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

themadvix

Wrote a long post yesterday and then managed to close the tab (idiot!).

Work has slowed to a more acceptable pace, but still with plenty coming in, which is good. DH was away Sun-Tues (late) with work, had a meal with the supplier - for 10 of them the bill was £3500!! :eek::eek::eek:One bottle of wine was 500 euros! Glad we didn't have to pay.

Found various bits of interest that had been paid on accounts yesterday so rounded this up, topped up with leftover budget from the month and transferred to TSB, so the balance is now ony £30 below the £2k limit for interest.

Today transferred £12 from a new Internet usage monitoring panel into OP fund - £12 for two months :j Other surveys and stuff going well, although at a more moderate speed. Cashed out two £25 JL vouchers from MaxiM from DH's account while he was away - the points were from a bookie sign up for MB and the other week the vouchers had disappeared from the site, so glad to have found them and got them. I'm nearly at cash out for another £25 voucher there too.

Away this weekend with DH's work - a charity do thing. Have asked FiL to look after cats Saturday, saving us £10 on cat sitter. Will have to pay petrol and to park, but hopefully that's all (will make a donation of some sort, but it will be within our means). Hoping to use NT membership while away to make the most of this (there's not a lot near us).

Should get paid energy switch cashback this week - that'll top OP fund up to £150ish. We've been talking about the various jobs we still need to spend for on the house, so I think OPs will be limited to 'extra' money I can earn for a while and I'll be concentrating on keeping our TSB accounts topped up and will open a RS with the joint a/c. Of course, when I win the million on the premium bonds on Saturday, all this will be moot! :rotfl::rotfl:

DH working from home today - we might have popped out to the pub for lunch.... whoops!

themadvix

I'm now allowed to say what my 'money news' was - DH has won an innovation competition at work - I'm very proud of him, but more importantly it comes with a £5000 prize

While negotiations about what will get to be overpaid are ongoing, he has promised some money for OPs (and the rest, bar a small amount, is likely to go into savings/investments or house work - we're so rock and roll!)

In other news, good pay day today as one of my client paid a big bill, so once the 1st rolls around and I can complete all my money shuffles I'll be able to top up the savings quite substantially. Have discovered that really I need to be transferring my 'tax' money across to the PBs before end of month, so I can get them entered in the following month's draw, rather than having to wait until the next month - might have to split the money shuffle in two to achieve this...

Not a lot else to add - still surveying and applied for the M*S CC to get the voucher. Often buy Christmas cards here so figure can spend on that, and also use it to buy some bits for the impending arrival of niece/nephew (did I mention there'll be two, as DH's brother's GF is also expecting?). Have booked eye test (due) to use voucher from Martin's email. Will save £25, but I don't think I usually pay for it anyway, one way or the other!

themadvix

Had a good weekend at charity dinner - DH spent on some drinks (just for us fortunately), and we bought £10 of raffle tickets, but that was all. Went to Lyveden NT place on the way home - apart from£3 on a drink after we'd looked around, we spent nothing and had a lovely couple of hours. National Trust places are good for the soul.

Before we left home on Saturday we went to a nearby town to get apples from my Nan's tree pressed into juice - this was a local Transition Towns activity (I get the newsletter but this was the first time I've taken advantage of any of their 'activities'). It was great - two and a half litres of very sweet apple juice produced in 5 minutes, alongside some lovely conversation. £5 donated for the privilege - very pleased with that considering the usual price for quality juice in the shops.

Have nearly finished money shuffles.... just contributions to DH's cc bill to sort... He's paid for flights and accommodation for our Christmas markets break so I'll owe him for that. However, have already topped up TSB RS as much as possible and put £253 into TSB joint a/c - maxing this out at £2000 is my next target.

Off for eye test in a bit, voucher at the ready. Car has brake caliper issues, so my Mum has offered to take me (very kindly). Will get some sandwich fillings while out, but otherwise, think we're fully stocked up. Will use the JL voucher from DH's MM points for this (and transfer the cash - either to DH's MB fund or the OP fund).

themadvix

Not a great day today - I have a stinking cold and didn't win the million on the premium bonds

On the upside, finished the money shuffles yesterday and joint TSB a/c now has £700 in it (up from £280 'treat fund' only balance). Have also managed to keep working today, despite feeling lousy. Have taken my time and not stressed about it - did mention to client I wasn't well, so pressure is off. But pleased to have got as far as I have. No housework done though, apart from putting dishwasher on. Have instructed DH to buy milk and bread for tomorrow - didn't think he'd fancy homemade bread made today!

