Going to get rid of my mortgage!

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plans for today have gone somewhat wrong! We were meant to be going to a big farm park place with one of my friends and her daughter but her daughter isn't very well. kids were really looking forward to a day out so I've brought brought them to soft play (cost me £16.90 would you believe!). Still, they are happy and I have free WiFi here. My handbag is stuffed full of drinks and snacks as their cafe is so expensive.
Later on, we're off to Ben and jerrys for free cone day!!

bbh30

A great day, we popped to Tesco on the way home from soft play and I got a loaf of bread for our lunch. It felt very odd as we havnt bought bread for ages!! I managed to get a loaf which was reduced which was good but the original price was something like £1.20, I paid 65p but I just can't believe how expensive bread is. I looked at the milk as we had run out but even the milk in Tesco was expensive. I didnt buy any milk as I knew we could get it cheaper elsewhere.

Later on, when we went to Ben and Jerrys, there is a big poundland next door to it, I bought 4 pints for £1, same price as LIDL, much cheaper than Tesco!! I had 2 ice creams at B+J's, boy child had 2 also, girl child had about 5 million and even bought 2 home in little pots which are now sitting in the freezer! I think this girl is getting money saving tips from her mother! She is very passionate about finding a bargain and looking for the cheapest place; and she often tells me of free things we could do "as we are saving money for our new house". She is the first one to suggest we take a drink with us when we go out somewhere so we don't have to buy one!!

Tomorrow both the girl and the boy are having friends round to play for the whole day, Ive decided Im going to make pizzas for lunch- that way I can make the dough in the morning and then they can all put their own toppings etc on- should keep them busy for a bit. Ive got nothing for them to have for a pudding but I could make some fairy cakes or something I suppose.

Beckyy

Pizza and fairy cakes will always go down well! I hope they had a good time

bbh30

Read an interesting article today, the biggest rip offs in today's society here - quite interesting- its all the little constant drain on my finances that really annoys me. I get called tight when I don't conform but actually I think we have almost been brainwashed by a consumerist culture to spend spend spend. It really annoys me!

Anyway, kids had friends to play (pizza and flapjacks for lunch), the friends got picked up at 3pm and we went to visit Grandma and Grandpa when they left. We were lucky enough to be invited for dinner there so that saved some pennies!! So no money spent today which is good.

Ive no specific plans for tomorrow, we shall just go with the flow for the day and see what it brings. I need to do some work before I go back to work on monday so we might just have a day at home with me working and the kids pottering.

Matt_The_Chippy

Interesting article, thankfully I don't get caught by those. Its really annoying when I spot a smaller size packet or carton of something in the supermarket.

Glad the day was good.

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The husband got a letter today for his PPI complaint. HSBC has offered him about £250. I have written a reply (for him but he was happy to sign) saying I dont think it is enough so I will send that off tomorrow and fingers crossed they will offer us more. I also went through some old paperwork and have written 2 more letters to companies asking for PPI refunds. This is all for the husband, I have (sadly!) never had anything with PPI on, so can't claim any.

Took the kids swimming this morning then my friend came round with her kids this afternoon. Had a lovely time catching up with her but still havn't done any work for monday argh, not sure when I will get it done now as the in laws are arriving tomorrow then we are at a wedding all weekend. Sunday night I expect!

Popped to LIDL to top up on milk and fruit, spent £25 hoping that would last a week but my kids and my friends kids ate a MOUNTAIN of fruit this afternoon so I think I will need to get more! Its great they eat lots of fruit but so expensive!

I have listed our old travel cot which is in very good condition actually, on a selling group on fb, fingers crossed Ill get rid of it!

