Taking the plunge

Jessy103

Just reading about everything you have done has made me tired! Lol! Well done though! x

Jelllibeanz

We've spent the morning shopping for bits and bobs and school uniform. Had to collect my order from A$da and popped down to the school shop. Ended up getting 10% off DS2's high school uniform and another 10% in Clarx so am scooting the savings over to the mortgage account. Resisted the urge to buy a very nice soft chair for at the dining table - it would mean that I am more comfortable sitting in the dining room on a social basis, but the cats would also wreck it.


Kids are looking forward to making some crumble later and will be sent out to collect some blackberries too shortly so we can make a few and freeze them. Pears are also almost ready to be harvested too


I made too much stir fry for dinner last night so I'm going to reheat it and do something easy for the kids.


For the next half hour or so though my feet are up and I'm browsing the forum whilst the kids are watching a film and MrJ grabs a snooze.


Toodles x

Maiden_Mum

Just read through your whole diary. Well done, you are doing fantastically well! And yes you do sound very organised!

shangaijimmy

Great read and such an enthusiastic approach. Keep up the good work it's helping us all to stay motivated.

Jelllibeanz

Cheers SJ - I must admit having looked through others' diaries they help to keep me motivated too. I'm trying to power through it, but am cautious of being over zealous and putting us back in the position where I need to refer to my overdraft. On a positive note I haven't been in it since Feb thanks to this forum keeping me focused

We managed to keep the weekend fairly low key. MrJ wanted to go shopping on Sunday round our favourite DIY store, but I was on the red line with the petrol and wanted to stay home and chill. It meant he sourced what he wanted online for cheaper
It would have resulted in a NSD, but I ended up going on line and buying some new football boots in the sale for DS3's birthday tomorrow. It wasn't all bad though as I went through a cash back provider first to appease my conscience.

MrJ is beginning to think I've totally transformed his approach to shopping is now more mindful even picking things up he wants to purchase but putting them back down afterwards. He keeps asking what it is I have done to him!! We frequently talk about getting fitter, my preferred approach is to run with the dog as I like the open space and it's good for my MH. He previously has been a member of gym. However, this weekend he has been collating all his gym kit and taken it to work with him this morning in an effort to use the one they have at work for free!

I've also been called a squirrel this weekend.... on the basis that I don't like to throw things away, but I hate clutter. It has been helpful when MrJ has considered popping into town for a new sponge, water bottle etc and I magically appear with one. He has been fantastic though and helped with project house by kondoing some of his wardrobe too - though I have way more than he does. This means there are now four bags in the boot for the charity shop

Jelllibeanz

Well today is an exciting day.... MrJ and DS3 have their birthday, DD1 is coming home for a couple of days (it was her birthday a couple of weeks ago too, so another one to celebrate) and it is DD2's very last day at primary school. This means lots of wrapping (we did some last night) and I've already run out of paper as I let the boys wrap MrJ's and they used oodles!

However, I am currently stuck in waiting for deliveries. DS3's trainers are due soon and a food shop too. I've completely overspent on the food shop because I didn't do a list or check the freezer so we won't need to do much for the next six weeks or so it'll just be the fresh stuff and cat food. Although with the tiddlers home on their holidays we will be using more anyway.

The birthday shopping turned out well in the end. Saved a few quid here and there. Managed to pick up a nice little candle/joystick gift set for the teacher in the pound shop. Visited the local gadget exchange place. So the youngest will now have his own phone and I've put that on a sim only deal that once all the discounts go through will work out to £4 a month with £2.50 buffer. It's not an amazing phone as was only £30, but tbh it is safer that way and it will prevent arguments as the boys are currently sharing.

I've got loads to do and yet am in the mood to curl up on the sofa and veg. So by putting it here hopefully it will give me some motivation and accountability:

- Tidy up accounts
- Chase solicitor
- Put away washing
- Vacuum the house
- Fill a bag for the charity shop and drop off
- Update my CV
- Get some more gift wrap
- Collect daughter from the station
- Start considering DS1's birthday presents
- Tidy the patio
- Strip beds
- Create a new sealed pot that no-one can raid and hide it!

I was toying with the idea of booking a table for all of us at the local taverna, but MrJ is on a health kick and DD is kinda fussy. I reckon we could easily blow £100- £150 on a meal there. Nice as it may be I am hoping they will all settle for frozen pizzas and salad. Fingers crossed

Jessy103

Hope they both have a lovely birthday! x

Jelllibeanz

Thanks Jessy. All three had a fantastic time and loved their pressies. Little man was over the moon with his phone We settled with frozen pizzas in the end and they were quite content with that. Plus when I was in town I almost picked up a PS4 for MrJ, but was torn and am glad I didn't now as he reckons he is too old to be playing with toys and wants to put all money into the house!!! I dispute this completely, well the being old bit anyway.

