SmlSave's extremely small steps to reducing the mortgage

SmlSave

First week back to work survived! :T

I wish I could hook up my brain to mse on my walk to work in the mornings as I think of meaningful and interesting things to say then I finally get time to post and my mind goes blank.

I think we did well last year and this year we have several large payments to make being:-

£2500 for new windows
£3000 for a new bathroom
£2500 for holidays (two very expensive centre par holidays)

That's £666.67 a month :eek:

Time to get inventive me thinks.....

SmlSave

It finally feels like winter! I'm glad of the cold to kill the bugs but found it slippy to walk to work this morning.

We should have new windows next week :T

SmlSave

£2500 for new windows
£3000 for a new bathroom
£2500 for holidays (two very expensive centre par holidays)

I've come up with an action plan to help with funding the above:

A) The windows are to be paid from our savings and paid back over the year.
The bathroom has been delayed to July and we'll get the majority on finance so we have more time to save. I have the feeling the bathrooms going to cost more like £4000 once all the little extras have been added on :eek: But I'm so looking forward to having a bath!!!!!
C) We will dip into the savings again.:o

Before DS started school last September we were paying £250 a month on childcare so I'm allocating this towards savings this year. We've been spending it on swimming lessons and lots of little treats - amazing how much these add up!

We're also thinking of going skiing in Feb 2017 and are planning to use DH's September bonus to pay for it. :A here's a little prayer that the company don't fiddle with bonuses this year :A

SmlSave

:j New windows are almost done :j

Three panes cracked on transit and one surround scratched so we've got to wait for the final finished ta-day mon/tue but it's already warmer inside

SmlSave

I swear it's warmer in the house already from having the windows fitted not been asked to pay yet so every day is a tiny, tiny bit more interest

I also feel quite cheerful about this months grocery spend. Last year our average monthly spend was £386:eek: I've been careful not to go to the shops mid week and just realized that I can actually walk to aldi from work so I can pick up the deals. :T

SmlSave

I've bought brown bread, tried spiralised veg and cauliflower rice _pale_ which I might have to try again as it didn't quite work.

After reviewing last year's spreadsheet I realised something other than our spends increased, my waistline did too :eek:

I feel quite on top of our finances so as long as we're trundling along I'm going to do my small things approach to my health as I'm useless at dieting.

- The windows are in, paid and the food bill is still too high!

SmlSave

We've had a ridiculous spending day today on nothing we actually needed apart from a haircut Eating out, toys and books for the kids - anything for an easy day today.

We've been dealing with sickness and nits :eek: The desire to shave my hair and dip my head in a jar of nuttela makes me glad there's none in the house.

:rotfl:

SmlSave

I've almost survived half term :beer:

Phew

SmlSave

So it turns out that deciding to spend lots on money on holidays and diy is not a good thing for my money saving mindset as I then think oh, what's a few more things then? and I go on to spend hundreds on spa treats, clothes, theatre tickets and day outs

Seeing the credit card balance was (insert dramatic music) :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

I'm going to find the list of money saving tips I found last time and go through them slowly so that I don't continue spending without thinking.

I'm also going to go through healthy habit tips so that I don't need to buy a new, larger, wardrobe of clothes.

If I can find a list for a cleaner, more organised life I'll try some of those too.

I like lists :rotfl:

CathT

I think a few of us are feeling g this way smlsave, those cc we vow not to spend on somehow creep up! Cp fans here too and we have booked for a weekend before Christmas next year. Haven't quite factored it into our budget yet!