HappyCamel's MFW while SAHM journey

happycamel_2

Just spoken to my mum. Apparently the fleas are unlikely to come from her dog. She thinks they come from the squirrels in the garden who have hitched a ride on our shoes (which we don't wear indoors) upstairs and then taken up residence where the dog coincidently slept. Honestly you couldn't make it up.

happycamel_2

Lower spending is going ok, I needed to get some stuff for me and the baby but kept it to cheap Tescos stuff. I've been cooking from scratch, which I prefer anyway and meeting up with friends at home rather than going out,

We've had a couple of weekends at home just sorting out the house ready for the new baby. Some Christmas shopping is done but not all. There aren't too many people to buy for though and we can do most of it online.

I'm still locked out of my credit card online account so I need to phone and get that sorted. I'm just about to take the meter readings for our new utility contract. The bank account switch is nearly finished, just a few DDs that haven't moved. I need to submit the form to get my ISA out and need to make that last OP for this year so we don't lost the chance for it.

Baby seems to be ok, still breech so going for ECV on Thursday, hopefully it turns without trouble and I still get my home birth.

cotswoldaccountant

Hi happycamel,

I've enjoyed reading your diary and have subscribed. Hope you are getting used to life as a SAHM - it's a bit of a culture shock to start with I think!

I am keeping my fingers crossed that you get your homebirth - three of my four little ones were born at home, and it was a wonderful experience each time. A couple of my babies stayed breach until at least 36 weeks - I'd recommend lots of scrubbing of the skirting boards - it gives the baby the most room to turn! Good luck for the ECV.

Am looking forward to keeping up with your posts.

CA

happycamel_2

Thanks for posting CA, it's nice to see another accountant on here, especially as you have scary numbers too. We owe about £380k in total.

Sadly the ECV didn't work so I'm booked in again for next week if baby doesn't arrive before then. The chance of success is now only 20% so I'm expecting to have a breech VB or c section.

I'm planning to do our final overpayment of the year this weekend. This will bring one of our three loans (two on this house, one on the one we let) to less than £100k outstanding. We also made a v small profit (£50) on the rental property last tax year but we've got enough loss b/f to mean we won't pay tax for a few years yet.

I'm spending minimal amounts of money. All home cooking and just a few necessary bits for the baby. Dd is about to go up a clothes size but we'll mix Next, Tesco and Sainsbury's so she looks cute but doesn't cost a fortune.

I'm aiming to get all the Christmas presents bought and wrapped this weekend. My mum is staying with us again so she can look after dd if I go in to labour as I have to go in straight away so they can check the cord positioning. That means no lists for now as she is very good and does a lot of the housework and keeps me motivated.

happycamel_2

That's the final OP made for the year. It'll save us £29k and more than 5 years at the current interest rate - fantastic.

I'm actually getting our payments reduced though so that we can cope on my second set of maternity. I'll aim to OP the max 10% again next year, even with my lower income.

Mortgage_Reduction_Novice

Hi HappyCamel,

Once I got through the nappy chat (!) I really enjoyed reading about the start of two new ventures for you (SAHM and MFW!). Good luck for adopting all these new financial slimming changes, once it's habit, it's easy and you'll start looking for more ways!

Take care. x

happycamel_2

I'm home with my new son now. So dd= daughter (20 months), DS= son (1 week today).

I've not been concentrating on the finances for the past few weeks as I was in hospital a lot at the end of my pregnancy and for a few days after DS was born. We're home now though and on the mend.

We've finally decided on his name so I need to sort out the financial stuff around his birth:
Register him
GP registration
Child benefit form
Bank account for him
Passport
ESTA

For our Florida holiday I need to
Get travel insurance now he's born
Add him to the flight booking
Confirm villa owner has received the deposit
Book car hire with Avios
Book car parking with Avios

We just missed out on booking this villa last year, someone got the booking form back to the owner an hour before we did. In recognition of what happened last time, which wasn't in the least her fault, we've been given free pool heating, saving over £300.

We get DH's work shares in USD so I'm opening a Citibank account, by spending in dollars on holiday and paying for the villa in dollars we save money on transaction costs and exchange rate risk. DH needs to sign and return the application form, I'll nag him today.

Santander messed up the mortgage overpayment. They cancelled December's direct debit and only put the balance in the OP. so I need to repay the OP balance and argue with them because we get £10 cash back on the 123 account for a mortgage payment, because they cancelled it I'm down £10.

Christmas spending is under control, spent about £20 on DH but have no more ideas and we agreed our Florida trip was a good joint present. He's getting me an eternity ring but we'll wait until my fingers have slimmed back down. The one I've picked is beautiful but not extortionate, just three diamonds but elegantly set. Florida falls just after my birthday so we'll have a nice meal there to celebrate.

I've been doing some more digging on offsets and our equity percentage, I'll post more on that later. DS is asleep and DH has taken DD to a Christmas party so I'm going to grab a shower and a hot cup of tea!

icklehelen

Congratulations!! :j

Hope you're all enjoying this very special time and settling back at home.

Sounds like you're back on the MSE wagon!! I wish I had been able to get back on so soon after my lo was born . . . maybe if I have another?

ickle

newgirly

Congratualtions on your new addition:):)

QB_Wolf

Congratulations, on your new baby - exciting times.