A Budgeteer's Adventure

Scrimps

I wouldn't be able to keep it quiet nor keep going on my own, I do take my hat off to you.

I'm going to ask but feel free not to say...is it a joint mortgage? Do you both equally own the house? Sorry if I'm being too nosy, it sounds like your paying off all the extra on a joint mortgage out if your own money and he keeps his own money.

If that's the case and your happy with that of course it's fine...don't need to justify it to me either. it's just a very different mindset to myself....although I have increasingly become a complete tightwad. My DH used to say 'my money's which was fine....but I kept 'my money' to myself also and wouldn't be so selfless to share mine if he wouldn't share his, hmmm, perhaps that is petty of me..... I wish I saved 'my money' rather than blew it though

CharlieKat

223/500 decluttered - posting reminder

CharlieKat

Scrimps wrote: »

I wouldn't be able to keep it quiet nor keep going on my own, I do take my hat off to you.

I'm going to ask but feel free not to say...is it a joint mortgage? Do you both equally own the house? Sorry if I'm being too nosy, it sounds like your paying off all the extra on a joint mortgage out if your own money and he keeps his own money.

If that's the case and your happy with that of course it's fine...don't need to justify it to me either. it's just a very different mindset to myself....although I have increasingly become a complete tightwad. My DH used to say 'my money's which was fine....but I kept 'my money' to myself also and wouldn't be so selfless to share mine if he wouldn't share his, hmmm, perhaps that is petty of me..... I wish I saved 'my money' rather than blew it though

Hi Scrimps - i did start replying the other week but got interrupted and lost the post! Sorry.

It is quite complicated i guess i need to clarify a bit.

When I was buying the house my Mr agreed to contribute with 'rent' and considers the house is half owned by him even though he's not on the mortgage and has had none of the hassle of dealing with mortgage applications, solicitors etc. He was also the one who pushed for this house - I didn't want to rent forever and we moved here - it has been a moneypit of a house :mad: despite paying substantially for a survey. Part of the reason the work on the house has taken so long - other than redundancies etc - is that i don't love the house we were meant to be here 5 years before moving.

An example of the change in circumstances is that my income now is less than half of what it was when i bought the house - making moving, especially with the new mortgage rules even more difficult.

My Mr does contribute a lot but moving etc will be all on me. I guess that's fair enough in some ways and i don't get down about it anymore but if we'd bought together we could've got our long-term home when we bought this place and been paying less in mortgage payments (as we'd have got a better interest rate)...

Anyway, that leads onto my next post and plots and plans for the future

CharlieKat

Well I've been thinking alot about the future and what i want


Five Years
Short-term-ish i guess

I want to complete the work on this house

Pay off the mortgage

Save £30,000 for a deposit on new house

[UTo Do To Make This Happen][/U]

Check balance of mortgage regularly to ensure on track

Write a list of all remaining jobs to be done - no matter how big or small

Prioritise work that is to be done

Write out a budget

Regularly revise budget to see if savings can be made

Increase income - complete current courses and sign-up for degree - should see a substantial increase in income - although outgoings will initially increase due to degree


Seven Years Plan

Move into new house (long-term potential forever home)

Ten Years

Purchase second house / retirement home - this is a relocation

CharlieKat

I've updated my sig to show balance updates. Because I'm restricted to 10% overpayments on the mortgage I pay any additional money to my credit card bill - currently this is all from bay of e sales.

The house decluttering continues and I've made great improvements in our kitchen :T

MSE Fails

I confess to buying new clothes - it has been almost 6 months and i'm both pleased i lasted so long and i'm also pleased with my purchases. I've gained an awful lot of weight lately and the purchases have been essential - i've gone for one size things which are lovely on now but will look even better once i've got a bit of the weight off. - Tops which cover my tum and are fine over leggings. I feel so much better with something decent to wear and these are items i truly love and which WILL NOT be saved for best to ensure i get the most wear out of them - i've worn most already.

I bought - 3 jumpers
2 tops
1 cardigan
1 hat
4 leggings / jeggings

It is like having a whole new wardrobe - i've worn some already whilst out on Christmas catch-ups with different groups of friends and they will be worn again along with the others not worn on various get togethers and outings over the coming weeks. I feel happy knowing i have something i can wear that i feel good in and is a boost to my confidence.

