Extending our house without extending ourselves beyond our means

PurpleFairy26

Morning diaryland.... it’s payday here and as I couldn’t sleep I got up and did the money shuffle. Spreadsheets all updated bonus in and pots to top up have been decided. All is good. We even had money left from last month, so I paid an overpayment to the loan with it.

We have a couple of pressies left to buy, but that will come from present budget. Other than that we’re about done, some food stashed in the freezer and stores and just a few fresh items to buy. Nothing too excessive in the big scheme of things.

Happy with all our pot levels, still have decided whether to ‘withdraw’ from the bills fund as we haven’t used one of the elements for nearly a year (touches wood) will wait until new year and see what winter brings.

RL busy as with most at this time of year, no exercise to be seen other than long walks. Must change that in new year. Need to think about 2018 goals and round up 2017.

PurpleFairy26

Another couple of weeks since I posted. RL hasn’t really slowed down but can see a ‘glimmer’ of light at the end of the tunnel. Only smalls presents left to wrap and we’ve not gone mad at all with these, just a few small gifts. Will do them today whilst they are at school.

We’ve had the survey done for the windows yesterday, about 6 weeks for them to be made. They also quoted for windows and doors on the extension, so can add that in budget. Did a few other house jobs yesterday, tidying, sorting, calling people etc....

Need to pop to SM for 3 more things today that I couldn’t get from a1di yesterday and them I’m done. Save some bread on Saturday as it seems that as 2 full time working parents of small children, we are the bets placed people in the family to make sandwiches for family get together on Christmas Eve. The retired in laws who are hosting tea obviously don’t have time :mad: I’m so glad MIL sent through her list of required fillings :eek:

We’re obviously hosting for we on Christmas Day too so just sitting around twiddling our thumbs

Have started 2018 to do list and will add to it as I go. Budget holding out and we have a stash of storecupbaord food we bought on DH discount before he finished his job. I’ll do a meat order for early jan when we have some room back in the freezer and we’ll be set for a good few months other than fresh veg.

I’m going to start my £3.65 a day reducing by 1p savings again. Last year I managed to get to the year end total by September, let’s see if I can beat it again this year

Right off to do some useful stuff before smalls get up. Purps.

PurpleFairy26

So it’s 2018 peeps,hope you’re going to have a good one. Christmas was a little stressful here I must admit, collision of various things. Lovely night at friends last night, no sore head this morning :A

We’re going away for a few days from tomorrow, so we need to get packed for that, just some wet weather clothes, swim stuff and some food and we’ll be away. All bought and paid for in advance so all good there.

We have freezers and store cupboards bursting with food so hoping we can do January very cheaply for food.

We’ve organised for Windows to be replaced so just waiting on a date, can’t wait. We’re thrilled with the way 2017 went financially, hoping more of the same in 2018. We currently have £255 of our original debt left to pay off, which will be gone at end of January

I’d like that to be debt free but we bought a new to us car this year and had to borrow for that, so we do still have that to pay off. The good news is that we’ve already paid 23% of it back in 10 months. That will increase now we will be putting extra to it from February, will be setting us a target for this year so that a minimal amount is left at the end of the year. Will be tidying the odds on our bank each day to loans pay down fund (aka LPDF)

Considering how much work we have had done on our house too, we’re very happy with our financial progress. I’ve got a decent pay rise from today too, which will help, albeit that DH has changed jobs and his earning will be a bit hit and miss to start with. We’ve already had a chat about being extra frugal though, so we’ll be ok and when it evens out it’ll be better all round.

I need to get on and start getting ready for tomorrow, have a good one peeps.

PurpleFairy26

So we’re back from our few days away and it was just what the doctor ordered spends we’re kept to a minimum and in reality we were quite frugal as we took all but 1 meal with us and most were meet from stores, so I can’t complain. I have been researching some other breaks though, since we’ve been back

We’re back to school/work tomorrow, although I’m glad the meeting I had in tomorrow has been cancelled meaning I can WFH I do need to pop to town as it’s dd birthday party on Saturday and I haven’t organised party bags. I do have a plan though if I can’t see anything in town. I don’t do tat, so it may have to be plan b
Today I did a small shop to get us through the week, which I did after meal planning. I also re wrote my freezer inventory so I now have an up to date list of what we have. Plan is to get this emptied as much as possible and keep food spends low for the foreseeable.

