Finally I have a mortgage I can start to pay off!

Busy_Mee1

Morning MadVix all sounds good here. I am finding the spending diary really helpful in focusing our minds about what we spend our money on. The WhatsApp approach is a great idea because Mr Mee "forgets" to tell me what he has spent...and then I open up the credit card account to a bit of a shock.

themadvix

Morning Busy Mee. Yes, hopefully the Whatsapp will keep me on the straight and narrow - I always begin with good intentions and then lose my 'diary' (random sheet of paper!) or don't have it with me and forget to update. Whereas, I always have my phone on me and this works for both of us in terms of access.

themadvix

Morning all,

An early update from me this morning as I want to go out later but it relies on me clearing the work off my desk first. Have already been to the post box with today's RM survey offering.

Had a lovely evening at Mum's yesterday and helped her with some gardening, so feel I earnt my dinner

MS things:
* Free (fish and chip) dinner tonight for helping Dad with a quiz night :T
* DH has instructions to use up last of the passata in the fridge
* SBs, MS rw, VB poll

Gratitudes:
* Dinner with mum last night
* Sunshine
* Breakfast in the garden (a part of my daily routine at the moment)

Have a good day all!

themadvix

Morning all,

It's been a busy few days, but fortunately not too spendy. Went to a BBQ for my sister's birthday on Saturday (took homemade cheesecake, with a hg redcurrant compote - mmm) and had friends over for a BBQ on Sunday (yes, all BBQ'd out!). Did the same menu as the week before, which meant I used some leftovers (spring onions, not rice salad!) and as before, minimised meat to keep the price down. Cheapy greengrocers helped too and I visited Mr A for other bits (not my normal place as everything is plastic wrapped and rarely organic, but as most of what I needed would be plasticky anyway, it seemed that it might be cheaper - not entirely convinced on this front).

The milkman randomly delivered 3 pints on Friday, instead of the one ordered (and paid for) - so last night I had a go at making yoghurt (it's been on my to-do list forever!). I followed Greying's recipe (more or less, no thermos big enough, so just chucked a muslin on a jug and shoved it in the airing cupboard - probably unnecessary in this heat :rotfl: ) and it seems to have worked! It's chilling in the fridge at the moment, all thick and gooey.

I used a £45 M&S voucher from pet insurance switch and my myice points (thanks :money: ) to cover the cost of some much needed clothes for me and a gift card for my sister for her birthday. £9 actual cash spent. Also used a £co £2.50 football offer thing when buying expensive cards from the orbital swine - still flippin' expensive though! (But it was a special birthday and the present itself definitely lacked imagination!).

Received (but didn't realise it at the time) a £10 voucher for Am as a thank you for doing the quiz with Dad the other night

MS things:
* The above!
* £55.90 (PB win and Santa incentive) transferred to savings
* SBs - survey and Swago, doing well here at the moment
* VB and MS rws
* Eating leftovers
* DH persevering with overnight oats, I'm sticking with porridge!

UFM continues, although with all the entertaining I've yet to get to the point where I can make an inventory of the cupboards and actually see our way to 'eating all the things'.

Gratitudes:
* Lovely time with family on Saturday
* Niece's paddling pool - so refreshing!
* Great to see friends, last chance before 2 become 3! (She's due in 9 days)

Have a good day all, I'm hoping to catch the flypast later!

edinburgher

Orbital swine? :rotfl:

earthgirl

Glad you have enjoyed lots of bbqs too!
Well done on the mands shopping for £9 - bargain.

themadvix

Afternoon all,

Another hectic day here - loads of work, looming deadlines (although now postponed, nothing to do with me) and driving Dad to work (his car is in the garage, best not to ask about the courtesy car fiasco!). Hoping he'll get a car delivered to work so I don't have to pick him up. He has said he'll give me some fuel money and I'll accept this time... I've been to his place of work 4 times in the last 10 days, often via his, which is an hour and a half round trip!

DH has gone off to visit a work supplier, so he's being fed elsewhere. I've got a rather large selection of leftovers that don't really go (and still loads of milk - acquired half a pint from BIL, who has gone away). Hmm, that will be an interesting tea with the footie.

Mum and I had a great time watching the flypast yesterday - we weren't right under the flight path but the helicopters took off very near us, so got some great views of them! We meandered back home via a cafe in a pretty little town (mum paid and drove, I made it clear we didn't need to eat out and did at least find the cheaper place to eat!). Only cost to me was for parking Did buy a couple of bits for dinner and some muesli for DH, but only spent £3.

I did book us for an evening with our veg box company later in the month though - £30 for both of us for dinner (inc. a glass of wine). This will come out of our treat fund. In terms of UFM and the justification for 'debiting against our future freedom', it's something I feel I would want to do in that respect and may also have knock-on benefits for the future, so a worthwhile investment. UFM is certainly making me think!

MS things:
* Still eating leftovers/stores (and expect this to continue for the rest of the month)
* DH very much on board with UFM
* SBs going well, VB and MS rw done

Gratitudes:
* Great time with Mum yesterday
* Evening class has broken up, so freedom last night (it's amazing what a difference one less thing in an evening makes)
* It's a bit cooler

Back to the grindstone now, but will try to catch up with everyone else later!

earthgirl

I can't do the UFM this time but I have the emails stored so I might do it another month. Like the focus on simplifying things but not totally convinced with all of the ideas. Glad it's making you think.

Karmacat

I just watched the fly past on the tv, and that was amazing enough - how wonderful to see one set live! Was that one set of helicopters, or all of them? Helicopters are fascinating

Busy_Mee1

I have just been to have a look at UFM .....I guessed it was something to do with Frugelwoods. I would like to have a go but I am not sure that Mr Mee would go for it, although he is gradually changing his mindset to a more frugal way of living. I would be interested to hear how you have got on at the end of the month and what you missed and what you didn't miss.