misscousinitt's MF Diary

misscousinitt

Mortgage_Reduction_Novice wrote: »

I mostly managed a productive evening... mostly.

:Twell done you. Mostly is good!

misscousinitt

So, changed my mind about dinner on the way home - still had salmon, but stopped at Mr T and spent £2.17 so I could do our usual Salmon with Cream & Dill Sauce - its so easy and I just wanted easy last night. I don't think I will go over the grocery budget, but it sure looks like its going to be close to £200.

Had a look at the home insurance and Aviva is coming out the cheapest as they are offering half price to existing customers (I have my car insurance with them). Not entirely sure yet, but will prob take the plunge with this. Should be able to get cashback too - £co says £60 for Buildings & Contents combined (rate expires at the weekend).

The main difference in the Aviva policy and the M&S one that I have now is that M&S has unlimited buildings & contents and Aviva has £50k for contents and £200k for buildings. Have spoken to DH and he thinks that £50k would be enough for the contents - even with all our stuff and my newly acquired antiques.

Colleague of mine had a house fire last year and they lost everything - the house was still standing but had the whole of the inside gutted and started again - his cover was £80k - he had money left over and you have to keep in mind that he had two houses knocked into one - we only have a 2 bedroom terrace! (Also keeping in mind that there are 6 of them and only 2 of us).

Any thoughts guys?

Tonight I need to add the mouth and eye to my pac-man cake - hopefully I will have an easier time than last night when I had to re-roll the fondant about 5 times and it still tore! Anyway its done now and if they don't like it its tough as I'm not a professional cake maker!

STILL need to get DH to sign paperwork!

Got a feeling the peaches will be done on Saturday now, but will see how we go later.

Tonights tea is Chicken Cacciatore with ciabatta bread (chicken is marinating in the fridge as we speak!).

MCI
xxx

Mortgage_Reduction_Novice

Best way to work it out (although time consuming) is to do a walk through the house/inventory. We were really surprised with musical instruments, the odd antique and new furniture how much our total came to.

misscousinitt

Mortgage_Reduction_Novice wrote: »

Best way to work it out (although time consuming) is to do a walk through the house/inventory. We were really surprised with musical instruments, the odd antique and new furniture how much our total came to.

Thanks MRN - I have done one (mostly virtually), but it is surprising came to £49k! Need to check with DH how much he thinks his car collection is worth just to be sure.

Probably over estimated, but that is all good - talked to my colleague who had the fire and he said its best to over estimate when adding it all up as you never know and of course you want things that are better than what you have now.

Going to sort the insurance out tomorrow as I would like to make the final checks with DH before taking the plunge.

We will be saving £17 a month on this years premium and £20 a month on the renewal premium - and our policy includes everything the M&S one does apart from the value of the contents (it said we could have unlimited buildings - probabaly as it wouldn't cost them too much in the grand scheme of theings). However, I would prefer to pay a little bit more and be covered properly.

Feel like I'm going into it too much, but after seeing what happened to my colleague last year, I want to be sure.

...............

In other news...

STILL haven't got DHs signatures on the savings stuff. He got back at 9.45 last night! Been doing stuff down the MILs while his Dad is in respite care.

Pac-Man Cake is complete apart from got to secure the ribbon. Fairly happy with it for a first attempt.

Tonights tasks include:

- Cupcake baking and icing
- Quiche making
- Rice Salad, Cous Cous Salad and Dips to make

Hoping to finish a bit earlier tomorrow so I can help the MIL with the buffet. Going to pack a bag I can just pick up tomorrow so I have something to change into at MILs after cooking etc...

Going to make some extra roasted veg cous cous tonight so we will have that with some fish for tea - (depending on whether DH goes out tonight).

Off to make mealplan and shopping list.

MCI
xxx

misscousinitt

Hi all

Just sorted the home insurance - just got to cancel the DD for M&S now.

Plumped for £60k of contents in the end including £10k valuables - they gave us unlimited buildings cover - premium is £24 per month (£16 a month cheaper than the renewal and £12 per month cheaper than last year - also hoping my £60 will track through £co.

Everything is ready for the buffet as much as it can be - leaving work at 3.30pm so I can get to MILs for 4.30pm latest.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

MCI

xxx

Woohoo! Its tracked (have to wait an eternity for it, but RESULT!)

ammonite

I think I need to have a re-assess of our contents too, we put £35k down each year with no real knowledge of if that is correct or not. Thanks MCI you've prompted me to do this before I renew home insurance.

PS - Got to ask is your username based on the Addams Family Cousin Itt?!

Mortgage_Reduction_Novice

Hi MCI,

Great news that your home insurance was cheaper than last year and renewal quote. Also peace of mind that you are now sure you've covered £60k of what you have instead of a guess.

misscousinitt

ammonite wrote: »

I think I need to have a re-assess of our contents too, we put £35k down each year with no real knowledge of if that is correct or not. Thanks MCI you've prompted me to do this before I renew home insurance.

PS - Got to ask is your username based on the Addams Family Cousin Itt?!

Yes, my username is based on Addams Family Cousin itt - always had really long blond hair and in the past, I used to hide behind it - hence the cousin itt nickname. I like it, but had to put the miss in front when I realised that cousin itt was a guy!!!

Thanks also to MRN who prompted me in the firstplace to do a house contents walk through - it was definately worth it.

MCI
xxx

ammonite

Thanks for clearing that up for me A girl at school looked like Cousin Itt, she was teeny and had long blonde hair way past her bottom, she would regularly do Cousin Itt impressions for us much to our amusement

Need to put the 'walk through' on my list of things to do this week

misscousinitt

Update...

Party was a success - food left over, but the way I planned the menu alot can be used in meals this week.

Was really pleased with the way my cupcakes came out too.

As I said above the £60 from £co for the home insurance has tracked and will be getting £5.09 from £co next time they pay out which will go into the pot.

M&S policy cancelled and the DD taken off my list just in case. Also checked the Mortgage DD and H&lifax have already cancelled it, so all good. Just got to contact the Mortgage Protection Insurance people as I still want life cover, but don't need the rest of it now.

DH has finally manged to see the doctor this morning as he's had a cough for 7 weeks. It appears that it could be a side effect of the new blood pressure pills he's on, so they have yet again changed his medication - blood tests will need to be done to check kidney function etc next week.

Full steam ahead to my next goal this week - our fundraiser next Sunday.

Tonight I have to put the banners up outside the pub where we are holding the event (put posters up on Saturday in the pub). Plus we have a Charity meeting to try and finalise a funding application we are putting in.

Once again, tonights meeting has the potential to go pear shaped and I am approaching it with trepidation again.

Managed to get some Christmas shopping done yesterday as I went to memorabila show and saw a couple of pressies.

Lunch brought from home today and tonights dinner will be griddled chicken and LO Mexican Bean & Pea Rice (Salad from the buffet heat till piping hot in the microwave).

Counting the days down to holiday, but trying to take it one week at a time. Fundraising and charity stuff is the focus this week, more stuff for Christmas and myself next week.

Hope everyone is ok and had good weekends.

MCI
xxx