Aspirations of Frugality and Fun on the Road to Mortgage Freedom

DedicatedDFW

giblet1979 wrote: »

Thanks DDFW - focused and motivated tho? Are you sure you're reading my diary

Sleep well x

You know its you giblet just a few pages to go and then i'll be all up to speed and posting away

DedicatedDFW

Hello All,

Hope you are all well - I am in work this weekend so don't have that lovely passed the middle of the week feeling. But it is a job and it keeps the pennies coming in and i have accepted i am working saturday so am not glum about it - so i guess not really a bad place to be

I realised this last few weeks / morning that since returning to posting i have been focusing on all the fun things - lovely new instrument to learn to play fab new language to learn etc. with very little in the way of mfw.

What has been MSE is the batch cooking, using up of tins / jars / freezer stuff that to be honest has all been sat there just too long. So the meals and use ups have been good. I also this week refocused on adding a bit of polish to myself and used beauty products - hair mask, face mask and i used some body moisturiser as well. I also used another of the free sachets of shower gel and have plenty left after snagging some more :T So there was the use up of some products and the freeing up of a bit of space - this will take some time but its all going in the right direction :T

In fact starting the new language means i am using a few resources i had here - books and cds so again items getting used rather than just being 'stuff'.

I have been making stock as well to use up as much as i can from what we have and we have been using the cleaning products we already own to keep our home as nice as possible.

I have completed my tax return on time. I have listed some things on the bay of e and sold some things on the bay of e too. I frugally saved us money on nights out by booking tickets for the cheaper night :T and by using a voucher for my birthday meal out I continue to walk to many places saving on travel cost as well as using my ticket for public transport saving me petrol and parking fees too.

I go through cashback where possible - although i rarely buy things so not too much of an earner just now. keep the heating off when i can - but not right now as i am still poorly.

I try and buy just what i need at the supermarket and take advantage of offers that suit me.

I also declutter items to the booty of car or to the bay of e.

So quite a list and a good reminder of many of the things i already do - its not an exhaustive list but just a quick round up.

I wondered why i've not posted much about the mortgage and payments ? / the savings and home plans ?

My income is not great. I have many unbudgeted for areas in my life that cause set backs as the money isn't there in a pot for the things that are needed. Such as this weeks spend on car tax *ouch* quickly followed by 2 new tyres Necessary spends but my income doesn't allow for pots for these things thus the overpayment budget gets used.

The big thing though is the uni fees that i need to pay for. It is an extra big spend which i knew was happening but didn't expect to be billed in the way i have been. This extra outlay has meant a further tightening of the belt. I *am* committed to overpaying the mortgage and intend to start moving even some smaller amounts over to get the ball rolling :T And after deciding to post about this I have come home to my mortgage statement :j Feeling all motivated to keep a plan in place for payments to keep going whilst i study away with the intention of gaining a qualification and position which will allow much bigger overpayments

giblet1979

Great update and great focus. Your effort and determination now will only pay off in the future I'm sure, and it just shows how much you are already doing! x

Karmacat

I agree with giblet, great review! And yes, it comes to something when all of that is just "standard"! In fact, I'm going to paste that into a word doc so I can post something similar about my stuff on my diary, and remember all the points you made

DedicatedDFW

Thanks giblet and KC

As i said the list wasn't exhaustive but it was to serve as a reminder of all the things I am doing whilst also acknowledging my fairly low income and recent large uni bill.

DedicatedDFW

Hello All,

i have made a little overpayment to the mortgage today :T - wow! i had forgotten how good that felt I do think it must be easier when the people in a relationship are working to the same goal but as i said at the beginning of this thread my Mr provides the fun - so even more reason i should focus on the goals i do *need* to achieve for us :cool:

Shopping was kept to almost essentials - i splurged on a 99p reduced item for tomorrows meal instead of having the same reduced 39p item 2 days in a row :eek: I *do* know i have done alot of batch cooking but this was using ingredients my Mr has and i don't so no real meals were prepped for me - not enough tupperware / freezer space or time when i'd done anyway :rotfl::rotfl:

Small Dilemma:-

i have been saving for a new instrument and almost have enough in savings :j *BUT* this is very much a want and not a need - i am getting along just fine with the wee instrument i have been learning on. For maybe just a little more than this amount i can replace the gate - so to replace the gate? Or get the instrument ? Input appreciated

I've had a couple of bay of e sales this week which is good :T i do need to sort out some more things to go on there but can only do that by wearing things and either instantly getting changed as the items no longer 'me' or after wearing it i decide i'll never wear it again - there could be some interesting clothes combinations in the offing :rotfl::rotfl:

Hope everyone is well x

Karmacat

DDFW, you sound like you have so few *wants* - so the ones that you do have are probably really important. Thats my tuppence worth!

Cheery_Daff

DDFW, I must confess to being someone who last year spent £1000 MORE on a new instrument than we paid for our new car So I'm probably not the best person to ask about such things :rotfl: :rotfl:

edinburgher

Phew - finally read my way through the last 10 pages of updates - you're a busy woman DDFW.

Congratulations on the MA, but I think you're approaching education all wrong. Instead of learning, I think you should be a lecturer in advanced listing studies :rotfl:

It's good to see you seeming so chirpy, I sometimes think that little achievements and triumphs do so much for our moods.

Now for the important question - what sort of vacuum cleaner do you want?

DedicatedDFW

Karmacat wrote: »

DDFW, you sound like you have so few *wants* - so the ones that you do have are probably really important. Thats my tuppence worth!

Oh KC that is so nice of you to say *but* i will be honest and say all my trips to the theatre, weekends away, days out are all *wants* - i do pay for very few of them because my lovely Mr treats me but i do take spends on the trips out - although other than drinks / food, i only spent £2 on 2 plants last time we went away I have also recently purchased quite an excessive number of footwear items My [STRIKE]defence[/STRIKE] rationale is:

My feet are an awkward size - so if i find beautiful footwear at a good price that fits i'll buy them

I also had an injury to my foot a few years ago - unfortunately the lasting effect only became apparent a long time after the event. This means i can only wear shoes to a certain maximum heel height / foot angle - nothing like what i could wear before which was anything *sob*

All purchases were bargainous - reductions from a maximum of £219 down to £34.99 for the dearest pair

All purchases fit beautifully, really comfortable - no pain to either foot :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: - it sounds so basic but i can often find a shoes that fits 1 foot well but not the other!

I purchased *ahem* 2 pairs of black shoes :j:j:j - i cannot remember the last time i owned a pair of black shoes - and of course this colour goes with anything - i bought both pairs as its taken me years to find 1 pair i can wear that i snagged both of them up!

1 pair of green shoes :smileyhea

2 pairs of ankle boots - 1 for work, 1 for evening

1 pair of longer casual boots

Perfect sized heels, stunning shoes and they fit :T

2 pairs of baseball boots - my footwear de riguer

I have worn boots for so long as they have been the only thing that have both stayed on my feet and not hurt due to how boots are over the ankle type things.

I actually think these shoes are so comfy, fit so well etc. as they are a more expensive make than i usually have but at the fab reductions they were in my price bracket and my wee feet are so grateful!

Hence my hesitancy to treat myself again

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

DDFW, I must confess to being someone who last year spent £1000 MORE on a new instrument than we paid for our new car So I'm probably not the best person to ask about such things :rotfl: :rotfl:

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: - i remember that Cheery - but if your experience of cars is anything like mine then the instrument will last you a lot longer

Hmm... maybe i'll wait a bit until i've cleared more space