Extending our house without extending ourselves beyond our means

PurpleFairy26

Have been contemplating what to do with my additional pay. Am thinking splitting it mortgage overpayment/LPDF/stocks and shares ISA/LISA (new) then when loan is finished, which would be this year if I did this, split the LPDF across the 3 remaining.

Will ponder and talk to DH whilst we're away.

In other news, the thing I was worried about didnt get tied up in red tape and got resolved in less than a day. What a palaver. Oh well, done now and cost 10% of what we estimated so all good there too. Hoping we can now crack on as were effectively a month behind, more by the time the diggers rock up. Oh well. Will be worth it in the end.

No money news this month as times are tight. Having said that, just cashed out £1.82 from £co and should make a few £ when I do the clothes sale. As we haven't got any, we're not spending any :T

PurpleFairy26

Hello diaryland. It's lovely and sunny again today and I intend to make the most of it. My wonderful DH dug put a massive bed in the garden yesterday and got rid of a tree that had lodged in another plant. I'll replant that today (the original plant) and another we have moved ready for work to commence. I can then plan what else I'm going to plant there, mainly seedlings and some wild flowers I think, will see what's in my seed box. Really would be good to fill it with minimal/no spend.

No money updates as a) there isn't any just 4 days from pay day :rotfl: and b) online banks haven't updated since Thursday. Good news is tomorrrow my last dd goes out and I can then get myself straight before Friday and spreadsheets updated.

Just the last bit of the cabinet to go up, but it's in situ and looks good. Am hoping to get some stuff in it today just so the room can start to look normal again. Plus I can then empty the window sill and fully open the window The next job on a non sunny day will be to stain the skirting and last door frame. Then I can get a tiny bit of carpet laid.

I've been notified a £50 c/b claim has been tracked, albeit not paid but that's good news as i whilst I know you can't guarantee it, I would have been annoyed if it hadn't. Few bits due to payout there soon which will be good when the arrive. Who doesn't love free money :rotfl:

crazy_cat_lady

I'm just over a week from payday and completely sans cash... so I feel your pain. It's good though that we can be resourceful.
I still hate gardening though - I have had a thought that I might just buy one of those bee bombs, throw it in the side of the garden and see what happens...

brizzlegirl

Sounding good PF. We had a productive time in the garden too. It makes such a difference.

Enjoy your Monday

brizzlegirl

CCL - sounds great - or just beg bit of plants from others - we can always split a few...nice :money: way to garden cheaply

Enjoy your day

Brizzle x

brizzlegirl

Re what to do with the extra I think the main thing to do is not spend it. Focus on the habit of lifestyle deflation (as opposed to lifestyle inflation) as Tanja Hester calls it. So split however you like I guess. What I am finding powerful though is doing this alongside paying into debt/savings/investment first as soon as one of the pay cheques hits. So my current account is always ravaged but it focusses the mind on paying into things that matter if we are to get straight. I also keep in mind trying to save (ie. not use) 40% of our income - so living off 60% which is the Barefoot Investor philosophy.

In time the current account will get better but NOT until I have broken the habit of spending what we don't have. We have been effectively robbing the 'future Brizzle'... and it just has to stop. But on the sunny side have paid off over £5k of debt so far - mainly accumulated from tax bills and the car. Plenty more to go at tho Now off for a run, declutter and the SM :rotfl:

PurpleFairy26

Ooh, will look up Tanja Hester - thanks Brizzle like that idea. We do save a wedge for various things and in different length views and am thankful for that every day.

As it's payday, all pots are topped up and money in the right place :T it's a good feeling.

Have juggled various options for additional pay and am happy with where we've landed. Happy days. Despite only a 4 day week, I am definitely looking forward to the weekend and spending time with my family.

foxgloves

I find your posts very motivating, Purps, you are always jiffling money around the various pots to keep everything straight, & importantly on a downward trajectory - not always easy when there's lots of home improvements going on. All being well, we should be in a position to get some quotes on some home improvement stuff ourselves later this year.....a major heating upgrade, some minor building works (but may uncover problems, as we need these works to sort out a dodgy damp wall), new soffits & fascias (have put this off as I don't want the new ones to prevent our fabulous swifts from returning each year to raise their babies in our roof!) & a partial re-wire. At some point in the past, there has been someone living here who has clearly insisted on doing all the DIY, but without much knowledge of how to do it, particularly where safety regs are concerned! So every time we tackle a big new job, we have to cross our fingers that yet more dodginess won't be uncovered!

PurpleFairy26

Hmm, Foxgloves seems like they may have lived in our house too, what a small world :rotfl: we've come across no end of stupid, bodge job efforts. The annoying thing is some were really simple to fix (thinking the £1.99 pipe for under the sink) but others (half tunnelling out pipping for tv wires to go in to the wall) required a complete re skim of the wall :eek:

Well, the frog I thought I'd eaten came back and got tied up in much more red tape. I am assured it is now resolved, albeit our build is still on pause. Am hoping in the next couple of weeks I'll see some progress.....

Money. Hmm, another tight month, mainly because we've paid 'ourselves' aka debt and savings first and left it deliberately tight. That said, we only need a shop to get us through 2 and a bit weeks. So we should be ok. Do need to do some present shopping as it's birthday party season and my gift box is dry on the 'boy' front. Off for a wonder on t'internet to see what's what.

PurpleFairy26

Got some barginous presents from the rainforest folk to go in the present box. Changed the payment card to one that give someone better points also changed a subscription to this one too, meaning I no longer have to remember to check an old card for the balance.

Lovely sunny day today so I can get on top of the washing and get some air in the house. But of housework today around a busy day of ferrying to various appointments/ things for the smalls. Sunshine makes it all the more manageable.

We have food, and less than 2 weeks to payday so all is good in the world. There's nowt left for any over mor payments but we've already done that at the start of the month so that's all good. Whilst next weekend is busy, it's all low/no spend so that's good to. Right must get on with some jobs.