Pay off mortgage and start having fun!

themadvix

:T to the new boiler and your lovely dad!

Presents and rubbish from them aren't too bad - someone turned up to 'check the regulator' on our gas meter the other day (unannounced) and I had to let him crawl into our smelly and dirty shoe cupboard!! :eek:

Moneyfordreams

yay to warmth. Well done dad :T:T:T

newgirly

:rotfl: Oh dear Vix! You are not my the only one, I have not opened the door in the past when I’ve spotted meter readers and our stair cupboard has been worse than usual

We are very lucky to have had help with the boiler, the timing for these sorts of things so is never good, especially when you are more of a “payer off” type of person rather than a saver!

Feeling the pinch as bit as I’d like to op a bit this month and hopefully at the end of December too. I’ve a meal out Thursday , cinema ( Dd to pay for) Friday, meal out Saturday with dh and best friend and hubby (they paid last time) and work xmas do Friday week with no evidence of it being paid for by the boss so far - fingers crossed!

newgirly

£25.83 credit card cashback for the year has arrived and been overpaid today. Big shop done yesterday in mr t on the way home from work to use up a £9 off voucher - not sure much was sensible meal planning ingredients , but I got a good deal on c@mden hells beer (£12 for 12) and 18 cans of carlsberg for £10 for visiting friends over Xmas and the kids, there were an extra four last night

Anyway, I have a free day today :T not sure what to do except housework and washing! I’m thinking a good think about next years finances come I’ll be in order, we are going frugal again

CathT

newgirly wrote: »

I’m thinking a good think about next years finances come I’ll be in order, we are going frugal again

I bought my 2020 diary today to do this very thing. Planning definitely keeps that motivation and focus going.

newgirly

Hi Cath, love this time of year for making new plans, Can’t wait to catch up on yours!

newgirly wrote: »

newgirly wrote: »

newgirly wrote: »

NOV / DEC update!

Start figures 1st jan

Mortgage £79,000

Mortgage at end Oct :

£73,889.05


Total at Dec 14th 2019:


Mortgage £73,254.33

Total reduction Nov /Dec £643.72

Total reduction so far this year: £7,745.67

[/QUOTE

A little short on the £10k target unfortunately! £2k of the £7745 overpaid this year went towards the new kitchen.

The budget for the rest of the year is not likely to allow any more ops There is £300.08 left to use on then cc for food and petrol until 5th jan - this is not ideal as we have at least thirteen for the day Boxing Day and it will not be a roast which to be honest often works out cheaper!

No more big spending to be done except a meal out tonight with friends which I have cash put by for.

It’s going to be a tight year in 2020 :money:

newgirly

Good evening last night and cheaper than expected :money: 20% discount after we had to wait half an hour extra for the table even though we booked.

Only ds1 here’s today I believe, all the others are at the partners’ house after they went to stranger things secret cinema last night (very jealous but too tight to buy a ticket and costume )

Today’s plans -

Buy another gift for friends Dd even though I put forward a stop at 21 rule and they are now 22 she’s delivered presents for me and all three kids, I was a bit thrown so didn’t say anything

Clear Mount Everest of ironing

Strip and wash beds

Meal plan for week and Boxing Day , not sure what to do that’s cheap but doesn’t look cheap :rotfl:

Clear and clean then penthouse so I can have a ridiculously early night snuggled in the Xmas bed clothes and watch tv :xmassmile

Cooking something from not a lot

newgirly

I seem to have caught a sick bug terrible last night but a bit better now. I’ve been spent ages tonight in bed planning Boxing Day lunch and changing my online order - rather tricky as I’d originally checked out with a turkey months ago when I booked the slot and apparently u can’t amend turkeys :eek: after two phone calls they cancellled the whole shop (and slot) but I managed to rebook quickly :T

It’s duel shop this year at waitrose and Aldi, everything fresh or specialist from waitrose coming Monday and anything else that will keep from Aldi. I’m shocked at how much it’s come to, a traditional dinner would be cheaper I think , but nobody wants that Boxing Day.

Menu is a bit random this year!
(For about 13)


Snacks before dinner :

olives, peanuts, cheese twists, posh crisps

No starter


Main:

Game and chestnut casserole (Mary Berry)

Waitrose micro mash x3

Ham with cranberry and orange glaze

Waitrose micro carrot and swede mash x3

Red cabbage and apple (Mary Berry)

Leek, spinach and cabbage in butter (Mary Berry)

Vegan slice for the vegan (already bought )

Aubergine and pepper bake with cheese and breadcrumbs for the veggies (Mary Berry again)

Various fresh fancy loaves I’ll freeze

Dessert :

Homemade chocolate cheesecake and cream

Homemade fruit salad

Pack of 2x posh vegan chocolate cheesecake slices

Cupboard bits like mince pie so and stollen (already got)


Cheeseboard

Waitrose shop at £84 and Aldi shop expectedly at £75 :eek: including just 3x Prosecco and 2 x red wine as we have some already along with beer , port and whiskey.

All drinks etc. will be own brand Aldi too, seems dear to me?


I’ve gone for for the microwave mash as I’m useless making it and hate chopping swede , £8 for 6 packs is worth it for me

CathT

It does sound a lot but I guess you're feeling quite a lot of people. I'm all in favour of some pre-prepped veg, especially anything that's difficult to chop.

Are you completely recovered from your bug now? There's so much going round and really affecting our local school too.

newgirly

I feel it’s dear too! Dh thought it was cheap, but then he doesn’t food shop. There are a few bits like a pack of mince in there not for Boxing Day. The games casserole is five packs of meat but that’s on offer too - 3 for £10 , plus I can freeze leftovers.

£12.23 per head is the estimate, will be interested to track it all actually as I think my actual Xmas spending and Xmas savings are vastly different and if I’m to stick to my financial plans in 2020 they need to be realistic and not a wish list of what I want to spend :rotfl:

Feeling better but tired thanks Cath, told dh I will go in today, I don’t think it’s a great idea but there’s a huge job that needs doing and nobody can start until ive done my bit and it’s two days of work and due to be sent back at the end of the week, I will be on the ground floor away from everyone though