Pay off mortgage and start having fun!

newgirly

Hi vix, ive bought some elderflower cordial for when I feel like a change from tea, also ditched the chocolate more or less now but am treating myself to nice things I don't have on WW like some Brie and cranberry form m and s yesterday

No weight loss this week, I stayed the same which is to be expected as eating has been a bit all over the place! I've been tracking on mfp every day though so will keep at it.

I'm a bit disappointed today, having a chat with Dd earlier and she asked if I'd received her rent as I hadn't said anything, she paid £150 for about four months while she was working full time alongside uni, but as soon as she stopped working obviously she doesn't pay. Well due to her usual stubbornness she decided she would pay two months (uneccesary ) rent into the current account. This was a while ago and I didn't spot it

It just looked like one of my money jiggling transfers and was at a time when I was not keeping as good a track. So I've sent it back to her and am £300 down! She meant well :rotfl:

Anyway I will have done a full spreadsheet work out today and have factored in an extra payment I've overlooked - £35 pm gym membership that will go in April :T

Still running on a plan of getting to £25k balance in 5 years but will keep chipping at the daily ops as I have been, not just for the benefit of the ops themselves, but it helps reign me in a bit with wasting money.

Truth be told, if I continue to not drink we will save more than I would like to admit to

themadvix

Elderflower cordial sounds lovely

I think chipping away at the mortgage is a good way to go about it - it's good to have a longer term plan, but you're still working out the changes to finances at the moment and your DD or boys might move out (don't panic!) in the next five years, so things are bound to change.

Great news about the gym payment! And your DD is so lovely, what a credit to you!

newgirly

Thanks vix, will defiantly keep chipping away

Op made yesterday was £1 again, I've not checked accounts yet today so will decide afterwards.

Dh worked this morning and then we went out for lunch. Normally we might pop to a nearby pub where I would have a salad (him a big meal!) and I would have a large wine. Instead we went to the garden centre and ate there, can't say it was cheaper to be honest £7 for a Brie panini :eek: but it made a change and I didn't drink

Moneyfordreams

Kate Moss has given up alcohol so the newspapers say... one to watch. I would love (in my head) not to drink so often , but I blame OH. I enjoy wine and work depending will have 2 bottle wine a week. I try to keep several alcohol free days .. But days off together are often dominated by it... going to the pub once or twice a month, seeing friends, then just once or twice a month for a meal. The crux for us is we spend most of our time alone together, so an evening drink is regular... I'm a nag over health issues. My brother and nephew are alcohol dependant and OHs mother was too. So I do have realistic worries. Any weight and work are my current stabilisers. I've decided to cut out wine and have the occasional jack daniels and diet coke. single measures still taste quite strong, therefore a lot less calories and alcohol consumed. However after working nights all weekend we plan a date on Tuesday

newgirly

Hi mfd's, after reading a few blogs this last week there is one reoccurring theme which seems to be - if you are worried about your drinking then it's a problem. To me two bottles of wine a week doesn't seem to bad to be honest I drank more! But as you say, it's the socialising that can bump that up.

My dh will have the odd one at the weekend, but doesn't drink much which makes it easier for me. It's a bit hard to resist if your dh is drinking next to you I guess Having alcohol dependant family members is bound to cause a bit of worry too, my late grandmother took to her bed in her forties until she died in her 70's , surviving on gin alone :eek:

Being on WW has been hard work too and I would always save points for alcohol (they like to tell you that you can still have all your treats!) but something has to give and for me that was eating food I wanted to because I wanted to still have alcohol.

This week has been great actually, the first few days I told dh and my mum that I was thinking about giving up but wasn't sure, today is day eight and I do feel quite sure about it all. Actually I feel better than I have in ages and (aside from last night when the boys were out until 5 am!) I'm sleeping better, getting more done, having less food binges and my skin looks better.

It's early days for me but I'm giving it a go, cutting out wine seems like a good idea, I'm sure there's a lot less alcohol in a measure of JD. Hope you don't mind me saying but if you do feel like some inspiration to quit, I can recommend the soberistas forum and the sober school blog. I will need to have a lot of "inspiration" myself this week as we are off on a chilly four night cruise, to be honest at this point I'm really not sure how I will do as cruise = nice bars and waiters bringing wine!



Edit- nearly forgot £1 op yesterday and £7 today (£7 that would have gone on prosecco to drink while watching strictly)

Moneyfordreams

It's great you are seeing the physical benefits. I think I can have addictive tendencies, no matched betting for me .. it seems everything is a binge/fast in our world. Plus my OH keeps buying cheap wine which tastes awful, is the wrong colour and gives me a headache. For now I'm aiming for life in the slow lane... I will look at those blogs though

newgirly

That's a good thing if you don't like the wine he buys, harder to resist if it's your favourite

Today is Xmas cake day :j I spend lots of money buying ingredients in the previous weeks, take time to soak the fruit, assemble and bake it, google Xmas cake decorating ideas for a few weeks afterwards, perhaps buy some expensive icing or new decorations, spend hours making it look good, ready for when my dh and kids can say urgh no thanks I hate Xmas cake on Xmas day :rotfl: It won't stop me though, the smell makes it all worth while :xmastree:

julicorn

That sounds like a great way to spend a Sunday newgirly! Would love to see your finished cake.

As for giving up alcohol, it's something I occasionally think about as well. We drink relatively little to be fair, not even most weeks, but I do sometimes drink too much when going out with friends or colleagues. The last few times I ended up mostly drinking lime & soda (no weird questions either because it just looks like vodka & lemonade), and had just as good a time without feeling awful the next day, which makes me question what the point even is.

newgirly

Hi juliecorn, I suppose it's just habit that you are drinking while socialising maybe? I drink lime and soda sometimes too but I won't get away with passing it off as anything else as I usually drink wine

I've been had a bit of a naughty food day today, half a chocolate orange and two packets of crisps, no alcohol though so that's the main thing I guess!

Dr who , a cup of tea and I'm in bed already dh is not in a great mood so I've left him downstairs watching a film and all three kids are out tonight. I'm going to check the finances and decide on today's op.:)

newgirly

MONDAY PLANS:

Go to shopping centre with mum aunt and dd for coffee

Take flowers to crematorium for grans anniversary

Book cruise parking

Wrap 50th sweetie hamper


£5 op for yesterday and £5 today