Its time to grow up and pay off the mortgage

OS_QS

Hi, thanks for popping by !
Well the honest answer would be sort of, it’s definitely small steps and compromise/finding a level of money saving you are both happy with. I am generally supported, but OH would never get giddy at a good spreadsheet, or seeing the mortgage balance go down! I'm definately the driving force.:o
I suppose it also depends on how the household money is managed. We have a system where we pay an equal amount of money into a joint account for our bills / household costs each month. Then the remainder of our salaries are ours to do what we please. This means there are no money arguments / justification for spending what you want ….but because we split things equally, it makes it a bit difficult if one person (me!) wants to overpay more than the other!
I'm going to think about what's worked and what's 'not for us'

OS_QS

Success:
Overpaying
- We agreed to commit to overpaying by a certain amount each month, which gets paid into the joint account, which covers our additional mortgage payments and savings. This has had the effect that our own spending allocation has decreased, which focuses the mind on what you then spend your money on.
Groceries
- I have been well supported in my concoctions of using up what we have in the house/freezer, and reducing the grocery spend. After 2 months of this, our bills have came down drastically, and now it is a rare occurrence for us to nip in for a few things and spend £20-30 on nothing substantial! We are both definitely less wasteful and more focussed.
Searching out the best deal
- We both now look for the best deal on something we want
- This actually has the benefit of, by the time you’ve researched it the impulse will have worn off a bit!
- (OH loves his magazines) So instead of him buying at the train station for his commute, he has subscribed, and takes with him.

Not so successful:
Anything that’s a hassle
– OH won’t change bank / open accounts to get ‘free money’
- OH would rather a fresh, good quality sandwich at lunchtime, rather than take a packed lunch. So the compromise is that he now takes juice, crisps and snacks from home (bought on good deal) to avoid high deli-shop prices.

OS_QS

Need to sign up to the Grocery Challenge again! My food spend has been shockingly bad this month. Have fallen into my old ways and bought what I fancied, plus a few treats! On the plus side, I do have a full stocked freezer again

April has felt a very long and expensive month.

OH has talked me out of booking a nice weekend away circa £250 on hotel / food / entertainment, and instead suggested we meet with friends and family and spend time with them, and travel home late at night rather than stay over into sunday.....
.....I'm pleased he's realised we've spent heaps this month and shouldnt splurge some of our savings, but also strangely disappointed (as I could always rely on him agreeing to something nice) that I wont be in a nice hotel relaxing this weekend!

OS_QS

Transferred monies about, another £300 lined up to overpay in May.

**Must still change Energy Supplier**

Looked into the contact lens provider thingy, and I can save £10/month by changing fom Boots D/D scheme to Tescos Opticians! That's mental! Even cheaper if I buy online through quidco. Regardless, away to cancel Boots, once I receive this months delivery.

Bought the first groceries for May, had a £5 off a £40 spend, and rang through at £40.08, so totally maximising my voucher
This is a big deal for me, as I usually just chuck things in the trolly in order to get the £40 spend, and it rings through at £60-70. So being aware really makes the difference! And since I have 4 consecutive weeks of these vouchers, I can manage £40/ week, rather than spending £70 and not really needing stuff the next week!

OS_QS

· Change Utility Supplier from EON to EDF = saving £76/year, and £30 cashback - moneysupermarket. Don’t know if worth doing. Will give it a think
· Meter Readings to EON
· Transfer ISA – research best deal for instant access
· Set up First Direct Regular Saver 8%
· Check up if all D/Ds and SO’s have transferred over to FD (only some are listed, but all seem still to be paid from old account)
– need to phone to check everything done within the 3months to get my £125 J I think I might be 2 days over due to a delay with the D/Ds.
· Withdraw the £10 cashback from TopCashback for my free Credit Rating Trials.
· Cancel boots contact lenses. Talk to Vision Express.
· Clear out the Garage.
I’ll feel better for doing it. Honest:)

OS_QS

I love pottering!!!!

entered the meter readings to eon. Swithering about changing supplier, I have had no problems and have never switched, but a £76/year difference may be too much to ignore. What I'm worried about as we had to pay £50(ish) when we moved in for eon to pay the independent gasco meter as its not transco, but still with the house developer. Worried if I switch I'll have to pay it again which will negate the saving. Anyone else know of this?

Seems Santander is best to switch my Isa to, never banked with them...so I'll need to get all that set up.

Not phoned first direct as its a lovely day and I'm out getting my vitamin D intake

Done 3 loads of washing and they're all out on the line drying. Plus noticed my carrot seeds I planted last week are beginning to grow, so excited!!!! :j

OS_QS

Right so been a productive day.

Cleared out the garage. It's joined onto our utility, so I use the nearest half as my household storage / stockpile. Planning a Costco trip now I've made room!

Not very moneysaving but i might buy another set of garage shelving (on offer at argos) as it really makes a difference seeing what you have, plus I like it being organised. I like bulk buying essentials then I can avoid the supermarkets....and all the superfluous stuff that inevitably ends up in the trolley!

OS_QS

Had a busy but good weekend clearing out and organising my garage and kitchen food stores.

Have a mental inventory of what I have in, but also have pulled out everything that needed eating up soon and have done a heap of batch cooking and a meal plan.

Very pleased as previously I would've chucked it out....I even used a tin of mixed beans a month past it's BBE!

Spent over £100 at costcos though :eek: stocking up my new shelves, but it's all essentials. I can't help it! Surveying Quantities is a dangerous game - you tend to buy in bulk!!

OS_QS

got £10.75 amazon voucher from topcashback. Will put it towards something useful

OS_QS

Just logged onto Valued Opinions, after a few weeks break (surveys didnt seem to work on the ipad) on my laptop, and I had 5x £1 surveys waiting for me. Spent an hour and only got screened out of one! so £4 for an hour isnt too bad. Plus it finally takes me to over the £10 threshold!!

So I will cash it out as soon as its cleared and add to my £10 from TCB! Doing well

I know most people on here would put extras like these in the OP pot, but I do it the back to front - I've signed up to my SO every month, so every little helps / minimises the impact of losing the 'spendable' money. It works for me and OH. Makes us think how much we need / want an item if we dont readily have the money sitting there.

On the not so good front, car's due its tax £195!!! Seemingly its high cos of the emissions, due to it being an old car. I'm all for reducing emissions, but this also feels a tax on folk who cant afford to buy a new car!!! Grrrr, also MOT due within 4 weeks. On an almost 10yr old car I think I'd be in cuckoo land if I thought I'd get away with only being charged for the MOT itself.
Rainy day savings away to take a dunt