And Baby Makes Three....

bexster1975

No problem! Glad you are keeping busy. I have actually been seriously ill for over 6 months and am just starting to get better so I understand the boredom! Good news about the click and collect order.
Clearly based on the jobs you do working from home is not an option for Mrs FLC, for now at least.

I use Lidl for my regular shop, I really have saved a lot and don't think the quality is compromised in fresh fruit and veg of meat ( and I'm very fussy). I have just turned 40, it's not as bad as people seem to say. Good news is I hope to be mortgage neutral by christmas!

Keep smiling

Bexster

FunLovinCriminal

Thanks Bexster, my bosses would disagree with the difference between Aldi and some of the other supermarkets

Glad to hear you are on the mend.

Managed some lunch and my painkillers - and the Mother In Law has taken little FLC to the park.

Mortgage-neutral? What does that mean, read about it, not sure what it means though. Is it just a case of your savings and equity equaling the mortgage? or am i being dim?

Click and Collect done, soon the cupboards will be full - though with me being at home, the cupboards being bare have prevented me from comfort-eating!!

bexster1975

Ha ha ha! Don't know which of the big stores you work for but I promise they are all trying to catch up with lidl and aldi! ( no, I don't work for either of them!).

Mortgage neutral just means I will have enough savings to pay off my mortgage. I won't for now for a couple of reasons, including that I am on fixed for just over a year so will incur ERC if I pay it off which is more than the interest I would pay for the next year. Also, I'm keen to keep some flexibility as I'm not keen to stay at my current job once I'm well.

Ha ha ha! You will need the gym membership then once shopping is delivered!

Bexster

FunLovinCriminal

Thanks for clearing that up Bexster.

Yes we both work for a supermarket chain thats going through a lot of change at the moment.

My mobile phone deal runs out next month - so my current £28 per month can be reduced to £10 sim only deal, maybe less, through work.

I have spoken with the gym, and as I cannot use it for 8 weeks they are charging me £10 per month, rather than £39, every little helps!

Little FLC will be back for 5pm, so I had better do some tidying (slowly) and put her dinner on.

Secret_Saving_Squirrel

Hello,

Just returning your visit! I have never posted an soa because I am quite sensitive about being told what to do, but bexster is right, I have seen some harsh things said recently so gird your loins!
I do, however, keep a detailed spending diary in an old fashioned accounts book and could tell you exactly what we spend on things over a year. It can be quite scary. We have five children and three grandchildren between us, and all of the children are married or have long term partners so our gift spending is high, for example, but I wouldn't want to stop doing it. It is little things like window cleaning at £100 a year that being you up short as you don't notice paying it every few weeks but it adds up. Then you have to make a decision about whether that spending is worth it to you. I honestly never would have been able to say where our money went until I had kept the diary for over a year though, so your soa may not be comprehensive enough for you to really make decisions from it.

But you can have a lot of fun in the next few weeks making a long list of where it all goes. I am sad enough to enjoy doing this. You can also read all the other cutting back blogs. I like early retirement guy and Mr money moustache.

All the best,

Squirrel x

FunLovinCriminal

Thanks SecretSavingSquirrel

There are many many diaries on here, yours is one I enjoy reading and have so much admiration in how you have acheived such great results.

The danger for us, both working in retail, is a lot of our online banking reads the supermarket where we work - just impulsive spending, and with the staff discount too.

Recently my grade has been removed, so I have had a wage reduction, I am hoping that a move to a store closer to home will reduce the £300 we spend on diesel per month.

I think I finally have OH on board, told her it will not adversely affect our lifestyle, or little FLC's - but we both want a better quality of life that having no mortgage would bring. OH could drop hours, and we could use the time with little FLC.

I will endeavour to monitor the spends, and itemise what it is we actually buy/need? daily from our shops...

FLC

FunLovinCriminal

Ooh so angry right now.

We were paid on 5th June, while were still on holiday. I was only at work for three days, then stopped for my operation - this would mean I would not need to fill the car up this month. Happy Days.

Two weeks tomorrow until we get paid.

Could not understand why we have so little spare cash this month. Just looked - we have used nearly £100 to eat out this month, including £50 at domino's.

I am disgusted at myself, and frustrated that we lost focus so badly.

We obviously have come home still thinking we are on holiday!

We have still spent £150 on shopping (tesco and sainsburys) and OH is using more diesel than forecast.

All in all, this is a bad month, and I am raging.

bexster1975

Hello FLC

Sorry about bad money news

It happens to us all ( dominos is a terrible price I must say). Try not to dwell on it too much with all that time you have on your hands at the mo!

You will get it back on track I have no doubts.

Bexster

FunLovinCriminal

Thanks Bexster

I have had a cup of tea, and given myself a talking to.

Its done now, no use crying over eaten domino's.

Going to make the best out the situation. Simply Health have paid in £30 for my operation, which was lucky because I was going to cancel our health policy with them.

Heating is on. It's freezing in Scotland today. Little FLC is at softplay (free) - so hoping for a NSD to claw some cash back!!

FLC

bexster1975

Ha ha ha! :rotfl:

I find a good talking to myself is often in order. I'm sure you enjoyed the dominos when you ate it! Good news on today as a NSD.

glad a cup of tea helped

Bexster