The march to financial freedom

mooomin

Ali-OK wrote: »

I am going to rename SB Voucher-Land . I had to get petrol for work and had a double nectar points to use up. I got vouchers back for double points on petrol again and double points on next shop and 100 pts for cereal spend (won't use that). I popped instore and got the 2 for £1.50 choc chips packs for baking and got vouchers 8p a litre off fuel on Tu £20 clothes spend, £3 off a £20 spend, double fuel points and double shop points. A big haul.

Good grief! That's not bad going

I used my double points on fuel voucher at the weekend and got one for 150 points when I spend £10 on pet products (no problem!) and another for £4.50 off when I spend £30.

I'll be heading there on Saturday night when the reductions are good

Ali-OK

I've been bad and this is when I take what I think is money-saving and end up spending. And it was meant to be a No Spend Day :mad:

- Halogen heater and a beanie for me bought - £17.98

- SB Voucher-Land Where do I start, other than they have a 50% sale on a ton of clothes and many are this seasons stuff that I'd looked at and passed on by...until today. I've just stocked up our wardrobes with 3 jumpers, 2 pack of leggings, 1 skirt, 1 top and 1 pair of trousers and spent £59 :eek: That is the autumn/winter clothes budget spent, though DS might not like the bits I got him. In return, I got 8p off a litre of fuel voucher to use though which will be a good saving.

It gets worse. I thought with the £3 off £20 and also the 3 for 2 in haircare, I'd get the smaller second turkey (for Xmas Day) and associated bits (cream, Bisto, stuffing) and stock up on my shampoo, conditioner and hair colour and the store cupboard bits that (tea bags, tomato sauce, packet mixes for casseroles). I've spent a mind-boggling £46.29 :eek: Saved £14 with the deals and vouchers.

In redemption, the slow cooker is on with beef stew in it. :rotfl:

I really need to do some work now and focus on earning, not spending!

Ali-OK

Today's update after this mornings splurge.

DS didn't like one of the clothing items and I didn't like the leggings fit, so have returned those and been refunded, bringing the clothes spend down to £42.

Have broken the store shop down as follows:

Toiletries/hair care - £21.02. Will last 4-5 months
Xmas - £20.39
General store cupboard items - £4.88. Leaving £45.40 in the food budget for 2 weeks, so that remains on track and a big stock of SB items that I normally buy there.

Analysing the impulsiveness, I am pretty sure it goes back to when I was young, working after school and Sats and saving for 2 things I wanted - a racing bike and a hi-fi. Both had sold by time I'd saved enough and I was gutted. I remember taking my £33 'wage', keeping £10 for spends and watching the rest add up in my TSB savings book that they printed/updated with each deposit. I think that's where my 'buy now, pay later' psychological stance started.

On a lighter note, the cakes are all gone, helped by my brother visiting tonight :rotfl: I wouldn't normally buy cakes so it seems like an extra spend to me, I'm therefore going to concentrate on baking biscuits as these can be cut out of the food shop.

The beef stew and dumplings in the slow cooker were delicious - very basic ingredients of stock, stewing steak, sliced potatoes and carrots. DS has sensory issues including taste and texture so it's a bit of a slow process getting him onto new foods and blending is probably the way to go (but I don't own one!). There's enough for tomorrow eve, which is perfect as we have less than 1 hr between DS's bus arriving from school and going out again for Parents Eve.

Bank account checked
freepostcodelottery checked
Nectar adpoints checked
eBay buyers organised for paying and collecting at the weekend :T
CC2 online statement arrived - £100 payment set up for 18/11
Heating off, candles on - prompted interesting chat with bro!
Halogen heater tested - lowest setting is perfect for warming up my little study room with door closed whilst working. Mum has one and has that on instead of her gas fire, she is sure it is cheaper to run.

Dogs food bin now resides across the utility room door - stopping them opening it and letting even colder air into the kitchen and then the warmer bit of the house.

I feel ready for winter now, just hope the investments reduce the heating bills. Will be interesting to see the usage from Nov to Dec too.

Ali-OK

Today's update.

Heating on 6-7am but off since and I seem to be getting used to the cooler temps as its 17.5C and I feel warm with my woolly pully on, but then we've not been home that long. I am a softie southerner :rotfl:

Good work day - complimented on my outfit (£13 SB sale).
Good parents eve
Rest of beef stew eaten up
Bank account checked
Have a triple point nectar ad to watch
Have a Nectar Canvass survey to do

The spends:
Town - picked up mum's M&S order and got dog biscuits/treats as planned. £1.10 parking. £3.59 dog biscuits
Went into a couple of charity shops to get a feel for prices and BHF seems to be pretty good. If I'd have wanted a black winter coat, I could have got a gorgeous Windsmoor one (that looked in excellent condition) for £9.99.
Food shop - £23.26. Over budget a tad again this week, left for next week = £22.14 which is ok and we've plenty of food and ingredients.

