Extending our house without extending ourselves beyond our means

PurpleFairy26

crazy_cat_lady wrote: »

Hope you're ok today PF and that it's looking brighter for you all in all. Sorry to hear things are a bit rubbish at the moment.

Thank Cat last few days have been lovely with the family and we've all been thoroughly spoilt (although not by each other - which was Pre agreed;))

We don't do a full on roast on Christmas Day as we have 12 over and our table only seats 4 so hot buffet it is. Reasonable amount left, have used some today - just left it in plastic tubs rather than getting fancy pots out save on the washing up and all that have some cheese which is area,ky treat and will keep us going for a few days/weeks , will look for a few recipes for some of it. A few bits will be frozen so as not to be wasted but we certainly didn't go to excess.

I've bought some presents in the sales and a couple of clothing items, all from virtual pits and am toying with buying some curtains for output two very large lounge windows. They are in the sale and substantially cheaper than any other I've seen, will go back on site later and see if they are still available and I still like them

Going to take DD out in the morning so DH can get some sleep after his night shift. Thinking park for a good run around if it's not raining.

I'm going to treat myself to a nice notebook, I've been using a repurposed one and it's on its last legs and I like to write down my goals and I want to try some bullet journaling, I think it will help will all that's in my head. Writing annoying things down that I needed to do has definitely helped me achieve some stuff this year. Might make an interim list in old book that I can transfer to new in my best handwriting when it arrives :rotfl:

We had an uber productive spontaneous Christmas Eve which included getting a load of mould off in the bathroom, so it looks sparkly new again, replacing dehumidifier things with new ones I had in garage, moving spare room around and getting desk and computer in there instead of dining room. Dining room will look massive when tree is down DH tidied garage out so we could see floor again and move around in there and we both baked

Planning on getting ebay bag back down from loft when decs go back up (probably day after tomorrow) as we're out Thursday and Friday and have friends round Saturday and Sunday and then girls at party Monday and DDs birthday Tuesday and then back to work.

Have a new calendar I want to write birthdays and other important things on on before it goes up on the wall.

Think I will do some knitting tonight as DH is already in bed and I've nearly done the body of the jumper. Enjoy your evening. PF.

PurpleFairy26

Another lovely family day. Low spends just a hot chocolate whilst we were out as a treat. Leftovers for food again. Froze some stuff that won't get used and used some apples and pears (that had seen better days) and a handful of frozen raspberries in a crumble. But may just stash back in freezer for another day.

Checked a load of gift cards in my purse after I found one with £10.50 on it that I used off my curtains last night. One has £5.30, three were blank which I've discarded. Why was I keeping them I also used another £5 off my curtains and qualified for another £5 to be sent.

Managed to find homes for most of gifts now, so lounge/diner looks so much better.

Also set up a token payment for £10 to my new, maximise points cc just to check it works then can pay off as I use it

Need to close another cc that is zero, must put on my January list

Pad to savings (twice ) almost looking forward to banks being back for payments to go out so I can update my spreadsheet

My new calendar is also on the wall with all useful dates I know on. Next year girls break up on 22nd December gone from one extreme to the other :eek:

PurpleFairy26

Happy NYE frugal pals :hello:

As the year ends I guess it's only natural to reflect on what has happened this year. So in no particular order:

Paid £6.5k off debts, in reality we could be debt free but in July put the payments on above minimum as 0% and we wanted to build up some savings
Now saving decent amount each month to best in market rate
Budgeting for all categories. I tried (and failed )with YNAB as I preferred my trusty spreadsheet but I took some of the additional learnings and applied them to my sheet
Went on amazing family holiday abroad
Stripped and plasters two if the biggest rooms in the house, new lights, skirting, door, doorframe in one of them too. Other on way.
Gutted garage so we can now use it effectively
Got in a habit with surveys, making decent money from that and few bouts of fleabay/facebay this year
Have an EF in place
Swapped mortgage for much better deal
PAD to savings for the last few months has resulted us been at 90% target for 3 big family events we have in 2017
Posted in small things thread most days and kept this diary up which has really helped
Used an 'annoying things' list to get some things done that I would have previously put off
Got in the habit of putting everything I could in freezer, no matter how small or left over


There are others, of course, but those are the ones I can think of just now but as I enter 2017 I feel like 2015 got some momentum but 2016 was where I really made a difference. We are likely not to be DF in 2017, but that will be through choice but we will be debt neutral early in the year. Well as I write that I may decide I do want it gone once and for all, we'll see on that as we go

I'll set some goals for 2017 over the next week or so and will post on here in due course so I can come back and check in myself.

Wishing you all a happy and prosperous 2017, hope it brings you everything you want and dream for. PF.

crazy_cat_lady

Happy New Year PF. Hope 2017 is as good for you as this year has been.

hugglemonster

That is some list, well done brilliant achievements! Best wishes for 2017.


H x

PurpleFairy26

Evening all. Head was a bit sure this morning, I seem to have forgotten I haven't had a drink for 4 months - oops. Family we're coming round so had to get up and put joint on was good to have something to do and not lounge around all day.

Thinking about doing some no waste challenge on food in January. I always do my best but many on here do so much better, maybe a way of helping with some extra pennies saved. Budget for January looks doeabke though and I get paid Friday which is psychologically pleasing plus no mortgage payment in the pay period so a bigger chunk to savings happening

still haven't bought a new journal, one hand wants one but the other doesn't want to spend any money :rotfl:

Bobarella

Amazing list of achievements for 2016. Wow!

brizzledfw

Echoed! Really good progress!! Well done.

I am trying out the bullet journal and like it. I just recycled:upcycled an old one.. do your kids have any lying around? My two are stationary queens so can normally nab one off them (with their permission of course!)

PurpleFairy26

Aaahhhh the smalls are still awake and DD2 is pushing me to the limit. Wouldn't be so bad but DH is in bed trying to get some kip before night shift. We'll all be exhausted tomorrow and that won't be fun for anyone

DH has also been told at work that they are 'informally' offering him a change in hours. However, if he doesn't accept it they will make it formal notice this really wouldn't work for us so he will likely need to find another job. Rubbish. I can feel the stress already as last time he was looking for work, it wasn't very searching shall we say. That compounded with the personal stresses of the past few months is just well, too much.

Must focus on positives and all in all we had a lovely day today for DD birthday. She thoroughly enjoyed herself and was very pleased with her generous range of gifts from our family and friends.

I treated the house to a new door mat today need to move money from house fund. Was £7 and washable the other one was about 7 years old and frayed badly so I don't think it was an extravagance.

I'm at 96.87% of my savings target for 3 big family events that are happening this year :T remainder will get paid on Friday when I get paid as I have a bit if 'slush' in one of the pots that I will pay over. I'm so pleased - I think I started this in about August when I got the idea off lady gnome who was splitting her funds between various savings pots which I'd not considered specifically before. So I started these 3 and have basically funded them via Tilly Tidies or 3bay sales

Next will be the dining room window pot. How rock and roll I am :rotfl: may do another one too as I like splitting them and tracking the % seems to give some competitive edge :rotfl: I always put the funds in to the lower one or split (depending on size). Maybe I just need to get out more !!

Bobarella

What would the new hours be? Sorry to hear of the trouble..