Aspirations of Frugality and Fun on the Road to Mortgage Freedom

DedicatedDFW

Thanks Ellidee I love that quote in your sig And will look out for your diary if you hae one?

Start of the replies i do love having people drop by

INOD - i do know what you mean, yes there are some ways i stretch money now that i maybe wouldn't have done if money hadn't been so tight / non-existent. But i had already found this site, prior to that the intention was to take mortgage over longest term for affordability (thank goodness) but pay double the mortgage each month to reduce the term once improvements were done. Plan was to move in 5 years also having got some equity / possible pay increase and savings. Situation now: over 7 years later still here, most major jobs still need to be done: - new windows, doors (internal and external), new bathroom, living room needs gutting pretty much, hall / stairs / landing, garden. salary still very low, no savings as such, maybe some equity but not as much as intended. But yes, i have learned lots of useful things, having found the site though would i have learned them anyway?


Ed - thanks i've already noted in my little book about that site for something else you mentioned. This is all being saved up until after May (end of uni) I really cannot justify the time right now and also don't have the money until then either :cool:

P&F thank you - i have 3 suitable for anywhere (i think) work outfits - its the rest that are a bit scruffy - just depend on where i am lucky enough to secure a place is all.

P&F - did you do SOA from something on here - i need a template where nothing is missed ideally :cool:

INOD, TC, GG and GoldieG, Re. sleep already do all recommended and refuse to have TV in bedroom - only thing don't do is have a bath - i absolutely cannot relax in one

DedicatedDFW

PB and KC - will pop by to see how you both are next.

After next section of assignment and maybe 5 mins away from comp. Computer work does not always agree with me :eek:

gallygirl

GET ON WITH YOUR ASSIGNMENT WOMAN

Ellidee

Your light is on DDFW

jwil

Good luck with the assignment, you know where I am otherwise

Karmacat

Sorry its all been so tough for you, Dedicated - I hope coming on here helped a little bit - though I do understand, sometimes it feels too much.

If you've got the money, then some personal spends are fine - and without them, actually, it sounds like you might be in a bit of danger of burning out - don't do that! Give yourself the spends :kisses3:

PositiveBalance

jwil wrote: »

Bagsy the top bunk

*Mutters* Should have thought of that!

Hey Dedicated,

**Positive vibes** for the assignment. I know you can do it and that it will be brilliant!

I spent some money this week that i logged on the lost post - all needed except cake but cake is a need right ?

*Nods gravely* Cake is MOST necessary, especially amid all this studying. *Hands over large slice of chocolate fudge cake*

I have also not been posting as i have been feeling pretty down for a while now I need to give myself a good talking to and put a smile on my face really but as many of us I have real life stuff bothering me.

I'm sorry to hear that. I hope it all sorts itself out soon. Feel free to have a grumble if you like, even via PM. x

A good thing though is that in wading through all this clutter - yesterday i recycled 3 full bags of paper rubbish - how good it felt for all that weight to be out of the house - but sorting this clutter has helped a bit like PB said - to make room for things i want in my life right now - thank you PB :kisses3:

I'm glad that's helped. I've kind of stalled right now: I have a huge number of foreign language books that I need to get rid of, but they are hard to get rid of as not everyone can read them and they are just sat here in my front room, along with all the other stuff that needs to be got rid of. I kind of want them here in order to not be able to forget about them if I put them in another room, but I can't keep them here forever. I guess I'm just going to have to be disciplined about not sending them back to another room and 'forgetting'.

degree - i am really stressed about this as I am not giving it my full attention and have lost motivation that not even a deadline can ignite - 3 assignments to go including the one i am working on. I need to knuckle down and yet am not being very productive at all.

OK, so I'm going to ring the wake up bell very loudly now but THIS IS YOUR PRIORITY. YOU ARE SO NEARLY THERE. JUST GIVE IT THIS LAST PUSH AND IT WILL BE TOTALLY OVER AND YOU CAN THEN FOCUS ON EVERYTHING ELSE. (As a world-class procrastinator I know it's easier said than done, but you are so near the end of all these years of study and so near to a fabulous grade to reflect all the massive effort you have put in that it would be SUCH a shame to slip at this last hurdle. Just do this if nothing else until the deadline and all the rest can be dealt with afterwards, if needs be. Just focus on this. Stop trying to juggle so many other balls. For once, let all the others (except work, of course) drop and just do the bare minimum. Then this will be over and you can worry about the rest. Think of it as time, not money, snowballing.

weight - i am happier when i am slimmer. I will start to eat breakfast (get metabolism going) and will focus on weightloss after uni.

I like those words 'after uni'.

Personal spends - they make me happy - they really do. I work hard at my job all week, my priority is my family and my home but i *need* a little bit of *me* money. I've not had this this last few months with unexpected bills etc. But having debated a purchase for a month i bought it Monday - £28.20. I wouldn't quite say its fritter money - as i consider everything - i nearly put the £1 cake back :eek: But to open my purse and have a little money in there that i can spend on me if i want to - well thats all good It stops it feel like such a slog all the time if that makes sense? And at £20 week i think that is not too unreasonable

You need AND deserve this. Seriously, you are no longer in debt and it makes life sooo much sweeter. Do it!

tattycath

Free listing this weekend. :j

PositiveBalance

tattycath wrote: »

Free listing this weekend. :j

Not for all of us.

I hope you managed to get a lot listed, though.

peaceandfreedom

DedicatedDFW wrote: »

P&F thank you - i have 3 suitable for anywhere (i think) work outfits - its the rest that are a bit scruffy - just depend on where i am lucky enough to secure a place is all.

P&F - did you do SOA from something on here - i need a template where nothing is missed ideally :cool:

HI DDFW

Sorry, I've been MIA for a while, back now but still feeling somewhat carp.

No, I didn't do an SOA from anything on here. For my non-regular SOA, I went back through the spreadsheet of my spending over the past year or so, which includes both my current-account spending and also credit-card spending. I included all kinds of things that I end up paying out for that I don't properly budget for - sometimes I have the money for them, sometimes I don't. These are some of the things I've included - I haven't included anything that comes out as a monthly direct debit as that is budgeted-for already:

• Chimney Clean
• Logs
• Coal
• Empty Septic Tank
• Garden Compost Bin Collection
• Garden contractor work
• Supermarket Bulk Buys
• House Repairs / DIY
• School trips
• MOT
• Road Tax
• Car Service, Repairs, Tyres
• Car Insurance
• Club Membership
• Hairdresser
• Contact Lenses
• Christmas - our kids
• Christmas - food and drink
• Christmas - other presents
• Birthdays - our kids
• Birthdays - nieces and nephews
• Birthdays - friends and other family
• Random stuff - contingency

Note that I haven't included holidays because I can't afford one at the moment. I expect to continue adding to this list as things crop up. I will also increase the amounts in each category when I can afford to. Even keeping it very conservative I need to put aside 400 every month.