I've roughly meal planned for the week Fri-Thur, need to finesse that now and write up.

Left for Xmas meals to get: Birds Eye Peas and pigs in blankets. Desserts with the double points voucher exchange. Then just the fresh veg the day or 2 before the meals.

Housework to do - everything :eek:

Realised I need to move December's Osteopath and Hygienist appointments - I've trebled booked myself with a client meeting in there too :rotfl: Still, it'll push those costs back a bit.

Working at home tomorrow morning, business banking and accounts in the afternoon and a nice at home weekend planned. Lots of naps if I get my way and then I can't spend! :rotfl:

Ali-OK

Good evening Diary!

Finally achieved a NSD today - up to 2/7. Should be a No Spend Weekend so hoping to achieve the target I set myself of 4/7

Bank account checked
Business banking done
Nectar adpoints up to 83 including the triple one last night
Just done a Nectar Canvass survey - another 40 points bagged for 15 mins of my time
Nightshirt mended - it's old but I love it and a button had come off somewhere. Luckily spare was still attached to label, so have sewn that on.
2 loads of washing done on 30C - managed to temporarily secure the new washing line on one screw so could hang small amounts out for a while - all now on airers infront of an open oven door after tea tonight
Bins emptied, recycling sorted and in appropriate bins
Tidied up generally - how does the stuff that belong upstairs always end up downstairs and vice versa! :rotfl:

This weekends goals:
- Finish Christmas wrapping and card writing
- Work out number of stamps needed for posting cards
- Finish updating accounts and do some business catch up stuff
- Housework
- Baking (biscuits, possibly jam tarts)
- Be ready for eBay buyers arrivals

The heating has been on up until lunchtime today, I couldn't get warm and gave in this morning. On again for an hour before tea, but it's switched itself off and we're cruising with candles at a pleasant 20.5C. I think the thermostat is a degree out - I set it at 19C and meter showed 20C, so will turn stat down to 18C and see how we go on that.

Looking forward to a more chilled out weekend and staying indoors - apart from wrapping up well for taking the dogs out.

Monday sees the payments to CC1 and 2 go out :T Will update my sig again then. Have a good weekend.

Ali-OK

After receiving a 15% BT offer (3% fee, 0% 15 months) from my spare CC provider, it's made me do the maths of moving everything to a loan (including the car) vs. keeping on with 0% CC deals.

I have 3 CCs that I move between with the deals - 1 always being clear, ready and waiting for the offer in the post!

So, the maths is done, here are the calcs. I am posting them here so I can come back to them, rather than losing the piece of paper they're currently written on :rotfl:

If I go the loan route, it will be for £11,000 in March 2014.

Current bank are doing 1% loyalty discount = 6.4% rate.
5 years at £214.01 per month - interest £1,840.60

If I stick with the CC tarting route, based on paying £200 a month total (as I have to start making capital payments to my current Interest Only mortgage in order to keep it affordable and take advantage of the decent fixed rate I'm on for 4 more years) then I am looking at:

5 yrs for £11,800, 8 BT fees at 3% (except 1 x 4% for money BT to account to pay current car loan before 0% expires) = £1072.

What a difference! So glad I took the time to work it out - it's still a bit inaccurate, as doesn't take into account that 1 of the CCs has a min 2% payment, whereas 2 have 1% min - so my £100 a month to each card won't quite work out to the figures on my spreadsheet - however, it won't equate to an extra £800 in interest either :j

I know which route I'm going now. I have to cut my losses on the 6 months shortening my current 12 month BT to MBNA if I want to use the 15 month offer as it's on until end of December, but it will free MBNA card to get the money transfer in readiness for April and paying the car off.

Also means, when I sell my sports car Feb/Mar hopefully, it'll be an easier decision where to put that money.

Pretty pleased with working this out - it's been bothering me and was another factor in coming back to MSE and starting my diary.

Ali-OK

Or maybe an out of the box thought - I should apply for one of the 26 months 0% cards. I've done a soft search and looks like I fit criteria..but with being self employed, I worry I'll get knocked back because of it and the high limits I have on my CCs (something like £52k between them).

Ali-OK

Blimey, what a cold start to the day here - 15C and took nearly 2 hrs for the heating to get it up to 19C. I've left the heating on today at 18C on the stat, which is still reading 19C on the meter. Turned it off at tea time and now enjoying X Factor by candle light :rotfl:

- Bank account checked - nothing moves on a weekend does it :rotfl:
- Nectar adpoints checked - nothing there either, on 83 currently
- freepostcodelottery checked - nothing there either. I sense a theme here :rotfl:

The productive DFW things:
- Baked choc chip cookies :j Ashame DS doesn't like them and wants shop bought ones again. Ah well, more for me
- More washing done and hung outside on temporary little line. It mostly dried too.

