Two Pennies Left

Fortune_Smiles

which I am struggling to develop. I know I've made good progress since starting this thread but things seem to be slowing down now. It seems this is something that happens to everybody - after the initial excitement and identifying the big savings it all comes down to day to day penny saving. It might also be that some organisations are dragging their feet about giving us our money back. Plus we've spent quite a lot this week and, although it's all budgeted for, that doesn't feel quite right.


All the more important to recognise all the positive MS things we're doing:

• the store brand sports tops arrived today and I'm very happy with them. They fit, are good quality and are flattering. And at £6.99 each have saved me lots of money on something similar from a sports brand
• called the company that fitted my new bathroom 3 years ago. There are a couple of repairs needed and I thought I'd just check to see whether these were still covered under guarantee. It seems that the majority of the cost will be covered so I'm glad I asked
• Mr F has had some interest in the 'Project' already and is going to list it on another forum at the weekend. We're asking for £200 which will cover what it cost to get it here plus give us a little profit to go into the savings
• Mr F is waivering now about selling the trailer. He thinks we might use it now it's been emptied - time will tell :rotfl:
• did some research into claiming Mr F's parents' Pr£mium B0nd$. It seems we need to get a copy of the Grant of Probate from the solicitors but there isn't any cost for this
• registered for a rewards program my employer offers which gives discounts and cashback
• did the weekly Waitr0$£ shop. Saved a little as Mr F is away but had to restock as I didn't do a big shop last week. Might get some free stuff when it arrives though
• a little PAD to the savings

Let's hope the Postman brings cheques instead of bills tomorrow :rotfl:

Fortune x

FunLovinCriminal

Hi Fortune Smiles

I am personally really enjoying your diary, it helps me focus on what is important, while also keeping track of my OP.

May I ask a quick question, as a newbie to this lark....what is PADing, or PAD's as you frequently mention this, and I am clueless.

Cheers
FLC

Fortune_Smiles

FunLovinCriminal wrote: »

Hi Fortune Smiles

I am personally really enjoying your diary, it helps me focus on what is important, while also keeping track of my OP.

May I ask a quick question, as a newbie to this lark....what is PADing, or PAD's as you frequently mention this, and I am clueless.

Cheers
FLC

Thanks FLC - lovely to hear from you. PAD is 'Payment A Day' - I came across it on one of the forum threads. I don't actually make a payment a day but I check my accounts every day and transfer any pennies on the balance into my savings account. Some people empty their piggy banks or transfer savings they've made using vouchers, etc. Not an expert myself but I think the idea is to make a payment a day even if it's just a penny.

I think I average about £2 a week - so £104 a year :T

Fortune x

FunLovinCriminal

Cheers Fortune
Some of the acronyms are double-dutch to me.
I am a keen MSE-in waiting, however my gorgeous OH enjoys living for today, as we have many years to pay off the M@!?gage.
Thanks once again.
FLC

Fortune_Smiles

Mr F is coming home tomorrow. This is his second week away with the new job and I'm really starting to miss him now. It's likely that he'll be away about every other week at least for the short term so I've been thinking of ways to occupy myself in his absence and have put a volunteer application into my local Citizens Advice Bureau. I'm hoping they'll consider taking me on as an Advisor as I have lots of skills which lend themselves to this role. They usually pay travel expenses so it wouldn't impact on my MS efforts...

...which today have been:

• relisted one of Mr F's items on Fleabay and listed one new item
• heard back from the bathroom company and they have arranged for the replacement parts to be delivered direct
• Waitr0$£ delivered but no free food today - everything had a long shelf life this time
• a small PAD to the savings
• an NSD

Still no cheques arriving - come on magic diary, do your work :rotfl:

Fortune x

Mortgage_Reduction_Novice

I'm also going to be a lonely wife for over half of the weeks between now and Christmas.

I hope you find an interesting volunteering placement.

Fortune_Smiles

Just for the night though as he's off to a 4x4 thingie tomorrow. Back on Sunday and home for most of next week thank goodness. The house stays clean when he's away - and we spend less :rotfl:- but I'd rather he was at home.

