I really really want to be........mortgage free!

ourcornercottage

Moneyfordreams wrote: »

HI OCC,

just a comment on extra income, a couple of years ago we fostered 2 boxer dogs. £300 pcm plus food. we had those dogs for 9 months. kennels are pricey. short term fostering can help .

x

Thats something to consider, we already have 2 dogs though. I don't think I could manage another!

I have updated the end of month mortgage figures. That is it for this month now. Will leave the tidy account where it is as there isnt much in it.

Sig updated....

ourcornercottage

A personal NSD

Lazy bones day.

Could do with a 3 day weekend!

Still considering side hussles but nothing yet standing out.

ourcornercottage

Off the mark with a £15 OP from a cashback £6 odd payment with a nice little round up

I am very happy with January's figures, the spreadsheet that I have been doing has really helped keep me on track. Aiming for another minimum £500 OP in feb fingers crossed and at least a £1000 net reduction but closer to £1200 would be fantastic!

ourcornercottage

Another receipt from TCB today. £3 ish rounded up to £10.

Not much left due from TCB so these little OP's will stop soon

Miniocc needs new school uniform as he's had s growth spurt the age 7 trousers aren't even ankle swingers, much higher. Couldn't possibly use then even in an emergency! A couple of pairs of trousers and some polo shirts should do the trick. Will get them bits at half term. I've booked 2 days at street dance school which he will love and will be handy with work. £50 all paid for this month from bills account.

Am going to OP anything left in my personal spends this pay month (18th) as an extra on top of the £500 target. Hopefully there will be a few £££ maybe £50? Ive decided that I'm going to try to add these extra few pounds in as they will takes months off in the long run. I aim to save £250 from personal spends too which is in regular saver 2. Actual amount spent from my personal spends allowance has actually been extremely low this month so far maybe £50!

Still getting loads of stuff to review but I'm sure that's going to dry up soon. Useful stuff that is saving us loads of £££ buying

Annoyed on getting buffering online tonight. Very annoyed indeed.

Also I have a head cold

The End

PrincessLou

OCC, where do you get all these products to review? I read your diary daily but I must have missed the bit where you talked about it.

ourcornercottage

PrincessLou wrote: »

OCC, where do you get all these products to review? I read your diary daily but I must have missed the bit where you talked about it.

Hi I get most from amzreview trader and am pretty lucky as I've always written reviews on Amazon so get selected for the majority of things I apply to. I am totally honest and fairly detailed so I'm sure that helps with being selected too. I only request things I will actually have use for and have reviewed 26 items and am currently trying out about 10 or do. Some items have a small charge of £1 that I have had lots of them free though. I must have a years supply of toiletries scrubs, facial mask, cleanser, toner, conditioner I think I paid £2 in total!

From writing reviews on Amazon sometimes the manufacturer sends you stuff, I've had some lovely headphones RRP well over £100 totally free as they saw I reviewed another model on Amazon.

I also write a blog (https://www.stretchyourpennies.co.uk) so get a fair few things given to me for that. In fact I've got a lovely weekend box to do with Miniocc on Sunday as a blogger freebie. Check out my blog post on product testing as Alba volunteers usually have lots of items for testing and every product I've had from them are premium. Here's the link http://www.stretchyourpennies.co.uk/2015/04/word-of-mouth-and-product-testing.html you can try the others out too but Alba I have found to be the best.

Hope that helps and you snaffle some freebies too

Also nearly forgot don't miss the freebies threads on this forum, they are a must too!

ourcornercottage

WOWzers, everyday when I log on in the evenings I seems to be on page 3 or 4 of the listings. There must be a lot of MFW activity at the moment so big pats on the back for all of us and our future selves say thank you!

Today has been much better, decided to bite the bullet and get some valarian to take the edge off a bit and its worked. Have been feeling a bit stressed/negative so this has helped no end already.

Had a great session at my counselling skills course which I think was in part due to my more chilled nature today. I only have one more week then I will be thinking about applying for the certificate in counselling skills qualification which is post grad and part time. This is where it starts getting a little more serious but I feel very much enthused by the idea today.

