Getting a mortgage and then becoming mortgage-free!

PurpleFairy26

Sounds like you are having a great time planning your time away. We love Bradgate park too can you recommend a yoga place. I've been to one in sileby but they don't do classes at weekends. Thanks.

Kittenkirst

PurpleFairy26 wrote: »

Sounds like you are having a great time planning your time away. We love Bradgate park too can you recommend a yoga place. I've been to one in sileby but they don't do classes at weekends. Thanks.

Ooooh PurpleFairy- I've been going to Hotpod yoga in Leicester city entire since it opened in October and can not recommend it highly enough.

It's based in an inflatable purple pod with low lighting, aromatherapy oils and humidifiers in there. It's wonderfully heated to 37 degrees so you build up a good sweat and it eases your muscles into positions.

If you fancy giving it a try send me a privately message and I can refer you- you get a free lesson and I get a £5 credit to my account.

I've heard good things about B-yoga also in town but believe that's a bit stricter (not allowed to drink water in class and longer sessions) but haven't tried it just yet

Kittenkirst

A_Frayed_Knot wrote: »

Sounds as if trip is coming together, what a terrific time you are both going to have.

As for bathroom decor, ever thought about wall stickers, you can get scenes or sayings from ebay - beach view through windows or bathroom/life sayings.

Thought this would make you smile -


https://www.rosegal.com/wall-sticker/cat-animal-3d-removable-bathroom-1207456.html

That is AMAZING! made me chuckle!!

Kittenkirst

Dentists went okay, thanks for asking all, but I forgot my trays so they didn't get to do the whitening treatment but they did fix the retainer that had come loose on the back so that is much better. Going back on Tuesday after work to get the final treatment and pay the last installment and then it's all done! Hurrah!

Pay day was yesterday and received my bonus so the pay day money shuffle has taken place

I put a portion of my bonus (£200) to the Mortgage and alongside our monthly OP of £312.45 (which makes the monthly payment £1k) so its been our biggest OP this year so far.

It makes our 2018 payments a nice chunky £1,416.26 which is 47% of the target this year.

The plan is to continue a few months at OP of £312.45 but to taper it off towards our Oz trip and for the month we get back.

We went for our second climbing lesson yesterday and I still found it nerve wracking! Will continue with the course and then see how confident I feel after it but very glad we are trying it and trying out something new

Went to the market this morning for our fruit & veg before 10am yoga class, then we went to Costco to look at chicken costs- is actually the same as buying at tesco so will take a look at local butchers next. We ended up spending only £8.70 which is amazing for us in there (dried cranberries for nut/fruit packs in lunches, a mahoosive bag of spinach and a 6 pack of kippers (2 packs now in the freezer) and one out to make kedgeree next week for a supper

I broke my plan of one bought coffee a week as gf asked me to get her a karak chai (Indian style) from a fab place in town after my 7am yoga class yesterday (as I had the day off so wasn't in a rush) so I picked us both up some and also got her parents a cup each Andy dropped it in for them on the way home (they loved it and were suprised you could get proper Indian spiced tea freshly made) so I've bought two coffees this week for me, totalling £2.60 for a flat white earlier in the week and £6.50 for the four teas yesterday.

Will try again for next week!

Kittenkirst

This morning I've woken up with muscle soreness (DOMS) in my shoulders/arms and bum from yesterday's workouts.

We've signed up with an online fitness coach (who lives in the town next to us so we can go and see him ) to formulate us individual workout plans and provide nutritional advice. We know what we are doing mostly but feel that we've got to a good point but need better direction now to achieve our goals before Australia.

So I've completed four gym workouts this week- three from the plan, one before I received my plan as well, plus three yoga sessions & a climbing session this week. I was supposed to go to yoga this morning but have a fair bit of DOMs in the shoulders/triceps so the gf and I are heading out for a nice morning walk instead to get moving but not stress the body too much.

The shock has been the meal plan- he's given us an example for one day as told us to then emulate this with other foods but equalling the macros- on his day there is a lot of asparagus, COD,salmon, asparagus etc :eek: so will have a play with that and substitute for more budget friendly but healthy foods :rotfl:

Also the calorie count is a good 565 per day over what I usually aim for not sure how I feel about it but will give it a go and see for the four weeks! May as well try something new and see how it goes!

There is also limited cardio- 8minutes twice a week. I've been itching to go for a run now we've had the good weather and have been watching the runners on the treadmill at the gym with some envy I must admit (who'd have thought it!!!!)

Managed to have a good YS haul at our local Tesco's yesterday- an avocado for 40p, a rotisserie chicken for £1.60, lettuce for 30p and then a cucumber at full price for 50p. So we had a lovely dinner of chicken, Nando's sauce (from a chrimbo gift set), sweet potato Cajun wedges, and a chopped salad. Chickens leftover for a nice salad for lunch and we're off to a friends for dinner this evening

MichaelDH

Hey KittenKirst

Just caught up on your diary - not logged in for ages, new puppy keeping me very busy!!!

