- mortgaging and adding to his mortgage for home improvements, its their business I know but we know but times are not getting any better at the moment, they do know the situation with the cuts so I guess its their choice. Its just hard sometimes as we used to be the same!

cha97michelle

I don't check your thread for a few days and it is all change again.

I am really quite proud of you for how you have responded to his pay cut. No woe is me, and straight there with a challenge, and it really does say something. I agree totally about going over to DFW, and seeing we do this as a choice, and it would be even harder to have to live like this all the time.

Best of luck, and as you can see on my diary, I am also trying to do some frugal food stuff, so we can keep each other inspired. I'm actually glad it is getting into soup weather. I love the stuff and would eat it most days. Bring it on eh?

newgirly

Thanks michelle, I need a kick up the backside sometimes! As for soup, today I had left over celery soup, I ate it but it was a bit horrid, I need to experiment a bit.