For Sunshine and a Sea View .... eventually!

Lexi-lu

Hello,

DH working 4 overtime shifts this weekend. He has been away since Thursday and won’t be back until Tuesday so it should also reduce the grocery bill a bit. I was feeling sorry for him working all weekend but when I spoke to him this morning he had been for a swim and enjoyed a cooked breakfast as he is staying in a nice hotel so not too bad really.

I spent a lovely morning with my Dad yesterday, looking forward to a visit from the MIL today .

Lots of drama at work this week, so pleased that I have booked annual leave next week and can enjoy a lovely week with DD, hopefully things will have calmed down before I get back.

DH called to open a regular saver with the Spanish bank but as he couldn’t answer any of the security questions correctly (as I do all of the banking .. oops) he now has to go into the branch and as he is too busy working that won’t happen for a while.

I have applied for a new current account with 5% interest and once everything comes through hoping to be eligible to open the 5% regular saver that £500 per month can be paid into with the same bank. I don’t really like doing this but as the Spanish bank changed the rules and have reduced the amount I can overpay on the mortgage next year I have to find a home for the savings instead.

Transferred money from DDs savings account to her Junior ISA. A little confused now what with the Help to Buy ISA and the Lifetime ISA but I expect it will all have changed again before DD turns 18 so will look into it for her then.

Took up a free kindle book offer this week but had to choose one for DD as of the 6 offered there wasn’t anything that I would read, should keep DD entertained over the Easter break though.

The council tax bill arrived this week, £70 more than last year, not much I can do about this one.

The gas bill for the quarter to March also arrived, it was £222 compared to £446 for the same quarter last year. The milder weather this winter obviously helped but switching supplier and not having the thermostat above 18 degrees must have made a difference too.

Unplanned spends this week were money for DD to go to the cinema and a birthday present for her friend. When I budgeted for gifts for family and friends I hadn’t included DDs friends, need to adjust this.

Mortgage op of £2500.25p

I have been thinking of changing my plans re mortgage overpayments and extra pension contributions mainly because I don’t trust the government not to change the rules, undecided at the moment.

LL

Lexi-lu

March Summary – Month 3
Mortgage Overpayments total £2,500
DH Overtime on March payslip 84 hours
Grocery spends £249.52
Electricity used 260 units
Gas used 195 units
Clothes/Accessories/Haircuts etc for me £0
Pension fund extra contribution £0
S&S Isa £0
£64.90 requested from TCB

Lexi-lu

Hello,

We have enjoyed two lovely trips out to NT properties this week.

I found some old building society passbooks I had forgotten about in a drawer whilst decluttering this week, one of mine and one belonging to DD. Popped in and closed both of the accounts whilst in town and then paid the cash into my savings account and DDs ISA. DD asked for a Belgian chocolate creamy cooler from Co$ta, I said we could go and get her one if she paid for her own from her pocket money, she did - £3.30!!

DH is only working one overtime shift this weekend – he was ready for a rest. He has now had 3 attempts at opening the new regular saver, once on the phone and twice in branch but he has now forgotten his pin so has to wait for a new one to be sent before he can be verified, bless him.

I’m not sure what came over me yesterday. We have decided to spruce up DD's ensuite, went off to the shops, no plan, no budget! I must have been in a very spendy mood as also decided most of the house could do with a makeover. Anyway, earlier today I logged onto MFW and read through some of the mortgage free roll of honour posts – thank goodness, I have come to my senses and have been reminded of the difference between want and need – the plans will now be scaled back and a budget set before anything is done. A big thank you to everyone posting.

I am taking DD to a concert this week. When she was younger we enjoyed taking her to the theatre to see musicals or ballet. As she has got older it has been mostly pop concerts, DH and I take it in turns to accompany her. We have had the pleasure in recent years of Jessie J, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, One Direction, The Vamps, 5 SOS, Nicki Minaj, Bruno Mars, The Jingle Bell Ball and the Summertime Ball - some of these more than once, lucky us :eek:

Waiting for TCB £64.90 to arrive.

Back to work tomorrow, hopefully all will be well again.

LL

Lexi-lu

Hello,

DD enjoyed the concert that I took her to earlier in the week and we have another one to go to this week. When cutting back on spending last year Christmas presents for DD were a tricky area. As she had been used to having a lot of presents in the past – us purchasing not her asking, we didn’t want her to feel disappointed on Christmas morning. Many of the presents were therefore things that we would probably have purchased throughout the year anyway such as concert tickets, books, vouchers for her favourite shops, make-up etc and I spent a lot of time wrapping in little boxes to make them look pretty.

Sprucing up of DD’s ensuite has been started, DH has done a very nice job of tiling the floor and has painted. Just need to purchase a new blind, cabinet, accessories etc to finish it off.

