MeandO's mortgage-free musings

MeandO

I'm a rounder-upper too (when I can afford to be:o) greent - an untidy balance upsets me! Good idea with the tesco vouchers too. x

MeandO

I saw a post on another site about a 'help to save' account today, run by the government to encourage those on low incomes to save. Whilst there's much argument on there about whether it's another form of benefit 'scrounging' as many people have called it, it seems to be open to those on working tax/child tax credit, so I have signed up. I have set up a standing order to save £50 a month to the account for the next 4 years. As long as I make no withdrawals, after two years, I will receive a £600 tax free 'bonus' and after a further two years, I will receive a further £600. The account will then mature and close.

I really would like to replace my kitchen but can't see any way of how I will be able to afford to do so despite saving money monthly (as this is savings towards my emergency pot) so this may be the perfect way to start saving towards that. Either that or use it as nice lump sum payment towards the mortgage or emergency savings.

I'm not sure I will be able to afford an extra £50 a month on top of the other savings I make, but will take £50 off the amount I normally save into my ISA and redirect it to the H2S pot instead.

The last bill has come out of my account for this month (life/health insurance) so I've updated YNAB. There's not a lot of money left in my main account but I really don't need much before payday anyway. We have lots of groceries in and the freezer is full. There is half a tank of diesel left in the car which I will try to make last.
I do have savings in other pots which I can dip into if necessary, but would prefer not to do so.

I've actually hardly spent any money this month and am really enjoying the 'not spending'. I haven't touched my 'house' pot this month which is for all things DIY/decorative/Furnishing wise - it usually disappears within days of being there as I am trying to do my house up and this is my downfall. There's £75 in that pot, so there will be £150 next month which will go a nice way to paying towards a more substantial DIY project that needs doing - not sure which one yet, I have many.

I've also not touched the 'gifts' pot. There's £150 in there now which is a great amount towards Christmas already. DS's and OH's birthday is out of the way until next year now and I have already bought lots of bits for other people's birthdays.

The car tax/insurance/maintenance pot is building up nicely too. There's £250 in there presently and it receives £100 a month. My MOT and insurance is not due until November/December, so that gives me more time to build up savings and cross my fingers that nothing goes wrong in the meantime.

The pot that is struggling is the 'holidays' pot, but, as I'm not planning any holibobs this year other than maybe a weekend or two away and some day trips in the summer hols, I am not that worried.

MeandO

TCB amount of £2.47 arrived in the acount and I've jiggled some funds around in YNAB to make a bigger overpayment of £12.99 to the mortgage to tidy it up a bit. This month's overpayments now at £150.45.
There's not much left in the main account, but then I don't need anything and have no desire to spend money at the moment.

New totals:
Mortgage now: £76,917
April overpayments :£150.45/£100

I've sold another item for OH to add to his pot. It's due to be collected this afternoon, so, if they turn up, there'll be another £15 to add to his funds.

MeandO

Just earned another £5 Amazon voucher from surveys.

And exciting (to me) news - the work on my bathroom should start next week, so I should have a finished bathroom soon. Hopefully. It will mean parting with around £600, but I have the money saved and ready.

MeandO

it’s a glorious day here today, so DS and I have been busy in the garden. We’ve planted some of his kids seed kits and given the garden furniture and outdoor play stuff a good wash down. I have two loads of washing, including DS’s bedding, drying on the line and i’ve planted some herbs I bought a little while ago. All of the windows are open and the house is getting a good airing. It’s been so nice to see the sunshine.
OH is coming over for food later. We’re cooking some sweet and sour chicken with a chicken breast left over from last night’s curry efforts - we only used one between us but had to defrost both.

I spent £9.97 from the bank account this morning - £4 on needed medicine and £5.97 on some bread, a pack of ys chipolatas which have fed 3 of us so far today with two more portions frozen, a newspaper for OH and some ys prawns for tomorrow.
Off to update YNAB now...

MeandO

Just been invited to participate in a survey which is a bit of work over a few weeks, but will earn me a £15 Amazon voucher, so have agreed

MeandO

I've caught up on lots of surveys this morning - until the site crashed and won't let me access it any more which I find happens quite regularly with this company. If I could just get a few more done, I'd be close to another £5 payout to paypal.

I've brought leftovers from last night for lunch today and got some stew out of the freezer for tea tonight. I can't see us needing much in the way of groceries this week, other than bananas and milk.

A couple of small purchases on plant food and slug pellets yesterday - came to under £3 and paid for with change from my purse. We picked up several bags of fresh bread rolls and bagels from Morrisons, being sold of for 19p a bag yesterday near closing time. I will have one tonight and try and squeeze the rest in the freezer.

Not much else to report - am tired and fed up and want to go home - so a normal Monday really!

MeandO

£6 payment made to DS's dinner money account for their morning snacks at school. It's fruit. Just wish he'd actually eat some of it. :doh:
Already budgeted for in YNAB which, interestingly enough, is showing that my 'age of money' is now 15 days. I really haven't felt the need to spend much at all this month and have really been evaluating possible purchases much better. Hopefully I can keep this up.

MeandO

We had completely run out of some toiletries yesetrday, so DS and I popped to Home bargains after school. Spent a total of £9.83 on toothpaste for us both, mouthwash, a big can of dry shampoo and hair dye (definitely an essential atm with all the grey creeping back in ).
I dye my hair myself at the grand cost of £3.99 a time - can't justify getting it done in the hairdressers and am happy with the colour done at home. All above has come out of the grocery budget so there's not much left in there, but I can jog a few bits of money round if necessary and there's £5 left in my purse.

I've started to sort out bundles of DS's old clothes for ebay last night and put it all in correct age groups. I will list it in May as we're away for a few days at the end of this month and so will be difficult to post if I set the auctions for a week now.

I've had interest about a 'collection only' item on gumtree - until they then asked if I would post... I will shove it on ebay with the rest of the items and offer postage then. I will get more for it on ebay, but was hoping to avoid posting by selling it cheaper locally first.

Last night I cut up and prepped a big pan of potatoes, carrots and swede that really needed using up. We shall have them tonight and will also have some left over to either make a cottage pie or use up the next day. Today's lunch is the stew I didn't eat last night.

The work on my bathroom is due to be started today. :j It's also going to cost a bit less than I thought so that was a nice surprise. It's still £500 but I have it saved ready.

MeandO

Forgot to add - had my gas/electricity bill after sending meter readings and the supplier wanted to reduce my direct debit to £49 monthly from the current £64 as believed I was paying too much. I think this is a bit ambitious tbh and don't want to end up owing them money, so phoned them up and agreed on £55 a month from now on, so still a saving of £9 a month.