Balancing not just the budget

RosaBernicia

Early Sunday shuffle, all actually checked in the early hours of Saturday as I couldn't sleep!

All OK, technically overspent by £16 but still awaiting over £100 of expenses and payday will be here soon anyway. I am stocked up on most things including food, toiletries and cat food (and have ordered a trial pack of the Pure freeze dried cat stuff to see how that goes down - any reports?). Phone contract ended and moved to cheap deal on rolling contract, yay - that's about £40 a month back in the pot! And in the process I found a spare phone I'd forgotten about, so have ordered a PAYG SIM to make that usable if needed.

I'm feeling much more relaxed now that my job application is over, and it looks like I may have found another way of making the same step at work anyhow which is great news. It would probably mean I can't move where I'd ideally like for a while, but I've decided to just live gracefully with that - I can continue going for holidays, and make plans later. There may be an opportunity coming up with my extra contract too, so will see where that goes.

This also means I've finally had time to do more with the house. I've got some living room furniture waiting to be put together this weekend and next, and spent a lot of last night reshuffling the office as I decided that really needs a proper desk instead of the old table I'm currently using. I spend a lot of time in here as I work a few days from home and am negotiating for more, so it is totally justified and anyway, again it turns out the things I want are the simple and eco-friendly, not the expensive ones anyway! I'm really pleased with the arrangement I've come up with, it is a lot more sensible, so am looking forward to another furniture shopping trip and getting that done.

The TV had stopped making noises but has started again so that and the office furniture may take up this month's spare money. Thankfully there isn't a lot else needs doing as I have decided to schedule things a bit more cleverly - eg I can focus on the garden in the summer and improving the heating can wait til the autumn. I may even be able to rehome the furniture I am replacing to a friend who is looking to move soon. I'm really surprised how happy it is making me to get new furniture, but it does feel so good to be able to buy things that work for my life now, here, instead of looking at stuff I brought from ten years and three houses ago. I no longer need to scrimp to the point of living with that. (You are absolutely right Sam, it's lovely to look around at things that make me happy instead of bleurgh.)

This afternoon I also checked out remortgaging... rather early as the fixed deal doesn't finish til next year, but I think I just needed a :money:fix and everything else is under control :rotfl:. Of course there is no idea what prices will do, but if the value of this house at least holds (and I hope it will as next door recently sold for more) then it looks like I will be able to move a little on the LTV. Glad to have done this as I read through the MSE remortgaging guide (of course) and now I feel I know what needs to happen - and I'm relieved to see it looks less hassle than first time buying! It all feels a world away from where I was even 18 months ago.

Oh, and I bought fresh flowers for the kitchen. I'd forgotten how much I like that too

So all well here atm... hope everyone's safe and not having to drive in the snow.


Rosa xx

RosaBernicia

Am feeling so terrifically organised I wanted to put it on record somewhere - it won't last :rotfl:

• Called HMRC who confirmed that they have received my form, the delay is from their side and my deadline has been extended. Should have a figure and info on how to pay from them in about a fortnight.
• Called the mortgage company, who gave me a confirmed projection of what I will owe when the fixed rate expires and also explained that they will write to me a few months beforehand with their offers. Hoping they will have a good deal as it would save fees and hassle. Also checked when overpayments are applied and it turns out they are added within 24 hours, so definitely reducing the actual balance straightaway. I will try and go back to sending a bit extra here and there but sorting the place to live in takes priority.
• Had a quick look online for salaries relating to extra contract just in case there turn out to be some options there. Surprised to find they look possible so will see what comes of that - glad I know in advance of discussions.
• Dared to open the cupboard and check the pile of filing awaiting me in relation to small-business-that-hasn't-really-got-anywhere-yet. It's smaller than I had thought, so hoping I may feel brave enough to tackle that over the bank hol weekend. If I alternate it with the thing I also have to write over the bank hol weekend they can each seem like the lesser evil at the time :rotfl:

So all good here - still plodding, still learning, still very glad of MSE :A:T


Rosa xx

beanielou

Plodding is always good

doingitanyway

All sounding positive there Rosa

moneyonmymindsam

Very organised :T:T:T:T:j

RosaBernicia

Sunday shuffle report... er, . I've spent an utterly ridiculous amount on groceries this month. It does include some house cleaning etc bits that I count in there as well as food (it doesn't seem worth tracking them separately) but I have also stocked up twice on gf PieMinister pies and they haven't exactly made it into the freezer which is a very expensive way of eating. Never mind - it helped me get lots done in the house so will have more time to chill and to cook soon. I also paid out for a professional membership, and bought furniture.

I am technically about £140 overspent for March, which is not surprising given the spends on furniture. There's £60 expenses due tomorrow but I will also need a few more bits on food, so it will probably be about the same going into April. Not really an issue though as nothing due to take up April's spare money - I will probably use a bit more on something around the house (I haven't heard from the tax office yet, but that money is set aside and so is the delayed electric bill which will go out at the start of April). I've been reflecting on what needs doing when, as there are some things that could just wait til the autumn, and leave me money spare over the summer for other things...

I tackled a few frogs this weekend - lots of flatpacking done, and I now have a home office. I can't believe how happy this makes me. It's not at all fancy, just a desk and matching shelf unit, but it means I am actually working at a proper desk instead of a wobbly ex-kitchen table and the room looks so much tidier. I also shifted some of the stuff in the spare room as I have a friend coming to stay. So progress is happening on the decluttering, even if not very rapidly. I ducked a frog of the extra contract flavour, so that needs doing tomorrow night, and have one more large frog of an academic assignment to do over the bank hol weekend, but at least it's the last one.

DIA's lovely debt free post and reflection on the work that needs doing on her house made me think again about my DIY decisions. I decided that it may not be a very graceful journey, but actually this is something that I should show up for because it will make me happier knowing that I understand how things fit together and save me money in this and possibly future houses. So there's now an adjustable wrench and bunch of washers waiting for an evening when I can tackle the dripping tap. And a DIY book on its way from Amazon - one that I had a copy of and really liked, then gave away because I thought I wouldn't have need of it with not being able to buy a house, and now wish I hadn't. Worth the £5 to have an updated version

Very little other news, as I've been staying in doing house sorting... but now that's coming under control it will be time to think about new plans. So all good here, just plodding happily... hope everyone else is good too.


Rosa xx

moneyonmymindsam

All sounding good Rosa

Home office...get you ...lol

Sam xx

RosaBernicia

moneyonmymindsam wrote: »

All sounding good Rosa

Home office...get you ...lol

Sam xx

Ooh yes, a whole room just for working in. It feels extravagant! But I spend so much time in here already and as I'm hoping to get two days a week WFH it makes sense. I have a little heater and I've got the essential oil diffuser in here too - the whole house has smelled of rose oil today

The having-trouble-adjusting thing seems to be that I can't decide what to do with the old furniture . Part of me wants to put it all in the garage so that if this house owning lark all goes horribly wrong it will be there for another rented flat . I would kind of like it to go to someone who needs it, but in practice it would cost more for a van and help to shift it than for someone to just buy it new and get it delivered. I'm trying to convince myself to just give the lot to charity but it may take a few days of getting used to the new stuff first. I'm not claiming this is rational...


Rosa xx

moneyonmymindsam

Nice to have a nice new office :-)

You will do the right thing you always do.

Sam x

moneyonmymindsam

So pleased that the house is becoming a real home for you. You da boss of that desk now.

Have fun and hope all is well in Rosa world - soon be easter .

p.s I checked out YNAB as I thought it would give me some focus, still 50/50 not joined yet mainly as spreadsheet is free so i guess i am officially a tighto lol

Sam x