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

themadvix

Thanks Cheery and Karma. Yes, I was pleased with getting rid of all of it too good homes. Going to collect some bread and bananas from an Olioer shortly. Will be having A girl called Jack’s smoky lentil burgers tonight in Olio buns. Probably with homemade potato wedges! Will walk to collect do saving electricity and getting steps in. Still won’t have spent anything this year.

We have undecorated this morning so house is feeling fresh and decluttered.

Mum and sister have invited us for lunch tomorrow, which is lovely. 

rtandon27

Well done Vix! - I'm amazed you managed to rehome it all!

Our local Olioer has been offering up a million and one French pastries this week, but in terms of veg, only a bag of shallots!  He's a good 10 minutes away by car, so we couldn't justify a trip out to pick them up.  Hopefully with WFH for the next month, I'll be able to keep an eye on the app & snap up enough to make it worth the trip!  It's such a fine balance between keeping the grocery bill down without bumping up the petrol spend!

themadvix

Afternoon all,

 Glad to hear of another Olioer RT - but you’re right about getting the balance between petrol and food. We’re lucky here that I have three fellow collectors within walking distance (and my friend who is a5 mile round trip if I’m feeling energetic, or can use the electric car).

About to leave for lunch at mum’s (collecting bananas for us and her on the way!). Still no money spent  this year. It’s really tempting to see how long this lasts! Have also found £2.50 M*S credit on something I returned and remembered I still have £4.38 on my gift card for there - may add that to my budget for Jan, not that it’ll go far.

 Have asked on Olio and Freegle for a radiator brush as ours could do with a good clean to make them more efficient (thanks Octopus winter workout). 🤞 we can borrow (Olio) or get our hands on one (Freegle).

Suffolk_lass

Happy New Year (a bit late - our visitors left yesterday and we just flaked out, in bed by 9.30pm!) - hence my excuse for being so late suggesting Boulongere potatoes to use up potato and onion surplus - next time. Actually, we have stuck bits of sausage and sliced carrot in this for a wondrous one-pot wonder

themadvix

Morning all,

Thanks SL, they look good - especially if you add in the sausage and carrots. 😋 

Had a lovely lunch at mum's yesterday, with a walk afterwards and some games. So full we didn't need tea! Today's lunch is hm houmous and the last of the pitta from Boxing Day (assuming it's still OK - it was two days ago, which is a bit concerning!) or toast from an Olio loaf in the freezer. Dinner is potato hash (with red pepper and onion also from Olio). I forgot to say that the lentil burgers were delicious on Sunday evening, and two of those and the two leftover buns have gone in the freezer for an easy meal sometime. I also went back to the same Olioer in the evening for some sausages and two bunches of flowers (one for Mum and Sis yesterday).

So I've 'paid' myself this morning... except Nationwide are still having problems, so my pay (and expenses) have all disappeared into the ether with no estimate of when they will be at the front of the 'queue' (first working day of the new year, maybe next week sometime??!).... Not very helpful! So money shuffling not done. However, I was surprised at the amount I had in my account - much nearer my 'standard' pay than expected. As costs have been kept low recently (and Christmas presents budgeted for), I've kept back a chunk for next month's pay, which is going to be decidedly lower. I have another week to earn on the platform to boost that (and if any cat sitting comes in that will contribute too).

Also annoyingly, I needed to buy milk today and planned to use Coop member rewards, but because the machines struggle to scan my phone's QR code, I entered the card no. manually, which then meant I wasn't able to use the rewards credit! So I've spent actual cash. However, I did get the 25p off and it is milk (which is an exception to the challenge), so I'm not counting this as real money. I'll also cancel the milk ordered for tomorrow as I bought 2pts (less plastic), which will save money too. Lesson learned about persevering with scanning member card when I want to spend the cash. However, I can't say I've not spent anything this year any more...!

Have checked the PB big winners list and we're not on it... I'll be happy with £25 tbh - it's rare we win these days.

MS things:
* Discount voucher applied to milk purchase
* Free meal tonight
* Clicks done
* PA survey done (final earnings last month were £27, that's more like it)
* 1P survey 
* My Olio alternative milk collection is this afternoon - not sure what I'll be getting but hopefully enough that I can keep some

Gratitudes:
* Lovely family time with Mum, Niece and Sister yesterday - Niece loved having Uncle there to entertain/be entertained by!
* Fresh air - I've met my 10k steps every day for a week now
* Normality - I love the holidays and it has been really relaxing, but it's good to get back to some semblance of routine.

Have a good day all!

themadvix

So the pitta was fine, so that's finished up now. Still some houmous left. No potato hash tonight as DH has picked up a MS for a fast food place, so we're going out instead.

Nationwide have sent through my expenses (or some of them) but the actual 'wage' is still missing.... can't pay my ccs until it arrives. In the meantime I've done some sewing (bunting) and been for a walk. Heading off to get my Olio collection soon.

We've booked a viewing for a house tomorrow. It would put our mortgage up to £190k for basically a slightly larger (but still 3 bed) detached house with a slightly larger garden (needs a lot of work), space to fit two cars on the drive and a quieter and nicer area (10 mins walk from where we are now). Seems utterly insane, but we're only viewing (they've also got an offer already - they're going for a 2nd viewing later today, so unless they change their minds, we may be cancelled anyway). We both feel very conflicted about it!

Cheery_Daff

Sounds like viewing is the answer then Vix - you might love it, or quite the opposite! Good luck!

Kittenkirst

Best of luck with the viewing today Vix, and Happy New Year!

themadvix

Thanks ladies. (Viewing is tomorrow KK, unless they cancel first.) It just seems like such a lot of money for not much different. 

Costa milks collected and distributed (almost all gone already). Nationwide finally gave me back my money so I've done shuffles, paid CC bills and put tax money aside. And I seem to have £200 left... from a much reduced wage in the most expensive month of the year.... I'm going to wait overnight, in case Nationwide aren't keeping up, but I'll be very pleased to be able to put £200 into savings/off the mortgage (even if it ends up subsidising next month's poor income - had better be savings then!).

newgirly

Good luck with the viewing Vix 🙂