Ali-OK wrote: »

This weekends goals:
- Finish Christmas wrapping and card writing
- Work out number of stamps needed for posting cards
- Finish updating accounts and do some business catch up stuff
- Housework
- Baking (biscuits, possibly jam tarts)
- Be ready for eBay buyers arrivals

Working through these still, but:
- Rest of presents now wrapped, apart from DS's stuff (will do that when he is at school one day)
- Have an up to date list for Xmas cards to write and worked out delivery route for the more local ones, saving 3 from being posted. So just 4 for UK posting and 1 for abroad.
- Work stuff - not made progress on that today
- Most of the housework done, just lounge and dining room left for tomorrow
- 3 eBay buyers have been, just 1 more to go in the morning. Woo hoo :T I'll have almost £50 to go towards CC1 :T

I'm continuing to scrutinise our energy usage (no surprise :rotfl:) and noticed how much heat comes our of the airing cupboard, so left that door open whilst I was changing beds.

I've also investigated LED lightbulbs - expensive initial outlay but with 3W bulbs it would be a big saving when I look at how many we could replace. The free bit was my nectar search bar points going up to 68 :rotfl:

Ooh, nearly forgot - NSD achieved and up to 3/7!

Ali-OK

It's not going to be a good day.....

- Doglet No.2 has been sick overnight and is currently looking sorry for herself, though she ate breakfast. This might be to do with a disappearing cookie from the cooling rack and there was me thinking I'd counted them wrongly :rotfl: I'll keep a close eye on her, don't fancy a vet trip with their costs :eek:

- DS has just informed me his school bag has split underneath...followed by a demonstration of contents falling through the bottom :rotfl: It has lasted since September 2012 (he does not like change and didn't want or need a new one for this school year). We are now heading into town today to find him a new one as he is very fussy. I am going to pay for it out of the eBay sales so I don't dent my budget further this month.

- Electric toothbrush heads - how expensive are they? :eek: Since it's going to be a spend day, I might as well sort these out too as we've no spare left and my head needs replacing. Cheapest looks the rip-off models from HK or similar on eBay. Anyone tried those or do you stick with the manufacturer brands?

Ali-OK

The heating is on more than off now, so I shall stop bleating about temperatures. Candles are now a staple and will have a (small) place ongoing in the budget

Doglet No.2 has improved as the day has gone on thank goodness.

DS found a schoolbag in an independent luggage shop we have here, cost £12.99. He's happy...I'm happy-ish :rotfl: Parking took another £1.

Spent another £1 in Wilkos on those plastic boxes with lids (like the ones you get a chinese takeaway in) for my batch cooking. Septic Peg foresees alot of turkey curry being made in a few short weeks :rotfl:

Last eBay collector been and gone, so I have £35 left to pay towards CC1 as extra. Other eBay sales ending today - I'm not sure I'm going to make that much with fees and postage and packaging materials and petrol to Post Office and parking costs. Need to start a cheap jiffy bag hunt very soon! Have bubble wrap from an online order left over and that's about it

Toothbrush heads ordered £8.93 for 20 from eBay too. Will fit both our brushes (hopefully) so that's sorted for 12/18 months.

Checked nectar adpoints - 83 total for this week.
Checked bank account - lots going out tomorrow
Checked freepostcodelottery - nada

Business accounts all updated and some more work progress made - plenty to do in the morning before an afternoon meeting

Bit of housework progress, have to get lounge done as DS has firmly taken over with what seems most of his bedroom in there, including his duvet :rotfl:

Ooh and wrote all the Christmas cards too

Meal plan for the week:

Mon - home made toad in the hole with mash and fresh veg
Tue - Beef grills with veg
Wed - Big baked poatoes with beans and cheese
Thur - Chicken pieces, savoury rice and sweetcorn/peas
Fri - Going to try our own pizza, will buy bases and use whatever we have for topping (cheese springs to mind)
Sat - Chilli from batch, rice and garlic bread
Sun - Roast lamb and trimmings

I've been on the Old Style boards reading alot and 2 things I didn't know I could do, I will definitely do this week:

- prep carrots and freeze
- grate cheese and freeze

Both come in packs too big for us to use up, so this will be a great way to keep it good and use it all up, rather than going mouldy.

Also, I found a recipe for home made stuffing using old bread - now my old Nan used to make stuffing from scratch but I couldn't remember how (except the bread!) and it was absolutely superb, so much better than packet stuff, so I am going to give that a go for our roast next week. Yum yum!

Noticeably, the freezer contents aren't going down that quick and I'm not buying any extra food/spending more than usual - feels like I am making progress in this area.:j