Project Mortgage Neutral Begins

ajmoney

I get the feeling the breakdown companies will be busy soon, my car hasn't moved for 8 days as I have been able to get my shopping from a supermarket I can walk to.  I will need to do a bigger shop on Wednesday as I will be out of anything fresh by then so will likely drive but even that is maybe 3 miles tops so I am wondering about driving the long way around town and back to give the car a slightly longer run.  I didn't need much shopping this morning but did need to go to a 2nd supermarket to get milk as the first one didn't have any at all.  My two closest supermarkets are ald! and l!dl closely followed by Mr S and Mr M, unsure where I will go next week yet, I will try and meal plan for my shopping list but need to be aware I might not get some things.  I have many portions of chilli and stovies in the freezer and after I have cooked later I will add shepherd's pie to that list.

I have organised the coffee table, sheets are back in before it gets cold and damp and I have just vac'd the mattress.  Not too much left to sort from the floor in the spare room so on target to do all today's jobs.

savingholmes

Sounding very organised. 
I haven't thought about the impact on my car - other than reduced fuel bill. Will ask DH to alternate between my car and his if we/he/I go out. I am going to see if I can organise a repeat prescription by phone... so just have to go out to pick it up.... There are 3 of us out of 4 on regular medications with all different dates - not easy at a time like this.

ajmoney

savingholmes said:

Sounding very organised. 
I haven't thought about the impact on my car - other than reduced fuel bill. Will ask DH to alternate between my car and his if we/he/I go out. I am going to see if I can organise a repeat prescription by phone... so just have to go out to pick it up.... There are 3 of us out of 4 on regular medications with all different dates - not easy at a time like this.

savingholmes - my mum and dad get their prescriptions delivered to the house, is this something you can do?

A_Frayed_Knot

savingholmes said:

Sounding very organised. 
I haven't thought about the impact on my car - other than reduced fuel bill. Will ask DH to alternate between my car and his if we/he/I go out. I am going to see if I can organise a repeat prescription by phone... so just have to go out to pick it up.... There are 3 of us out of 4 on regular medications with all different dates - not easy at a time like this.

When my mum phoned for a repeat prescription she was told it would be 7 days wait rather than the usual 2 and no offer for delivery and she is 80+ yrs, so I picked it up when ready.  Order in plenty of time, even for the others, and our surgery will accept email requests as well.

savingholmes

My parents have managed to get delivery- but I am unaware of delivery services where we are. DH has managed to get logged in for his stuff - but I forget passwords too easily so am no longer on the online version and they stopped accepting email requests. I may be able to ring Mr A for mine though - they then request and get the script electronically. It is DD that there is zero system in place for as she is 16 on anti-depressants.... but you would think in the current scenario they could give scipts for more than 28 days at a time - when as you say it takes a week to order them! Rant over

ajmoney

I had set myself a target of £200 a month for food and £160 for fuel, as I don't expect any more spends for these in March I have totalled them up.  I have spent £157.28 on fuel and £332.01 on food and groceries although I think I have added a fuel price into the shopping one and can't see which one.  These totals are skewed slightly as I was away for work for a week of this, those spends were reimbursed but I haven't taken them off.  While I didn't panic buy I did stock my freezer with meat which is now back in there as homemade freezer meals and I also bought some baby formula for a friend who couldn't get it.  Depending on the restrictions that remain on us April will be a good time to truly see what I am spending on food, obviously fuel will not be a true reflection but anything left from this will go into my savings.  As I think the budget may be unrealistic I am going to try and get somewhere near £250 for April and see how I do.

A_Frayed_Knot

I think that we all may well have spent a little extra on groceries this month, so I would imagine everyone upped their budget for this in bizarre times.  

A lot will not be using their cars and may have a full tank of petrol, (but how long it take before you need to refill) and home cooked meals in the freezer, so I imagine a few months down the line is when we will see our savings, which will be great.

April I am not expecting to be anywhere near "normal" as we are called in when needed, but would love to be proved wrong.

Stay safe.

savingholmes

Hopefully things will settle down. Savings will come later. It's understandable to want f00d security now.

juliejim

I can see my food bills going up as DS is at home and never stops eating, DH is only working 2 hours a day and I am mainly wfh just in work on odd days as we are running a rota sytem.

A_Frayed_Knot

juliejim said:

I can see my food bills going up as DS is at home and never stops eating, DH is only working 2 hours a day and I am mainly wfh just in work on odd days as we are running a rota sytem.

When I went part time - 3 things were used more    

1. Heating costs went up (winter)
2. Went through tea bags at some rate
3. Toilet rolls

I imagine that will be the same for most, now.

Stay safe.