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

Karmacat

Good grief, Wish, this is **very** early sorry to hear it's from stress. Good rejigging of the budget though, and I hope the boiler repair is minimal.

Silence101

Thanks for reminding me about the bake off! Quite excited!
We have a similar budgeting issue with holidays and school uniforms!

Hope work challenges ease up, and the plumber can sort out your shower quickly and cheaply!

wishingthemortgaheaway

Thanks Silence.
I think I know what I'm making for bake off this week.

This week has been crazy. I have been drawn into a situation that is requiring me to remain absolutely professional and not take sides in any way, shape or form. It is exhausting and it's taking a lot of brain space to be fair and consistent to both sides.

Wednesday and Thursday were both NSDs, but yesterday wasn't - car park charges. But my friend paid for our brunch, which was very kind.

She's also asked me to be maid of honour at her wedding next year. I do feel too old, but she's a good friend. I've created a line in the budget to save towards associated costs.

Wage slip is in, all sorted ready to go into YNAB on Thursday when it is paid.
More overtime completed this week, so I'm already up to 1.5 days to be paid at the end of September with the potential for more to come.

Reasonably lazy day today. Town will be mental because of a big event and I need to wait in for a parcel to be delivered.

Have a good day everyone.

Wish.

Karmacat

It takes a lot of emotional energy, doesn't it ... take care, and I hope you can focus on the bank holibob

wishingthemortgaheaway

Evening.

Today has actually been quite spendy.
We found some bargainous wine racks in a cs whilst on our holibobs - today I've bought the fishing together kits. Total spend for a 66 bottle wine rack will be £19. Woohooo.

House insurance renewal came through - increase on last year's price, rang them up, negotiated it down a bit, paid on the cc for all the lovely points.

Have oversaved by approximately £400 wooohoooo.

So: purchased a garden storage bench for the back yard to store Pickle's garden toys and hopefully a few grown up garden things too.

Food shop this evening to get us through the week and bake off on Tuesday.

Tomorrow could be an nsd. We shall see.

Karma - the bank holibob has my full focus and attention.

Sleep well all.

Wish.

Busy_Mee1

Only 66 bottles of wine !
And I like the sound of your bake off gatherings.....does that involve watching bake off and eating cake ? Can I come ?

wishingthemortgaheaway

Busy_Mee1 wrote: »

Only 66 bottles of wine !
And I like the sound of your bake off gatherings.....does that involve watching bake off and eating cake ? Can I come ?

66 Bottles of wine yes, but a shelf or two above for the gin & whiskey bottles (which I dare not count!

Bake off:
Step 1) watch the trailers and teasers and scour the television listings to piece together what bakes it might be (this week, fruit cake, a 'retro classic with intricate decoration' (no ideas at all) and the birthday cake you wish you'd had as a child.
Each person picks one and bakes that (I'm doing the birthday cake showstopper challenge)

Step 2) Bake!

Step 3) gather at some one's house (mine this week) display and photograph your cakes. Watch the programme and 'eat along' so you have to eat the right cake at the right time.

Step 4) make sure you have your tub for your bake away and take home a little more cake to celebrate some cracking bakes.

We've done it for years now. We love it. Great for a group of friends to be involved with.

Busy_Mee1

Sounds brilliant....cake and friends : )

Karmacat

Wow. Thats seriously impressive, Wish. And a lovely way to keep connections with friends going.

wishingthemortgaheaway

Well, bake of was a success and I only had a nibble of all of the cakes. My friend has asked me to be her maid of honour at her wedding, and it seems that is the motivation I needed to stop shoving food in my face. Long may it continue.


At least 2 NSDs this week and wages have dropped in today, Ynab sorted. Overpayment to the mortgage paid.

Our mortgage neutrality improved by £860 this month. (Payment+overpayment + savings) and my wages paid today were £851. I think that's pretty good going.

I need to get back into routine in September. I'm evidently still governed by the academic calendar.

So:
Grocery spends: £200 or less (hubby away a lot, so should be doable)
16 NSDs.
£600 capital reduction in the mortgage.
Hopefully the living room and dining room decorated. We shall see!