Renovations and Repayments.

AlexLK

Today hasn't been so great but I've managed to find distractions from my thoughts and started reading for the module I'm taking at uni in September, ever the swot. :rotfl: Nothing made and nothing saved today. Nothing done to the house and only because I couldn't face it today. On the positive side, nothing apart from a few £s on food spent, either.

Never imagined Mrs K and I would be overpaying our mortgage and that I would feel quite determined for us to clear it on our own. Still not exactly pleased with the fact we'll be spending all and more (to be saved - not borrowed) of our current savings on the house though, as I have become accustomed to patching the place up cheaply. However, it is time I start to try and view it as 'home' and I suppose making it comfortable may help somewhat.

AlexLK

Saturday 1st August, 2015.

Dear Diary,

Well it's the first of the month once again, the time when I write about not quite knowing where the year is going and that it really does only seem a couple of days since I set my 2015 savings target. Well, it does.

At the moment, the motivation doesn't seem to be there. Whilst I started prepping a few items on Wednesday, nothing has gone up for sale and I'm not sure when the items actually will go up for sale. I do know I need to try and save this money for the house but 'the house' has never been a great motivator for me even though I realise I am going about this in the right way.

Somewhat annoyed with Mrs K, who it appears has started spending fairly large sums of money without us talking about it first. However, that was apparently "her rule" to stop me spending money on things I don't need but OK for her to break it when it's for an "essential break" without her family, of course. :mad: Very bad timing with this one as it's during the week that our son starts school and I'd thought she had decided to take that week off for us to spend time together as a family. Perhaps I'm more annoyed about that than the money, though that puts us in an awkward position for the month. Whilst I don't want to be spending money we have saved, I also want my son to have a nice summer before starting school and I had planned quite a few things for us to do.

Another plan that looks like it's now not going to happen was to start paying a little more off the mortgage - we really don't miss £200 per month (well when somebody isn't booking "essential breaks") and I was hoping to start overpaying by £300 per month.

ETA: The only addition to the savings will be the usual £30 I put away each week to show 'progress', even if there's not a large amount saved.

Yours Faithfully,
Alex.

Alchemilla

Oof!
I was feeling sorry for Mrs LK with the whole outlaw situation, but if DH did that I would be incandescent or heartbroken or both at once.

edinburgher

Your wife has booked a holiday for herself without speaking to you or your son about it? :eek:

maman

Alchemilla wrote: »

Oof!
I was feeling sorry for Mrs LK with the whole outlaw situation, but if DH did that I would be incandescent or heartbroken or both at once.

Same here.


What a shame Alex and MrsK has been so on message lately.


Obviously the money is one issue but I think I'd be furious that she was taking a second holiday without the family as you've already had one apart this year. Why doesn't she want to spend time with LittleK?


Saddest of all is that she won't be around when he starts school. I'm not a particularly maternal sort (despite username;)) but I don't think I could go off on a jolly and miss that.


Why does she need a break Alex, any idea?

Orange_Ena

Hi Alex! Jut seen your post on ABA's diary.! Course I remember you! Well actually I remember you as 'posh pen guy' :rotfl:;)

How are you? I've been AWOL but just getting back into debt busting!

I'm so chuffed to not only find you're debt free, but also an MFW! Flipping nora, well done you, you've done so well. Throw some tips my way! I'm going to try and find your old diary and find out how you did it.

I going to follow you now. On here, not in real life, don't worry :D

Good luck with becoming mortgage free

AlexLK

Alchemilla wrote: »

Oof!
I was feeling sorry for Mrs LK with the whole outlaw situation, but if DH did that I would be incandescent or heartbroken or both at once.

Been there before, it's not made anything any better. Suppose you could say I've become rather good at feigning apathy for the sake of keeping the peace.

edinburgher wrote: »

Your wife has booked a holiday for herself without speaking to you or your son about it? :eek:

Ed, it's happened a few times before. I'm not shocked, just rather disappointed as I thought she was really on board with us staying here, clearing the mortgage and making a better life for ourselves without debt (or money from my parents).

