Journey to the Promised Land.

BlueMoo

Right, so very bad MSE weekend for me.

Lots of additional driving, paid an extortionate amount in parking whilst going shopping in town, had car problems, lack of planning meant takeaway last night so all in all a big step back.

Trying to not get too downhearted though, and keep persevering.

Have very little money to last until the end of the month but am determined not to use the CC or go into my savings to get through the month.

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Have been searching on RightMove to provide myself with the inspiration for that Forever Home ... anyone got a spare £9m?? :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

However, being realistic need at least 500k + to get to the next step, so this has sent in stone our target to get owing less than 100k on our mortgage in the next 5 years.
Means once wedding/honeymoon over, we need to increase those MOP to at least another 400 a month which should be doable.
However, will need to keep topping up MOP account with little extras.
Spent all my liftshare money on my car problems, but hopefully this week can be a fresh start!

cardiffmatch

Hi Bluemoo -

Just wanted to stop by, wave and say hi! Our interest per day is not dissimilar to yours - my first mortgage OP target has been to get the interest down from £22 per day to £21.50. As of today it is £21.55 so nearly there after almost five months - I think it would have been quicker had we not been buying all the things we needed in our new house!

Good luck with honeymoon planning. I went to Mauritius for three months about 7 years ago; it is a stunningly beautiful place! You won't regret it - have you ever dived? The diving there is quite something.

tootoo

sounds like a lovely dream house

you're doing really well

BlueMoo

Cardiffmatch - Yeah the first couple of months are a complete and utter moneypit, though to be fair we did a complete renovation so pretty much everything new. I had a couple of bit from my old flat, but wanted a fresh start and a lot of the stuff (having moved about 4 times) was looking a little the worse for wear.
We found our new favourite shops were homebase, wickes and laura ashley! :rotfl: Waiting for our next interest payment which will be on the 23rd to see where we are now. It's usually around £650, so will be interesting to see the difference.

tootoo- Yep at £9million it was a lovely dream home! :rotfl::rotfl: To be honest even at 500k, the houses aren't perfect. They are perfectly serviceable 4 bed houses in a decent area. My preferred style is georgian, followed by edwardian but those kind of houses are £1m+ :eek: so probably once I move, I'll still be fawning over the Property pages!


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Healthly salad for lunch, followed by unhealthy choccie bar. :undecided
Anyhow, still at least I am trying hard and thinking about my choices. Just now need to start an exercise regime. Thinking of doing a run/jog every weekend to get me started. I know it doesn't sound a lot, but it's the beginning and hopefully can build this up.

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Have to buy some eggs this evening for supper. Chinese fakeaway on the menu for tonight.
Haven't menu planned at all this week, so will try and get a list down tonight for next week.

BlueMoo

Big mess up last night with the healthy eating plans. Two oven cooked fish fillets plus oven chips though saving grace of big pile of broccoli.

Very disappointed in myself so I have had a yoghurt for lunch today to try and balance it out.

I think it was mainly as I was bored and trying to do something rather than sit and watch tv (couldn't read as misplaced my glasses).

I know there is no point beating myself up about it, but I am so frustrated with myself. :mad::mad::mad:

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No news on the mortgage front - will be on basic pay this month so panicking a little.

Ringing BG later to try and get refund - though this will be going to wedding budget. They are being so difficult - it's our money at the end of the day!!

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Off to see florist this weekend to go over possible prices. Apparently centrepieces are about £50 each! :eek:

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Only £5 left till payday! It can't come soon enough!



HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE

BlueMoo

Sorry for no update yesterday but there wasn't really anything to update.

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Just trying to finalise my Christmas budget atm. Got presents budget sorted, but not the food budget.
Have a couple of dinner parties I need to hold and not sure yet whether I am going to in-laws or staying at home.

I'm upping the budget to accomodate donation to food bank. I usually volunteer, but as no plans confirmed yet for Christmas, don't want to offer and then have to pull out so going to donate a day's worth of wages in food bank form.

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Just put down deposit for honeymoon :j:j:j

It's so much money I feel a bit sick to be honest _pale_
After my house and car, it's the most expensive single item I have ever purchased.

Still excited though!!! Mauritius here I come!!


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Went to florist, yep centrepieces are around £50. That's not going to happen, so am going to go to hobbycraft, buy some florist foam and fake flowers and see what I can do. Alternatively am thinking of big pillar candles with glittery sand, or something else but google and pinterest haven't been much help as all the pictures seem to be flowers not other ideas.
Hmmm.... if anyone has any ideas and some pics, that would really help me out.


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Got cake supplier sorted last night. Exactly what I want and bang on budget so I'm super excited! It's going to be AMAZING - traditional but with a few personal touches. _party_

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Been doing well with my walk every other day plans. Long walk on Saturday and good walk last night to the supplier instead of driving. Saving pennies and hopefully shedding pounds! :laugh: See what I did there, huh??!!

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Nothing on the mortgage news. The honeymoon balance is due 14 weeks before we go which has scuppered my plans (thought it would be a month before) so will have to have a good look over the budget and do a complete re-think. Half of the despoit paid today, another £500 due in 8 weeks.
Will have to jiggle things round substantially and perhaps whack a bit of it on the CC. Debating whether to take out another interest free credit card (as the time limit on mine has now expired)

SmlSave

Just put down deposit for honeymoon

It's so much money I feel a bit sick to be honest
After my house and car, it's the most expensive single item I have ever purchased.