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Gosh, I am being really extravagant today! Got the in-laws coming tonight ready to babysit the kids while me and the husband go to a wedding tomorrow. I washed all the bedding for their bed this morning but my tumble drier wouldnt work and I discovered some stains on the newly cleaned sheets from the tumble drier- so ended up just taking the whole lot to the laundrette! And then I decided seeing as I was taking that bedding I may as well strip all the other beds and take the whole lot to the laundrette to get washed and dried so took everybody's bedding! Ive not picked it up yet but will cost me £13.
I went with a friend earlier to the grounds of this big old mansion that has now been turned into an arts centre type place. The aim was to look round the grounds and gardens and let the kids have a play in the play area (all free!) but it rained to heavily, we ended up in the tea shop. That cost me £5.25 but it could have been worse.

Now Im just waiting for the in-laws to arrive. Ive made a lamb, mint and pea pie for dinner, got the recipe from this month's Good Food magazine (I have a subscription that I got for xmas!), its currently sitting in the fridge- but Im looking forward to it later! I havn't made a pudding but they aren't really pudding people.

The in-laws are taking the kids to legoland tomorrow for the day, Im not sure what they are planning on doing for lunch, whether they plan to buy lunch at a cafe or similar or whether they plan on taking a packed lunch. If they want a packed lunch Ill have to make some more bread tonight for them- they will think I am absolutly mad baking bread instead of buying it!!!!

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We went to the wedding yesterday which was a great day. The husband offered to drive so I had a few drinks. As he was driving I kept a stash of drinks in the car then nipped out to the car every time I wanted a drink! I spent £13 on drinks and I reckon if I had bought all my drinks from the actual bar at the venue I would have spent closer to £50. So Im quite pleased with the money saving there. We were fed and wined and dined at the wedding and it was a fabulous day, apart from the rain.

Today Ive decided to start the couch to 5k running programme. So this morning I went out with the kids on their bikes and me doing 1 min running followed by 1 min walking, 1 min running etc for 20 mins. Im going to try and keep it up but much of it will depend on the kids as the husband is off to America for a few weeks soon so I won't have any help with childcare.

Ive just made a massive bowl of vegetable curry, its delicious, we had it for dinner but I've got loads left to portion up and get in the freezer- must me at least another 5 portions there.

Im working hard tonight planning and getting ready for the weeks ahead, dreading going back to work tomorrow but needs must.

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Oh I have had the funniest day at work today. Im still giggling to myself as I have had such a funny day.
I did day 2 of my couch to 5km plan (didnt manage a run yesterday as the boy fell over in the garden and split his lip open so had to take him to minor injuries instead!!)- I think today was harder than sunday but Im glad I did it and feel much better for it.
Ive taken my veggie curry for lunches at work, Im just cooking some potato wedges in the oven now which I plan to have with some sausages, yummy!

Ive officially applied for the new mortgage today, we are going to be borrowing a further £125k, on top of the £142k we already owe! Eeeek! So total amount owed will be £267k which is a huge amount. We will have to change the repayment date on the first mortgage to 25yrs, we only have 19yrs on it currently. But as we will still be able to make unlimited overpayments so Im kind of seeing the finish date as a moot point. The mortgage we have now is at 2.5% which it will stay at, and the new borrowing will be at 3.49%. So total amount will have to pay (without OPs) will be £1300 (aprox). I know it seems like a lot of money but Im happy with that figure as we will still have enough money to be able to make some OPs. Plus we live just outside London so houses are expensive here- it would cost more to rent a house round here!! I just hope the husband dosnt lose his job now or we really will be up the creek.

Anyway, none of these new payments will start until Oct (when the new house should complete) so we just have to keep saving for our stamp duty in between now and then.

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Had a good day at work, followed by the boy child going to a birthday party so had to drive to pick him up. During the drive home I realised my car didn't sound quite "right" and Ive just spoken to the husband who reckons it might be a hole in my exhaust. Ooh er. Sounds expensive. Not happy about that one bit. The husband is currently in Holland so can't even use his car as he has taken it with him. I will have to use my car over the weekend and tomorrow so I hope it will be ok.
No run for me today as I had a long day at work, but the kids do an early morning club on a friday morning so I will drop them at school early for their club tomorrow, and then do my run before I go to work.
Right, I need to log off now as I've got to make packed lunches before I go to bed and I need an early night as Im shattered!