Looks like you are doing great with OP's. I'm a little sad we haven't made any OP's ourselves this year but on the bright side we finally have flooring, sofa, furniture and curtains so I shouldn't complain too much...

For the downstairs loo, how about a really bright and funky wallpaper? One of the many show houses we saw had koi carp wallpaper in the downstairs loo and I've made a promise to myself that when have building work done and finally have a downstairs loo I'm having the koi carp wallpaper

Do you have any show homes near to where you live? They are great for getting ideas for decor.

Kittenkirst

Hey Michael, nice to see you posting!

Sounds like you have had lots of stuff done this year to your home great work!

We've finally had our blinds fitted on our patio doors, in the kitchen and the small window in our front room. Now the living room had a wallpapered wall its starting to feel more homely, not so much white everywhere!

Went for gfs first swim lesson today, so I did some lengths- managed 22 in the half hour session which I'm pleased with- I'm not a strong swimmer so will go with her for her lessons and I will practice.

Had a great yoga session this afternoon too so I'm feeling all relaxed but achey muscled.

Nutrition & fitness plans are going well- it's quite a change but I'm managing to stick to it mostly- even having plain chicken tikka and salad at an Indian when out with old workmates on Thursday!

Got some YS teriyaki fish skewers today at Tesco's for £1.40 so had those for dinner with homemade cauliflower mash, brocolli and a side salad.

No additional ops yet this month- TSB app has had some maintenance this weekend so I shall take a look tomorrow and see if i can TT anything over.

I need to pay the guy for the blinds tomorrow I mustn't forget!

Had my last dental appt this week so I am super pleased with my teeth now, and even better was that they told me there was £250 left owing which I was suprised at, so I recalculated and thought i must have made an error so I Rejigged the accounts on my spreadsheet ad in app and paid for it, they called to advise they were refunding as my info was correct. So, it feels as though I have gained £250! Bonus!

Went into town yesterday with the gf after yoga yesterday and went into Blacks to look at trekking towels- the ones that fold up Uber small and dry dead quick- as we think they'll be perfect for visiting waterfalls/rivers/beaches etc in Oz. I had loooked online and thought the cheapest was £12, but blacks had an offer on of buy one, get one half price so we were going to get one for £15 and the other for £7.50 (wouldn't have to pay postage so worked out the same and we could open it to check sizing etc).
Anyways, the guy at the till kindly pointed out if we bought a 70p handwarmer each the towels would be just £7.50 each. We put through the purchases separately but then another discount went on meaning we paid £8.06 each and got hand warmers (they are in the box ready for winter for rugby games/football games/bonfire nights etc). BARGAIN

I also bought myself a cheaply but cute cotton tee for £2.50 in a (smaller than my usual size) 10 and a cutesy off the shoulder floral dress for £13 from primark which feels like a splurge but was super cheap. I also got a surprise cute koala makeup bag for gf to take to Oz- she loves it as it's adorable & practical!!

Off to catch up with diaries as I've been a bit slack recently with the increased exercising and meal prepping/shopping!

Kittenkirst

Evening all you lovely mfw-Ers

This week has been a long but good week so far, three gym sessions, 2 yoga sessions and started back at college for silversmithing so it's been hectic!

Managed to finally pick up a Pinecone email and complete the survey in time so have requested to withdraw the £3 for an OP.

An old regular saver matured and paid £8.21 in interest today (unexpected as I didn't keep it open for the full duration) so that has been OP'd this morning.

Making a nice £528.91 overpaid so far this month.

We have booked a little more towards the Oz adventure today in booking a trip across to Fraser Island when we are on the Sunshine Coast. Annoyingly one of our internal Oz flights was cancelled so we have reshuffled the itinerary for that bit and ended up with more time and cheaper flights so it worked out better in the end!

Yoga in the morning before working from home day tomorrow, then off to the third climbing lesson we're both trying hard with the new nutrition and exercise plans but I had a wobble this evening and succumbed to three naughty shortbread fingers :T ( I regret Nothing! Haha!)

Kittenkirst

Ooooooh also operation use-up is going well with three shower gels now used, two body scrubs & a body lotion all done. We have loads of mini toiletries too so we are using up the older ones/ones we don't like.

The minis that we like can come with us to Italy in the summer or to mini festivals we have booked

Kittenkirst

Unexpected duvet day as I managed to do something rather excruciating to my back this morning

So I've taken emergency annual leave, been to the docs and now resting with a heated wheat pillow whilst the painkillers kick in :eek:

Not much to do when you're laid up so I've started watching Delicious on Sky- really intriguing drama. I love Dawn French too.

A quick OP of £2.55 this morning to Tilly Tidy the joint account and updating my spending app following a Lidl food shop last night.

Looks like a day of boxsets and Australia trip planning now :heartpuls: