Diary of a home owner wannabe (my 6 year journey)

pennyforthepot

edinburgher wrote: »

Come on PFTP, the oil check is a 10 minute job if you stand up now

that is assuming that i know how to open the bonnet (oh shame!) determined not to ask DH.

PFTP x

edinburgher

We've got a wee leaver/catch on/round the back of the steering column. There may be a secondary catch that you have to free by sliding your hand under the partially opened bonnet. If I can do it, I'd bet heavily that you can too

pennyforthepot

TO DO LIST

business accounts
send off business invoices
complete self assessment forms
sort out rota for school tombola class WIP
sort out paper work that I have shoved in a drawer!
check oil in car
email to parents that owe me money for duke of edinburgh trip

Can't wait till tomorrow - I have a whole weekend to myself :j - Kids are at other parents and DH is going to Italy for 5 days to do some training. I shall miss him of course but I am soooo looking forward to some me time I think I shall do some spring cleaning - and a little reading.

I'm starting a minimalist challenge for July - although I have decluttered a lot of things and am fairly happy with the results I'm going for decluttering one item a day for the month of June. Not masses to get rid of but it will be a good challenge for me.

I'm meant to be taking the kids to their Auntie's for lunch today but I'm pretty skint and DS has revision that he needs doing and DD is still over at a friends after a sleepover. I might see if I can get out of it. I wouldn't normally but its not the best timing for me. If we don't go I will try to sort out some business expenses!

I spent 3 hours in the kitchen yesterday making the pork meatballs and cheesy potato cakes with homemade tomato sauce - I don't know why it took so long and the results certainly weren't worth the three hours! Tomato sauce was nice and the potatoes went down well but despite putting cheese and red onions into the meatballs - they turned out rather tasteless Oh well at least I used up some of the pork mince. Think I will mix the rest with beef mince and make a lasagne.

Off to sort out my build up of paperwork!

PFTP x

pennyforthepot

edinburgher wrote: »

We've got a wee leaver/catch on/round the back of the steering column. There may be a secondary catch that you have to free by sliding your hand under the partially opened bonnet. If I can do it, I'd bet heavily that you can too

:A

Will report back

PFTP x

pennyforthepot

Early start this morning as I'm off to take DH to Gatwick. Looking forward to coming back to some peace and quiet

Ended up going out to lunch with SIL which cost me £58 :eek: as I offered to pay. Had a lovely tiime though and it was good to get out with DS.

Will be reporting back later with my end of month financial summary - not a pretty sight.

Looks like the weather is going to be lovely this weekend - glad to see the back of the rain.

A quick thanks to Edinburgh as I can now tick checking the oil in the car off my list :T
PFTP x

Dobbibill

well done with the to-do list. I see you got the oil check crossed off _party_


looking forward to seeing the end of month financial summary, you say it's not a pretty sight but any success is a success even if it's small, it all has a place in the bigger picture


enjoy your peaceful weekend


DB

pennyforthepot

OUTGOINGS:MAY

£250-council tax
£133 -mobile phones x 5
£38-internet and landline
£45-gas
£66 -electric
£44-water
£192-car loan
£6.50-Red Cross d/d
£355 -food
£212 - Cleaning/toiletries
£140-fuel
£0-car maintenance
£243 -kids costs
£338 -entertainment
£0.00-house
£2423-holiday
£65-birthdays
£0.00-christmas
£0.00 -contingency
£1.50-miscellaneous

£4553-TOTAL :eek:

-3% - savings to income ratio :eek:

Thanks to my additional income and the fact that this months spend won't be paid till next month I still managed to save£2300 which was £800 over target

BLUE- spending down on last month
RED - spending up on last month
BLACK - no difference.

The highs and lows of the month:

HIGHS:
Reached my half way annual target of £10,000 one month early
Money in from decorating
First maintenance payment to me for DSS2
Slight increase in my maintenance payments based on CPI
Kids passports were half the price I thought they would be
Interest came in from one of my ISA
Made it to my 20p petrol save with Mr T.
Reduced my gas and electricity usage to £70 below my DD which means I'm a little closer to being in credit again

LOWS
Overspent on my food budget by £36
Overspent on my petrol budget by £40 (mainly due to working)
Massively overspent on my entertainment budget due to a weekend away and a lovely pair of boots:o
Am facing a massive credit card bill for next month which is likely to wipe out any potential savings for the month of June

I have a couple of big spends coming up this month which include DSS1 bday which means a trip to London and a heavy night out.
Haircut and highlights booked in tomorrow. If it's really embarrassingly expensive I don't think I can face to post it on here!

