would love to be mortgage free!

coldcazzie

Recently we've been debating upgrading our sky. Not because we want an upgrade but because our second hand box is starting to play up, randomly stop working, fall over etc, etc. Anyway, today I got an email from Quidco with HD upgrade cashback of £70, which would make the cost of upgrading half price (£10.25 pcm plus £15 delivery = £138) so we've taken that out this evening. I was not keen on the original cost, but with the cashback I'm happy

We've also researched AA breakdown cover, and looked at the cashback options available. He now has to decide whether he wants to be covered at home too - it would be a whole £2 more expensive :rotfl: this will have to wait until next month though, as this month he needs new front break pads, plus with it being a 5 week month it's more expensive anyway.

So, although we've spent some money, and bound ourselves into a 12 month contract with sky (not that that's a problem as we can't actually get any alternatives here!) and mentally spent another £100+ .... I'm feeling good about it

coldcazzie

Veg from market: £2.07
Eggs from market: £3.52 (would've cost nearly £6 at the supermarket! :eek:)
Morrisons (bread, few other fridge/cupboard bits): £11.57
Butchers (inc cat meat): £16.92
Wilko (conditioner): £1.77
Asda (bits couldn't get from M): £7.63

Total spend: £43.48 on groceries and toiletries.

There was also 80p on 4m of phone cable, plus £7.16 on tuna but as that's for the birthday party I'm including it under party spending.

I also, finally, found a pair of glasses frames I like! :j :j :j they'll be £10 with the NHS voucher, but I have to go back with my prescription and voucher before they can order them.

All in all I'm pleased!

Now I'm having reheated fish soup and some bread for lunch. Nom!

coldcazzie

Today's to do list.

House
[Strike]Change Squish-pot bedding
1x wm[/Strike]
[STRIKE]Wash up[/STRIKE] leaving this for the man-wife - he has taken to doing it after dinner each evening, I wouldn't want to deprive him of it! :rotfl:
[Strike]Cut up turkey leg, portion up for cats
Get turkey casserole in slow cooker[/Strike]
Put away clothes and [strike]upstairs toys[/strike] that have migrated downstairs

Money
[STRIKE]Check Morrisons receipts on website (can't miss a chance for free shopping!)[/STRIKE] no luck this time!
[strike]Research phone options - another 12m contract or payg?[/strike]
Start looking at switching fuels - fixed tariff ends in a month

Other
[STRIKE]Phone mum re weekend[/STRIKE]
Plan birthday cake
More card cutting

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Hey Caz, I didn't know Morrisons did an online price check too - must go and find my receipts. Thanks for the heads up

Tilly x

coldcazzie

No, this month they are choosing 5 shoppers per store per day who will basically get a cash refund of their shopping bill. You type your receipt details into their website and they tell you if you've "won". I think it's unlikely, but on the other hand the chances are better than the lottery and I wouldn't want to miss out on some pennies just cuz I was too lazy to check on the site

Have managed to get casserole on and cat meat done, took me twice as long as it should've as J'raff is doing that "I'm poorly so I'm going to scream blue murder if you are out of my sight and would prefer you to be touching me at all times" thing that young ones do when they're ill

coldcazzie

Facts
Currently: T-Mob, pay £15 pcm, get 600 mins, 500 texts, unlimited data. Picture msgs 17p (not inc).
Want to drop to £10 pcm.
Use ~200-250 texts each month.
Use <200 mins each month.
Like T-Mobile, get good coverage/signal, customer services is good - any problems we've had have been dealt with efficiently and they've informed us of the outcome afterwards, staff always polite etc

What I've found
Three Sim300 300 mins, 3000 texts, 1gb data, pictures 30p: £10pcm
T-Mob 300 mins, 300 texts, no data, pictures 17p: £10.21pcm
Orange Dolphin 10.50 200mins, unlimited texts, 100mb data, pictures unknown: £10.50pcm
Tesco 500 mins, 5000 texts, 500mb data, pictures 25p: £10pcm
Vodafone 100 mins, 3000 texts, 250mb data, pictures 37p: £10.50
300 mins, 3000 texts, 100mb data, pictures 37p: £13
Giffgaff 250 mins, unlimited texts, unlimited data, pictures 16p: £10pcm (payg)

They're all 12 month contracts apart from Giffgaff, but considering my usage I don't think I would actually use the credit outside of the free stuff. Perhaps what I need to do is work out what my normal usage would cost on their standard charges, and work out if I could get 1 month of free mins/texts etc, and then use the £10 credit in the following month, which would then reduce my spending to £10 every 2 months. I will update later on this.

This further research notwithstanding, the only one that really tempts me is Three's offer. The only thing that puts me off is the 30p picture messages - I do like to send pictures. I think a call to T-Mobile is in order to see what they can give me - if they could match Three's offer but include picture messages I'd be one happy bunny :rotfl: guess you don't know until you ask do you?!

If anyone has any other recommendations I'll happily look at them!

coldcazzie

I can cross another frog off my list - I just filed my tax return :T:T:T:T:T:T:T

coldcazzie

[STRIKE]Hmm... so I've just been looking at my spreadsheet... and I need you guys help!

Once all our bills are paid in the next week, we will have just under £450 left in our current account, so I've two options. Which would you do?

1. Make a £500 OP onto the mortgage (using the £115.36 we currently have in the pot, plus excess from out current account).
2. Leave the money to build up for another month (according to the spreadsheet we'd be up to nearly £800 at the beginning of March) and then do our bathroom up.[/STRIKE]

Scratch all of that. Just had a phone call from DH - he's stuck on the hard shoulder of the M62 after his engine cut out after his oil warning light came on. So, that would be 2 days after we agreed to wait 3 weeks to take out breakdown cover... I dread to think how much the charge will be but last time something like this happened it was about £200. :mad::mad: I could actually cry.

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Hi Caz, sorry to hear about DH. Take a deep breath and carry on - but what a pain in the butt.

Tilly x

icontinuetodream

coldcazzie wrote: »

I can cross another frog off my list - I just filed my tax return :T:T:T:T:T:T:T

Yay!!! :j:j:j

coldcazzie wrote: »

[STRIKE]Hmm... so I've just been looking at my spreadsheet... and I need you guys help!

Once all our bills are paid in the next week, we will have just under £450 left in our current account, so I've two options. Which would you do?

1. Make a £500 OP onto the mortgage (using the £115.36 we currently have in the pot, plus excess from out current account).
2. Leave the money to build up for another month (according to the spreadsheet we'd be up to nearly £800 at the beginning of March) and then do our bathroom up.[/STRIKE]

Scratch all of that. Just had a phone call from DH - he's stuck on the hard shoulder of the M62 after his engine cut out after his oil warning light came on. So, that would be 2 days after we agreed to wait 3 weeks to take out breakdown cover... I dread to think how much the charge will be but last time something like this happened it was about £200. :mad::mad: I could actually cry.

NOOOOOO!!!!! _pale_:( Hope it's not too bad.....sending virtual hugs xx:grouphug: