Going to get rid of my mortgage!

Matt_The_Chippy

Best of luck with your new challenge, it really focuses the mind in which direction you guys want to go in. Just think of all the people who just plod along in life and wonder why things don't happen for them.

Hope the new house goes well.

Thistlewhistle

Hi bbh30,

Reading your thread with interest.
Have you tried sparking water instead of diet coke? I was a diet coke / coke zero addict but changed to sparkling water as I realised it was the fizz I was after. It's usually cheaper (45p for 2L) and its miles better for you as well. More pennies saved for the mortgage!!

Just a thought

TW

bbh30

Thanks for the tip ThistleWhistle- cant stand sparkling water- only the caffeinated dark stuff will do!

We signed on the dotted line today- I am now £2000 poorer for reserving the plot. Feel excited but terrified and sad to be leaving here and all manner of things. I need to put it to the back of my mind now though as they aren't even going to start building the house until July.

Also had to pop to LIDL for milk, ham and some more fruit- cost £5.50. I will do a big shop at the weekend.

bbh30

Well, no more OPs have been made but I am now focusing on paying the 2k off my credit card from the house reservation. So far Ive paid £22.76 off!! Small steps, but it should all be paid off within 6 weeks.

I did a massive massive online shop which arrived this morning, it should last us 2 weeks at least with extra bags of flour etc which should last us over a month. The husband cooked us dinner tonight, sausages and mash with peas, yum! Other than the big online shop, Ive spent no more. Tomorrow should be a NSD, Im still marking coursework but we may also take the kids swimming.

Ive bought all the Easter eggs we need, bought all the girl child's birthday presents (it's not until 26th but Im being organised!), sent out the invites, ordered everything for party bags, she wants cake pops instead of a birthday cake- so Ive ordered cellophane bags for them and got lots of coffee stirrers for sticks!! The only things I will need to buy closer to the time is some chicken nuggets, I dont usually buy them but will get them for the party. No room in my freezer at the moment. I honestly can't think of anything else I might need to spend money on this month. Which is good as my own account is now at £0.00 and the joint account has about £20 left in. No more direct debits to come out either. So we should be ok to the end of the month and I should be able to pay most of this 2k on the credit card off.

bbh30

No spend day for me today- spent the day at home pretty much, took the kids to sunday school this morning and then they both had friends round to play. I made some goodies for lunchboxes for the week- chocolate brownies and flapjacks, then made a massive chicken casserole- containing chicken thighs, a handful of cooks bacon, butter beans, chickpeas, then a random assortment of vegetables. This fed 4 of us tonight with green beans and I have 2 more dinners in the freezer and 1 more in the fridge. Quite good going really. Was delicious too.
I have decided the key is not eating "big" stodgy meals every day- one day we will have a "proper" meal, then the next day, just have an omelette/jacket potato/soup/beans on toast etc. Also means we cut down on the meat which makes it cheaper.

I need to plan some Easter holiday activities with the kids- it can't cost a fortune but we need to be out and about. Ill have to try and arrange lots of friends over to play for them also.

moneycurious

We found that we begain to eat alot of "stodge" on the bulk made means - but with summer coming jackets and salads soon make it easier. We have even started to have boiled egg days!!!

Spendless

I like that idea of alternating the evening meals. Will try it myself, as hubby works away o/night once a week, and simpler meals would suit our circs when that happens, especially if I'm also at my temping job. Currently I have no kitchen though, ripped out and being replaced and I am struggling without a sink far more than I am my oven!

My boy child is making jam tarts (again!) today, well lemon curd to be precise, small versions instead of a large one as previously. Still it's an improvement on last year where he stirred herbs into a pot of soft cheese and made a face out of salad.

If your area is like mine, you'll probably find a lot more Easter activities running cheaply or possibly free. It seems to be a school holiday more catered for than the Feb one a few weeks back. There's often a free Church holiday club running for a couple of hours each day and for the second week of the hols, I have my girl child booked into the sports camp running at her school. If I end up working the hours don't quite fit, but my teen will just have to help out..if he wants the PC .:rotfl:

bbh30

Argh, I think Ive been a bit hasty with my OPs and CC payments this month as my personal bank account is at 0.00 and the joint current account is now also at 0.00 which means I can't spend anything between now and payday! Saying that, the husband's payday is friday (I believe) and mine should be next Thurs so we aren't too far off but Ill need milk before then. Both cars are full of fuel, the fridge and freezer are full. No direct debits are due so we should be fine.

Dinner tonight was sundays leftover chicken casserole with homemade garlic flatbread which was yum.

We have been contemplating changing the children's swimming lessons for a while- the boy child seems to be doing really well but the girl child has been in the same class for about a year now and the boy is now in the same class as her, despite her being 2 years older! The husband spoke to his triathalon coach last night who offered to give the kids private lessons. So we are going to pull them out of their current lessons and put them into private lessons. They do cost more but the focus is on quality and technique and (hopefully) they should need less lessons in the long run. There will only be the 2 of them in the lessons and she wont stand for any messing about- I think it will be much better for them. So after Easter they will start with their private lessons. Only thing Im slightly worried about is getting them there on time- the lesson will start at 3:30 and they finish school at 3:15 and it is about 10 mins drive away. No room for them being let out of school late!

Matt_The_Chippy

I wouldn't worry too much about getting carried away doing OP's. I got very carried away and OP'd every available penny and went down to the bottom of my overdrafts over the months!!!

Spendless

Both mine have got 'stuck' on a swimming level for 12 months plus. My boy child got stuck on one for 17 months.:eek: and my girl child was in her previous level for over a year before being moved up. Did you see last nights Superscrimpers about the kids activities and the amount they were spending? One of the mums I used to sit with at daughter's swimming was spending £50 per week on her 2 childrens
activities.