I've had a play around on the over-payment calculator this morning and am impressed with the interest saved so far is £8847!! Plus I've saved at least 2 years, 7 months on it - bringing it down to 15 years without any more OPs. I am definitely going to continue though. I want this gone and then start to consider plans for the future.

MrJ and I keep talking about buying a caravan that we can use frequently as we are both in very stressful jobs. I'm also thinking of potentially saving up for a deposit on a buy to let. However, this house needs some work doing to it including new double glazing. So that will be the priority.

In the meantime I managed to save a little money on invitations for DS3's birthday party by printing them at work and using a website that does graphics that you can manipulate for posters etc. Yesterday I had some YS fish that I'd bought in MrT that went down a treat and the cats were very happy to eat the left over skin, thus saving me a little on cat food. Whilst in MrT's I got the kids to pick up some free fruit and eat it as we walked around - I quite like this idea as it encourages them to eat healthily and prevents them asking me for junk food as we shop.

And the other good news is that our beloved dog has had the cone and stitches removed!!! She spent last night bashing into everything, which lead to minimal sleep. So hopefully we will sleep better tonight. It's meant buying her some antibiotic meds for her ear, but if she is more comfortable and we can sleep then it is more than worth it. Plus I can bath her later as she is getting a little smelly.

Some bits weren't done yesterday so here is the amended list:- Tidy up accounts
- Chase solicitor - haven't managed to get through so will try again later
- Put away washing - done
- Vacuum the house - need to do again
- Fill a bag for the charity shop and drop off - filled but not dropped
- Update my CV - still to do
- Get some more gift wrap - done
- Collect daughter from the station - need to take her back this evening
- Start considering DS1's birthday presents - got some ideas, need to research them
- Tidy the patio - done, now needs weeding
- Strip beds - 1/3 done
- Create a new sealed pot that no-one can raid and hide it! - off to look for the supaglue

Toodles x

Jelllibeanz

It's been an eventful but rainy couple of days. Part of the hallway ceiling has fallen down due to a leak. We got the boiler cover people out to find and fix the leak as it was under the boiler bumpf in the loft. After much tooing and froing they couldn't find out exactly what was causing it, but are going to replace the tank next week - so that will be another day at home. It took most of the day with them trying things out and we established it definitely wasn't the roof as there were no stains on the joists etc and the boarding is in mint condition. Their policy doesn't cover the plaster that has been ruined, but until they installed the new one I'm not even going to consider getting it fixed. I could put it through the home insurance, but that would only in turn put the premiums up.

Whilst waiting for them to work out what to do and how to resolve it I skimmed the forums and some blogs. I've now got Shopprize and Hog installed on my phone so hopefully that will return a little something to the pot.

DD went home yesterday and hopefully we will see her again in the next few weeks. DS2 and 3 have been in the house for a fair amount over the past couple of days so they got kicked down to the park for an hour when the sun eventually came out. I need to plan a few things for them to do over the next week whilst I am still at home. They are not going to sit at home on gadgets for the whole holiday so we need to make use of the good weather whilst it is here. I may take them blackberry picking later with the dog and see if the sloes are out yet. Then we can start to make a few Xmas pressies.

TTFN x

Jelllibeanz

Another busyish few days here at the ranch. I've managed several TT ups and have signed up to SB so I've had that running on and off over the weekend. I think I'm making progress with it and have had a look on the the making money board where there is a thread on it that is great for getting some hints and tips.

MrJ has been outstanding at being frugal this weekend. He stopped me popping into the major chemist on the high street to get some photos printed off which resulted in me using an app on my phone instead and I probably saved at least a tenner.
He also picked up a can of black heat resistant spray and rejuvenated the open fire place using some wire brush drill bits. It's also saved us another £50 as the tools and coal bucket were looking very tired, but with a couple of layers of that paint they look brand new again

I've managed a tip run this morning and am taking the kids out for the afternoon to a beach and country park that I haven't visited since my GCSE geography field trip. We're taking the dog, a ball and some pack up to keep costs low. Am hoping I don't get lost and the kids enjoy it.

I also need to lose some pounds and not the money kind either! The pixies have started stitching my clothes together and I really don't want to buy any new ones so mission improve my health must begin today.

Project house hasn't come very far either so I need to get writing those lists again and sticking to them.

Happy Monday one and all xx