I was getting very down and i think as i don't spend money, unless necessary, on toiletries, beauty products, jewelry, fashion items, magazines, going for coffee / breakfast / lunch i needed to feel i could have a treat. I'm probably not explaining this very well as there is no 'need' to spend on any of these things. But i was getting a bit sad about the constant work and no pleasure, in a way, other than cheap trips to see a show - and i was enjoying these less as i really had nothing i felt comfortable in. I now feel i can get wrapped up and go for a walk, or pop round to friends and family without feeling too uncomfortable - i'm a little uncomfortable with my weight but i'm sure i can tackle that now.

Whilst i've bought alot of things i considered every single item carefully and bought at the cheapest price whilst opting for quality items that will last years - certainly the jumpers, tops and cardigan will :T

The annoying thing was i was given vouchers for my birthday - i *should* be grateful i know, but i have found nothing in the shop i wanted to spend these on - i went several times. In the end i've bought a pair of 'ok' ankle boots - they will be smarter work wear for me - although i don't love them i had been looking for some and couldn't justify the £65 on the ones i liked - not from the shop i could use the vouchers in.

To Do
For health - i'm starting back at the gym classes, i'm also going to walk the route i used to run at least 5 times a week until i feel i can start to run it again. Then i'm going to start running and train for a half marathon :T

CharlieKat

Wow! so many posts in one day :rotfl:

i forgot to mention i needed some new make-up - definite need as i had run out of my eyebrow colour and i am so fair they can't be seen unless coloured in :rotfl: Cheaper than paying to have them tinted though. Well, i went to buy my magic colouring stuff £12 and lasts forever - or not quite but obviously a very long time and as i was going to head straight to the counter i noticed an offer where if i spent a few pounds more i got a make-up bag complete with - eyeliner, mascara , lipstick in my colour and another product - i use all these things and will try the 4th that i can't remember. So i bought a cheap but useful item and got the set 'free' and it was all 'free' as i paid with points :T and the bag etc was worth nearly £40 :T:T I do love a bargain and this made me very happy :T

Off to do something productive in the home now - and i will need to get rid of some clothes as i now have things i can wear but still want to limit the number of items i have

Hope it is a good day for all

michelle09

Sometimes buying quality is better value than cheap. Least you're well stocked for a while!

Poorlittletightgirl

I completely understand you CK, I haven't bought any new clothes for a year, due to having 2 babies in last 2 years. I've put on quite a bit of weight and confidence is at an all time low. Come New Year however, I'm on it, healthy living and in a few months a spree for a new capsule wardrobe. The confidence well fitting clothes bring is invaluable and worth the occasional spend. I'm sure the new confidence will also give you a boost on the MSE Journey. Good luck x

Moominmamma89

I understand too - the boost you get out of wearing something that you feel completely comfortable in is well worth it x

CharlieKat

Hello all - well it has been a long time - i hope all are well and have started the New Year positively

i think i'm going to aim to update on here monthly as i'm currently getting to grips with a bullet journal and don't want to be making too many lists in different places - gotta love a list though

I've been feeling a bit something lately... unsettled isn't the word i don't think, and neither is unhappy BUT i am feeling an increasing urge to do what i was once good at, and see if i can be really good at it, I need to hone my skills and hope this would lead to be able to work from home :eek: I need to gain more qualifications at work, to gain more money to give me the cushion i would need. I'd do *any* job from home basically as I *know* this would make me happiest as i juggled my work and different interests and wouldn't need to pay a fortune to commute - but despite several searches i've never seen these types of job come up...

Anyway this restlessness has prompted me to think about things differently and to take action. I've neglected my skills for too long and have now been looking at courses i can go on and groups i can join.. in the meantime i'm going to be getting up earlier every day i'm at work to give me an undisturbed 30 minutes on this - longer on the days i'm not in work and have no 'full day' commitments elsewhere - i *need* to be doing what i love & if that's 30 minutes less sleep then so be it - as i still need the pennies coming in

I do need to watch my health though as energy is something i'm severely lacking in sadly but i need to push myself and get into a routine with things.

Health wise i need to lose 3 stone - there I've written it down now - and i need to exercise to be healthy and to *hopefully* eventually, give me energy. I need to look into taking some vitamin supplements too.

so on the timetable is 30 minutes focus on my passion, exercise 3-4 times a week as well as a whole bundle of other things i enjoy which can be free or relatively cheap - walking, learning to play an instrument, cooking...

i have written goals for this year already but this need to try and fulfil an ambition, or to use a skill i once had to see if i still have it and can use it to its fullest has been niggling away at me

Time to update the targets on here too