Our attempt at being MF!!

debtfreeoneday

January has flown for us, to be sure!

Enjoy your weekend, it sound relaxing.

PurpleFairy26

I think it's gone quick too. Only 1 week left.

CathT

It definitely has debtfree and PF.


Happy weekend! Have just finished off the last of the admin jobs but need to wait for dh to get paid to finish them off....roll on Thursday.



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.
• [STRIKE]Finish sorting the garden (has been destroyed by puppy and I now only have empty planters :eek:)[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]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.[/STRIKE]
• 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)
• [STRIKE]Book hair appointment - going to spoil myself with a colour.[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Send Mortgage 1 overpayment a few days earlier so I can submit latest update and stay in the green![/STRIKE]

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.


A few jobs already completed. I also want to do a deep clean of downstairs, muddy paw prints are far from ideal! Also planning a longer dog walk today whilst it's dry so I'll head out soon to tire him out.


Checked mortgage totals and mortgage 2 was just under £1 from being in the next 1000 category, so of course that £1 has been overpaid. Need a frugal month now as hoping to send as much spare money as possible to the holiday. Food spends are shocking this month and I honestly don't know why! Time to rein it back in. However fuel spends are fairly low which balances it out a little thankfully!



January spends


Supermarket £315.50
Fuel £109.51

CathT

Another £7.62 spent on food yesterday so we definitely won't come in under £300 for the month. Chatted with Dh yesterday and neither of us can figure out what we have done differently. However I did have a delicious green Thai curry and have two more prepped with ingredients left so I will happily eat it all week. I think we eat cheaply so dread to think what our costs would be if we bought a lot of ready meals/convenience foods.

Dd has a football match today so am hoping the rain stays off although it is forecast. Today I really want to work through the list of small jobs that for some reason aren't getting done. We will see what happens!

CathT

Most of the jobs done, just need to sort out a blood donation appointment.

We have had 2 none food spends days which feels like an achievement. Small shop expected tomorrow as we need fruit and to top up packed lunch supplies. I've eaten the last of my batch cooked meals but have plenty of ingredients for Dh to recreate it to feed me for a few more days!

Also chased up a roof repair job we've been quoted for and that's scheduled for the end of the week which works out well for my extra day off. Money for that will come out of Dh wages as it's not quite budgeted for. It's not a huge spend though so absolutely do-able.

Sadly no Tilly tidies so far this week so hoping for some Cashback to come through to keep up the momentum.

Think we may escape the forecast wintry showers but it's definitely turned colder and wetter here. As much as I usually love the snow I am feeling ready for Spring and to feel some warmth from the sun.

CathT

Another day closer to mortgage freedom possibly helped by today's 6p Tilly tidy! Small food shop done and Dh has batch cooked me some more Thai curry so my meals are pretty much sorted for what is left of the week.

I have been doing a strict detox for almost 4 weeks (has a weekend off) and ate lots of restricted foods at lunch time. I definitely had gluten, dairy and sugar and felt so rough afterwards with an awful sinus headache. I've suspected I may have a gluten sensitivity and this is another sign for me to stay away as much as possible.

It's likely I'll need fuel soon but trying to make it last as long as possible, not easy when I'm the type to fill up as soon as the car tells me to if not before! I guess I'm just trying to keep January spends as low as possible as they have been shocking (for us).

Hoping for some Cashback in current account tomorrow and/or something to reach payable on tcb as overpayments are very minimal at the moment and I'm itching to get closer to knocking another month off whilst we redirect most funds to our holiday expenses.

Bought myself some daffodils today which was 99p very well spent as they always cheer me up. Spring feels quite far away at the moment but I am ready for the changing in season, warmth from the sun and longer evenings. We did have a particularly warm feb half term last year so there is always hope.

CathT

Isn't this week flying and it's my last working day tomorrow. Typically it's forecast to pour down on Friday and I was planning a long dog walk whilst the roof is being fixed as I won't be able to let him out. Fingers crossed the forecast is wrong.

£6.50 overpaid today as current account Cashback arrived. Don't have many suitable offers at the moment despite checking regularly but will keep an eye on it.

Small food shop today of £2.05 which was made up of a few reduced items so have a good supply of fruit and veg now. Also got some naan breads I've chucked in the freezer for now.

Payday for Dh tomorrow so will stash some of the cash ready for holiday balance which is due next month. We are counting down but it can't come quick enough for Ds who is really excited. Hope it lives up to expectations as likely to be our only holiday this year.

CathT

End of the week for me as have annual leave tomorrow. Having the roof repaired which will be done first thing hopefully freeing up the rest of my day. Am planning a trip to h0me b@rgains and will hopefully finally hang up our new canvases. I don't have any excuse and they literally just stick on the wall! Writing it here for accountability, they will be on the wall in the snug by lunch time tomorrow!!


No news on my requested credit card refund, no email from t£sco and just checked my account and refund not there either. Fingers crossed they get in touch soon, I'd be getting twitchy if it was for a larger amount.


Have been doing some fb browsing on using French1c paints to restore older furniture. I'm thinking of doing some pieces during half term and although I should start with a small piece I'm itching to do the fitted wardrobes! We have an independent stockist in town so will pop there soon and try and finally decide on the colours I want.



Payday for dh, 18p tilly tidy and £900 transferred to PB. Will leave it there to win the jackpot before we transfer it back in March/April to pay the holiday balance. Leaves us a bit tight for the month but that helps us focus and budget.

debtfreeoneday

Hope the weather isn't too bad and you maybe got out with the dog - have a lovely annual leave!

CathT

Thanks Debtfree, I had forgotten how busy 'days off' are. Met the roofer after school run, job done fairly quickly and I'm £60 poorer but it really needed doing. Also had windows cleaned yesterday which was another £12. When you're trying to live frugally this makes a big difference!

Had a few shops I wanted to go to, filled the car with fuel, popped to b00ts to check out 70% sale, was only tat left so no money spent. Did a food shop in @ldi which was £35 and then popped to the r@nge. I avoided going down every aisle as I'd only popped in for dog food but did but a fake plant for £2.49 which I think was fairly restrained. The popped to h0me b@rgains to get some shelves so bought two lots for £10 each and they look fab. Have one in the kitchen and another in the lounge. Now I do really want to paint the kitchen tiles (another potential half term project) so it all matches up better. We've got brown and beige which I liked when we got the kitchen 6 years ago!

Got home with Dh finishing work soon after so we both took the dog for a walk which was a nice chance to catch up without distractions.

Current account now looking a bit slim, not helped by my spends today so have transferred the money ready to pay cc to cover today's spends but will send at the end of the week. I just need to make sure I don't forget!

And just like that, annual leave done but I hopefully I'll start the weekend feeling more rested and organised.

I put the canvas pics up too, literally took 5 minutes and most of that time was trying to get the cover off the sticky strips!