Pay off mortgage and start having fun!

killerpeaty

£200 seems very reasonable to me. How are you getting on with your challenge? 

Your son's cleaning sounds like my cleaning. He tries but it somehow gets away from him lol

newgirly

Oh he’s been introduced to the hoover and often loudly verbally reminded!  It’s like a tardis situation, its actually there but nobody except me really sees it 😆 

Just did an icel@nd shop as there’s an £8 off code on hduk today, so I’ve spent £42 on a few bags of frozen chicken and beef and some basics, just to use the discount really. Also hoping to do a bit more Xmas shopping, watching the lovely Mina Lima version of HP’s “the chamber of secrets” as I bought myself and dd the first book last year for Xmas but it was only £16 odd, it’s currently at £24 though still! I already have a set dh made me for my birthday in navy leather, so I may end up one of those mad collectors with different versions of the same thing 😬 

newgirly

Oops where has the time gone 😱 it’s been a bit hectic here again! I’ve been trying to sort out all the bits we need organising for the cruise we go on Saturday week (more than I expected). As well as seeing my very good friend who has decided to permanently move back to Thailand with her son ☹️ So sad she’s off again. Also managed to catch up with the girls I used to see weekly which is now more like monthly. 

Xmas present buying continuing and I’ve only a couple of bits to get for the boys still, tonight I just ordered some charity Yorkshire farm Xmas cards and aside from the fact I keep eating the smartie tubes I keep buying for the kids stockings all is going well 😆 

The £20 a day budget is actually a success so far, I’m transferring over £140 each Monday and this week I have £25 left for the weekend which I probably won’t spend as I’ll stay in as dh is working all weekend. 

Next years budget needs some working on, this year we have not achieved very much really thanks to the kids but I’ll update it all tomorrow as it’s a cloud hanging over me lately and I need a fresh start and a new year to get properly stuck back into clearing the mortgage. I guess after nearly twelve years I’m entitled to ease off for a while, but it feels like time get stuck in again. 😁

newgirly

Well another busy weekend, I thought I’d finally clear ds1’s old small bedroom as he moved out weeks ago. It’s our first ever spare room 😬 it was going to have just a double bed but I know dd probably won’t stay over, so it would be used for the odd drunken friend of the boys of they can’t get home. Then I had a great idea, I’m making it into a temperary “wedding” room 😁
 

I’ve painted it pale blush pink and bought a white dressing table/ desk from IKEA yesterday, it’s going to be be carpeted and have a clothes rail (for the dresses)  and a small sofa or sofa bed if I can source a secondhand one or find a comfy cheap one. After the weddings it will be a space to work at the desk or read on the sofa. I’m not used to decorating any more , it’s exhausting! 

I’m also going to get a quote for a new hopefully cheap stair carpet as it’s desperately bad, so there will be no last push to make large overpayments this year unfortunately, but I would like to start the year with no large expenses looming and a clean slate. The £1500 challenge is still ok, will update all the figures later, but if I do order carpet I will obviously have failed 😂

themadvix

newgirly said:

 

I’ve painted it pale blush pink and bought a white dressing table/ desk from IKEA yesterday, it’s going to be be carpeted and have a clothes rail (for the dresses)  and a small sofa or sofa bed if I can source a secondhand one or find a comfy cheap one. After the weddings it will be a space to work at the desk or read on the sofa. I’m not used to decorating any more , it’s exhausting! 

Fairly certain you've solved the possibility of having drunken friends of the boys staying in your spare room!

newgirly

I’m not so sure Vix, I’m not sure it will put them off, some of them could sleep on a washing line 😆 

Today I MUST check and update the finances! Everything has been a bit hectic here with quite a lot of wedding stress and dh taking in enough work for two people full time, none of which I can help with. He’s had a lecture from myself and even ds2 last night about looking after himself and not working the silly hours, it will have fallen on deaf ears though. 

Hopefully back later with an update and plan, first I’m off to collect to parcels from the shopping centre. 

Mrs_Money_Penny

Poor you I expect there is a lot of stress in Wedding planning.  Won’t be long until you’ll be dusting of your Christmas trees 🎄 xx

newgirly

Very soon! Ds2 wants me to do it before we go away Saturday but it’s too much to sort out 🙄

I had a nice outdoor brunch under heaters yesterday with best friend and friend about to move to Thailand, she off Sunday with her 12 year old son (again) don’t usually get too upset but I feel quite sad this time. We have been friends since school and the older I get the more I appreciate that.

Looking at the finances now,the £20 a day budget is going well, but I’ve overspent the travel budget a bit I think by booking this last short cruise we are going on Saturday. It’s a 4 night one but on cun@rd which we have never been on (posh and expensive 😆) but due to the current situation it’s was a cheap deal so I felt it was a good time to try, especially as dh has holiday to use up this year he can’t carry over to next year.

newgirly

Well we are not on a cruise! The night before we had a message saying please arrive 4 hours late as the ship will be late arriving due to the weather, then about 10am yesterday just before we were going to leave I got a text message saying it’s cancelled. Not very happy about the late notice as they should have just cancelled the day before really and we didn’t get a phone call to check we had seen the message until 4pm. Nothing on the Cunard website about it either as their announcement page has not been up dated since October. We will get a refund but any other costs like Covid tests and parking we have to claim through insurance. These things can’t be helped and I was wondering if this would happen anyway, but as it was non refundable if we cancelled we didn’t. I’m just gutted as the paperwork took so long to sort out! 

Anyway the upshot is we have gone to my parents flat in York instead 😁 it was snowing here last night so very pretty but cold and windy. The market was very busy so we may swerve that today, I’m not really that keen to go to packed pubs right now (unlike dh!) so we might drive out to a county pub if I can find one. I did try and persuade him to come for a walk around the wall, the steps are right opposite the flat and it opens at 8am but I’m not sure he will and I don’t know if I can actually leave my warm bed 😆 

We are supposed to be in Birmingham German Xmas market on Friday, but I’m honestly not sure I feel like going as it will be so busy and things are getting a bit worrying Covid wise again. 

themadvix

What a pity about the cruise!

I know what you mean about the crowds - we were in London yesterday and I did put my mask on whenever I felt it was getting a bit busy. At least at the Christmas markets it’s all outside though - we’re going to Manchester in a couple of weeks, all being well, but definitely will have mask to hand.