1P nearly halfway now and just over 100 SBs to go to pay out. Did win on FPL either, but there's always tomorrow. Have sent apologies to the teacher for my class tonight - I don't think any of the class would want me there anyway.

Unfortunately eye test yesterday did not go well and I need new glasses... again. Which will be nearly £300 Only recently started a savings pot for this, so not enough in there yet and will have to fund from normal income. And I hate buying glasses - I have a narrow face and really really struggle to find any I like. Have discovered Specsavers do a petite range - will have to investigate this further.

Had paperwork through for M*S card... anyone would think I was taking out a mortgage the amount of paper that they've sent. It looks incredibly complicated - I reckon it's to put you off and save the vouchers! They won't deter me, although it might have to wait until head is less full of cold.

Currently have B&W kitty warming lap, so going to catch up on diaries!

themadvix

Feeling a lot better today, cold still there but not in my head anymore, so I can think!

Used brain last night and have sent off to reglazemyglasses for a box - will send my old glasses (same frame) and get them reglazed for hopefully £65. Will see what they say, but it's got to be cheaper than new glasses and that will allow my savings pot for glasses to build up for next time.

Also used mystery RLD voucher to book afternoon tea for DH and I in London later in the month - we're off to the theatre with vouchers from my birthday. RLD voucher is a mystery as it was sent last Christmas and no one has admitted to sending it to me!!

Ordered cat food online too (I was on fire!), works out considerably cheaper than the shop I buy a much smaller bag from. Would prefer to buy from shop, but need bigger bag because a) cats eat a lot of it and b) bigger bag = less plastic c) it's more MSE of course... Will get cashback on that.

Have claimed another £8 from smartapp web monitor thingy... into OP fund. Which is now just shy of £180. NV balance has now cleared, so £50 cheque must be on the way there. Finally also had cheque from event venue client (who pays by cheque these days? A big organisation too!). SBs so close to payout, and would probably get there today with some application, but too much work to do that.

In-laws coming for dinner tonight - Delia's tomato risotto.

Am feeling like I'm accomplishing things today, mainly because I've just completed a cardio workout video (only a short one) - doing some exercise has been on to-do list for... ahem... months... It's a start anyway!

In less positive news, washing machine has finally given up the ghost. It's been only half-functioning for the last couple of weeks, and today seems to have marked the end of it's ability to follow a programme. The computer panel is not working properly, and a new one is £136 (+VAT??) and while I'd trust DH to fix it (and therefore save on the call-out charge), we don't know how old it was (it was here when we bought the house four years ago), or how much longer it would last if we fixed that bit. It's a tricky decision, and I far prefer to fix things than replace them, but I think that's what we'll do on this occasion. There goes all that lovely money I put into the savings this month.

themadvix

I've cashed out on SBs this morning and was delighted to discover they have a sale on, so I have 200SBs towards next pay out already. Have also done a PC survey, so another £3 coming my way. Viewsbank at £7.50 so getting there slowly... But I find their insurance quote MS 'things' are the bit that usually tips me over the edge to pay out. Have listed a few bits on Fb that haven't been selling on the bay of e. Will see if that helps - one of the things is for a charity I volunteer with - really I just want the space back.

Am aching from exercise I did yesterday, so did some more this morning! I find Youtube videos are great for exercise as I can just take five minutes away from work and do them. Will try to keep this up and expand repertoire.

Am up-to-date with work, apart from one project, but waiting on a reply from client and can't do anything until I hear back. A bit frustrating really.

Have just recorded a video on my phone about my thoughts on house for YSP - hilarious! I've never done one of these before but it's for a £15 Am voucher, so it should be worthwhile! I hate recordings of my voice, but amazingly it wasn't too bad! I'd do another I think. It's funny what we'll do to OP the mortgage!:T

themadvix

Had a quiet weekend after what seemed like a really long week. DH not feeling great and I was lacking in energy (both getting over our colds, I suspect). However, we got a lot of 'life admin' done on Saturday, including ordering a new washing machine and sorting out both our wardrobes. We now only have things we actually wear in them and four items listed on the bay of e and the rest charity shopped (I even took it all over today, so straight out of the house!). WM is from JL, won't be with us until 17th as I refused to pay an extra £20 for delivery on Tuesday :eek: Fortunately washing was up to date, so won't need to scrounge washing facilities from in-laws until next weekend!

