Aspirations of Frugality and Fun on the Road to Mortgage Freedom

DedicatedDFW

jwil wrote: »

Hey DDFW, another hugely productive weekend :T

Definitely done the right thing with the overpayments.

On your sig, you have 2 savings pots - for the loft and the guttering. Have you thought about combining them? The guttering is obviously an urgent job, so if you combined the pots, you'd be well on the way to being halfway there. Once you got that done, you could then save up for the loft.

Following on from what Edinburgher says - do you have a meat slicer or something? I can't get thin slices off a joint to save my life. I keep thinking about getting one as it would be more economical, but not sure how well it would work. If not, how do you get the slices thin enough for sandwiches etc?

Thanks jwil - it didn't feel productive though as i was so tired.

I know what you mean about the savings but they are in different accounts - 1 i had to open to get a benefit of something else so they are split. I may think about this next month on the 28th after i've attempted to smash the bay of e target i'm thinking of setting myself of listing £500 of items :eek:

Even if i had a meat slicer my Mr would just pile lots of slices on - he is not MS in that way - or when he leaves all the doors open letting the heat out or when he purposely leaves the lights on in the kitchen because 'it looks nice' :mad: - the food i think is alot but he works hard and i don't mind that as much as the other stuff. For me i just slice thinly with my favourite meat slicing knife i was thinking of getting a slicing machine for my potatoes though but just can't afford any expense right now and it seems frivolous

DedicatedDFW

PositiveBalance wrote: »

Great minds, Jwil, great minds...that's exactly what I was thinking, but I didn't want to appear to be a gutter nag.



Confound you, Jwil! I bought one of these ages ago for exactly this reason (well, that and homemade bread) but it has stayed in its box due to a lack of space in my tiny kitchen. I had resolved to sell it for that very reason, although part of me always wanted to keep it for when I move into a new place and have more space. Now you have reinforced the positive things about keeping one, and I don't know what to do. Drat you! :rotfl:

BTW, how is baby Jwil?

Nag away - i do see your point i've never seen a meat slicer **pootles off to explore**

And thanks for the congrats too it is appreciated

How are things with you PB?

DedicatedDFW

Hi All,

I am not having a good day today - my car has broken down again :mad: thus ruining tonights and tomorrow plans :mad: and in november i spent several hundred pounds on it

Alchemilla

Damn those cars. I feel your pain. X

Karmacat

Ack, DD, what a pain it sounds a bad breakdown ... when my cash flow has headed in the right direction, I definitely want to get a car, but there are definitely bills and all sorts of things to take into account. Hope it won't be too long before it gets sorted.

DedicatedDFW

Thanks alchemilla.

Sorry all for the short post before. I am getting on with study but am behind and feel behind which i don't like. I was so tired this weekend i was only going at a slow pace. So tomorrow i want to have finished this whole section of study - includes finishing current book and make a good start on the next section - which is the biggest section so far :eek:

I will need lots of breaks so will pop on here to update.

I need to clear the living room again - its not too bad but i need to revisit the areas done and work up to introducing another always tidy area - i just hate papers, coins, letters, pens etc. just strewn about everywhere and i am done just clearing them up i will have to mention it at the right time though

Tomorrow i also want to clear 2 more shelves in the utility or 3 at a push - i am making room for the wine making stuff so want it all properly cleared out first - the 1 shelf i did just looks so much better - its in a cupboard but its so nice to open the door and not be overwhelmed with stuff :T

I also need to re-write my budget of what needs to be where by when.

