Putting it down on paper...and making a plan (arrrghh!!)

skyvicky123

It was on our first money saving kick as he loves tesco finest cookies but I wouldn't buy them!

Updates for my diary

I'm still going strong on the non smoking
OH is wavering and has had a couple here and there but not bought any yet.
OH is away for the night with work tonight (can't see that going well with the no smoking)
Yesterday was a NSD if I ignore putting petrol in my car...
Think we should have around £300 to overpay this month but this only nearly clears the cost of the tiles on the card.
We find out exact amount of OH bonus tomorrow!
I am going to budget £10 for food next week as I have a lot in and just need fruit/veg and milk.
Will have to put in full £50 for entertainment as we are off to La Tasca for Father's Day.

BIG NEWS

I have decided I want to open a cookware / kitchenalia shop when DD starts school. I am researching it and hope to have put a business plan together and have a good understanding of what's involved for when the time comes.

Lemon_Tree

great news about the still not smoking that's a great achievement.

Interesting idea about the shop you want to open, you do see them around especially in those little barn/y type places. Which isn't very clear, what i mean is round here you get old barn type complexes which open up and have a tourist attraction and then some little exclusive/specialist type shops in the grounds. If you get my drift.

skyvicky123

I know what you mean! Our village has something like what you are describing. It's early days though. I only thought of it yesterday so think it probably needs a bit of work!

Well - today has been a busy day, dog walked twice, made (and ate all of them) macaroons, house cleaned top to bottom, lots of washing done and put away, stack of ironing done, ruthless clearout of DD's toys - now have 2 bing bags for the tip! Had a friend round for a cuppa, made my favourite spaghetti carbonara for dinner. OH is away with work tonight so now i'm watching Forrest Gump! and above all a NSD!

Back to work tomorrow and it's wednesday which means I can draw out the cash for the next week which will be:

£30 petrol
£50 entertainment (meal out for Father's Day as well as Friday cafe, tumbletots)
£10 food (need to buy tea bags, fruit, veg and milk only - freezer well stocked)
£21 cleaner
£12 dog walker
£25 OH Beer

I make that £148!!

This has to last til 25th so a bit over a week. It will be VERY tight but I think it can be done. If we manage it we will be able to pay around £240 off the credit card I think.

skyvicky123

BTW - LemonTree I used the egg white to make the macaroons and the extra yolk from those went in my carbonara!

skyvicky123

OH was on an all expenses paid works event last night and still managed to spend £20:mad:. I am NOT happy about it.

Also he has smoked at least 1 fag every day for the past 3 days. Probably about 100 last night I would guess. :mad:

I feel a retaliatory (is that a word??) BLT baguette coming on for lunch.

Sold a book on Amazon and a game on Ebay which has made £11 (less postage). I am also defo doing the car boot on Saturday.

skyvicky123

Bonus is confirmed!! More than we thought but now we need to decide on the most effective way to use it to clear debts.

In an ideal world we could like the tv loan of £1200 gone as this is one of those 2 yr interest free deals. Also the car loan. If we take a mortgage holiday we should be able to do both which will leave us £200 per month better off!!

Lemon_Tree

well done for the bonus, you lucky things!

I really need to be braver with my cooking, i need to start doing things more from scratch so i'll have to be brave. At least if i made my own carbonara then i would be able to do it without bacon

skyvicky123

Thanks Lemontree. It's OH's bonus not mine but obviously we are a partnership and our joint debts will feel the benefit in this most appropriate way. He has worked VERY hard this year and has really earned it. It's performance related in one part and the other bit was an extra discretionary payment from our chairman so he is well chuffed.

I have booked the payment holiday on the mortgage which means that the car loan can go in full, as well as clearing the bulk of the TV loan, with about £200 oustanding. I am sure we can get rid of this within a month or so.

Effectively with the reduction on interest due on the loan this means that we will halve our debts I think.

Plus he got 5% pay rise and I got 3% so things are looking a lot more positive!

Sold another item on Ebay so that's another £3 in the bank (every little helps!)

On the cooking front Lemontree, you should pick a recipe you really fancy and just give it a go. I love my homemade carbonara so much and it's so quick and easy.

Tonight is chicken pies I made the other week and froze.

Lemon_Tree

that must be some bonus if you're effectively halving your debt! double congratulations!
actually should be triple as you've got a pay rise as well!

skyvicky123

I know Lemontree. It feels like a bit of a cheat but the bonus has always been part of his pay structure. It's actually how part of our debt has come about as we always spend before we get it and count on the bonus paying for the spending. In the end it was often spent more than once before it was earned, and then spent again when it was in! This is the first time it will ever do anything useful.

It's based on the net profit that the Company delivers and we were over target by 20% so that's why. He does work 70 hours plus weeks some weeks, is away at least once per week so he works hard for it.

It will be a relief to see the figure come down so much, and has allowed me to start thinking about the next step in the plan. So far it's as follows:

Clear unsecured debt - 12 months
Clear secured loan - further 24 months
Year 3 - split excess cash 50% overpaying mortgage 50% into a pension.