LBM in 2003.. What have I been doing since??!

beanielou

Enjoy. You so deserve.

brizzledfw

Thank you lovely lovely beanie it was lush and I am feeling very content

Great to hear from you NOA :wave: how are you? Enjoying the garden I hope. All good with me here.

We are continuing our veggie/pescatarian stance with only 1 meat meal (using up sausages from the freezer) next week. I only meal plan a week ahead but will probably do a similar ratio for the weeks ahead. Particularly looking forward to dhosas again :j

Good things about last month:

- income was big and helped me shift some serious debt and pay off half of the flights for the family at Xmas
- savings rate - even based on 'usual' income was over 25%, in fact nearer 30% :j:j which makes me deliriously happy
- charitable giving was £450 which made me feel as we are giving a something back. I do work for no cost for an educational trust and DD1 volunteers too so I think the balance is getting better. Some of the money was micro loans which always feels very MSE in style helping women (and some men) help their families to a better more hopeful life (admire SA though.. very practical support she's doing there )
- EF is creeping up and plan to start seriously big OPs in September (re-reading Tilly's diary has been an inspiration and a reminder of the discipline that one can bring if you want to)
- money into ISA and pension
- Restaurant spends right down - third of what they were the month before, ditto household costs
- no clothing spends, although bought cheap trainers today (£40 - they were from the kids section so no VAT :rotfl:) - my last pair hit the dust - had done 10 years of service and showed it


Less good things:

- groceries and alcohol still higher than you could ever believe possible - I know we are effectively 4 adults when we're not hosting and 5 or more when we are but even so..
- our underlying cost base for insurance, utilities etc always seems high. Must look again at what I can do to minimise that. On a better note haven't had my nails done in 3 months and whilst you can tell I am happy not to be spending the money on regular shellac appointments

But the good outweigh the bad and I feel like the frugal mojo is back again for the second month in a row

So goals for this month:

- sell some kids clothes on EBay and rest to CS- declutter is up to 38 items already :T
- alcohol free fortnight (effectively drank a small distillery dry last week so need to give my liver a rest )
- keep up the exercise
- cycle to station at least 3 days a week
- keep working extra days when I have to
- eat outside in the evenings or have a cuppa outside so I can enjoy the garden
- count my blessings

Have a lovely weekend everyone xx

please-let-me-be-lucky

Totally in awe of your charitable giving!

All sounding fab Xx

brizzledfw

Ah thanks PLMBL - but my income as you know is high. Whilst not religious I like the idea of tithing or zakat... so we do that as much as we can. Means a lot to all of us.

It's been a good week. A very good week. But back to the grindstone on Monday!! School starts and OH away later in month too

Have been wondering re Mrs PG.. anyone heard from her recently?? I must see when she was last on here

X

please-let-me-be-lucky

brizzledfw wrote: »

Ah thanks PLMBL - but my income as you know is high. Whilst not religious I like the idea of tithing or zakat... so we do that as much as we can. Means a lot to all of us.
X

I honestly thought you were Jewish. I have no idea why .

Wonderful way to think though. Very admirable Xx

brizzledfw

Nope (although I conform to the stereotype of being obsessed with feeding, good food and joyous celebrations with family and friends... so that must be why you thought that ) But I like the charitable premises of well all the major religions as it happens.

Had a good lunch out.. had the set menu though and only a soft drink so a few rounds of French Toast here we come. Thanks hens for the eggs too

brizzledfw

Highly excited!! :T :T

I have just done the OP calculator on here and I can see that we could definitely be MF in 5. 2022!! Wow!! I am not sure I'd have looked again if it hadn't been for re-reading Tilly's diary and see how ruthless she was with scraping every little sum towards the mortgage.

So from September, I am going to start OP'g big style. I WILL get shot of all this debt. Then the house, which is worth what I think is stupid money, will be ours to leverage (or not) as we wish. I am hankering over doing some re-working of the downstairs space so this can be factored in. We will also need to think about what we do with the car - lease is up next year and it'd be nice to have a cheaper one. We could even swop back to a loan/buying outright as now less need for a very reliable one as there was with my last role....decisions decisions.

Whilst I ponder I am going to start Tilly Tidying again with a vengeance. Every day. First off, I will claim the TCB and my PC money too and put that across to the MBNA card. (Update: £18.59 just claimed and I have virtually OP'd it. (Plus a support ticket raised with TCB for an 8 month transaction that has not yet reached payable)

The MBNA card is the last one from the horror of last year and its gonna be gone gone gone

Sun_Addict

Oh wow - all sounding fabulous. Your diary is very motivating, I for one need to get my MSE mojo back after letting it slip recently.

I'm not that good with my volunteering by the way - firstly, so far the charity haven't needed me, so I haven't actually done anything yet, secondly, it's done in work's time as it's a charity they support - so giving their time not mine.

poohbear59

You are encouraging me to becoming more proactive in driving down my debt. Great news on possibly MF in 5 years.

Seriously impressed by your charity donations We only give around £35 a month now.

brizzledfw

Thanks all. Its all about proportion and I feel happier when its around that amount.

Started work early this morning whilst OH is out on a bike ride, so I can clear the decks a bit and now having a cuppa and a break.

Did buy DD2 some essentials and trainers yesterday, OH got jeans and we had a cheap set lunch out. But a lovely day and all the items very much needed so thats the point isnt it? Its about every penny being used properly and for a purpose that we consider necessary or appropriate/genuinely wanted.

A Nigel Slater recipe for dinner today. Smoked haddock and spinach pie. From the Observer Food Magazine a few months ago. Need to get creme fraiche, new potatoes and green veg but thats it. Some family stuff to do today, plus more paid work. But all is good