Went for a walk along a nearby canal on Sunday - took a lovely packed lunch with us and snacks, so we weren't at all tempted to buy food. Bread baked on Saturday featured in this - it had rye flour and poppy seeds in it and was yum (even if I say so myself!). Resisted temptation of takeaway Saturday night too - feeling very virtuous!

Work has been quietish today - no new projects and I finished the outstanding ones this morning, so this afternoon I've done a few jobs in the garden, sorted some bits out for freecycle and have given the hall door frames a first coat of paint - it's amazing what a difference it makes, even if they'll definitely need another. Also had plasterer friend round to see about levelling the floor in the hall ready for the wood floor we bought months ago... He didn't seem to think it would be a problem and will get back to me with a price/date tomorrow - result!:T Have been waiting/chasing another guy for a month with no success. I want hall finished by Christmas and the floor down even sooner - at the moment it's bare concrete in places and it's COLD!:(

Here's hoping some work arrives tomorrow - am in the middle of a big project, so more is bound to turn up at some point.:) Better go and find something for dinner now.

ETA: OP fund now at £185.92, nearly half way!

themadvix

Successful morning - aside from work I reached pay out on MM, so £25 JL voucher on its way and switched my personal bills account to a Flexdirect a/c - meaning the £1500 or so in there at any given time will be earning me 5%. I'd begun to think about switching but hadn't realised it would be that straightforward (it already being a Nw account).

Not heard back about the £15 voucher for my video upload yet, so will chase that as they said they'd confirm receipt within 48 hrs. Have also put in a claim on £co for an untracked cat food purchase.

It was so cold this morning that I put the heating on for an hour... was hoping to get to 20th before we had to do that However, I'm happy knowing that a) the house gets warmer much more quickly and b) we're using a fraction of the gas we were last winter because of our shiny new boiler.

ETA: I chased and they sent through Am voucher straight away

themadvix

Had a fairly quiet weekend, spent Saturday at in-laws to get our washing done (washing machine delivered this morning, yay!). Popped into their town and arranged a frame for the piece of art we bought on holiday - bit steep at £35, but it's solid oak and made to measure, so not surprising. It's a lovely piece of art (the first we've bought in a long long time) and it needed a suitable frame. Had received M*S cc in the post and wanted to get my 500 bonus points so popped into M*S, found a choccie bar (which I never buy because they're mostly plastic-wrapped) and nearly at till when I realised I didn't have the blinkin' pin with me! (Afraid I bought the chocolate anyway, much to DH's disgust!). All this was offset by lunch and dinner at the in-laws, which was lovely.

Sunday we took last of tiles in hall up, in preparation for plasterer to lay self-levelling compound later in the week. DH did some MB, which is good, as he had got out of the habit and we looked at various financial things.

Have been reading SSS's diary recently, so now thinking about our 'magic number' for FI. Eventually we might even get around to working out what it is! Problem is we don't intend to stay here so it seems slightly pointless. However, having received TSB's email about rates reducing to the level of our mortgage in Jan, investing/OPing seems to be the way to go. Will be considering the options soon.

Was pleased to discover that the Which trial I signed up for when looking at washing machines (£1 for a month with £7.50 £co cashback ), if I keep for another month (£10ish), I can access their Wills service for free. As this is something DH and I need to do (and it should be quite simple), I think I'll go for this.

Sold a couple of bits on the bay of E over the weekend - have just been to PO to dispatch them. Another £15 for the OP fund (and more out of the house!)

themadvix

I lied yesterday!! :eek: Ebay produced £20, not £15. Including the spare change I paid into bank this morning, I've transferred £28 to OP fund, which now stands at £220.10. More than halfway to next OP now! :j

Yesterday I planted up some kale plants my Dad gave me at the weekend. Had to buy some copper tape, in the hope that this will stop the evil slugs. Have never had a winter crop before, and didn't realise kale was cut and come again, so am looking forward to this (we both love kale!).

Am working on an SOA, but have realised that this will involve going through all CC statements and bank statements for the last year to get an accurate pic of spending... So it may take a while.

Have had a letter for fuel supplier this morning saying they're putting our dd up - from £55 to £65. I'm not especially surprised, because they are green and their original dd seemed low. Will keep an eye on this though, although we're pretty good about turning lights etc. off and we have a new boiler (old one was G rated...).