Make hay whilst the sun shines.

MoneyMission

New year new challenges!

First off I need to shed a few pounds that have piled on over Christmas! To be honest I've been a bit of a sofa slug so I'm not surprised I tip the scales 6lb heavier than before the festive season. A few weeks of soup (homemade = cheap and healthy) and salads will put that right.

Secondly, I've had a bad back on and off for a few years. Have been self managing but the pain was keeping me awake at night so I finally caved and went to the GP. He gave me some monster anti-inflammatories that have started to have an effect. I also know I need to put in a daily program of stretches as I suspect it's caused by tight hamstrings so that will be my second challenge of the year.

Third and final challenge is to keep OPing on the mortgage. Our opening balance for 2017 is £268,075.51. We should end this year at about £250K. If I can find more to throw at it then I will but that is my target for now.

Hope everyone well. I'm looking forward to 2017!

MM
x

MoneyMission

Just checking in with an update.

First challenge going well. Dropped most of the extra festive lbs already despite my birthday, OH's birthday, and my Mum's birthday all involving cake or dinner. Couple more to go.

Mmm. Not so good. I only seem to do the stretches when the back gets bad. Must get into a daily routine. I'm just being lazy.

Still paying into the OP pot. Will declare February's total at the end of the month.

In other news:

OH has secured a new job. He's so fed up of his commute and just couldn't see himself doing it for the indefinite future. New job is 3 minutes from home! I reckon that will shave at least £175 off the petrol budget each month when he starts in April. Sounds like a lovely job too - am very proud of him.

I'm trying to negotiate an incentive payment for a major project I'm currently working on. Its something way outside my job description but they've asked me to take it on and I'm enjoying the challenge. It may not come off but no harm in asking.

Have just read Treadingonplaymobile's diary and have been reminded that whilst I am making steady overpayments, I'm sure there is more I can do. Some areas of our budget have got a little slack. Will redouble efforts.

Hope all's well.

MM

brizzledfw

Whoop to new job - sounds great. :j

Keep on trying to get paid for additional work - important to be valued for what you can and do, do

Have a good weekend

MoneyMission

Thanks Brizz. I'm off to stalk you over on your thread. I do read but have no been so good at posting!

brizzledfw

Have a good weekend

chumpy45

Well done on losing the festive pounds - wish I could lose mine, just can't seem to shift it so far this year. Well done on OH's new job, great to be working closer to home. My OH has always had a long commute - it can be a little soul destroying at times. Good luck with the stretches too, I have a set of exercises for my back which I only remember to do when my back is hurting - although if I did them regularly, it wouldn't hurt in the first place iyswim :rotfl: Onwards and upwards !

MoneyMission

Goodness Chumpy - look at your mortgage stats! Go girl! That is super impressive and I bet you can't wait for September!
Must admit I did my stretches this morning and feel a lot better for it. I'm the same as you though - when it doesn't hurt I get all complacent and just stop doing them!
Feel free to nag me into doing them more often.

MoneyMission

Feb OP of £548 made. Mr MM had a small tax rebate which I divided three ways (OP, savings and fun fund) which bumped up the planned OP a small bit.

Some ebay sales netted about £25 and there are some more listings finishing this weekend but I'll op those funds into March's OP pot.

Had a small pay rise. By the time it is prorated, taxed and in my account I'm about £60 a month better off. Have decided not to add it to any existing budget lines but to create a new line entirely: school lunches. Both me and the mini-MM's are so fed up of sandwich making everyday (as we have been for the last 10 years or so) that I'm taking the opportunity to cut us some slack. With both of them at secondary school and all their friends having canteen lunches they were feeling the odd ones out. The time has come to give them enough money for 3 canteen lunches a week. We all feel happy with that. Boy MM will need to take additional snacks (crisps, fruit, cereal bar etc) as I can't afford to fill him up purely on canteen alone but that is 'grab and go' type food and doesn't require any prep!

I should note that Mr MM and I will still be taking our own lunches every day. We know our places in the pecking order of the family!

Off to start the weekend. Have a good one everyone.

brizzledfw

Ha! good re the school lunches. We have a mix and match affair too and I detest making sandwiches so its good to have a balance. They are capable of doing their own..just rarely seem to! When I take lunch in, I take leftovers which don't need any prep.

Well done on the OP too. Mine have dropped off until we can clear this blasted debt

MoneyMission

Ta Brizz. I tend to take leftovers too or I make a massive pot of cajun bean stew / curried veg / lentil dhal etc on a Sunday and then divide it up into portions in old takeaway tubs. Mr MM uses all his culinary skills and preps a sandwich every evening! Seriously, that is ALL his culinary skills!

You'll be back to those OPs soon - you are so focused and determined. You are a massive inspiration for me and many others so keep going.