Pay Off Before Lay Off!

Habibiboo

:wave:

Today's MF actions: Well MF efforts are slowing slightly as Christmas preps take hold, but a general theme of staying within budget will help that overall MF goal!

Today's black cloud: just literally the weather - hens have a huge puddle which is soaking into their hen house and seem to refuse to take shelter even when it's ripping down!

Today's silver lining: did manage to get the dogs out for brisk walk between the deluges! Park was pretty, although wet of course. Dogs had a great time and came back smelling of wet dog, which is lovely and seasonal (not). Now wafting frankincense around instead - the mix has an interesting bouquet!
Oooh, have also managed to get my work finished today so I'm officially on holiday now (just small matter of still not having made my puddings)!

Today's happy moment: some savvy ebaying! I bagged a last-minute bargain for my sis - the latest Bridget Jones hardback, says £18.99 inside the cover, won it from a local seller so picked up = no postage costs, is as good as new (just the one gentle owner). Very pleased, have added it to sis's "me-time" tray of goodies!

Hope everyone's well & feeling festive! :xmastree:

Pearla*Merle

Love an ebay bargain, great find Habibiboo!

Habibiboo

:wave:
Hope everyone's OK and had a good Christmas!

We haven't quite surfaced from a Christmas lurgy - which has clearly been passed throughout the whole family across Christmas time so today's being spent quietly planning my monetary manoeuvres for 2014!

Today's MF actions: I've organised this year's planned overpayments into three milestone goals, which are all part of an overall plan to have the mortgage below £100,000 by the end of 2014.
Milestones:
1) OP and get mortgage down to £109,000 by April 2014 (this will put us 7 months ahead of mortgage drop down of £109,000 by November 2014).
2) Continue to OP and get down to less than £105,000 by September 2014 (strategic goal really, by having this one in I'll be more sure that any extra money from having students in the summer will go on the mortgage rather than spur-of-the moment spends such as holiday ... OH is already making noises about this)!
3) Overall goal of getting below that big £100,000 by end of 2014.
This are pretty ambitious goals for us because, like everyone else, money's tight and bills are high, but I do want to go 100% at this as the mortgage is the biggest debt and, as my thread title suggests, nothing's very secure, so the goals reflect everything I'm thinking really!

Today's black cloud: Being sick at Christmas sucks and it's really not like OH to get things (even in the man flu context)! We are also having to spend out on storm damage which is a bit of an unexpected pain!

Today's silver lining: I do appreciate how lucky we are in general and that we have aims and opportunities awaiting us in 2014!

Today's happy moment: We're not getting all of the fencing fixed until the storms are stopped (more predicted here tomorrow) and although we've secured the garden so chickens can't get into the neighbours' gardens, the hen area we had fenced off inside our garden (to keep OH's growing areas for feeding us, rather than the hens) all blew away on Christmas Eve. So, we have had to let them range a bit on the rest of the garden (actually there's not too much they can wreck) so now when I feed the blackbird at the back door we have a whole gathering of 3 hens, 2 blackbirds, 1 robin and 4 dunnocks at the back door! Must try to get a photo.

Hope everyone else is good, and happy new year wishes to you all!

:wave:

want_to_save

happy christmas hun

sweetdaisy

Sorry to hear that you have been ill over Christmas and have had storm damage to contend with as well.

Good luck with your financial plans for 2014 . I like to have milestones to reach as it keeps me motivated. I need to get my thinking hat on as I've not decided on mine yet.

Habibiboo

:wave:

WTS & SweetDaisy ~ thanks to both of you too and all the best for 2014 - it's great to have these threads to help bring clarification and support to our goals, I wish you both well with yours and will follow with interest!

nattypants

Just read through your fairy Habibiboo - I have gone from being an infrequent poster of late to reading and posting a-go-go today.
Anyway, great read and I do love your 'snow white' ways with the local wildlife

Hope you feel better soon.

sleepygirl126

Hope you're feeling better.....I've had the dreaded lurgy too! It's pants!!

elantan

hey Habiboo hope you had a good chrimbo and are feeling all better and ready for the new year

Habibiboo

:wave:

Hello lovely visitors, lovely to see / meet you ... and thank you all for kind wishes & comments ... I hope you are all having a happy time!

SleepyGirl - I hope you're recovering from your own lurgy moments too, it's grotty being poorly over Christmas!
NattyPants - ty for your comments, not been referred to as Snow White before, I usually have more of a Snow Hope label attached, but I prefer your sentiment (I even have a hen peeping through window at me as I type)! Shame Prince Charming's down t'pub though, rather shatters the illusion! :rotfl:
Elantan - ta for good wishes, am getting there on all fronts! A special Happy Hogmany to you!

Today's MF actions: organising my £50 budget (earned from last month's ebaying) ready for making over small bedroom (part of long-term plan to accommodate students and boost the income). Had a peek on B & Q sale and found wallpaper I like which is reduced. I already have the paint so looks like the room could come in within budget at the moment. Just have to get well enough to do the deed: getting bits in, preparing room, papering and painting. This is the goal for January!

Today's black cloud: more shocking weather to start with, another fence panel bites the dust!

Today's silver lining: coming on here and finding messages and visitors ~ it's lovely not to feel alone on this journey, I do appreciate the visitors and support, so many thanks to you all!

Today's happy moment: I don't feel as grim as yesterday ~ I was in back in bed by 4pm last night and slept through till 9.30 this morning! Would probably have had PJ day today but OH has invited visitors who are undeterred by germs (although the PJs could have been used as a deterrent, I suppose)! OH promised that he was going out for the day with them (his friends from previous life) but just texted to say they will all be coming back with him for dinner :cool: hmm, Ok then! Hope they like jacket spuds and the inevitable cold turkey!

Anyhoo ... Happy New Year's and good wishes to everyone on their debt and mortgage busting quests in 2014!