Pay off mortgage and start having fun!

newgirly

Hi muser, well done not drinking for this year :rotfl:

AlexLK wrote: »

Sounds like you're doing well. I wish I could get into the routine of early to bed, early to rise.

Have you tried turning the heating off Alex? it's my master plan to save money, with the benefit of getting everyone to bed earlier (to warm up )

newgirly

Spending updates so far this month:

£47.71 /£300 food

£12.09 /£100 everything else budget

£16.98/ £50 personal spends

I currently have a head full of ideas of things to spend money on, holidays, home improvements and even new houses. It's that time of year! The holiday idea may possibly happen if I can persuade the kids to come with us (not easy!) It's the same old circle I go through of feeling guilty that the kids have only been abroad once/ don't live in a less shabby house/wear posh clothes/ have a car etc. It was easier when we just couldn't do it as we didn't have the money, now it's a choice to clear the mortgage quicker than we have to I feel bad.

The correct part of my brain still acknowledges that it's better to be able to help them with uni/deposits etc. In the future than spend now,
but I do still feel guilty a lot, I guess that's normal being a parent though

Anyway I'm off to a funeral soon, the lady at works mum passed away before Xmas aged 96, not poorly and slipped away in her sleep at home, so although sad she had a good life.

AlexLK

If your children are (mostly) happy, you've absolutely nothing to feel guilty about. All part of being a parent, I know but it will be the silly things they remember fondly more often than money being thrown around.

Muser1

Nicely put Alex.

You are just like me NG I've just looked at rm for the 27th time this week at houses I can't afford. The logical side of my brain knows I'm super lucky to have a 3 bed house I own. We live in a terrace in the very nice side of town and the kids go to school with people who have massive houses and I sometimes feel like the poor relation. Silly really what does it matter!?

No booze Friday is testing me, what about you?

smallholdingsister

It is testing me!

newgirly

Thanks guys muser we are in a very affluent area too, a big house here is out of the question as they are well over a million for a detetched 4/5 bed mostly. I don't mind the small house really I just worry a lot about the kids ever moving out and if they can't how we will manage long term :eek:

Alex, I hope you are right , in my experience kids remember the days you sent them to school sick not the kids tea parties you constantly held and lovely Xmas traditions! My 34 yr old brother still holds a grudge with my mum as she tried to send him to school the day of the great storms of 1987 :rotfl::rotfl:

Yes, booze free Friday is not fun.

Muser1

Similar prices here and I'm up norrf so you can imagine!

newgirly

Well it's the 8th and I think I've already blown the steps challenge, I keep forgetting to wear the fit bit The alcohol free part is still all good , and the food is not to bad either (except for a few left over roses yesterday!) spending is also fine so far.

Dh has gone to work again today, I'm going to stay in and do a roast, more washing and re arrange the conservatory. Sounds thrilling :rotfl: I dry clothes in there and am fed up with looking at it all so thought I'd move it up to the loft room as then I can put a couple of our tub chairs in there that are currently down the garden. It can be another seating area, I've reserved a sale rug in Argos to go in there too to warm it up a bit as it's usually freezing even with the radiator on!

Operation declutter and organise the house better is starting

smallholdingsister

Great plans NG.
The research is that small houses provide better family relationships. Also bigger houses are expensive to heat, harder to clean et.c.
I am looking for a smaller house (if I ever move).

newgirly

I think a separate flat for the parents to live in is the solution - when they all move out the house we can move be back in and rent the flat out :rotfl: I do love them really

Fingers crossed you find the perfect house and sell yours soon