Steps towards making the dream a reality...

elantan

I've been enjoying your waffling ... But then I can waffle for Scotland and find it helps me ... Congrats on the new job hope it turns into a permanent contract for you

niftythrifty33

Thanks Elantan, I often wonder whether anyone reads my waffling! It all helps me to stay on track.

I'm so lucky, I have been given a permanent contract and I'm still loving having a stress free job, even if it pays peanuts...I quite like peanuts LOL

niftythrifty33

I've just finished doing a meal plan for the whole of January and feeling rather chuffed :j

It has taken all evening with LOADS of searching through the recipe threads on here which is such a help! I will order the staples online and I'm determined to start using the butcher and grocer throughout the week. I have even managed to plan a pudding for each night. I always fail to do the pudding so we'll see how it goes.

I've also started a word doc of all my fav' recipes so I can print them out and make a recipe book.

We're currently set to have £860 spare at the end of Jan, thats after putting £200 into the 'other stuff' account. I can't understand this as my pay has reduced by half, we've had car fixed and bought home/contents ins. I'm wondering whether I've forgotten something? If it's correct, half will go towards 2 x big b'days coming up and half as overpayment :j

niftythrifty33

Well, the budget is going well. I took £400 out for Jan to cover everything. This is going well but I had planned to make packed lunches but have been giving the kids money for dinners as I'm too lazy to make them and forget to nag the kids the night before to make them, hopefully I will be on the ball this week!

I was very pleased to work out that we should have around £750 in credit by the end of the month, but I've just realised that really needs to stay in the bank really for next months DD's. So now I'm not sure how to work it all out?

The meal plan is amazing and I'm so glad I took the time do plan a months worth. Days have been swapped but all in all it's so time saving and we've tried new recipes.

Goals this week:
Write to old credit cards to see if I can claim back PPI or charges.
Sort out the office/paperwork.
Make packed lunches for 3 days out of 5.
Buy meat from butchers/veg from grocers.
Make itinerary of ebay stuff to sell (I've got 4 bin bags full)

niftythrifty33

Still unable to make another OP. January budget has gone incredibly well. The cash has run out so I will need to buy some food using my card but the cash lasted most of Jan. Doing a meal plan for whole of Jan was great and has been time saving and money saving.

There have been a few minor spends on the card. I've kept up the spreadsheet which I still LOVE.

The main reason for no OP at the mo' is we have a 40th & 18th in March. If we have anything left over it will be going straight to the mortgage.

Will check the mortgage balance in a min and update my sig'

glitterjunkie

Hi NF, just had a read through your diary and really enjoyed it. .. well done on staying so focused during the difficult time of being unemployed, glad it paid off for you! I like your tip of freezing EVERYTHING to make a meal one day hehe. .. so many times I've chucked the odd bit of leftover mash or whatever out thinking its pointless saving it as not enough to make a meal. .. never thought of putting it all together though! So thanks for that I will try it x

niftythrifty33

Thanks GJ, I love your name, I LOVE glitter and anything sparkly.

The freezer saves us so much money. When I make a meal plan I base it on what's in the freezer.

I might make a sneaky OP in a min' just so that I've done one for Jan

Edited to say I made an OP of £100 woohoo

niftythrifty33

Desperately trying to stay on track right now

January was very good but I ran out of budget towards the end so there were a few other expenses. I haven't yet done a meal plan for this month but think I will do a 2 week one as I haven't got time to do a monthly one.

Made an OP of £100 in Jan but this month it's all about staying out of the OD as we have DH 40th & DS 18th in March so every spare penny is going on that! For what we want to do I will need about £500:eek:

I'm still reading lots of diaries on here for encouragement but it just seems there's always so many other things that need buying, stopping me from OPing.

And, to put a spanner in the works, I've seen a house:(
I think ti would be ideal for us, it has everything we want in a house but it's a want, not a need. What dooes everyone else do in this situation as it goes right against the plan to pay off the mortgage early.

niftythrifty33

Just a quick update to say I'm totally off track

But it's because of these two big birthdays coming up in our house. I am still updating the spreadsheet though.

Kids have been on dinners as it's sooooo much easier than running out of stuff half way through the week but it is def more expensive!

No meal plan at the mo' but will try and do one tomorrow.

So, no OP at the moment unfortunately but I'm determined to stay on here for when all this busyness ends x

niftythrifty33

I'm sure I'm not the first person on this board to post this sort of thing...

I've seen a house I would really like, we both really like it and have had an offer accepted on the condition that we can sell ours. I have started the ball rolling and ours is due to go on the market next week. Obviously things could take ages and a cash buyer could come along in which case I think we'd take ours off the market (maybe).

The house has everything I've ever wanted but this is just the point, it's a 'want', not a 'need'. We could stay where we are, it's practical and nice but I've never thought of it as our forever house.

Now here's the dilemma...the rate we're going we could have our current mortgage paid off in 10 years, we will both be 50. But if we take on an extra 30k (needed for new house inc. doing it up) this would take longer and DH is really wanting us to have more disposable income, not less.

What would you all do???