Our attempt at being MF!!

CathT

Well, it looks like I may smash March target! Cc company refunding all charges. Pleasantly surprised but definitely justified! That's just over £350 off the balance. :T:T haven't done the maths yet but will really impact on WIOTW figure.

BIL has made us one of those pallet herb planters. It just needs sanding down, painting and the blackboard pieces painting and nailing on. Can't wait to get planting!

Am looking forward to a summer where the weekends are not focused on presentations and assignments!

CathT

Morning.

A bit more money shuffling as a credit has hit the account.

Had a couple of TCB payments payable....not the big one which is taking forever! Have requested and will OP at end of the week. Also made a 20p Tilly tidy.

Managed to get through to mortgage company last evening so have updated OP and increased by £50. It is a shame it can't be done online but customer service is great so it works.

Managed to work out again last night and have been wondering how to balance shred with running. I was thinking of shred 3-4 night and running 2-3 days but don't have that much free time. I discovered last night a site recommend 2-3 days of strength training and 150 minutes of moderate intensity cardio each week. So maybe 2-3 days shred, one long run and a couple of quick ones? Will try and get out for a run this evening. I am feeling so much better for it and have a whole new wardrobe of clothes I haven't felt confident in. :j :j

newgirly

Great news on the refund cath :Ti like the sound of the planters , i usually do in various small pots which tends to kill them off fairly quickly, I might give that a go

CathT

Thanks Newgirly, it hit the account a few days ago. Quite impressed with the way it was dealt with.

Can't believe it is almost the end of the month and time to update WIOTW figure! March really has flown by. I need to set some targets for April over the weekend. These monthly challenges are so motivating, especially as I seem to be hitting them. Nursery bill was half it's usual cost so that is definitely helping. :j

TCB payment hit the account but charity donation also went out so £2 paid off cc and made a 32p Tilly tidy.

Swimming cheque has cleared taking my professional subscription money with it! Might have to use DH overtime for that instead of cc this month. Since we have hit target it is feasible.

Booked a centreparcs holiday too for later in the year. Cannot wait! I know a few MFW have been so any money saving tips, what activities to do etc are most welcome.

CathT

Just a reminder to myself of things I need to do

Ring TC
Check professional subscriptions renewal process
Get more compost for raised bed and new planter
Sand down planter
Work out WIOTW
Make April plan
work out new budget as DH moving from weekly pay :eek:
Work out payments for holiday balance
Carrying on finding car boot sale items

greent

Well done on getting the CC int refunded! And also for the impressive amount of exercise you're doing


CP *is* expensive, there's no doubt. We spend most of our time in the pool area, so don't incur many activity costs (mine will happily go in rapids all day) Shop used to be good prices but is now more expensive. We take some food with us (I usually take something like chilli which is already done & take it frozen) We try and eat out on an evening just once if we can get away with it (without alcohol you're still looking at about £150 for the 6 of us). We take a packed lunch to the pool and drinks (lots of bottled water (bought from aldi) and flasks of tea and coffee) and buy a couple of portions of fries to top it up (well, it is holiday!!) I take *nice*/ treat food away with us (lots of things like big double choc muffins) so even though we have a packed lunch the kids are still getting treat holiday food (and they easily burn it all off in the pool racing around) We take a couple of bottles of wine to have in the accom too and do things like big cooked breakfasts/ pancakes/ croissants etc)


If you're looking to do activities, book early - they can go really quickly. If we do stuff it's something different like fencing. Or a family game of something like tennis (take your own rackets if you want to play tennis/ badminton etc - and own roller blades etc)


Shops for toys/ 'stuff' etc are expensive and I'm glad our big 2 aren't interested in that any more. Small 2 I can usually get away with something like a small Lego set (although more expensive than if I bought at - say - Tesco, at least it's enduring!)


If you want to play with inflatables in the pool, take them with you - rings etc are more expensive to buy there.


If you know your accom number, check how far you are from the main areas you're interested in. We no longer take bikes (. We use the landtrain at Longleat and would take scooters for the small ones elsewhere, such as Nottingham.


xx

CathT

Thanks GreenT. Mine are 6 and 3 so hoping parks and swimming will provide much of the entertainment. Will take packs of muffins etc as they are quite a filling treat. I think we will mostly eat in, I don't enjoy meals out with mine as they are not the best at sitting at the table! Taking frozen batch cooked stuff is a great idea as can just cook things to go with it when there. We have a rice cooker which we too away with us last year too and can't love without it!

Having a really productive morning. dH has made burgers, cauliflower cheese and base for chilli/lasagne etc. I have done all the financials and run 10k!

CathT

Okay. A financial update. I have been setting monthly challenges for our WIOTW figure. Didn't expect to hit it this month as paid for our mini break but managed to sort out a cc problem. Had been charged interest which has been refunded so I guess the cumulative effect means I would have achieved my goal if not been charged in the first place.

Our WIOTW figure has reduced by 1765 this month. I don't even earn that after stoppages! We are well on our way to getting sub 100k by end of the year. We are in a much stronger position to move now which is great and a bit of a relief. I would like to get sub 108k for WIOTW figure next month which means paying £390 off cc. This might be challenging as we are going away and DH moves first onto fortnightly pay and then monthly.
However, my pay increases next month and we should have a pleasant nursery bill as both taking some annual leave and DS not going too much! If I can beat target that's great but I'm not going to put lots of pressure on myself by setting a super target.

It's a dreary day here so mighty potter round finding car boot sale items and cleaning. Why do I look forward to the weekends so much?

BookWorm

CathT wrote: »

Why do I look forward to the weekends so much?

Cos they are the best part of the week

I feel bad that you have been so productive already today and I've barely gotten out of bed

Have a lovely weekend Cath

CathT

BookWorm wrote: »

Cos they are the best part of the week

I feel bad that you have been so productive already today and I've barely gotten out of bed

Have a lovely weekend Cath

Thanks BW, remember I have little ones who give me no choice. DH was up just after 5am and I strolled down about 6:30, drank 2 cups of coffee and disappeared running for an hour!

Got a few jobs done while DH took DS to supermarket, managed to clean window frames upstairs and got DD to damp dust her bedroom (never asked her to help with chores before, maybe the start of something?). We also sorted out her clothes as she wears the same few things, I photographed them, chucked them on a fb page and sold a bundle for £8. That's gone in the car boot 'float fund'.

Got rejected from PC again today, what is wrong with me?!?!