Extending our house without extending ourselves beyond our means

PurpleFairy26

Bluegreen143 said:

Subscribed to your diary after reading the last few pages (I’d love to start from the start but would take a while to get through! You seem so productive in your garden and doing stuff round the house. Love the food waste chat too. Good luck with everything. I’ve just started to use YNAB again after a break of a few years so hope I can get back into it.

Welcome @Bluegreen143 - thanks for joining in. 

I’ve only started using YN AB in the last few months. I still have my trusty spreadsheet though which has served me well since I started it in 2007 when my lightbulb flickered. Mainly because I get paid 4 weekly so YN AB has some limitations around that. 

joedenise

foxgloves said:

Glad your vouchers arrived, PF. We use our 'just for points' credit cards for buying groceries, petrol & planned expenditure. I just make sure everything is paid off in full so as to avoid interest charges & take care to commit the expenditure to the correct budget to keep my accounts straight.
F x

I do exactly the same, whatever CC I use but usually the just for points one except when abroad because that one has charges. I have a couple of others I use abroad which don't incur charges!

joedenise

Bluegreen143 said:

Subscribed to your diary after reading the last few pages (I’d love to start from the start but would take a while to get through! You seem so productive in your garden and doing stuff round the house. Love the food waste chat too. Good luck with everything. I’ve just started to use YNAB again after a break of a few years so hope I can get back into it.

I'd be completely lost without YNAB.  I even had buy a very cheap Windows laptop when my MacBook upgraded last time because I still have the old YNAB4 which is no longer supported and the new upgrade doesn't support the old YNAB!  Fortunately managed to get a refurbed Dell laptop from Ama*on for less than £100 which I took from my PC pot - I only put in £10 a month but hadn't needed to buy any ink or paper for well over a year so had enough in there.  I certainly wouldn't have had that spare if I didn't use YNAB - that £10 a month would probably have been spent on nothing in particular!

PurpleFairy26

That’s a good bargain on the laptop @joedenise. As you say somethings are worth the outlay. 

Today hasn’t quite worked out as I planned. I avoided the housework and have spent all day in front of my sewing machine. It’s been fabulous 😃 I mean if anyone who was vaguely good at sewing would be having kittens I’m sure if they were watching me but hey, I’ve made progress. 

- machine needed cleaning, so took needle and foot out and have it a good clean and brush out. 

- did some practice stitches on some fabric samples I didn’t like to get tension right and remember how to use it (not used in about 10 years!)
- cut the lining fabric for my blind, and managed to sew the 2 rod pockets. 

Whilst the iron was out (as it’s such a rarity in my house 🤣) I also ironed some clothes that had come down from the loft and some
hama beads the smalls made! It’s never seen so much action in 1 day 🤣🤣

however, as a reminder of good MSE things - I found the original receipt for the machine. £395 in 1990 😲 it was gifted to me, but that was a significant amount of money 30 years ago. I downloaded the instructions from t’interweb. Has lots of features and all the feet and accessories are with it. I’m very lucky it still works. 

- I’m also using the Roman blind kit I bought over 10 years ago and never got round to making. 

- used some off milk to make scones. Thanks
for the tip @DawnW. Very tasty. 

- iron I’m using was also gifted to me, I’ve had it for 18 years. So I’ve had me moneys worth! 

- I think I need to replace my ironing board cover, but current one is 15 years old so again - think I’ve had my money’s worth! Only reason it needs replacing as it’s got some black spots from being stored in the shed at some point. 

It’s been a lovely Saturday and the housework
can wait until tomorrow. 

savingholmes

Sounds like a lovely day. I am looking forward to decluttering enough to make room for craft activities again. Missing them with the house being so full during lockdown. Can't seem to keep the kitchen table clear....

janb5

Argos do a Minky one (ironing board cover0 for £6 which is elasticated and works really well- bought my son one as well.

PurpleFairy26

janb5 said:

Argos do a Minky one (ironing board cover0 for £6 which is elasticated and works really well- bought my son one as well.

Thanks - will have a look. 

debtfreeoneday

All sounding very productive in here PF x

PurpleFairy26

I’ve managed to move 3 DD to another day so they’re all in a week now pretty much. There’s one more I could do with moving but I’ll have to call them, the other 3 I was able to do online. 

So Saturday night went a bit downhill after my post! Oh well, had a decent night sleep and things are much better today. Want to do some more sewing today and there is washing to get through. 

joedenise

janb5 said:

Argos do a Minky one (ironing board cover0 for £6 which is elasticated and works really well- bought my son one as well.

Thanks for that recommendation - I need a new cover too!  My cover is over 20 years old (we've been living here that long and I didn't buy it here but at my old house!).  My ironing board only comes out when I'm sewing and I've been making fabric face masks for me and DH.  I've made 6 for me and 4 for DH so far.  Want to make another couple for DH which I've cut out so far so just need sewing now.