Sundaysgirl's MFW journey - better late than never!

spendinglikemad

Hi Sundaysgirl - I only just started a diary and I have to remind myself to go and update it

This month has been my second proper month of trying to stay in a budget and switched to Aldi as we had a bid spend over summer and wanted to tighten the reins

I am hoping that posting regularly keeps me on track and its motivating to read others diaries

SLM

Sundaysgirl

SLM - me too! I'm having to make a conscious effort to update my diary, I guess it will soon become a habit, and I do think you're right in that it helps us to stay on track.


Good luck with the budget - I too have a new-found love of Aldi and Lidl and have to say it is amazing just how much you can save. I now visit the bigger supermarkets only for any items I can't buy there, and to use good threshold spend MOCs.


*wanders off to read SLM's diary*

Luckyinlife

Sundaysgirl wrote: »

Thanks Luckyinlife - the small amounts really do add up.


Until I remortgaged away from Santander last year I was restricted to minimum £500 OPs, so I'm taking advantage of the flexibility offered by Nationwide and OP'ing as and when - no matter how small! I'm on daily interest so it makes sense, plus I have online access so can see the balance being chipped away - which is a great motivator!


Good luck with your ebay sales

Ya im currently waiting for this myself now should be this month i hope sometime

Defiantly helps if you can visually see the balance weekly

Thanks you i have a floor to pay for haha

hiddenshadow

Sundaysgirl wrote: »

Until I remortgaged away from Santander last year I was restricted to minimum £500 OPs, so I'm taking advantage of the flexibility offered by Nationwide and OP'ing as and when - no matter how small! I'm on daily interest so it makes sense, plus I have online access so can see the balance being chipped away - which is a great motivator!

I love having unlimited OPs (no minimum amount to OP, no OP limit per year). I don't think I'd be so motivated to add to savings (or I might be more tempted to use the savings for something other than offsetting the mortgage).

Sundaysgirl

Me too - it has worked out fine overall as I saved the excess (or spent it on holidays - our big luxury and one we will never sacrifice!) but I would not go back to such a restricted OP deal now. I love the freedom.


That said, the 10 yr fix we are hoping to take out does have a 10% cap, though the mortgage will be so huge that it will be around year 6/7 before we start to be remotely restricted, and we will simply see at that point whether the interest saving would outweigh the ERC - and if not, save the excess ready to OP on day 1 of the new year. DH is all for going down this route too so I don't think it will affect the overall level of OPs - we'll simply keep making them, but into a dedicated bank account rather than to the mortgage. I agree that it needs willpower though!

Sundaysgirl

So grocery shopping at the weekend came to £17.16, a whopping 67p under my revised budget :rotfl: I have meal planned for the week so no need for any further spends before payday on Friday.


A couple more small eBay sales over the weekend so another £16 OP'd today, and a few more items listed too.

Luckyinlife

well done on the ebay sales all helps dont it :]

Sundaysgirl

Pay day! :j I have a large holiday balance to pay this month (and a city break next weekend too!) so am making a smaller OP than usual to avoid dipping into savings.

£500 OP made, mortgage stands at just under £42.5k! With interest and my standard payment I would end November at £41,820 - my aim is to get this to £41,750.

So, mini goals for this upcoming month:

1. Mortgage to £41,750 - OP £70
2. eBay sales of £30
3. Grocery budget £125
4. Cash out my OnePoll account

Wish me luck!

hiddenshadow

Nice! City break sounds fun.

Good luck with the goals - all seem doable except maybe 1poll I've only managed ~£14 in a month so doubt I can cash out this year.

Sundaysgirl

hiddenshadow wrote: »

Good luck with the goals - all seem doable except maybe 1poll I've only managed ~£14 in a month so doubt I can cash out this year.

I'm cheating a little - I have just £1.55 left to "earn" in order to cash out so sincerely hope I can achieve that this month, never mind before next pay day!