Anyhow back to money, paid my usual £35 (HSBC save together £25 (my part) + £10 (their part)) to my mortgage. I always have a little smile to myself on this day as in effect HSBC pay £10 off my mortgage with them! Plus all the interest saved of course! I think that I have another month or maybe 2 of this left but I say a massive thank you to HSBC for paying £120 off my mortgage for me!

So total OP's for month so far £60!

In other money news one of my stakeholder pensions has arrived in my SIPP which is very exciting and the other part will be on its way soon, I just has to sign some additional papers for this one which I will send back tomorrow.

Finally, one of the loans in FC has repaid early so I have about £18 sitting there tonight waiting for me to do something with it. Must do something with that tomorrow if I remember. I must just send over another few £ to make it up to £20 really to bid on a new loan as there was nothing on the resale market that caught my eye.

Anyhow thats for me, got some batch cooking freezable, microwaveable ovenable dishes to review at a cost to me of £1 so I'm going to be madly cooking lasagne this weekend as I really fancy it and will do a big batch to fill my new dishes

ourcornercottage

Had a takeaway for tea tonight as BF is going away for work but it was yuk so won't be doing that in a hurry again and £20 wasted.

Had to get a few bits from tesco too so spent about £2. Things are gonna be tight on the money shuffle this month due to dates/pay dates/timings but I'll make it work. Just need to put about an extra £50 in the right place next week.

Set up my DD for my SIPP of £180 per month. After changes contributions are currently set at £760 per month between us. That may change and go down drastically when I speak to accountants about changes in new financial year. Our personal contributions are about 1/3 and business 2/3 currently although we haven't been doing the business ones for long at all.

S&S ISA upped to £100 pm although I don't think that's changed quite properly so may need to add £50 in there to ensure it all working correctly.

Still saving for guttering and must get a third quote when less busy. It's looking at £3500

ourcornercottage

Had to add another £50 to my ISA and send in another DD form. Good job I checked that.

I received my 1 months free tastecard from a MSE link today, which is a bit annoying as BF will be eating out every day for the next week

Is anyone else using bounts? I have been and have over 1000 points already! This is almost enough for a £5 gift card If you join then I can give you a referral code and we get 100 points each just PM me

TBC.....Lunch is finished at work!

ourcornercottage

second attempt at this as miniocc deleted my first!

Today has been okay, almost a NSD but purchased some things I require for my batch cooking session I am having hopefully Sunday. Think I am going to avoid a full shop this week as the BF is away and I like to get stuff used up in the week he is away especially anything that isnt gluten free. In fact I think we will make home make pizza tomorrow as miniocc likes doing that Need to write the rest of my meal plan for the week and then see if I need any bits and bobs.

Money wise not a lot else going on except I moved £50 to my ISA as the monthly DD hasnt changed yet. Also sent back the papers for the pension transfer and the change to ISA DD.

The £50 was out of my personal spends account so I have all but given up on there being anything left in that at the end of the pay month (18th) as I have forked out for school holiday clubs for both half term and easter this week and have paid for a football club hoodie this month too. I also had a bill for the guitar lessons so will have to pay that monday too. We have needed a top up on minioccs omega 3 (magic brain juice) as hes veggie we get a special one that costs £15 per bottle but its another £15 gone. I dont think I have spent more than £5 on my personal spends budget on myself this month! I am still pleased though as I still have the £250 additional savings still intact bearing in mind I managed £40 on the first month and £130 last month so if I do manage the whole £250 I will be really chuffed! Total additional unexpected savings now £420 which is basically the Uni fund should I want to go. That represents 1/5 of the cost of the course so in theory I could have the rest together by July if I manage the £250 every month but am totally on track for September.

got 1 thing to review today and requested 2 more (actually got 4 but 2 codes didnt work) Used the thing I got to review which worked really well so very happy with that. Will use it at least one more time then write the review. we are nearly fully stocked with toiletries now so will have to look at other things we use that I could request.

Need to give some time to my blog but Im not inspired at the moment so will leave it until the inspiration comes to me. I go in waves with the blog when I write post after post and then get a block.

Thats all I have to say about today!