So much to save for

Little_Miss_Red_Head

I've been reading on this site for years posting the odd comment but never really utilising the site to its full potential, so now I'm going to!

A bit of background for you I'm 27 (and a half) I've been with my fiancee for 15 months although we've been friends for about 10 years and our daughter arrived in February this year. Our aims are:

1. To clear all the debt we currently have (except for the mortgage and the loan from my mum) by the end of this year - this currently stands at about 8k. I'm on maternity leave at the moment and I am kicking myself for not making more of an effort while I was on a full wage - maternity paid is about half my full wage. We've made a pretty good start and knocked about the best part of £2,000 off our debt this year without making too much of an effort.

2. Once I'm back at work the plan is to live off one wage and save the other for at least a year - we're going to try and live off my wage as it is lower and on paper this should work out (crosses fingers)- obviously we'll have my partners wage to fall back on if its not enough to actually manage on

3. We are wanting to move house - into a catchment area for a good school and bigger garden etc ideally before we get married, so we need to get a deposit together for this. I bought my house in October 2007 so we're hopeful it'll sell for the same amount I paid for it but if it doesn't we'll need to have the deposit for a new house.

4. Get married - we are aiming to get married May 4th 2013 - which gives us three years to achieve all this! We have various wedding scenarios from a wedding costing under £1,000 to splashing out on one at £15,000 although we're struggling to justify spending so much money on just one day.

I've managed to clear £1,000 off my overdraft in the last few months and now only have £200 left to go.

Also not money related I would also like to lose 3 to 4 stone and be a size 12 for the wedding I went a bit mad when I was pregnant and ate everything in sight - my dogs are lucky I didn't eat them!! ha ha


So the next three years are going to be a bit tight - we also wouldn't mind getting a holiday in as well but if we didn't manage this at least we'll have the honeymoon to look forward to!


Any suggestions help advice would be appreciated

isla_red

I didn't want to read and run but this sounds like you have set yourself some great goals there. :T

I got married in August 2007 and I know what you mean about scenarios. I ended up with what can only be described as a project plan for our big day! :rotfl: A great tip is Waitrose celebrations cake. They do some beautiful cakes that look very simple but you can make them look stunning (and expensive) just by adding a few berries. There's always corners to be cut but the best thing to do is decide your budget first because you can have a great wedding on a little budget.

Good luck!

Little_Miss_Red_Head

I'll go have a look at Waitrose! Thank you

isla_red

You're welcome I look forward to hear how you're getting on with it all

mummytogirls

Well done little miss red head on starting your diary :T!

I got married in 2007 and saved on money on things such as making my own invitations etc. Everyone complemented them and they only cost about £20 or something with a few accessories/stamps from Hobbycraft.

Well done on paying off so much debt already, whilst being on mat pay too thats fab!!

Mummytogirls x

Little_Miss_Red_Head

I've been looking at invitations and on ebay you can buy a pack of 20 for a few of pounds - I bought the thank you cards after I'd had my little girl from there we got about 60 for a tenner so if I'm not feeling creative they don't have to cost the earth. I've signed up to hobbycrafts newsletter and I've already seen a few different boxes and bags for favours.

mummytogirls

Wow thats cheap.

I basically bought everything separately such as a pack of cards & envelopes, then ribbons & then a wedding invitiation stamp and ink pad! Luckily I was feeling creative!!!!

Little_Miss_Red_Head

My friend made her own and they were beautiful but if I made them I might as well let the baby do them - at 12 weeks her standard is probably about the same as mine!

SUPERMCNATURAL

my friend go married recently ,and got the printing dept at our uni to do the invitations ,they were fab and soooooooo cheap ....should look into ur locally uni for a good deal

true27

Hi Little Miss!

Ooo a shiney new diary to subscribe too!!

We got married last year - we took the "keep it under a grand" option, and we had the best day ever ! MIL made our gorgeous cupcakes, I made the invites, dress from ebay etc and it was actually less stressful than the big £20k day I had the first time around!

Good luck on all your aims, I hope it all comes together for you xx

Little_Miss_Red_Head

Thank you everyone! I will look at what the local uni/college can do someone had already suggested seeing if anyone on the photography course could take the pictures but never thought of them being able to do anything else.

If everything goes to plan we should be able to afford to spend more on the wedding but then I think we could have a smaller mortgage which makes me feel better. Hopefully we'll be able to find lots of nice things at a reasonable price!