I am considering writing a list of all my unbudgeted expenses :think:

Today was an nsd

and a packed lunch day

and a not using the car day - both and

and an easy tea day - eating the meal i did yesterday

I also need to try and get the car running / identify the problem. I don't want to have to pay to tow it to the garage and if we use the breakdown service the premiums will go up again next year

On a happier note i am so pleased with the more pricey item i gave away - now its gone the place it was is starting to edge towards minimalism - not something i think i'll ever quite achieve but i do love having that feeling of space - even if its only a shelf for now - the more things i clear out the more space i'll have :T

PB - *dedicated had warm glow on shoulder from congratulatory pat*

In some ways i can hardly believe the end of the month is this week - and in others it had gone quite quickly. i will need to review this months targets and set up next months too The utility clearance was part of next months plan As is wine making As is le bay of e challenge. Some plans will need to stay another month i think and i will need some new ones too. My running was rubbish this month but illness and assignments can get in the way - i must do better in feb :cool: - i also want to list the months meals too just 1-? of meals and really focus on using up what we have and what needs using. And next month i need a very tight grocery budget as i need to pay insurance too so the grocery budget is the place where the give is for this.

On with more reading and really hope i get a good early start on the day

I've 2 parcels to pack and post as well tomorrow :T

DedicatedDFW

Karmacat wrote: »

Ack, DD, what a pain it sounds a bad breakdown ... when my cash flow has headed in the right direction, I definitely want to get a car, but there are definitely bills and all sorts of things to take into account. Hope it won't be too long before it gets sorted.

Thanks KC - it is a pain and very frustrating and has already added over an hour onto my day tomorrow as i'll need to walk instead of using the car. I do mostly walk about to places if i can but this weathers not been great and i've already not been too well and tbh i need all the time i can for studying right now. Then there'll be the time i spend trying to get it to go. Oh well - it is one of those things and i am trying not to dwell on how mightily annoyed i am about it or on the near £1000 bill i paid to keep it running in november. There are also 3 other things that need fixing on it if it does limp into the garage

Hope all is well with you x

Karmacat

Adding an hour ... definitely not good. Sometimes I sit where I can see my neighbour leaving for work in the morning, and I can't tell you how grateful I am that I work at home ... day after day of being soaking wet before you get to the train station in the morning, horrible! And then not getting home for 12 hours ...

So, in answer to your question - I'm brilliant, thanks!

jwil

PositiveBalance wrote: »

Great minds, Jwil, great minds...that's exactly what I was thinking, but I didn't want to appear to be a gutter nag.



Confound you, Jwil! I bought one of these ages ago for exactly this reason (well, that and homemade bread) but it has stayed in its box due to a lack of space in my tiny kitchen. I had resolved to sell it for that very reason, although part of me always wanted to keep it for when I move into a new place and have more space. Now you have reinforced the positive things about keeping one, and I don't know what to do. Drat you! :rotfl:

BTW, how is baby Jwil?

Great minds Sorry about the meat slicer though My kitchen's tiny too, and I'm not sure I'd ever use it enough.

Baby jwil is fine thank you He's all growing up now, 11 months :eek:

DedicatedDFW wrote: »

Thanks jwil - it didn't feel productive though as i was so tired.

I know what you mean about the savings but they are in different accounts - 1 i had to open to get a benefit of something else so they are split. I may think about this next month on the 28th after i've attempted to smash the bay of e target i'm thinking of setting myself of listing £500 of items :eek:

Even if i had a meat slicer my Mr would just pile lots of slices on - he is not MS in that way - or when he leaves all the doors open letting the heat out or when he purposely leaves the lights on in the kitchen because 'it looks nice' :mad: - the food i think is alot but he works hard and i don't mind that as much as the other stuff. For me i just slice thinly with my favourite meat slicing knife i was thinking of getting a slicing machine for my potatoes though but just can't afford any expense right now and it seems frivolous

You are very clever then! I get about inch thick hacks when I try to slice a joint. I've had a meat slicer on my amazon wishlist for ages, I keep finding other things to spend my vouchers on though.

DedicatedDFW wrote: »

Hi All,

I am not having a good day today - my car has broken down again :mad: thus ruining tonights and tomorrow plans :mad: and in november i spent several hundred pounds on it

Boo to the car I feel your pain. Hope it's nothing serious.

Karmacat

jwil, you have an 11 month old baby?

:smileyhea gorgeous age, just gorgeous.