MS type stuff today:

• bathroom parts arrived
• one of my Fleabay items has a bid already
• made Banana and Maple Syrup Cup Cakes with two sulky bananas that need using up. Mr F can have them in his lunch box next week
• sausages with mustard mash and red onion gravy from the meal plan for dinner tonight
• the last bottle of red (Avi0$) wine opened so I've asked Mr F to order another case
• Mr F's CC statement came through - no interest if we pay before the 28th :cool:
• community meeting this morning. Had my usual cappucino and belgian bun - nom nom. I knew my neighbour would be there so took him some eggs. He invited me to help myself to the plums from his tree so I shall wander down there this weekend and grab a few.

I've some admin work to sort out this weekend so that will add a few pennies to the pot - as long as they pay for it sometime :rotfl:

Have a good one all

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

Mr F did some work for a friend a few weeks ago and the cheque turned up today :j We'd earmarked the payment to clear the last of Mr F's CC2 which means, on Monday when I can get to the bank, both the CCs will have been paid off :T So glad - it will feel much nicer seeing the money grow in the savings or coming off the mortgage. Bit peeved that we had to pay over £2k on CCs in the first place though - wonder how much interest that would have saved us on the mortgage (don't think I can bear to look).

I'm more impatient now about the other payments we're waiting for:

• Mr F's Pr£mium B0nd$
• Mr F's Nati0nal $aving$ C£rtificat£$
• my pay :eek:

Will have to start chasing these up next week.

Please excuse me whilst I bask for a while in the 'debt free' glow

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

Mr F came home from the 4x4 thingie yesterday.

"Good news" I said "your cheque came through so I can pay off your CC."

"Ah, about that" he said "I bought a bike".

He bought a Land R0v£r push bike on his CC while he was at the Show. His plan is to use it at the weekend as part of his fitness regime. He already has a push bike which he never uses and he struggles to get to the gym twice a week to make his membership worthwhile. It was reduced by £80 apparently. Sometimes, I wonder how he has survived this long.

So MS efforts to limit the damage:

• cheque for training work paid in
• 17p to Mr Marmite
• a 'left-overs lunch' - croissant (left over from breakfast) filled with smoked salmon (left over from Mr F's packed lunch) and a bit of cream cheese (pinched from this evening's meal plan
• Leek & Bacon Risotto from meal plan (minus a bit of cream cheese)
• Step class attended
• not an NSD - I wore the gym trousers I bought in Blu£wat£r today for the first time and I think they are too big. I tried them on in store too so don't know what I was thinking. Fortunately I've left the tags on the second pair so can return them if necessary. In the meantime, I've ordered a smaller size on-line to see if they are any better. If so, I can always use the ones I've worn already as pyjama bottoms so not a complete waste of money

Now, what to do about Mr F...

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

I've updated my signature:

• Mr F's 2nd CC is paid :j (he is paying for the bike from his personal spends) so that gets deleted
• I've included our investments as well as our savings goal - just makes me feel a little more secure and to give the whole picture
• our home improvement goals are changing day by day so I thought I'd just keep track of the things we achieve.

Other MS and non MS events of the day:

• small PAD to the savings
• leftovers lunch - the remains of the Bacon & Leek Risotto from last night
• extra trip to the gym today with my neighbour
• chased up my pay. They had processed the claim but it seems to have got lost in the internal mail from one office to another. It should come through now on 25 Sep
• home made Fish & Chips from the meal plan for dinner tonight
• not an NSD - bought some L0v£h£art Sweets to pop into Mr F's packed lunch tomorrow . He's naughty but I do love him.

Might be a spendy day tomorrow. As the weather is getting colder now, my neighbours have been talking about pooling our order for logs to get a better price. We don't really have anywhere suitable to keep the logs. In the past we've just piled them up at the bottom of the garden but they do get quite soggy. Once the garage was built, Mr F intended to make a log store but he's so busy with the new job he won't be able to do anything in time. So a visit to Fleabay may be in order. Also have my eye on a cast iron bed on Fleabay. I've wanted one for the guest room for ages but nothing has ever come up locally before.

You save some, you spend some

Have a good evening

Fortune x