CHALLENGES FOR JUNE:

One financial one which is to avoid all bulk buying - I have no more room and I want to get my credit card bill back down to what it should be. Also to stick within my budgets
Non- financially I want to declutter one thing a day for a month (bra gone today ), eat between 5 and 7 portions of fruit and veg a day and drink at least 1.75 litres of water (need to buff up that bikini body for the holiday - who am I kidding )

Daily food budget: £7.48
Declutter challenge: 1/1
fruit/veg challenge 7
water challenge: 1.75
Sorry rather a long post - will leave it now as I want to finish my book before the kids get back


PFTPxx

Dobbibill

pennyforthepot wrote: »

OUTGOINGS:MAY

£250-council tax
£133 -mobile phones x 5
£38-internet and landline
£45-gas
£66 -electric
£44-water
£192-car loan
£6.50-Red Cross d/d
£355 -food
£212 - Cleaning/toiletries
£140-fuel
£0-car maintenance
£243 -kids costs
£338 -entertainment
£0.00-house
£2423-holiday
£65-birthdays
£0.00-christmas
£0.00 -contingency
£1.50-miscellaneous

£4553-TOTAL :eek:

-3% - savings to income ratio :eek:

Thanks to my additional income and the fact that this months spend won't be paid till next month I still managed to save£2300 which was £800 over target

BLUE- spending down on last month
RED - spending up on last month
BLACK - no difference.

The highs and lows of the month:

HIGHS:
Reached my half way annual target of £10,000 one month early
Money in from decorating
First maintenance payment to me for DSS2
Slight increase in my maintenance payments based on CPI
Kids passports were half the price I thought they would be
Interest came in from one of my ISA
Made it to my 20p petrol save with Mr T.
Reduced my gas and electricity usage to £70 below my DD which means I'm a little closer to being in credit again

LOWS
Overspent on my food budget by £36
Overspent on my petrol budget by £40 (mainly due to working)
Massively overspent on my entertainment budget due to a weekend away and a lovely pair of boots:o
Am facing a massive credit card bill for next month which is likely to wipe out any potential savings for the month of June

I have a couple of big spends coming up this month which include DSS1 bday which means a trip to London and a heavy night out.
Haircut and highlights booked in tomorrow. If it's really embarrassingly expensive I don't think I can face to post it on here!

CHALLENGES FOR JUNE:

One financial one which is to avoid all bulk buying - I have no more room and I want to get my credit card bill back down to what it should be. Also to stick within my budgets
Non- financially I want to declutter one thing a day for a month (bra gone today ), eat between 5 and 7 portions of fruit and veg a day and drink at least 1.75 litres of water (need to buff up that bikini body for the holiday - who am I kidding )

Daily food budget: £7.48
Declutter challenge: 1/1
fruit/veg challenge 7
water challenge: 1.75
Sorry rather a long post - will leave it now as I want to finish my book before the kids get back


PFTPxx

Congrats on both the monthly savings being over target and also reaching your half way annual target early :T


You are doing so well and you keep so focused, even when you are doubtful of the success you've achieved you go and exceed your targets woohoo :jIt's a pleasure to read your diary (so glad I subscribed)


DB

edinburgher

It's probably healthy that you're cutting down on the bulk purchases. After all, it would be a sad end to your story if you were crushed by a toilet roll avalanche! :rotfl:

How does your 'entertainment' budget work? Maybe you need a 'clothing' budget?

pennyforthepot

Dobbibill wrote: »

Congrats on both the monthly savings being over target and also reaching your half way annual target early :T

You are doing so well and you keep so focused, even when you are doubtful of the success you've achieved you go and exceed your targets woohoo :jIt's a pleasure to read your diary (so glad I subscribed)


DB

Aww thanks DB - you brought a tear to my eye- You may not think the same when you see my savings for the end of June! Funny I was just thinking how hard it is to keep focused and what a pain it is to keep on top of everything - I am now feeling a little more motivated again. Sometimes the thought of doing this for another 5 years is petrifying, but it's also like an addiction. No matter how much I want stop accounting for every penny I just can't bring myself to do it

PFTP x