Our attempt at being MF!!

CathT

Good morning. It's pouring down here today so we're definitely having a day at home. Fingers crossed that results in a NSD as popped to Mr S with dd yesterday to get ingredients for a dessert she want to make. I spent £83!!! However this did include some dog food, much needed dog toys and three books for me. I'd already spent £18 in the town market on things for the puppy too!!

I did overpay that £100 but it didn't quite knock a month off. 20p requested off tcb so will overpay that when it lands although it's not going to get rid of that month, it will help!

Dh has been busy cooking this morning and I have a healthy soup cooking. Today's plans include catching up on washing and deep cleaning the utility. Other than that we're going to play lots of games and maybe do some cake decorating - fruit for me though!

January spends

Supermarket £150.91
Fuel £59.50

debtfreeoneday

Awesome progress so far in 2020 Cath..

CathT

Thanks debtfree, being consistent is key for me. It feels like the end is almost in sight now.

Sold some books today i'd advertised on Fb ages ago and for whatever reason didn't send to the charity shop. The result is a £5 sale which has been promptly paid off the mortgage. Also sent a 33p tilly today and had a few y0ug0v surveys this weekend. Got out with the dog for two walks as it seems we had the worst of the weather overnight and I've nearly finished my book. I have so many books in my 'to be read' pile and definitely need to make more time to do so. Ds has been reading a lot this weekend which has even motivated his big sister to read.

This week is about minimal spends and keeping on top of housework, admin etc and generally keeping things simple.

CathT

I know it's only Tuesday but I have a feeling this week is going to fly. Spends on food continue with a small shop yesterday and today. Ds is also having a growth spurt as I cannot fill him at the moment!


Overpaid 21p today updated spreadsheet. That overpayment along with the ones I made the last couple of days have dropped us under £41k on mortgage 2. According to the spreadsheet we won't be in the 30's until September so I need to bring this forward.



We need to regain some control on the food shopping as I'm not sure why we're suddenly spending so much although I did do a fairly big shop at the weekend. Perhaps it will even out over the month? We tend to spend around £250 so it is possible although the budget allows for higher spending than this. I think the first step needs to be to keep out of the shops although we need dog food so another visit needed tomorrow!


January spends


Supermarket £177.89
Fuel £59.50

CathT

We are edging closer to payday and the budget is holding well!

Few more tilly tidies (21p, 20p and then 90p today) also sees us closer to knocking off a month.

We're not really spending any money at the moment apart from the frequent food shops so I'm hoping everything balances out by payday. I do have some extra bills to pay on payday (did some N3xt sale shopping and the water bill has arrived). I also need to pay off the rest of the holiday balance and the money for that has been sitting in the current account to keep us going until payday. I'll pay that next week when CB lands. The plan is to use £400 of my wages towards holiday balance and a good chunk of dh pay too as he has a 5 week month. Will be a change from throwing all of our money at the mortgage and I'll try not to think that would knock 4 months off!

CathT

Evening all, we made it to Friday! Busy weekend ahead as meeting a friend tomorrow, then out for a meal then Sunday roast at my mums on Sunday. All of this needs to fit around my new healthy eating which is working very well so far so determined to keep it up.



Had a couple more food shops so spends on the increase but still within budget. 80p tilly tidy and it's payday next week! Dog having his first professional bath and groom at the weekend so fingers crossed he doesn't decide to go digging afterwards! Have also booked in his 6 month check and I'm keen to know he's doing well.



This evenings plan is lots of candles, fire on (our fake but rather lovely log burner) and a film we spent so long choosing last night we didn't have time to watch!


January spends


Supermarket £250.40
Fuel £109.51

CathT

Another frosty morning here but if it leads to a sunnier day I don't mind at all. Had a busy but lovely day yesterday, met up with a friend as she was close to home (well 45 minutes away rather than the usual 4 hours) and then went out for a meal last night (a freebie I won on fb). It was about a half hour drive in a really lovely spot and was absolutely worth it. Everything about it was incredible. We won free steaks with all the trimmings and 2 glasses of wine (Dh drank both) and we added on a meal and drink for Ds (dd was at a friends) plus 2 desserts - £14 very well spent.

64p Tilly tidy which was a payable tcb payment. Very much looking forward to cb landing and payday this week even if it's only to clear the financial admin jobs we have needed payday for!

Today's plan is more washing, general tidy hoover and dust, mop floors (will do all this whilst Dh takes the puppy for his first professional bath and a trim). Then we're off to my mums later for Sunday roast hopefully followed by more quality family time watching a film when back at home.

CathT

It is almost payday! Have updated food spends but for some reason the expected remains of the budget are not there. There goes my extra mortgage overpayment!


70p tilly tidy this morning and I think around another £12 overpayment will see us into the next month bracket. All extra money in wages (bonuses, overtime, unaccounted for payrises) is going towards the holiday. I still have £400+ left in current account so will send that on payday. Other than that, there's not a great deal happening here but I guess the main thing is we continue to plod forwards.

apple_muncher

You may call it plodding, but really, you have ingrained habits now, so you are moneysaving / not spending automatically. Awesome!

CathT

Thanks Apple, I try to remember that the small efforts add up and you're right about the ingrained habits. We are money saving and making progress all the time if you look at it that way. Made a couple of tilly tidies totaling £8.37 which brought us really close to knocking another month off. Couldn't resist sending another £6 which got us there. So far this month have knocked off 2 months with overpayments of just under £162 :j


Payday today, money has been shuffled and very little has been spent. DH text me from the supermarket which sells some wax melts I want so I did request those.


I do need to stash £500 towards the holiday somewhere, wondering if it's worth putting in premium bonds for a couple of months? There will be more to add to this next week when dh gets paid.


Plans this weekend include:

• Ringing up cc company to chase a reund for a company that has since folded and my order sadly never arrived and they aren't returning my calls.
• Finish sorting the garden (has been destroyed by puppy and I now only have empty planters :eek:)
• Meet home boarder and finalise dates for puppy. The one I wanted was full but this one is actually £7 a day cheaper and still highly recommended.
• Take dd to and from football training Saturday and a match Sunday. :footie:
• Have some quality family time without technology
• See if there are any blood donation sessions for next week (ideally on my day off)
• Book hair appointment - going to spoil myself with a colour.
• Send Mortgage 1 overpayment a few days earlier so I can submit latest update and stay in the green!

I think that's quite enough as I've also started a new book and would really like some guilt-free time reading this weekend.


Anyone else thinking that January has flown yet Christmas seems so long ago?