Our attempt at being MF!!

CathT

DS gained 13oz in a week and I have lost more weight!

How have I not discovered shopping at local markets before? Popped into town to sort out savings accounts for the children (I love saying that!) as DD's is changing and DS doesn't have one yet. Made an appointment to go back next week. Also got DD feet measured and she's not grown but does need shoes so might get her some in her current size off ebay. I really think £32 for shoes is extortionate. On the way back to the car we stopped at the weekly market ad got some bargains! Had 6 huge gammon steaks, 3 big packs of good quality bacon and 700g of sausages for £10! I said to DH we should go every Monday but don't think we will need to go for a few weeks. Bought some fruit and veg too but DH was rushing me and I would have liked to have got more. He said i'll go to Mr S for some (he clearly doesn't get this money-saving thing!)

I need a slapped wrist as i went on rightmove last night! :eek:

Was nosing at barn conversions which we clearly can't afford then moved onto new builds. There is a fabulous one with 4 bedrooms and the playroom we 'need' but would involve adding around £50k onto the mortgage. I told DH about it in the car and in the space of 2 minutes talked myself into it and back out again! I figured if we were prepared to add that onto the mortgage we could do our huge extension plans here. If my wages continue as they are though we won't be doing anything!

gratefulforhelp_2

Well done on the weight gain and loss respectively.

Some neighbours have just converted their barn, it is beeeuuuuutteeeefull.

yukkibear

well done on finding the bargains. I keep meaning to go the the market, but it's a car drive away and I think that would offset the savings from buying locally.

I was looking on Right Move too earlier -shhhhhhhh

Brodiebobs

ha ha its an epideminc of rightmove, everyone seems to be on it at the moment!!

I keep looking, falling in and back out of love with houses, and ours isnt even up for sale. I even had a conversation with a work colleague about the recent object of my affections and whether it was worth compromising on garden size to have a large kitchen diner....

sarahevie

I'm moving back onto the moving plan- but not right now, we don't *need* to move so I can avoid the stress for a while longer, doesn't mean I'm not *looking* though:rotfl:

rlc22

Brodiebobs wrote: »

ha ha its an epideminc of rightmove, everyone seems to be on it at the moment!!

Guilty as charged! I just have to keep looking. Can't help it. It's like a hobby.

Cath - sorry to hear about the job, but sounds like it's worked out anyway as now you get to enjoy more mat leave. Sounds like baby is getting on brilliantly

CathT

I'm not alone then!

DH went to Mr S yesterday and stuck to the list! They have a new promotion, I think it is 'live well for less'. Anyway, he came home with a voucher for 21p!

Not much planned for today. Have been out to get DD a Hallowe'en costume and bought a present yesterday as she has a party on Sunday. She has missed out on so many before I started maternity leave so it will be nice for her to party with her nursery friends. She did tell me today though when I said she has nursery tomorrow that she doesn't want to go as 'it's too boring'. She is in the classroom but is a bright 3yo and I think she was ready for school this September but has to wait another year.

As finances are tight this month I am tempted to withdraw what cash we have available so it's easier to see what we have left and i'll be less tempted to spend it.

CathT

Still plodding away at moneymaking/saving.

Have enough in Mysurvey accounts (mine and DH) to either redeem for Amazon or £10 cash each. Not sure whether to claim vouchers or cash. I don't have a lot left to buy for Christmas and have vouchers waiting on Toluna and get £5 most weeks from BP so think I'll claim cash. Now undecided whether to OP it or offset it against the meal I went out for last night which cost almost that amount! I don't want to spend hours doing surveys just to eat the profits though!

Have changed B/Gas tarrif to their supposed cheapest one but I still expect it to be more expensive than the one I was on which ended - ah well. I don't think we'll ever get the better of these utility companies!

I need to go through Christmas present box and see what else I need to buy. I have added to it recently as I had to use a few things I'd bought for birthday presents.

Bought a playmat for DS yesterday so I told DD we will send it to Father Christmas as despite her seeing it I would rather give it to him as a present. It was a bargain off a local selling page. I paid £12, it's immaculate and they are £55 brand new. It's the one I wanted for DD when she was a baby but was out of stock when I went to buy. Can't believe it's only just over 8 weeks away :eek:

CathT

Advice wanted please re: Student Loan repayments.

This is from my pointless first degree (don't do social science!!) and I owe over £13k and despite graduating in 2004 only started to make repayments when I qualified from 2nd degree last year. I don't earn a huge amount so only make modest repayments.

I have had my statement and last year I repaid £163 and was charged £118 in interest. Now I am on maternity leave I won't be obliged to make repayments but am wondering whether to at least send enough to cover the interest (<£10 a month) to avoid the payments I have made from being wiped out.

I know Martin doesn't suggest making extra repayments to these loans as rate of interest low but I won't take another career break. In all honesty I'm not sure if I will ever clear it, I only seem to repay about £15 a month and with the interest being charged it's reducing very slowly. Obviously I'm hoping to earn more in the future (if I can actually get through an interview!) so repayments will go up.

I've rambled but is it worth paying the monthly interest amount to avoid the debt going up. Am assuming as it's compound interest? it might be an idea?


DH jobhunting again -more on that another time!

katsu

Cath - not sure what to advise. I OPd on my student loan as I wanted to clear it but it was a lot smaller than yours. Do you need to look at the actual interest rates, compared to things like your mortgage?