Peonie's journey to smart money management

EchoDelta

Just catching up and so glad to see that all is going well with Mini P

I was also in maternity trousers from about 13 weeks, just more comfy.

gallygirl

EchoDelta wrote: »

Just catching up and so glad to see that all is going well with Mini P

I was also in maternity trousers from about 13 weeks, just more comfy.

I was in them from about 9 weeks, despite having been in hospital with that throwing up thingy that Kate had .

Peonie

Goldiegirl wrote: »

Hello!

I've been browsing your diary this evening.

Right at the beginning, you mentioned sustainability. I think that is so important. I've been making a few financial changes in my preparations for early retirement, and when I started, that word I had in my head was sustainability. I thought to myself that there was no point in setting myself such a hard regime that I couldn't keep it up, and I want to enjoy life too!

So I started looking through your diary, and read about some of the things that have happened over the last few years, you've certainly had to go through sad times. Over the last few pages, i read on, hoping that things would continue to go well, and I was delighted to read your last few posts.

I'm so pleased for you!

Noooo, this is the third time I'm replying to your message after losing the other 2.

Thanks for reminding me about the word sustainability. It's so easy to forget that the aim of this journey is to become free of debt to enjoy life. But as I'm a long-termer I also have to enjoy life now. I do feel bad at times when I see the huge amounts others pay off each month or the lengths they go to. Good luck with your early retirement journey. I'm jealous.

I really hope this is the start of good times for all the family, especially my DSis. We've now got over the scary part of the pregnancy and now we've gone public we're really starting to enjoy it. And I can stop trying to hide my definite bump.

GG - my cousin gets the vomiting problem when she's pregnant. She's been hospitalised a few times.

I've bought some maternity trousers but I'm not big enough for them yet.

We had another scan last week. We saw mini P stretching his/her legs and doing little bounces off the wall. It was lovely.

I went food shopping at C0stco at the weekend. I took £70 with me but spent just over £180 - eek! That's this month's budget gone. But all that food and toilet roll should reduce our bills over the next few months. We're thinking of getting membership again. It will be a lot cheaper when mini P gets here. I took photos of the prices so I can compare them against the supermarket.

I've OPd the mortgage again so need to update my signature.

Peonie

Great start to the bank holiday weekend. Today I slipped down the stairs. Hopefully I'll only have a bruised bum.

icontinuetodream

Ow!! Hope it's all better soon!! Glad to hear all is well...enjoy and celebrate your pregnancy... the time will fly past and you will soon have all the sleepless nights, dirty nappies and teething to get through!!!

Honestly though, despite the fact that you will spend the rest of your life in a state of constant worry, my babies are the best thing that ever happened to me, the only thing that I am truly proud of and the reason I get up every day and am grateful for every moment I have on the planet.....take care of yourself and don't sweat the small stuff....money comes and goes, mortgages and bills will eventually get paid and nothing matters more than your precious cargo....the constant source of joy and amusement that is ahead of you is worth waiting for!!

Peonie

Ow, my bum hurts. I have the start of a bruise coming up. Although the pain could be from the hours of gardening I did yesterday.

Ictd, thank you for your lovely and wise words. They've made me smile. So far we don't want to find out if it's a boy or a girl. It really does not matter. And it's not even about having a surprise at the birth. Just having a baby will be enough of a gift.

The only benefits of knowing the sex would be to hit the sales before he/she is born and to stock up on some bargainous clothes. Luckily a friend has offered to give us a lot of her old baby items including unisex clothes :T

I'm eager to start feeling the flutters. I think it will be extremely distracting. Earlier this week a lady on the pregnancy thread lost her little one at 20 weeks. It's so sad.

newgirly

Oh dear hope you are ok Peonie!

I didn't find out the sex either with dd as I wanted a surprise ( plus I knew she was a boy anyway :rotfl:) who cares as long as they are ok

Peonie

I absolutely agree. As long as he/she are ok.

We've been to the library and the grocers so of course picked up 12 geraniums for £4. This afternoon we're off to look at cars then tonight a BBQ. Yummy. I want to get back in the garden but I don't think my bum could take the exercise.

Peonie

Right, I've checked my spreadsheets. This month we OPd the mortgage by £314 and we're into a new year :T. Here's my new signature:

Pots: House £0/£3000, Rainy day Complete, Sunny day £80/£700, Car up-keep £180/£540, New car £3000/£5000, Holiday £860/£1000, 2014 MFW #16 £1217/£3120.
MFiT3 #86: Reduce mortgage from £146,800 to £125,000.
Mortgage now: April 2014, at £138,380, end date Dec 2035.
Mortgage at its highest: July 2011, at £154,000, end date July 2036.

I tried to include all my savings pots but there's a character limit - boo.

Mr P has decided we need to do a lot of decorating/renovating before sweet pea arrives. So unfortunately I'm going to have to switch priorities again I'm not happy as I've enjoyed making the larger OPs and seeing the mortgage come down quicker. I'll still round down the mortgage to the next zero but that will have to be all for the next few months.

I'd best get something to eat before I start to feel sick.

Peonie

We now have a new, to us, car - yay :T:T:T We pick it up on Thursday and hand over the other 2. So we'll be a 1 car family :T. We should save around £400 a year on road tax and car insurance. Plus I'll phone my insurance company tomorrow to cancel my insurance and hopefully i'll get some money back. We will have to have a second set of keys cut and isofix installed.

We finally did it. :T But I will miss my little car. It's been a good un.l

I got Mr P to agree that he over cover the majority if not all the car costs so I can consider the car up-keep pot as full. Another yay. :T