Goodbye Mortgage - the beginning of the end!

Beckyy

Just got outbid on something I bid on on eBay but didn't actually need. Wasn't much, but glad about it!

Have been trying to keep up with Nectar Adpoints and Nectar Toolbar - might as well get soemthing for the lag it adds onto my already slow computer! Just not sure whether to use the Nectar points for practical things or treats...

We got vouchers for a meal out for Christmas, just need to decide whether to use them soon or save them for Valentine's Day-ish.

Meal plan for the week is going well, have had to swap a few meals round due to not checking use by dates and parsnips being sold out everywhere, but so far so good!

Am making use of a big Rose's tin for pennies and coppers instead of buying a new big bottle for them (old one just broke)- of course had to eat all the Rose's first

Beckyy

I've been trying to find new curtains and blinds for the house. We currently have paper thin roller blinds, plastic-y feeling venetian blinds and cheap/thin curtains. I had a good read through the OS thread about lining curtains properly ( http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=4324181&highlight=fleece+curtains ) but really think it's beyond what I'm capable of - I can only just messily take up a pair of trousers by hand!

I've ordered some thermal blind samples from Tuiss, but have been reading that they're very expensive so will have to proceed with caution.

I must admit, I had no idea curtains could be THAT expensive. Some of the prices I've seen are outrageous!

Beckyy

Last night I purchased BT Line Rental Saver after the article about their line rental going up this week gave me a kick up the bum! I'm quite chuffed with the amount it will save us, the only problem is we've stopped being able to make outgoing calls this evening, I hope it's not something our end as I really don't want to have to pay for anything else at the minute!

Meal plan is still going well, have stuck to it this week so far and am already thinking of ideas for next week - need some interesting things for OH to stop him from getting bored. I usually trail off and go over budget by mid month so will need to be very firm with myself!

I've taken on an extra shift for work , and have someone coming round to quote for a new front door and windows (gulp!). Ihave a feeling it's going to be expensive. We would like to get the door first then windows later on, but will have to see how much more expensive it is that way.

Beckyy

Our home phone is still out of action, I've ad some lovely advice off members on here but haven't had a chance to have another look at it yet between work.

I've just submitted our electricity meter reading for this quarter and it's still far too much. We're spending £1.40 a day in electricity which I think is wayyy to high for just 2 people! I'm quite sure what it is that making it so much though.

I got some more decorating done at BTL today, although if we get the new windows and doors that we've just had a quote done for it's going to have to get a back seat for a few more months which is a massive pain as I really want to get it sorted .

Beckyy

I treated myself to this budget book after I saw it on a link to a Sale on the website: http://www.organised-mum.co.uk/Budget-Book.html

It arrived today, it's a little smaller than I was expecting but is jsut what I need as it worth every penny as it gives me someone to keep a proper spending diary (not a few rubbish notes that I forget about after a few days). Somewhere to store reciepts and somewhere to see exactly where our money is going each month. I'm very chuffed with it and have already penned in our January outgoings to date.

Still need to get the phone line sorted - is on my 'to do list'

Beckyy

I've come back to my diary after falling behind miserably!

We've had an expensive few months with car MOTs, an 'expensive' garage and car tax totalling *whispers* about £1000.

The good news is that the ball is rolling on our BTL. We've had letting agents round to get a valuation, and I think we'll be having them manage it, for now. We just have a small list of things to get done before it can be let out - hopefully it will be up by the end of the month. Which will save the expensive of it, and bring some extra in.

We've finally gone just about organic, and I'm gradually converting as much of our food as we can. I've left our grocery budget at £250 a month, which was a struggle before, so I need to make sure I'm very firm!

OP wise... I've just had a 4 weekly standing order of £5, which is quite terrible, but our savings have been absolutely hammered so we've had to save any spare money. However I think I'm going to increase it to £50 every 4 weeks for now, and I'll reassess it again after our BTL is sorted.

I've also just put through an OP of £50 to kick me off again I'll check the mortgage balance this morning too, haven't done it for a while! Done

Will have a good catch up with everyone else's diaries now and see how everybody is getting on!

Beckyy

Having a clear out and have a few things to sell/get rid of. Have looked at selling DVDs to music mapie and seen that they're only going for about 25p each! Daylight robbery! However, they're not selling one Bay so unless I can find another way I might have to send them off as they're just gathering dust and taking up space.

More work to get done at BTL today, then a busy rest of the week at work. I have some Leek and Potato soup cooking for lunches for the rest of the week too. I hope everybody else is having a productive day

2 x £5 Rewards OP'd today

Beckyy

I've started Nectar Adpoints again after a month or two of not doing it, and have found the adverts have god much longer and the rewards much smaller. Most of mine this week have been 1 or 2points for a 1-2min advert! Zzzz.

The BTL is realy getting there. Need to clean the carpets tomorrow.

Not much else to update on at the minute! No more OPs yet

Beckyy

I've got a pile of DVDs ready to send to Music Magpie once I've given them a dust and cheeckd them all over. They'll only get about £20, so I feel a bit ripped off, but they're just taking up space and won't get used again. I've also got a few bits to go on eBay, no idea if they'll sell or what they'll make but will see to them when I'm next off work.

Got lots of housework to catch up on, it seems like a never ending battle actually. And I've found that trying ot eat organic and on a budget just doesn't seem possible - 2/3 of the food budget this month is gone already! Beans on toast for the rest of the month I think.

£4.94 interest from very old ISA I forgot to close OP'd.

Secret_Saving_Squirrel

Good luck with getting back on track!