Taking it slowly, but doing it well. 13 July 2017 at 7:39PM edited 30 November -1 at 1:00AM in Mortgage-Free Wannabe 1.1K replies 106K views

wishingthemortgaheaway

So, Picnics.

Picnics (usually of the car variety on a wet summer's day) were a staple part of my childhood. But they weren't really picnics - they were banquet's of buffet food and cakes - all very lovely, but involved multiple ice packs, a huge camping style cool box that just about fitted in the car then a large bag of 'non-fridge' stuff plus picnic blankets that were rarely used. Everything in the bags and cool box was placed in Tupperware boxes meaning the washing up at home was enormous (although very 'single use plastic free') we used to bring home about as much food as we took and there was a definite party element to them. If we went somewhere we had to check you could 'go back to the car to get the picnic' as
You definitely couldn't lug it round the zoo or museum all day.

Why oh why oh why did it take me until having a child of my own to realise that a picnic is just a 'packed lunch' and a 'packed lunch' is just what you'd have at home? And, having such a small packed lunch picnic means everyone can carry their own?

I've got 2 sistema lunch boxes - a cube one that pickle uses and a 'quad' one for me. (Note to all, I actually think the cube one is better - so go for that.
One side of the cube has no 'lid' and is divided into 2 sections - one section perfectly fits a sandwich made of 2 slices of bread chopped into rectangles or square and the other side fits a fruit salad and some veggie sticks - this side has to be eaten first. The other side (today - this side varies) has a small packet of 'children's crisps' an 'oaty bar' some raisins and some little chocolate treats. All in all a very substantial lunch and grazing box for a 3 year old.
He is carrying his own in his back pack, he is happy and there will be little to no waste (let's not talk about sandwich crusts!)

So, banquets picnics are fab for a family buffet party at the park or beach requiring multiple food stops but, the rest of the time, pack up your Tupperware and carry your own.

On that note - what ever happened to Tupperware?

Karmacat

Great insights on the picnic! I love that. Hope you enjoy yours today

redofromstart

Absolutely with you on the picnic thing, we have a couple of these sistema folding individual cool bags that work well and hold enough food and drink for a hungry person. Cold drink keeps the food chilled too.

I struggle with the spare DDs, I had to set up a couple of small standing orders on the donor account instead. Some of the banks will accept those.

wishingthemortgaheaway

The train picnic was great (and I still managed to pack far too much food, but it does mean Pickle has lots of snacks for tomorrow and hubby just needs to buy and sandwich and some fruit at lunch time for him.
Tea out with colleagues was good too.
Now back in the work conference centre (in the dark) listening to Pickle tell his toys about his day - he's currently pretending to be a train driver. I wish he would go to sleep. He is settling though, and hopefully he'll sleep in a bit in the morning...

Hubby has taken work for most of next week now - so no decorating prep will be done... oh well, it's only money!

No real change on the targets, but current mop pot is now up to a lovely round £50... not sure how that happened, it wasn't intentional, but I do like the fact it is such a nice number.

wishingthemortgaheaway

Morning all, I am on holiday.... wooohooo just a few days in a cottage in the Cotswolds, but hubby and Pickle are getting breakfast and I am reading diaries (although it does sound like it's raining really hard outside!)
It's our wedding anniversary today - still need to write Hubby's card. His present is a bottle of Whiskey, but it's not released until 7th September, so he'll have to wait.

Not sure of the plans today, should be a quiet one though, it is holiday after all.

Next big financial job is the house insurance - due 16th September so the renewal should be through in the next couple of weeks. Last week we paid just shy of £200, hoping it will go down this year a bit, and, I've got £560 in the house insurance pot. So, a little bonus for me. I do have lots and lots of things I want to spend out on though, so I don't think the surplus will last long.
Wish

Mse August Goals

1) mop pot - £381.42
Interest: £52.16/52.16 :j
Nice round number: £29.26/29.26 :j
£400 capital reduction: £100/£100 :j
£500 capital reduction £52.06/£100
£600 capital reduction 0/£100 (to make up for 'falling short' last month.


2) NSDs
2/16

3) work on the house (in priority order)
[STRIKE]Shower to be fixed[/STRIKE]
Living room woodwork stripped
Living room painted
Dining room painted
Woodwork stained
Dining room floor sanded and waxed/stained/varnished/Finished.

Karmacat

Congratulations on your anniversary

And hurray to holidaying, especially in the Cotswolds, such a lovely area. Have a great time.

wishingthemortgaheaway

Thanks Karma,

Following quick on the heels of the wedding anniversary, today is my birthday.
The weather, Pickle's temper and hubby's mood due to illness have all been similarly negative - so this is one to forget I feel.

It's been a speedy few days, but we are on holiday. Why don't I save for these weeks like I do for our Lake District working holiday???? Need to rectify this, although the budget already feels tight. Hmmmm maybe I need to have a think through this carefully.

I realised today I only need 1 more month of 'full' Childminder fees. I probably don't need to put the full amount in the tax free childcare account in September, but I will to ensure there is a buffer for 'extras'.
The payment drops from £375 a month to £100 a month for the next year then up to £250 a Month when Pickle needs wrap around care for school and our free early education entitlement ends. So, for 2019/2020 the £375 will break down like this:

£100 - tax free childcare account
£40 - swimming lessons
£85 - not sure (holiday spends may be
£150 - savings/moving fees/new boiler funds. (This is the money that will need to go back into the childcare pot in September 2020)


Quick goals update: current mini mop pot target stands at £54.07/£100

Karmacat

Gosh that Pickle payment sounds complicated! Sorry your birthday feels forgettable, but it *is* your birthday - here's to raising a glass anyway

redofromstart

Happy Birthday Wish, hope tomorrow is more positive all round.

wishingthemortgaheaway

Good morning all, apologies for ignoring your kind messages - things on the money front are not great and I've not got much positive to say.

1) yes it's 3:30am, yes I should be asleep, but no, I'm not asleep. I had a very difficult work day yesterday which will cause me lots of challenges going forward. The positive is it will mean a reasonable amount of overtime payments.

2) the holiday was a little spendy and, honestly, I hadn't budgeted for it, so I exactly wiped out my 'month spends' over the course of the holiday. I've transferred some money from savings to get me through. I was thinking about the £25 a day I had while I was in the lakes. We usually have two weeks 'holiday' a year (not staying with Family who are always generous to us) so that's £350 to save (for a £25 a day holiday spend) that's only £30 a month - going to wiggle the budget to include this. Lesson learned!

3) plumber has been to look at the shower (again!) he's going to try and get the part we need - money for this will come from the 'boiler repair & replacement category) if he can't then it's a whole new shower and the emergency fund will be raided. (Thank goodness for that over time we've got coming up)

4) hubby starts a 14 day run of work today - his alarm is going off at 6:30. This reduces my food spends, which is good - but it's going to be a very long bank holiday weekend.

5) Bake off starts next week - need to arrange our bake off gatherings and investigate the bakes.

Have a good day everyone.
Wish.