Our attempt at being MF!!

CathT

Quite a few of us having a low key Christmas then

When we bought this house it felt huge, I was so proud that at 22 we had bought our detached forever home! Along came 2 children, higher salaries amd expectations. All we need is a bigger bedroom and I would like an ensuite and bigger hallway. Extending gives us all of this. Yes my house will never have the style of the modern new builds but I love where it is and believe it or not, some aspects of the house I really like! :rotfl:

In terms of our nursery costs, I want to ensure that when I continue to budget I still write 'nursery £xxx' so that money gets spent effectively rather than being added into what is left of wages. The extra £170 already has a new destination!

Payday tomorrow and more shuffling done as a cheque has debited the account. We have however stayed in credit and I will check later to Tilly tidy the remaining pennies! Spent £50 yesterday on an electrician visit as we needed a job doing. Small food shop done as well to keep us going until online shop arrives.

It is my last day in work today before Christmas break, I have 5 glorious days off and only in for 2 days next week. :xmastree::rudolf::xmassmile
Managed to get on top of a few jobs yesterday so can start new year with a fairly empty diary!

debtfreeoneday

Enjoy your last day!

jeanangeo

I've looked over a few new build estate locally (Milton Keynes) with a friend a little while ago. I was actually quite disappointed because they all seemed to be built very close to one another and had very small rooms... I remember thinking I would rather buy an older house that had a bit of space around it...


Nursery costs never fail to astound me...


Staying in credit over Christmas is an achievement in itself and is certainly not the norm these days. Well done .


Have a lovely holiday

debtfreeoneday

I do like new builds for the newness etc, but like you ones we looked at nearly 2 years ago were tiny, the third bedroom was a box room and no space given over to dining space..

CathT

There are some really 'boxy' new build estates near us - narrow rooms with no character.

Been a busy day, 2nd day of no post so I will be chasing 8T tomorrow! 43p Tilly tidy made and it is payday tomorrow. :j I did another top up shop so need to update figures tomorrow. DH has topped up my car with oil and it sounds so much better! House clean and tidy, food shop arriving tomorrow evening. We have a few more cards and gifts to deliver and DH is working next two days and then it is time to relax!

I would like to sit with DH and the children and think of a list of lovely things that have happened this year and then think of things we would like to do/achieve in 2016. DH is 40 next year, maybe he needs a bucket list!

Secret_Saving_Squirrel

Lovely idea, enjoy the planning x

debtfreeoneday

That's a nice idea,, we did something vaguely similar this year listing places we wanted to visit

CathT

Am hoping it will really make us think of what we have actually achieved, what new experiences we have all had and achievements we have made.

Payday and bills paid, money shuffled. Small tilly tidy made

We now have £850 saved towards architects, we saved this in a month! We may need to dip into it as the accounts arent exactly bursting at the seams with leftover cash but it will give us focus.

I have finished work now for Christmas, have visitors later and need to do some visiting ourselves so will be pretty busy. Food shop arriving this evening, the thought of going to the supermarket is far too traumatic!

Food. £250
Petrol £143.47

newgirly

Lovely idea cath, can't wait to see the bucket list too

CathT

Well the big day came and went! We had a lovely Christmas Eve doing craft and colouring whilst watching christmas films. I had seen on newgirly's diary about watching 'national lampooms' so we gave it a go and really enjoyed it.

Christmas day itself was very relaxed, had lunch fairly early and spent the day colouring, playing cluedo and watching films. In some ways it didn't feel very christmassy as I didn't make s huge deal of setting the table etc and it was just the four of us but we all had a really relaxingnand enjoyable day.

The day before Christmas eve a letter (I presume) was wrongly posted through our door, had no postcode and a similar street name. I had visions of someone being alone at Christmas who would have been overjoyed to receive a letter. So we hunted down the address and delivered it Christmas eve. The gentleman was very grateful to receive it. Putting it back in the post would have meant it wouldn't have got there for Christmas.

Dd and D's both had some Christmas money so I topped up DD's ISA (will have to go into town to pay money in for D's) to £500 so I can start buying funds. Cue mistake when I realised it's £500 per fund so I still can''t sensibly invest it. Will give them a ring to sort it out. I had topped her money up my £18 to reach the £500 so also need to put that towards ds's money.

I had some good presents but not what I had hinted for! Really want a nutribull3t and spotted a bargain in n3xt online sale (before christmas) which dh sneered at. This was because he had bought me a smoothie maker (despite our conversation about how much better the bullets are!) Anyway, we will exchange it today and I will try and find another bargain. I also need to buy a running jacket so I can get out and run. (I am giving him a list next year )

He did however surprise me with a brilliant tablet, makes me realise now how slow our ancient I-pad is! He did good there