Our attempt at being MF!!

CathT

Just a quick update as have done the food shop. Managed to get dd some trainers for £3.50. I'm relieved the expensive shoe shop had none in her size and praying that these ones fit as she is in a half size.

Careful shop done but did buy myself some hairdye. Haven't coloured my hair at home for years and fortunately no grey hairs yet but it could do with a bit of brightness and shine. I am picturing hairdye all over the bathroom and a stained hairline! :eek:

Food shop came in at £51.64 after the voucher. I am going to take hairdye and trainers off total though and offset from personal spends. Not sure I actually have my own spends but will juggle somehow

Monthly spends

Food: £280.86
Petrol £181.79

Looks like we are going to need that increased £500 budget! :eek:

ETA: Also got a till spit for another £7.50 off. Just wish they gave you longer than a week to spend it!

Alchemilla

Good luck with hair. Vaseline around the hairline!

CathT

Thanks Al, cheers for eBay tip too. They are mega cheap on there!

Busy day yesterday, the architect came round and we discussed our ideas and budget. Looks like we need £35k rather than £25k! That is still cheaper than moving and he felt making us a 4bed with ensuite was better than 3 beds which we were proposing.

We have looked at the figures and it is affordable and do-able. Still far cheaper than moving and I had been looking at 3 beds which would have increased our mortgage by 40k plus stress of moving.

So current plan is wait until Sept 16 for the following reasons....
1) we are ok at the moment for space
2) cc should be paid off
3) mortgage would be 10k less
4) we will have no nursery fees making us yet another £200 a month better off. (we are £200 better off as of this August so this is a lot extra to us.

So what have I done today to help get us get there?

4p Tilly tidy yesterday plus 47p today. Payday, so money shuffle done. £50 transferred ready for S&S ISA direct debit, £314 transferred to account ready to pay off cc.

That is enough for this time in the morning!

CathT

A credit has landed in the account since this morning so £29 to cc account and 70p Tilly tidied. Thank goodness tomorrow is wednesday, have had a particularly difficult and tiring day.

Mulling over extension plans. Big decisions ahead!

NSD and DH did a little bit of OT. Every little helps!

Pennypincher2

Hello nice to see you are doing so well.

CathT

Hi PP2, thank you for popping in

Not much money news, have been too busy to get to post office to pay a bill so need to get there today. I will make time! Am absolutely flat out at the moment and feeling emotionally drained due to the nature of my work. Need to make sure I take time for me.

Cc account building nicely ready to pay £500 off the cards by tomorrow. Another NSD for me yesterday- tbh these are pretty easy to achieve in the week as I never buy lunch out. Have drinks available in work and I always take something with me for lunch.

DH and I still mulling over extension work and how much to do. Written quote has arrived from architect so the expenses are very clear. We are worried about a light issue that may affect our neighbours, architect confident it would get through planning but I don't want to upset them. Considering their needs would increase our costs and reduce our square footage of extension. Don't know what to do about it really.

newgirly

That seems a very good price cath, so is that to go up two bedrooms and an ensuite? If so amazing value for so much more space

CathT

Hi Newgirly. We are currently 3 beds. Would make us 4 beds and ensuite. Also some alterations downstairs to improve kitchen-diner.

Been in the garden looking at it again, definitely more tempted by not extending right across which would be better for our neighbours. Would have a bedroom of around 11x8 so stil a good size. Otherwise would be around 14x8 but might feel a bit long and narrow.

Alchemilla

I would like you for a neighbour.

CathT

Payday for DH so £130 extra sent to cc fund. So far this week I have paid £472.50 off the cc. I will find another £28.50 to round it up to £500!

21p Tilly tidy made.

DH doing a small top-up shop to see us through the weekend. He has been given a small list to stick to as I have a voucher to use on Monday so will do bigger shop then. I am really hoping to see reduced spends in July as we have stocked up a bit this month.

Spends so far

Food - £294.55
Petrol- £253.93

Petrol spends higher than anticipated but a full tank last DH 3 weeks and it's fallen so that he filled up at the beginning and end of the month. Again, should see this reduce next month

Early indications show we have smashed our ambitious target of reducing WIOTW figure by £1000 a month!