I plan to start the 5:2 ‘diet’ this week, have been reading lots about it on my free kindle subscription and a book lent by a friend :T

It’s been bitterly cold here today, thankful for the heating and warm clothing.

PurpleFairy26

Managed to do dd party bags for £1 per child she had a great time at her party and it was very reasonably priced.

Spends in January continue to be kept to a minimum which is always a must but more so as mr PF has started his new job and we are not sure how many hours he will be doing. This week was 4 full days so that’s good. Freezer inventory working well and I’ve been working through it so food spends have been low, which is good. Hoping this will continue long into Feb.

Just trying to settle in to our new working, school routine which will take a bit of getting used to. Planning on going away for a few days in Feb to see an aging relative and get away at the same time. She’s wonderful company so it will be thoroughly enjoyable.

Off to meal plan for next week so I can do a small shop.

We now have a radiator in our bedroom which means as soon as lights are done, we can get carpet down :T progress at last and a warm bedroom to boot then we’ll be on to the last room and hopefully the build can start for the extension, I’m thinking maybe September. That’ll give us time to do the other things we need to do first. Must chase man about window quote next week.

Stay warm folks, it’s bitterly cold here x

PurpleFairy26

We’ve decided to get one last quote from a 3rd builder. By chance our window man recommended someone to us this week. Will call tomorrow.

Low spends again this week, although price of food is alarming and seems to rise every time I go. Used a loyalty voucher at the wholesalers today, which is good and reduced bill.

Have done work lunches for DH for the week and got a slice of quiche and hm sausage roll from freezer for dd lunch tomorrow. I’ll be at home so will grab something here. Meal plan for week is doeable without much effort and will continue to make a dent in the freezer, I will do more the following week.

Snuggled under a blanket to keep warm. May have to do some work at some point to catch up.

brizzledfw

Great to see how much you’re achieving PF...very impressive So glad 2017 was good to you.. roll on 2018 for a similar triumph!!

Ps. Boo to unthinking older relations.. season of goodwill and all that....

PurpleFairy26

Lovely to *see* you Brizzle yes, I’ve big plans for 2018

Electrician has been round today, hopefully getting a sample and quote tomorrow
Got quote for carpet today, sadly they’ve discontinued the one we wanted so will have to pick a different colour. Not world ending though in the scheme of things.
New windows this week which are b-e-a-utiful. Sadly not the ones we ordered though :rotfl: so we’ll have these on loan until they make the right ones.

Much work continues on mindfulness to keep healthy whilst I can’t exercise loads. Super proud of mr PF who has ran a total of 50k already this year. This is huge for him and I admire his focus. That said we’ve cancelled our gym membership, he’s going to join one nearer home and I might do at some point but will make a saving in the meantime.

We’ve paid off our original debt this week too :D:D:D a 5 figure number gone forever :T as I’ve said before I could have cleared it a year or so ago but chose the scenic 0% route whilst building up an EF an redecorating 2 more rooms in the house.

We are not DF due to the car loan, but all funds now point to that and we have paid off over 25% in April months of having it. Again I’ve big plans for that this year.

I need to dig out my mortgage paperwork as I want to go to a broker a few months out to look for a deal so I don’t have any time on svr and we get the extra for the extension ASAP. I’m thinking I’ll be contacting them in the next month or so as the deal runs out in mid August I think.

Lots going on but in a good way and the dawn of Feb feels like spring is but a small hop away.

brizzledfw

Like that..its a 'small hop' indeed..

Congratulations on all the plans. Keep sharing as we all love a goal (or three ) Sounds fab and that original debt is gone gone gone. Brilliant news. Also fab you're able to get exercising again. Makes a real difference x

PurpleFairy26

So exercising has stopped as abruptly as it started as I'm on crutches :eek: a falling out with a stair whilst carrying a chair did it :eek:

Hoping it won't be a long road to recovery but annoying as DH and I had made some great short term plans, some of which will need to be shelved hopefully we can resurrect them when I'm up and about again.

I do have lots of time to fiddle with spreadsheets though, every cloud and all that :rotfl: making plans to pay down the btl mortgage we have in the medium term

Electrician quote is good so will book him today, need to try to go back to the carpet place too and get something ordered.

Lovely weekend away paid from holiday fund, looking to book another for later in the year as budget working well. Wages will go up next month as reduced childcare vouchers now I've worked out annual cost. Have put a small amount extra to charity through a scheme at work and rest will go to LPDF I would imagine, at least in short term until we finalise mortgage paydown plans, may need to invest some here.