Biting the Bullet - Shortie's MFW Diary

TimmySaver

Shortie wrote: »

Regarding the summary, I'm hoping that if I can sumarise occasionally (maybe once a week?) then it's a good way if I read back to see the key things amoungst the rest of the post

That sounds like a good idea. I've put some extra bits in my signature as a trial for the moment - but like the idea of looking back through my posts and seeing progress, so will probably end up copying you

Shortie

So, there hasn't been much movement yet on the savings as I get paid monthly however I've moved £25 into the savings as I had forgotten it was put aside each month from previous utility savings


On that note, I've had the renewal through for the household insurance and I know I can get better value so I'll be having a look at Quidco for a cheaper quote plus cash back.


Mr Shortie has also started to do some casual work so as and when he does that, it will go towards the savings and then if it he is able to do it in the future, hopefully will go onto overpaying the mortgage We have been surviving on my salary so far so the extra we get will be very handy. Will need to see how that pans out though.


Had a bit of a spendy weekend (though I say that, it was actually not very much at all - it just felt spendy as we go t a lot of stuff) as we had a free hotel stay voucher but had to buy a few bits in for it. Also got some very cheap bits at a boot sale and a thrift shop. All bits that were needed (winter boots as my shoes are rapidly on their way out, replaced some bedding that was getting tatty, etc, etc)


Have made some more of the tomato and lentil soup today for work lunches, and have made up a box of 'instant' porridge ready for lunches


Feeling like I have a bit of a better flow at the moment - long may it live

Shortie

Morning!

Monday is here and I'm starting the week feeling organised :rotfl:

Porridge, the last of the rock cakes, and some soup in my bag for work.

Also, last week with Mr Shortie out the evening routine for me was non-existant which wasn't good. So, yesterday we had a cook up and there is a dinners worth of bolognaise and chilli boxed up in the fridge and the same in the freezer for next week. We have leftovers from yesterday's roast so I'll cook up bubble and beans with meat for us tonight.

If I'm organised enough I'll make some cookies too for the boys' pack ups tonight. Another night this week I'll get pizza dough made and part baked as they usually go down well for dinner too

Plans this week (foodie based it would seem!)

- Slice, blanch and freeze the runners I picked yesterday
- Make up pizza dough
- Make cookies for pack ups
- Make a veggie curry - one for a dinner, one for the freezer

Monday, please be gentle on me :rotfl:

Shortie

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

Ay up shortie - found ya

Just coming to

:j:j:j:j:j:j:j up and down a little and wish you well on your journey

Greying

Oohh I missed your message - hello Greying!

Shortie

Gingerfell wrote: »

How old was the old boiler and how much was it to replace (if you don't mind me asking) - was it a combi, or hot water tank job?

Our boiler is a 14 yr old combi and i'm wondering if it's getting to that time.. BGas still keeps servicing it tho. However, I wonder if there's some savings to be had.

Sorry Gingerfell, I missed yours and Greying's post, whoops!

The boiler was around £3,500 which feels like a lot and I'm not convinced we'll ever recoup the money. However, for us we have gone from a tank that went cold/hot then stone cold in a short shower (the boiler was around 15 years okd I think?) to a combi which gives us lovely stable water temps as well as instantly.

We are quite rural so have to order in oil and we're astounded already how much less oil we've used compared to last summer. It'll be interesting to see if it makes the heating better this winter too as it has been naff the last two years

Shortie

Okay, so posting while I have a bit more news...

Today I have:

- Renewed my home insurance through Quidco. This will save me £15 per month on the policy and I don't make a payment the first month. The money I don't spend in the first month, and the subsequent monthly savings will the get saved each month. I've never taken an insurance policy through Quidco but am hoping the cashback tracks and is paid as that'll be a nice £27odd that I can also put into savings.
- I had a Lush gift card turn upin the post today for some credits I'd forgotten I had. I don't need anything right now but that's a nice amount to have on hand when we need toiltries

Fingers crossed the Quidco cashback and new policy all work out okay

TimmySaver

Shortie wrote: »

The boiler was around £3,500 which feels like a lot and I'm not convinced we'll ever recoup the money.

Hi Shortie,


Sounds like you have an excellent plan in place for this week. Congrats on your Quidco spends. I've used them for around 7 years and everything has always tracked (even if it sometimes taken months to be paid!!).


As MFWs, I think we tend to focus on the return on investment in pure money terms, but if you're new boiler is giving you a stable temperature, then in comfort terms it will probably pay you back quite quickly.
I know that myself and DW tend to look at some house repairs and think we'll not do that because we'll never get the money back. We also do decorating to the level of house price the house is worth. We did the bathroom ourselves, as we felt spending thousands on a new bathroom for a house that's only worth around £135,000 would be pointless and better spent overpaying the mortgage! If we had a house worth £500,000, it may well be a different matter (dreaming!) :rotfl:


Sorry, a bit of a ramble there!

Shortie

Ah crud, not my day... I've just managed to lose all my text (I pressed back space )


Okay, so a compacted version...


Not so good:
- We've suffered from bad organisation with Mr Shortie's new working pattern. I get in from work very late and if dinner's not prepped I don't have time to start dinner for us all from scratch so we've had a few McDs which is expensive and unhealthy
- I ran out of LPG last night as I was trying to get dinner cooked - we have to wait until Tuesday for the delivery
- I'm not doing so well with spending money at the mo (it's proven to me how cost effective it is to be organised, not just time saving)
- Work have changed their interwebby settings so that I can't access MSE any more (or infact, any forums.. many of which can be helpful in my line of work for 'How Do I's


The good:
- The combo of Mr Shortie's money and some account tidy ups has put our savings up to £835. Have just sent off a cheque for the next stage of the planning process so fingers crossed that will go okay


Right, I'd better go!

Shortie

Ah whoops, I also meant to add that I have been having some nice swagbuck gins this week (I've been focussing on surveys again) so am slowly building my credits up again. I have an Amazon giftcard in the process of being credited, and am hoping to get another nice sized one before the end of the year


Recent summary:
- Savings up to £835
- Last of the runner beans picked today (then realised I can't blanch them, whoops)
- Porridge made ready and eaten for breakfasts at work
- Few random free Kindle recipe books and wartime books downloaded and being read
- Managed to move onto the next stage of the planning for the building work


I need to:
- Do a food inventory
- Menu plan around no hob
- Have a good old tidy up - the house has suffered for both of working opposing hours and long shifts

TimmySaver

The change in Internet settings sounds quite annoying! At least your IT support should be able to allow access for the work-related sites.

Sounds like you're having a really busy few weeks. I hope that the next stage of your planning goes well. Great news on the amount of savings you have

Good job on the Swagbucks. I only recently found out about it, thanks to Martin's email. Quite enjoying it so far. I'm probably going to be cashing out Paypal most of the time, although will keep my Amazon account topped up too - as Amazon vouchers are cheaper per £ than Paypal on the Swagbucks site.