My Mortgage Free Dream - Boogie-ing through the 70's

stedwell

Hi Yukkibear
I think we need a campaign to get centre parcs to charge more reasonable prices at peak times. I have had a number of holidays there but don't think I would go again as too pricey. Also DH extra cool bike got stolen last time from outside the swimming pool and Centre Parc did not give a hoot!

Just for info we did DLP and loved it. French were not rude and one guy who knew my daughter was looking for a specific badge to swap for managed to get one and then came and looked for us in the park to give it to us. Brill.

I do find it hard to spend on holidays as they are sooooo expensive but last year we went to Bude. DD1 and DD2 both brought a friend and they body boarded come rain or shine. I would seriously consider going back although the 3 storey house was not cheap!:)

yukkibear

I'll agree with that Stedwell, thanks for your input. I am going to look at booking a cottage, or perhaps the sun holidays again.

In other MFW news, I have listed 10 items on Ebay this evening.

yukkibear

I've OP £21.97 to round up to £300 today.

Decluttered a charity bag full of bits this morning and claimes £19 from MS which will arrive later in the month.

yukkibear

We received our mortgage statement the other day and it showed how much I OP'd last year. Hubby was impressed as I don't think he realised we had OP'd anything as I control the finances. Not that I hid it from him mind.

Currently waiting for money to trickle in from various sources to share between savings and op pot.

I have realised today that the house is cluttered and untidy and if we are to stay here I am going to have to love it a bit more. So perhaps spending a little moey in the house rather than lots of money moving house may be a good thing and money saved in the long run.

Still no alcohol for me in January, quite proud of that and also hoping the bank balance will reflect at the end of the month as well.

skint_spice

yukkibear wrote: »

Still no alcohol for me in January, quite proud of that and also hoping the bank balance will reflect at the end of the month as well.

I'm with you on this one yukki and it's a bit embarrassing to see how much money I have left over on the shopping budget... perhaps I should make it semi permanent! only gave up wine to avoid the snacking too:o

newgirly

Well done cutting out the wine, I have not managed to stick to once a week but have cut down a lot, I'm sure it is helping to lose a bit of weight as well.

macgirl

Hi Yukkibear

I feel your pain about taking separate weeks off to avoid the costs of childcare. DH usually has October HT off and I do Feb, but I ended up taking some days in Oct so we could do stuff together. It means I have one day left for Feb now, but hey ho...

As for Centerparcs, we've been a few times before the kids started school and loved it, so they always ask to go back, but the school holiday prices are extortionate aren't they?
Loved PD's review of DLP! My DH has been to Florida so refuses to even consider Paris. As the kids and I haven't been to either, we wouldn't know the difference, but he is adamant. Some friends took their 4 kids to DLP for years. They always stayed in the French equivalent of budget inns and got crossiants for brekkie, so did it on the cheap and always had a ball... Hope you get something sorted.

Well done on cutting out alcohol - I've not even attempted that one :beer: (hic)

yukkibear

We took MIL out for dinner last night and I automatically ordered a glass of wine :doh:
Still it didn't taste amazingly wonderful so still hoping it's a minor achievement.

Have some bits and pieces waiting to come in this month, hoping Monday will see a couple of payments land. I have decided to replenish the slush fund as I emptied it the other day when the car needed tyres.

yukkibear

8 out of 10 ebay listings from last week sold this evening. Will clear some clutter and add some pennies to the pot.

We bought dd2 a bike this afternoon as she doesn't have one that is her correct size, and I really want us to become more active as a family. We bought one in the half price sale and used my chow money that will land tomorrow which more than covered the cost of the bike so very MSE and a happy child to boost.

Sometimes I think we have to use these hard earned pennies to treat the family and make life a little better in the process. It doesn't all have to go to the mortgage.

yukkibear

Oops it's been a week since I updated

- all eBay sales (8) of them sold, paid for and posted. Think we ended up with £35 after postage and fees.

I have been concentrating on some savings rather than sending to mortgage and am almost at a couple of goals I wanted to get to which us good, am also waiting on a couple more bits arriving from various sources but that with feb ct payment has gone into savings.

My next target is a washing machine and I have seen one I like for £350. I am trying to look at it to buy what will last and is also energy efficient rather than cheap just because.

So extra cash will be going towards the washing machine in feb and I hope to have saved it by the end of feb to buy it.

After that the mortgage will get some which will then hopefully see off the 78k and into 77's.

Free listing on eBay again this weekend. I have popped a couple of bits on and aim to get some more on tonight.

Writing reviews on both chow and doouu. Chow I take the cash and doouu I am taking amazon vouchers which is helping buy the boring bits for the house that I hate spending money on such as a new bin and steam mop etc.

Also doing sp and sb which are going ok. If anyone wants referring to either please get in touch.