The Road to Financial Security

amycool

I've gone with the "not washing until the sun comes out" plan. Not sure how long this plan will work for. Our drawers are looking empty...

Gardens eat money! You go out for a bag of gravel and come back with £50 of plants and other useful things!

Pushkin

@ Amycool - my son certainly goes for that option with regards just leaving his dirty clothes on the floor.

Pushkin

:j:j:j:j:j:j

Have just successfully withdrawn some money from my H@lif@x isa account so feel much relieved. DH tried to point out the reasons for all their security checks but soon shut up when I started giving him evil looks :eek:

Very disappointed in the weather, no eating outside sadly, I've even had to put thermal socks on my feet got so cold. Can't believe it's July next week.

Pay day Thursday can't come too soon, think I have about £5 left in my current account after the last monthly dd goes out tomorrow.

Need to take a break and enjoy not having work going in the house but DH and I have decided to get the lounge redecorated before September as it will e less painful to do in the summer - we can live outdoors for a few evenings while the room is unusable - thats if the weather behaves!

amycool

Pushkin you are a glutton for punishment! You're right though, it's easier to decorate in the summer and it'll be worth it later in the year.

This weekend doesn't look to be too bad - but probably not sunbathing weather.

I keep marvelling at the new bit of the garden. It looks so pretty!! It'll be even better once we get round to taking all of the horrible old slabs to the tip.

Pushkin

Hi Amycool - am so not bothered about sun bathing - too much embarrassing flab on display!

I too am at marvelling phase re our garden - it's all perfect right now - ie. hasn't been neglected/ruined/messed up by us yet!

Pushkin

First day working in the den in the garden (rather than at kitchen table) as DH was also working from home. Was all rather pleasant having the double doors open an the vista out onto the recently finished garden. Good mood aided by the fact that it's Friday too no doubt.

No money news today, did a few surveys and haven't actually spent any dosh so figure thats me in the black

cookie9

Your new den sounds lovely. I too can relate to the garden money pit! My rationale is that if we can eat it eventually it will save us money.

Pushkin

Wow what a beautiful day, just taken dog out and I reckon it's going to be a scorcher. Had a good nights sleep, up and about by 7.30 and in a good mood, just hope I can keep up productivity today.

Trip to DIY shop this morning - my new favourite place, we have so much to get for the garden.

We have theatre tickets for this evening over in Oxford which I'm looking forward to. Will go for early dinner before hand not exactly MSE but I will check out my voucher apps see if I can find somewhere with a deal. :A

Usual jobs to do in the house although am enjoying having the washing line back - already have one load out drying in the garden and the next lot cued up ready to go!

Pushkin

Finally faced some financial calculations, my spreadsheets have gone to pot since I had to close some accounts and rejig a lot of stuff. Reduced amount will be going into a long term savings account from July onwards to make up for the sum DH is putting in his pension (less said about that the better or I'll start ranting about his head in the sand attitude up til now!).

Anyway based on the new amount going into savings, by end of Dec I should only be £7 away from my end of year target - pretty chuffed really and proof that I should have done this a month ago as while it may be good I"m pretty much on track its not good that I didn't know that and thought I was behind.

Control and balance is my new mantra!

Pushkin

Another visit to the garden centre today and I have now realised that just like buying for inside the house buying for the garden can just suck money up! Bought another 3 bags of stones - that's 13 in total! Also bought a vegetable trug (not a term I'm familiar with) in the sale for DH who wants to grow some bits so he can use this.

Mum and dad came over so mum helped me pot the new plants (well she did it I asked lots of questions!) and dad and DH built the new shed. New shed is smaller than we pictured and not exactly A grade quality (grrr) I guess you do get what you pay for. If we get 2 years out of it I'll be impressed.

No more gardening spends for a bit now, although DH needs (wants I don't know!) a new lawn mower which we will doubtless end up buying but I'll use the house investment account for that.

Anyway despite the rain's best efforts we've done quite a bit in the garden today and I'm pleased with how it's coming along.

I've also noticed that the weekly supermarket bill has increased last few weeks, thought it was a glitch but this is about the 4th week running. I don't think we are eating any more extravagantly but can't really understand. I could be really anal and go back over the last couple of months items bought but that may well be a step too far...