Our attempt at being MF!!

CathT

Thanks apple, woke with another headache but it disappeared without needing painkillers. Did 45 minutes of weights in the gym. Just reduced my weights on 2 exercises and mixed it up rather than focusing on specific muscle groups as thought I might fatigue more easily.

Popped to b*m and dun3lm for specific things and ended up also buying some things for the elf magic! Bought a tree skirt which didn't fit so returned it for one £3 cheaper. Traffic was so busy when I went back this afternoon compared to this morning:

Have watched a Christmas film with ds and signed up for HomeCare for the centra heating. £19 a month but as I wa signing up I remember to check tcb, getting £21 or £27 (can't remember) cashback and it's already tracked. Paid an extra £50 into that account too to avoid our direct debit going up and have been given some extra money due to extra usage.

Also ordered some more crafty items, a bit indulgent but I've been tempted by them for a while. Just need to buy some frames now for a present for dh and some prints that are a Christmas present I have bought for myself! Will frame them and get dh to wrap them for me.

Relaxing evening planned. Hoping to make it to the gym again tomorrow hopefully with both children in tow.

Leftover Chinese for me (vegan and delicious) and just did something quick for ds. (Dh has taken dd to a birthday party). I've stewed some apples and pears that would otherwise have been thrown away. They can be eaten in top of porridge or with custard. I absolutely refuse to waste food!

CathT

I think I'm germ free! No headache on waking this morning. Went to the gym with dd, did a quick treadmill warm up and some weights.

Finally found and bought some 'reasonably' priced frames for various prints I've bought. Not as easy as I thought it would be as things don't seem to get printed in standard sizes. @mazon to the rescue and £56 later I have bought all the ones we need. I now need to stop spending!

N@tionwide switch has gone through and from memory I can't log in online for a few days, can't remember how many which isn't particularly helpful. Last reward money came through pretty quickly though so need to decide what to do with a free £200!

Still need to research home and car insurance renewal. Although as it a combined policy I can't see it being cheaper anywhere else. Will price up anyway and go from there. We usually pay annually so again depending on quote will decide as I haven't saved it up throughout the year like a true mse'r would!

However, dh has bought some presents using vouchers and trading in some items which has proved cost effective!

Plan for the rest of the day is make sure I do my steps, sort out all washing, clean shower room and do something Christmassy! We've got a roast dinner and dessert planned hence the need to remain fairly active!

Hope you're all have a well spent Sunday.

CathT

Evening, it's a very late one for me so can only assume I have had too much caffeine! Thought I'd better post on here before I spend anymore money. :rotfl:



£9 spent on school photos, £12 spent on two presents a friend suggested and I've just spent £30 on smiggl3 as dd has requested a pencil case and they had a sale and free delivery over a certain amount. Used it as a chance to get stocking fillers for them both and also went through tcb for 8% cashback.


Not all bad, made a 44p tilly tidy this morning

CathT

We've had a no spend day! :j
A couple of tilly tidies made following transactions clearing at beginning and end of the day. Made a 60p and 91p tilly tidy. We are way off knocking another month off but currently only have 112 months to go. At the rate the weeks are flying by that won't take long and we'll obviously keep knocking those months off!

CathT

Just popping in for accountability but not much to report.....



£1.36 tilly tidy this morning, another £470 to take an extra month off. That is a lot of tilly tidies!


Dh has done a food shop so will need to update spends but I think we have done really well this month.



Trying to rein in the Christmas present spending, haven't bought any today. DH gets paid this week so will be able to allocate remaining savings/op's/credit card payments. I used to look forward to getting paid so I could spend money!


November spends
Supermarket £212.67
Fuel £130.03

CathT

Evening all, almost made it to Friday. I feel like the weeks are getting longer even though the days fly by.

£1 Tilly tidy today as no money left the account. Dh gets paid tomorrow and his extra pay has already gone on a Christmas shopping so I'm grateful to have it.

Still have £500 to divide between savings/credit card and mortgage so shall do that in the morning. Am please we are able to make such good progress in one of the most expensive months of the year!

CathT

It's payday! Final money shuffle of the month done.

This morning have sent £150 to cc, £150 to savings and £200 to the mortgage. Some of this is made up of our long term ability to save/overpay and some extra income we have at the moment so won't be able to sustain this level every month. Also sent a couple of Tilly tidies, 97p to round account down and another 50p after sending various transfers.

Will knock a month off our end date simply by starting a new month tomorrow but can knock an extra one off if we can find around £270 extra in December. It is so-able and I could have done it this month but aware I need to diversify how we invest/plan for the future.
Next thing to be tackled is increasing dh private pension contributions and his latest pay reflects his payrise so there is definitely scope to increase it. Hopefully we can catch an hour together soon to discuss it all as dh just leaves me to it!

25p on y0ugov yesterday so up to 4335 so don't think I'll hit payout by the end of the year. N@tionwide money for switching due in next couple of weeks so that will definitely go towards knocking that extra month off. Clearing the main part of our mortgage in my early to mid 40's in definitely spurring me on!

apple_muncher

:dance:Yay! to payday and the money shuffle :dance:

CathT

Thanks apple, I am easily pleased!


Well it's a new month and one of my favourites of the year. Signature updated and it now reflects months remaining which is going to spur me on to knock off more than one a month.


Logged into new n@tionwide account for dh and his switch money was there, logged into mine and a lovely £100 was also sitting in my account. Have overpaid the £200 which means we start a new month with a target of £91 to knock an extra month off the mortgage. Fingers crossed for some productive tily tidies, account cashback, interest and y0ugov surveys to hit that target. We are on track to hit the 60's in May, let's do it sooner.



Sm'ggle delivery has just arrived so need to hide that, am going to sort through some of ds toys and list them for sale this morning. He can then choose something with the money, maybe he will want to save some? I've framed the prints I ordered so will attempt to hand them this morning.


Am feeling really sluggish at the moment, not eating well or moving enough. Not going to the gym today as fell asleep last evening and think conserving my energy is a good idea. We are off to a party tonight at a friends so will take alcohol but I fear it will be free flowing! Definitely need to up my water and nutrition for today in preparation.



DH is off out later as has been offered free tickets to an event he really wants to go to. The children and I went aswell a couple of years ago but I think he has more fun on his own. I could have done with an empty house to get some wrapping done but I probably shouldn't rush to do it as have nowhere to hide the wrapped presents!


Wishing you all a productive and festive month.

CathT

Well I've had a productive and enjoyable day at gone. Cleaned all downstairs, sorted a couple of loads of washing, hung a mirror, a plaque and three pictures I framed yesterday. The prints look fab in the living room and really brighten it up so I'm really pleased with it.

Also excelled and repaired some school trousers instead of throwing them away. Also replaced a button on my coat which makes it look better and also means it's more functional.

Have a conversation with dh about mortgage end date and retirement planning. The thought of him being able to work part time in his early 50's has definitely spurred him on.

Currently sat here exhausted trying to find the energy to go out this evening! We know we'll have a brilliant time once we're out but it doesn't make the getting ready any easier. To think there was a time I enjoyed getting ready to go out!

Tomorrow's plan very much depends on this evenings events!!