Make hay whilst the sun shines.

MoneyMission

:wave: Hello.

I have lurked for yonks and learned so many things from this forum and have now decided to take the plunge and open my own MFW diary. I'm a bit nervous (especially about the part where I reveal our mahoosive mortgage amounts) but every little step I make will help us later in our lives.

Short history of family MM: me with my part time job, OH who is full time employed and two Mini MMs who are at school.

We purchased our current house 9 years ago when OH was working in a very well paid job with lovely bonuses. Never a stable environment though and he was made redundant in '07. We made a decision that he would not go back into the same industry and he got a local job that pays half what he used to earn and doesn't get any bonus. We see him a lot more than we used to though and I believe we're closer as a team than before because of it. And much much happier.

We made a somewhat rash decision (still can't quite understand why! ) to extend the house and work was finished in 2010. we did everything we could by ourselves and an estate agent has confirmed that we added more value to the house than we actually paid in the building work. We did check this out before we started and again since!

Anyhoo, we've now got two gigantical mortgages of £213,000 AND £80,000. :eek:

However, this is us. Its where we live and we're not moving. We work hard and lead a fairly quiet life. I now work part time and I also control our finances fairly well but I'm sure there are many who manage better.

As I've been a long-term MSE and have banged on enough about our mortgage, OH has finally decided to jump on board. :T We're making a start on the smaller of the two mortgages. Not sure what our progress will be like yet. Probably fairly erratic until I really get a handle on things. We've been op'ing a little bit each month but this needs to increase considerably if we're ever to get rid of these millstones.

So, whilst he's all keen as mustard, I thought I'd start my diary. Lets see how it goes. All help and encouragement welcome.

Mrs MM

summerday

Welcome Moneymission! Excellent that you've made a profit from your home improvements even in the current climate. Sounds as though your family has adjusted well to a lower income lifestyle.

I look forward to reading your updates.

MoneyMission

Hi Summerday.

Thanks for popping in and saying hi. Loving your name. Re: lower income, we actually don't miss the old days. We are honestly less stressed and less hassled than we used to be and stronger together. At the moment, we can still entertain the kids on a strict budget but I understand this becomes increasingly difficult as they get older! Need to make some serious inroads on that mortgage before they grow up too much!

MM

MoneyMission

Not done much in the way of anything at home the last couple of days. Have been at district scout weekend (hubby runs a cub pack and I'm a helper). The boy MM is a cub and has been there all weekend with hubby, and the girl MM is a brownie and was there with me all day yesterday. Glorious weather for it and the camp ground wasn't muddy - don't ask me how!

So, meals have been provided all weekend for hubby and boy MM. Girl MM and I had breakfast here yesterday then were catered for at camp for the rest of the day.

We've got sunshine here still today so am making the most of it and getting all the washing through. Will have smelly camp stuff to deal with when Mr MM and Boy MM return - bleurgh!

Going to plant out some lettuce seedlings later on and cover them with cloches (old squash bottles). Its mostly to stop the pigeons eating them rather than to protect against the cold. :cool:

Need to pop to pet shop and get JellyButt (cat) her biscuits as she's running low. Will drop some plants off to my friend on the way. I've been growing them on for her and have now run out of room.

Roasty toasty chicken dinner tonight. Everyone to bed early as we're all cream crackered. OH texted me this morning to say he'd been up with one or other of the cubs at midnight, then again at 2am and then the whole camp woke up at 6am. :eek: Me thinks he'll need taking care of.

Had horrible gas bill shocker last week so may not make an OP at all this month. Will see what things look like after my payday (on 18th) and go from there.

greent

Hello MM and welcome Glad OH is on board - so much easier when they are!

We're on a lower income than years ago - OH is generally less stressed (I certainly am) and life is more peaceful all around as a result. We have 4 dc - ranging from 14 to almost 3. The 14 and 12 yo are more expensive, but not massively so - it's things like school trips and uniforms which cost masses more than for littlies. They're both very good when it comes to 'things' (phones/ clothes/ games etc) - much better than many of their peers. I think it comes down to teaching them the value of money

MoneyMission

Hi GreenT. Thank you for the welcome. Glad to hear your OH is less stressed too. We have friends who still do the big hefty jobs and I don't think they are happy with it. More money certainly, but always too stressed out to enjoy it.

I'm also pleased to hear that the Tiddlywinks need not cost huge amounts more as they get bigger!

OH gone out to drop Pink MM off at party then going into town with Blue MM. They have a list of things to get most of which are coming from M&S with the vouchers they send us for stoozing on their CC at 0%!! Present for Pink MM to take with her to party was bought using a voucher from a local independent toy shop. Its like a loyalty scheme. A free day so far!

Not made any OP's yet this month. Need to wait and see what else the rest of the month brings. Had brakes for car and unexpected gas bill to pay off. Should make some sort of OP though.

MoneyMission

I have the answer to my problems Have managed 9 NSD's in a row except for budgeted supermarket sweep. Had foot surgery last week and now need to keep foot up all the time until next Tuesday. Its a fantastic way to save £s!! I am now totally bored though. Really really brain drained bored.

greent

Not good news, MM! Hope it recovers soon - at least you've (hopefully?) got lovely weather to sit and enjoy...

MoneyMission

Lovely weather thank you greent. Just had a hobble down the garden path to supervise Mr MM as he planted out the beans. Well, I say supervise, he said I was being bossy!

Back on sofa now. Foot up. Ice pack on. DULL DULL DULL.

I'd get out there more and soak up some of those lovely rays but foot gets waaaaay too hot and sticky (too much detail??) and frankly it isn't pleasant. :eek:

Still, friend coming and picking me up tomorrow to take me to her house for lunch. Mr MM taking me to swimming pool on Sat afternoon so I can watch wee MM's splash about. I'll be sitting down all the while but it will be in a different location - how very exciting!!!

MoneyMission

Not much to report at moment. Foot much better and am managing to get about quite a bit more.

Took wee MM's kite flying this afternoon. Managed about 1 hour on foot but then came home and did lots of housey stuff so have now got it up and ice pack on.

Having an expensive month this month. Need a new chicken house as old one really giving up the ghost now. Its lasted a good 12 years though so has done us proud. New one will be £180.00. Also need to have some work done on the roof and best quote so far is £290.00.

Ho hum. At least the chickens and Family MM will be dry this coming winter!!!!

MoneyMission

oops. Good intentions to start with but I realise that I haven't posted for a month.

Made a small OP last month but it was all round horribly expensive. The roof repairs did cost us £290 in the end. Chicken house was £180.00. Brakes on car (disks and pads or some such technical gubbins) were £345. Yee gads. It ate into savings somewhat so need to replenish.

Did 3.5 hours overtime today. Will be in pay packet next month. And OH managed 3 weeks on call last month which we'll see at the end of this month. If we stick to budget we should be able to make a small OP again this month. Will try and do more overtime next week but then will do standard hours over summer holidays. Stretched on the childcare already!!

I'd love to be OPing more but we are also saving a pot of money for in case the car dies. When its at the level we need (in ISAs), we can start chucking more at the mortgage. Can't wait. I get very frustrated with the size of mortgage and not seeing it coming down.

Have just requested a payout from [EMAIL="Topcashb@ck.com"]Topcashb@ck [/EMAIL]which will buy us a new camera (old one given up the ghost). When it arrives I can start ebaying the mountain of bits and bobs that are currently in the pile upstairs. All proceeds into OP pot.

Holiday in Devon in a few weeks. We're staying in a town that was on the news the other day for getting flooded! All saved for and paid for though so we'll be there come rain or shine.