She likes to go away with friends on city breaks, which I don't mind. Although when we'd talked about a holiday away over summer as a family we agreed that we would rather the money go towards savings. Therefore, I'm annoyed at her decision to do this at last minute and really mess our finances up for the month.

maman wrote: »

Same here.

What a shame Alex and MrsK has been so on message lately.

Obviously the money is one issue but I think I'd be furious that she was taking a second holiday without the family as you've already had one apart this year. Why doesn't she want to spend time with LittleK?

Saddest of all is that she won't be around when he starts school. I'm not a particularly maternal sort (despite username;)) but I don't think I could go off on a jolly and miss that.

Why does she need a break Alex, any idea?

Spending time with our son doesn't sit particularly high on my wife's list of priorities. Every time there's some kind of big event for him, she tries to make things difficult, just like her father did when she was young, yet she tells me how much that upset her. Can't see she's doing the same thing, though.

She will be around the morning that he starts school (which apparently makes it all OK) but gone when he returns home. I think I'll tell him nearer the time that Mummy is going to be working away as I don't think I can face telling him that she's going on holiday. That task will be left with me, of course. Sometimes it's like how I'd imagine being a single parent is.

She needs a break because her self employed, separated from long term partner and childless friend heard she was taking some time off and said something along the lines of "fancy a trip to Barcelona?" I can't say I blame the friend and Mrs K reckons she doesn't spend enough time with the aforementioned friend because she "doesn't go out enough" anymore. Of course, it's my fault that we live so far away from her friends and colleagues. Last night she was annoyed that I don't take her to work and pick her up on Fridays so she can go for drinks with her colleagues. Literally have nothing better to do with my life than make sure she has a 'good time' with a bunch of drunken building contractors.

Onto what matters on here, the money, I've still put away the £30 saving as usual and taken my salary from the business to cover our food, petrol etc. bills. Will not invest my music teaching money this month (it goes into my business and ISA currently) so I can take my son on the days out as planned. Can't deny I'm not somewhat annoyed but think it best to not save as much rather than miss out on the days we'd planned. Know that's not MSE.

AlexLK

Orange_Ena wrote: »

Hi Alex! Jut seen your post on ABA's diary.! Course I remember you! Well actually I remember you as 'posh pen guy' :rotfl:;)

:eek: Erm, thanks. Not sure why everyone remembers the pens, to be honest. :rotfl:

Orange_Ena wrote: »

How are you? I've been AWOL but just getting back into debt busting!

I'm so chuffed to not only find you're debt free, but also an MFW! Flipping nora, well done you, you've done so well. Throw some tips my way! I'm going to try and find your old diary and find out how you did it.

I going to follow you now. On here, not in real life, don't worry :D

Good luck with becoming mortgage free

Thank you.

All the best for your debt busting.

I'll admit I sold some things and made some offers to my creditors, so didn't end up paying back the full amount owed. In short, I didn't really get debt free the hard way but did learn how to live within my means, which was a very needed lesson and one I wish I'd learnt many years before. Also learnt how to make some money from things I like. Yes, it involves pens ... as well as the odd watch, old furniture etc.

maman

Have to commend you Alex, you sound determined and with a definite plan for you and LittleK regardless of what MrsK is up to. And it's all mse as you know where the money's coming from to fund it all.


All very positive. You've come a long way.:T

AlexLK

maman wrote: »

Have to commend you Alex, you sound determined and with a definite plan for you and LittleK regardless of what MrsK is up to. And it's all mse as you know where the money's coming from to fund it all.

All very positive. You've come a long way.:T

Thanks, maman.

On a positive note, I've started to list the items I'd been prepping for sale last week (hoping for some more money to add to savings soon) and somehow had a productive day today despite a difficult weekend. Really seem to be getting my head together at the moment which certainly makes a pleasant change.