The good news this week, my car that is 9 year old passed its MOT without requiring any work which was a relief and unexpected. Hoping it will keep going for the next few years until we are MF. To be honest, I don’t enjoy driving so if it keeps going until DD is old enough to drive herself around (a lot of my journeys are taking her to music lessons,orchestra, friends etc) I would prefer not to replace it and could bike or get the bus to work and use DHs car evenings and weekends.

DH working one overtime shift this weekend but this won’t continue for much longer as DH has accepted a new job. The pay is very slightly more than he earns currently but there won’t be the same opportunity for working overtime so income will be lower and there will be less available for overpayments. It was a difficult decision but something he really wants to do. It will mean more family time and DH won’t be away as much.

All was most definitely not well when I returned to work this week, issues are being dealt with but a lot of uncertainty, not a good place to be at present. I expect it will be at least a few more weeks before the investigation is completed as 2 more complaints have been made whilst I was on annual leave.

ISAs matured this week, the accounts have been closed and the money transferred to current accounts paying a better rate of interest.

Yesterday we had a trip out to a NT property. I have cut the lawns and tackled the ironing this morning so off to enjoy a lovely walk with “the girls” now.

LL

Lexi-lu

Hello,

Had a lovely time with DD at a concert again last week. Also had a fun evening out with a friend, meal and drinks for £15 which is much less than we used to spend.

No trips out to NT properties at the weekend as DH worked 2 overtime shifts.

DD has coloured DH's hair again this week so money saved by not going to the hairdressers - it looks fine.

Regular saver set up to pay £500 per month into at 5% for a year.

Mortgage overpayment made of £720. This is much less than planned but as DH will be changing jobs to one without paid overtime soon I decided it will be best to top up the EF as I raided it for some of the first overpayment of the year and had originally planned to put it back later in the year.

After the relief of my car passing it's MOT recently without needing any work a colleague managed to bump into it in the car park at work so I now need to get that sorted. She wants to pay for it without involving the insurance company so I hope this works out ok.

LL

gallygirl

I hope the problems at work get resolved. When the going gets tough calculate how soon you can leave - however if it gets too bad then look elsewhere - it's not worth making yourself ill in the meantime, great though retirement in the sun is .

Lexi-lu

Hello,

Thank you so much for the advice gallygirl, I was hoping to continue for the next 6 years, love the organisation that I work for and what we do but there are some serious issues that have been going on for a while.There was a time that I'd have happily gone without pay as I enjoyed it so much, things have changed in the last few years though.

I love reading your diary gallygirl, very inspiring, thank you sharing. It's great seeing that others have made it, keeps me going.

Not much to report for last week, DH worked 2 overtime shifts at the weekend. His employer has outsourced payroll to a different company this month and it was a good job that I checked DHs payslip as the overtime was paid at a lower rate than it should have been, hopefully this will be paid next month.

The only unplanned spending was a £5 charge for a replacement bus pass for DD as she has lost it.

As I'm typing this DD is colouring DHs hair saving money by not going to the hairdressers which is good.

LL

Lexi-lu

Hello,

DH working 3 overtime shifts again this weekend. He has put a lot of work expenses on our credit card and is taking his time reclaiming them, hopefully they will come back in May.

DD is staying over at a friends so no expenses keeping her entertained. However, concert tickets purchased this week to take her to the Summertime Ball in June - £280 :eek:

My car has been repaired and my colleague has already repaid the cost of this which is great.

Large batch of chilli con carne and bolognaise cooked and frozen today.

LL

Lexi-lu

April Summary – Month 4
Mortgage Overpayments total £720
DH Overtime on April payslip 84 hours
Grocery spends £282.43
Electricity used 242 units
Gas used 145 units
Clothes/Accessories/Haircuts etc for me £0
Pension fund extra contribution £0
S&S Isa £0

Great to see the gas and electricity usage coming down at this time of year

Lexi-lu

Hello,

DH worked 2 overtime shifts again this weekend, no date agreed yet for starting his new job when the overtime will come to an end so making the most of it whilst it lasts.

No unexpected spends this week but the ironing board is barely held together now and will need replacing shortly. I asked DH if he could fix it, he said yes if he had a welder and a grinder, think we will just buy a new one:D He did manage to fix the prop for the washing line though and I stitched the lace back onto DDs socks that was coming off so we are definitely better than we used to be.

I took the girls out walking at a NT property and I also spent some time reading about the frugalwood family this weekend whilst in the garden enjoying the sunshine, very inspiring and I would definitely recommend if anyone hasn't come across their story yet.

I have an appointment this week to open 2 more accounts at a local building society, fingers crossed it goes smoothly.

LL