Pay off mortgage and start having fun!

A_Frayed_Knot

newgirly wrote: »

So I don't know how this will pan out, but have decided to attempt to live on less. I've been reading through some of my old diary posts from when I first started here (in 2010) it's very strange as my youngest kids were just turning 10. I was a sahm and MUCH better with money . . . . . .

So today I've rummaged the cupboards and dug out the flour and yeast and stuck the bead maker on, done loads of washing and hung it out, and am about to see if I can find anything to eBay, bring on the old style ways again :beer:

It's amazing what we can do when we put our mind to it you've done it before, for me, it's just a case of being aware (I call it double thinking) first, I think, oh I would like that and put it into the shopping trollly, then second think and ask/tell myself do I really need it or can I buy it cheaper elsewhere, that way I'm aware all the time and some items do not get bought.
Good Luck

AlexLK

Your mortgage / debt reduction this year looks rather amazing to me, NG.

newgirly

Thanks guys

Off to the massive boot sale in a minute, hunting for retro games and consoles for ds2's birthday next week, fingers crossed as on fleabay they are starting to cost lots of money! Also looking for a big bag of onions from the veg truck

AlexLK

Sounds like great fun, NG. Did you get any?

newgirly

Hi Alex, we had a successful trip :T

Large net bag of red onions £1 (probably need to be used quick)

Nintendo dsi , black perfect clean condition £15 plus a chip with 50 games £6 and a Simpsons game £4.

Atari joystick for some retro console they have but couldn't use -£4 it's a wooden fronted console whch plays seriously old stuff like space invaders

About 8 gameboy advance games, mostly £2 each , some £3 - a couple worth up to £10 each on fleabay.

New Barcelona football scarf for ds1's birthday - might be a bit hot though! £5

Also put a best offer on a GameCube on fleabay and am waiting for a reply £20 , so a good weekend birthday shopping wise.


Using up what we have food wise, made potato salad with half a bag of new potatoes that were sat in the bottom of the fridge and made dh a tuna pasta bake with cupboard stuff, also aquired a whole large margarita and half each of a veggie hot one and a spicy meat one from dominoes (my parents and brother's takeout Saturday!) the ordered 4 large as it was bogof for three of them waste not want not

Need to book the cinema today, it's not accounted for in the budget but it is an ESSENTIAL - Star Trek trilogy this Thursday :dance: It's £15 per adult for vip seats (£12.50 normal) starts at 6.45pm ends at 2 am so I am paying for my ticket from my change jar and any kids, husbands or brothers that want to come can pay for themselves very much looking forward to hours and hours of Zachary Quinto :rotfl::rotfl:

Off to make coffee and work out what I spent from birthday budget and food money yesterday.

newgirly

Tickets booked but they were £17 not £15 not sure if they put the price up or I am going mad

Accounts checked and We are short as I've spent more on dd's birthday so have upped the boys birthday budget by £20 each. I've had a look ahead and we have 2 free months of child benefit this year so will borrow from the Xmas pot and pay it back from there. Otherwise I have no money for food until August 1st after the tesco shop is delivered.

I also paid the parking fro the mini cruise in sept £34, and two personalised icing cake toppers for the boys £9 ish for both so have run out of the frugal food budget already

£205 cash now until August but I am sure I can come in way under that even with birthday bbq food to buy.

Dinner tonight :

Dh - left over tuna pasta bake

Kids- burgers in buns, hm sweet potato fries , sweet corn

Me- leftover bean curry and the last 2x onion bhajis

LadyGnome

Good result on the carboot. MrGnome has been browsing boot sales. He has lots of young great nephews and nieces in North Africa so he has been buying loads of children's clothes to take out. He picked up a suitcase full of stuff which will be passed around the family over the next couple of years.

AlexLK

Well done re. the carboot.

I like going to antiques fairs / autojumbles. Often walk away empty handed though.

newgirly

Not enjoying the heat, in fact roll on Autumn and winter - 159 sleeps left now :xmastree: :rotfl:

Nothing much to report, sweltering at work, then got nails infilled and painted bright acid green, unpacked mr t delivery, didn't have any of the ice cold cider that was delivered tonight that I fancied and had a lemonade. That's about Tuesday covered.

newgirly

Dh has seen the accountant yesterday, it's not going well. Turnover is much lower we need to reduce costs much further which means staff

We also probably won't get a mortgage on the factory so will have to keep the expensive loan instead. Not sure what the plan is yet, but starting with a thorough look through each type of work we do and what makes / loses money is the first thing.

I think the business is still very viable but on a smaller scale, possibly renting it some more of the space we don't use, dh has been trying to keep everyone's jobs for as long as possible which has added to the problem , however I can see why he has.

I thought things we going a bit too well financially for us lately :rotfl:

Still being good money wise, and glad I resisted spending the gift from my parents on cars and stuff, we may need it!