Pay off mortgage and start having fun!

newgirly

Yesterday was good fun, but I did end up spending more than I was going to, we went out via the gift shop at the zoo and I bought a cuddly zoo teddy each, plus they boys did panning for gold, plus ice lollies. So ended up spending what we would of paid out full price to get in.It really is fantastic though, and way better than a more famous one in london

However I should to stop spending this week, but have lots to buy still, mothers day x2, plus I need to get some tights/make up/hair dye for the black tie do we are going to sat night while we are away, plus I think petrol and a bit of spending money, plus the hairdresser is cutting mine and all 3 kids hair this week, so its going to be very tight.

My to do list for today is:

• send in letter/cheque for boys school activity day (£58 :eek:)........done
• clean out car
• check bank accounts.........done
• buy all bits for weekend...................done
• mothers day presents and cards
• try and find toiletries to take from home for weekend and not buy cute mini ones from superdrug:)...done
• all washing up to date
• buy enough food to see us through until friday................done
• start using the fake tan I got on product trial last year
• check tcb/surveys, and do all available..............done

CathT

So sorry to hear about your friend, unfortunately lots of us know someone who has been in that situation and it is devastating. Like Michelle said it does make you cuddle your children that much tighter.

Glad you enjoyed the zoo, we are big fans and have annual membership which last year only cost £105 for both me and DH, DD still free till she's 3
We only live 15 miles from Chester Zoo and try and go almost weekly in the Summer - it's a great day out. We are going to Devon in July and our membership will allow us to visit Paignton Zoo for free which I am looking forward to. It can be expensive tho and we are always naughty and buy lunch there instead of taking a picnic. I honestly think being organised is the secret to being MF!

newgirly

Hi cath, we used to be members of colchester zoo when the kids were younger and also went to paignton zoo whilst on holiday in devon which was great

newgirly

Quite a lot to do today again, still stuff not crossed off yesterdays list, and I really need to do 5 hours or so work for dh:o

All I seem to be doing is spending the last week or so, I still need to get mothers day presents, and haircuts yet. I did a shop at the cut price supermarket mr al yesterday and got all the make up i needed as well, it was around £1.99 ish an item and its fantastic, plus in nice shiny silver packaging, so thats saved a lot as i would usually buy from named brands in the big chemist on the high st.
The food in there is so good though, I must start shopping there again, large chicken £2.99 fruit and veg 39p, definatly worth a look.

I need to book the car in for a service as well, plus the car tax has run out, i do have the money put by, but its still money for nothing in my eyes! One thing that has been eating away at the budget is petrol too, i'm hoping that this will reduce when the boys start secondary school and i'm not doing lots of school runs, back and forth 6 times yesterday with a forgotten packed lunch.

never_too_old

Petrol is my biggest bug bare as well, it annoys me how much i use in a week. dd is at secondary school but its too far to walk.she starts her study leave in may so will only have to drive her to school for exams so hoping that will bring my costs down.

newgirly

I have had a nsd today (if I don't include the shopping dh got from the corner shop which I have to pay back, if I remember )

I have cleaned the car inside and out for the second time in its life, resisting the temptation to get it done nearby for £5, plus I am in the process of touching up my black patent shoes for sat night with black nail varnish. DH is not so sure that this is going to look ok for a black tie do, but they are my favourite :rotfl:
Spag bol leftovers for dh tonight and tomorrow as well i think, I did offer to freeze the rest for another time but three nights in a row is fine by him.

Tomorrow I'm not looking forward to, as dd has new boyfriend and 3 friends coming for dinner and a scary film after school. the boys have to go to dm's so they are not in the way apparently. This also clashes with the hairdresser coming to cut mine and all three kids' hair. I tried to cancel the house full of teenagers but dd begged and I caved in, they can all still come but they will get the pleasure of watching my hair have more layers put in

No surveys today at all , I keep getting screened out of everything, one poll is much more picky as well.

newgirly

I have been busy packing for our weekend away today, I can't believe how much stuff we need for two days, the kids are the worst as they are going to my dm &d's for 2 days and we have to take quilts /pillows /x boxes, plus tons of other stuff, I have been on summer holidays with a lot less.

Its going to be a strange weekend as dh's late boss's wife will be there too, and nothing more has been said yet about her wanting to keep her dh's shares which have to be sold back. Very odd situation, dh thinks she will not bring it up though while we are there.

I will have to get up early to do all my bank transfers before I go , so I'm off for an early night.

newgirly

I am back from our weekend away and halfway through a mountain of washing and kids homework. The hotel was great and right on its own beach, we had a good time and i did'nt spend any of my own money just used most of this months petrol.

DH's friend who works also came with us , a really lovely guy, but we ended up spending the whole weekend with him as he is single. We could'nt leave him on his own but it gets a bit after 2 days. I think that if you don't have kids it can be a bit hard to understand how precious time away without them is.

Dh's secretary went as well, who got rather drunk and virtually heckled the president of the associations speech, as she didn't agree with some of his appointments, I think she will not be looking forward to monday morning , dh is not very happy. Other than that it was fairly boring really, I'm glad i did'nt buy a new dress :rotfl:

The log cabin should be turning up either mon/tues/weds this week , they were supposed to leave a message on my mobile but have'nt which is a pain as dh needs to take a day off to get it off the lorry with the driver. we need to find an electrician to do the wiring and fit a new box in there, plus some more cement for the base for the hot tub and lino for the floor, I'm hoping that will come in at £500 or less fingers crossed.I have found lino on ebay for just over £100 so I might order that tonight when I have had a proper look.

This months petrol budget is shot to pieces due to the weekend away and the food budget is £63 down from last month already, so i should spend time doing meal plans, not in the mood at the moment though.

newgirly

:mad: I have just checked my tcb and mine and dh's halifax reward accts cashback (on his tcb acct) have been declined thats £100 we have missed out on, the reviews seen to all say the same thing as well , cashback declined. Also a £65 insurance cashback has changed to £0. Sooo annoying.


Anyway I have decided to do a weekly mini challenge list, to try and remind me of stuff I should do but often don't.

• Pay in cheque from school, from overpaid trip
• Do a big shop to last whole month
• do surveys everyday
• no heating all week
• hang out all washing in garden or on airers
• 1 days work for dh
• stop having a huge bath every day and alternate with shower
• try 2 new frugal receipes
• walk kids to school at least once
• take back clothes i bought for weekend away with birthday money for refund(didn't wear) and spend the money on home brewing or winemaking stuff! :beer:.......wine stuff ordered cost nearly £20, clothes going back tomorrow.

newgirly

AArgh wiped out a long post :mad:

Today i tried out two new receipes, houmous and twinks hobnobs. The houmous was not that great, so I will try different receipe next time, the hobnobs were FANTASTIC, but i have eaten 3 already.

I am trying to decide whether to change my target in cake's challenge. I have put down £1250 per month as my target this year,which includes the 0%cc/ op's/ loft saving (not doing now).
The mortgage is due to go back to repayment from IO next month but I am not going to bother as chelsea have changed their op rules, so we can op a lot more now.
The interest is £434 per month, and if I changed back to repayment it would be £1380 ish. I was going to put down op's as anything over the interest payment but that seems like cheating , so I'm thinking I should be counting any payments over the origional repayment as op's iyswim.

I don't want to include any o% cc payments either, I'm not listing those anymore, just keep transfering it over and focus on the mortgage, it feels less complicated and is nicer to see a smaller OS balance

Next month is also the 1st anniversary of when we re-mortgaged down from 31 years to 12, I can't believe we are almost down to 11 now , this year has gone so fast.