Get a grip !

Skint_yet_Again

Quick update I received my annual mortgage update letter today and am pleasantly surprised how much is left to pay off. I though it was about £29k but it’s actually £23429.59 with no early repayment charge and no mortgage exit admin fee 🤗

MovingForwards

That's fantastic! 

Skint_yet_Again

I've just added up my grocery shopping this month and its £124.46. eek! Think its high again because I got 2 home delivery orders. I will still need another shop next week so if I allow £30 its likely to be £155 instead of the usual £120. 
I did batch cook the chilli and I've had a portion for dinner already. Food today
B - 2 bacon, 2 eggs scrambled, fried (in 1-cal spray) plum tomatoes
mid morning - hot choc & banana
Lunch - 2 ryvita, 2 fish fingers, cheese, cucumber, tomatoes, celery and mushroom cup a soup
Dinner - mince beef veg & bean chilli. Apple

savingwannabe

Your batch cooking looks great. Brilliant news on your mortgage. Light at the end of the tunnel. I have another 5 years to go but I am counting down every step of the way.

MovingForwards

Are there a couple of things you can drop from your shopping, or find cheaper alternatives, to try and bring it down a bit.

Ummmm chilli, yummy!

Skint_yet_Again

Thanks SW. I have just under 10 years left on my mortgage but it’s my intention to have sold & downsized to pay it off within 5. I can’t see me carrying on in this job after that. The mental strain and brain fog are a real struggle most days now. The sooner I sell the sooner I can put an extra £200 per month into my savings which will bump it up to £500 per month. 

Babs the shopping is higher as I have been ordering from morrisons & coop online due to lockdown with delivery from ub er etc. The food is more expensive plus delivery whereas I usually shop at Aldi and come in under £30 a week. I am going to take money from the annual bills to cover the door mat & batteries I bought this week so that will reduce the amount spent by £4.99 & £2.29. I also need to write a meal plan to last until payday then I can work out what I need to buy & what is left in the freezer/ store cupboard. Hopefully it won’t be too much over budget. 

DS & his gf bills money direct debit payments have arrived (£190) so I have moved £50 to the car fund, £50 to xmas/ birthday fund and £15 to the dog food fund. I have £300 left for savings, £30 for shopping and £10 for petrol, leaving £2.10 until payday 😆 Should work out ok. 

Storm Christoph is howling round the house and rain is battering the windows, sounds awful out there. Stay safe everyone. 

MovingForwards

Can you afford to make little overpayments each month to build up even more equity, clear it a little bit quicker and provide you with financial freedom to reduce hours or work somewhere else for less hours.

You're still not spending loads on food, compared to some. It will reduce again soon.

The remaining budget looks fine and it's payday soon.

Skint_yet_Again

I did consider making overpayments on the mortgage but would rather have the cash in an instant access account in case I need it. I am hoping the boiler will last until we move. It is over 20 years old. Last time something went wrong I sourced a new timer clock for it on the internet bay of e, but it’s always a worry that something will go wrong and we won’t be able to get the part anymore. I will need to get the boiler man in later this year for a service. 

The weather sounds awful out I fed the dog at 5am and I’m now trying to find the energy to get out of bed and walk her before work. Perhaps just another half hour in bed 😆

Food plans today
B - cheese & onion 2 egg omelette with 2 bacon & 100g baked beans 
L - tinned tuna with mayo, red pepper & tinned sweetcorn & 2 ryvita plus cucumber & plum tomatoes. I got a pack of red & yellow tomatoes 30% off when I did my shopping at aldi, the date on them was only 1 day before the others on the shelf which were not reduced! They are lovely and sweet and I checked they were not over ripe & mushy before I bought them. 
D - sweet potato topped shepherds pie with cabbage, carrots, broccoli & leeks. I will cook all the veg in my steamer & freeze the leftovers. 

savingwannabe

It was v wet and windy here too. I stayed in well done you on having a walk. The food looks great. I would keep the money in the emergency fund too I have the same issue in that my boiler could go at any time. Let's hope it is not for a while for us both. Nearly payday hurrah.

MovingForwards

It's still a youngster and the internet will have parts for quite a few years yet.
Maybe when your savings are at a more comfortable level you can consider making O/Ps. Have you checked all your pensions and SP are on track?

We had snow again 🤭