Still excited though!!! Mauritius here I come!!

Its your honeymoon hun, you've saved/budgeted for it and you only get one (in most cases) Go and enjoy yourself

Then come back and live like a pauper :rotfl:

Went to florist, yep centrepieces are around £50. That's not going to happen, so am going to go to hobbycraft, buy some florist foam and fake flowers and see what I can do. Alternatively am thinking of big pillar candles with glittery sand, or something else but google and pinterest haven't been much help as all the pictures seem to be flowers not other ideas.
Hmmm.... if anyone has any ideas and some pics, that would really help me out.

Its hard to give ideas as its a personal decision but we bought tall thin vases put one calla lily in with grasses around that had beads threaded on. They then got given as thank you gifts to the Mums. I can't seem to get the picture to copy!

BlueMoo

Then come back and live like a pauper :rotfl:

HAHAHA! Very true - it will be a very pauper like existence for the next year what with wedding and honeymoon. Honeymoon balance due literally two weeks after the wedding so not great timing.

Have worked out how this is going to happen though. Stick with wedding budget plans as is (only another 500 to find after regular planned monthly savigns which should be done through a combination of overtime, christmas money, and various odds and sods)
Put honeymoon deposit on CC (need to anyway in order for insurance purposes) and borrow the remaining deposit from the annual account (only got tv licence bill coming up). Think I have some money stashed away in OH's single account which I was planning to put twoards long term savings but never did. Not sure how much is there, but pretty sure got £200 or so, so that will help.

Then as soon as wedding over, apply for loan to pay for honeymoon. Then pay off loan as if paying into savings. Not ideal getting a loan, but it's the only way we can get the money by the date.

Plan is to take £1000ish spending money but we will work that money out closer to the time. Wedding budget needs the most effort at the moment.


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Hmmm.... if anyone has any ideas and some pics, that would really help me
out. Its hard to give ideas as its a personal decision but we bought tall
thin vases put one calla lily in with grasses around that had beads threaded on.
They then got given as thank you gifts to the Mums. I can't seem to get the
picture to copy!

I've already bought the vases unfortunately. They are the tall martini style ones. Been thinking about water with a floating flower though? Not sure how good that would look though. The building has a very tall ceiling so wanted to get the 'tall' flower arrangements.

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Got our refund from BG - not what we were expecting or what they had told us, but it's something none the less. Currently sitting in current account until I get paid as the house phone bill still hasn't come out.... HMMM....

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Still no update on mortgage front. The interest amount will be deducted by next Monday so just waiting to see if we have broken the £600 mark.

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Dinner was pork with roast butternut squash and parsnips.

BlueMoo

Urgh! Can not wait for the weekend!
Oh well, at least it's Thursday :j

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So off for a walk tonight. Hopefully can do about half an hour or so.
Need to buy some scales though so I can start tracking.

Bit wary of this, but I am hoping it will help me see the small changes so it will spur me on.

We have asked for these for Christmas so should be Spend Free! :T

Been doing generally well with the eating healthier plan - though did wolf down a whole jelly pack :embarasse

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Wedding plans coming along well - sorry, this must be super-boring for others. Have committed myself to not being a bridezilla and going on about it to friends and colleagues, so unloading here seems like the best place. So hope you don't mind!
Found a florist who is looking at £25-35 per centrepiece so a big saving of other quotes of £50 per centrepiece. :money:

Now cake is sorted, trying to look at dessert ideas. Around £100-130 for 100 people? Anyone have any ideas? Limitations are that it needs to be something that can be left out for a day/nothing that requires a sauce like custard or cream/something that I don't have to make to bring it in on budget.
Had a look at M&S + Waitrose, but nothing seems quite what I am looking for.

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Money updates: None as yet. PAYDAY this week though. So money shuffling updates tomorrow :j:j:j:j

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Dinner was 3colour pasta with a spinach and cod sauce. Bit of that LO for lunch today.

BlueMoo

Lunch didn't happen yesterday as had my breakfast for lunch instead, so pasta for lunch today.

Didn't manage to go for a walk last night - clean forgot! By the time I remembered, OH was asleep and it was too late and dark to go by myself. Must remember for tonight!

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Right PAYDAY! Exciting times -

• Annual savings moved to annual savings account
• Fun money moved to fun money account
• Expected savings amount moved to wedding account
• BG refund moved to wedding account
• Additional wages (over the amount I have on my FS) over to wedding account (not a lot as on basic pay this month)
• Money left over from last month moved to wedding account

So only another 460 additional needs to be found for the wedding budget and then can start OP'ing properly.

This is a bit higher than expected due to no Overtime. Very limited overtime for this month as well unfortunately, but should be able to manage this with cutting back and other MSE ways.


25p moved to MOP :j:j:rotfl::rotfl:

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Grocery card topped up so should be ready to use as of Monday. Will try and survive without eggs and bread this weekend.

Need to do a virtual shop as well for my food bank doantion so I can get the maximum out of my spend.

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Christmas decided - at the in laws, so that should save me a bit of cash. Will be bringing some desserts and a couple of side bits though. This will come out of Chirstmas budget though not Grocery budget.