To Freedom...

kirstypark

Hello from Vegas! feeling quite dizzy with the amount of money we have spent this week. Although every time we have gambled have managed to quit whilst ahead, we are up the grand total of $ 7.79 so far! Elvis was a bit of a disappointment - long story, but we ended up with a traditional walk in chapel and had a very moving emotional renewal of vows. Just goes to prove sometimes the best laid plans go astray for a good reason.

But Vegas is not cheap, drinks especially cost a fortune, taxi's just make up a price or take you on expensive detours, everyone expects a tip and tax is added to the price of everything, so nothing is the price advertised. I am almost ready to come home to be honest.

kirstypark

our last night in vegas, our gambling wins now sitting at $17. Gonna take the kids out for a steak dinner, then put it all on red.

kirstypark

Finally got home after a long trip. Getting too old to cope with jetlag now, how did I manage to do night shifts for years? Had to stock up on fridge, paid to get some photos printed whilst we were there, but went via change machine so that paid for half of it. Tonight went out with daughter who is leaving to work in spain next week, so took her pals out for a pub supper. They are a lovely bunch who she has known since school, and who always make her feel part of the gang, although she is only home for a few months in the year. So we didn't mind picking up the tab. Have left them drinking in the pub and lounging on the sofa now.

Anyway, another £100 overpaid today from the Vegas budget. Looking to find another 100 soon as that will take it down to under 54k. Will be a tight month now, but fridge and cupboards are full, and don't need to socialise much now.:beer:

kirstypark

I emailed a photo of us wearing our dresses to the company who make them and they sent me a voucher for £10 off another dress if i let them use the photo on their FB wall. Well chuffed with this, found a dress for £35 and bought it for £25 last night.

Going to visit my folks today and dad is making steak pie. Our girl leaves next friday and they want to give her a send off. I don't know if she will be up for it as both kids staggered home very late last night. We had been with them for the first part of the evening, was talking to one of her old school pals who has just started a mortgage at the age of 24. She is suddenly all sensible, knows interest rates and is set to pay it off in 15 years - I wish we had been like that at her age.

better get up and stop lounging in bed, have some batch cooking to do and a chicken to stretch.

moneycurious

Sounds like you had an amazing time in Vegas!! Its amazing i think how money savy people are getting these days - especially at an early age. the trouble is there is the two very different extremes - the skint ( through buying rubbish) - who appear to the world to have a glamourous lifestyle and those that are sensible ( or perseved as boring!).
Hope your daughter has an amazing time in spain. and mmmmmmmmmmmmm steak pie - the perfect hangover cure!!!

kirstypark

very true Moneycurious, it is amazing how switched on we are now after years of just floating through our finances. Quite ashamed of it now.

Have done some more overtime yesterday and have some more booked next week. I have not been in touch with my other job, as really not enjoying it anymore. The money is good, and I wish I was more motivated to do it, but hate the thought. Think I will not do any for an other month and see how that affects the finances.

Nothing much to report, some cash bagged up ready to go to bank tomorrow and have claimed some money from topcashback. I did order a new dress and a dvd, so more money going out than coming in at the moment.

kirstypark

Found some more money to overpay, OH paid for my tank of petrol this week, then we had paid for daughter and her pals meal on saturday, they came round yesterday to say thanks and left an envelope with the rest of the kitty in it - another £40 bless them, we didn't want it, but it is too difficult to split it evenly. And had some coins to bank up, so total is £150. That puts us on £53,925.05

kirstypark

another cheque for £26.10 into the slush fund for OH mileage on his 2nd job. Roll on payday.

Off to Glasgow tonight to put daughter on a plane for her placement for the next 9 months. Gonna miss my girl so much.

kirstypark

up at 4am to help daughter over to airport, she had made off with our 2 new suitcases which were overweight and had to pay £80 for that, despite being staff, she thinks she can claim it back from the company. This is her 3rd year and the first year I didn't cry when we said goodbye.

Just have to remember it's not so much losing a daughter as gaining some wardrobe space for a while!

Very snowy here, think we will go visit the witch, I mean my mum in law on the way home and might have a look in the outlet shopping centre nearby, then off out for meal with my 5 best freinds this evening.

kirstypark

Now the house has settled down with daughter in Spain for next wee while, we have given some thought to the future. Kids show no sign of moving out soon, DD may keep bouncing home every winter for a few years yet, and son is on low wage without much chance of making more or moving in with anyone (he is autistic). Present house is much too small for family of 4 adults especially in winter when our conservatory is too cold to be used as 2nd living room. The vague plan was to pay off as much as we could in the next couple of years and then move somewhere larger, health and money permitting.

But, it suddenly occured to us that maybe what we need is 2 smaller houses, instead of large 4 bedroomed home, maybe 2 two bedroomed places, one for OH and me and one for son with daughter as a lodger when she comes home. This opens the market right up for us, our town does not have a lot of big family homes, but there are loads of smaller properties available. We are going to take some time to think this through, but it would be more acheivable and affordable option, meaning kids get independence, a step on property ladder and a bit of investment all round. After all, when mortgage finishes what else to do with money - hardly worth saving at the moment.

Meanwhile, moneysaving goes on, despite the snow still falling, have decided I better start planting our garden - we get such a short growing time up here in north scotland. Have started some seeds out in the conservatory. And raided the freezer to find enough ingredients for a cottage pie for tea. Must remember I am only cooking for 3 now. Daughter has arrived safely and is enjoying the 23degrees heat, wish it was me