Money Saving Mojo 2

a_silver_lining

Would have been another NSD but the rain is horrendous and I couldn't get home for lunch. I hadn't made lunch for myself due to late night course, so lunch today is a £1.50 work panini. Not actually a bad spend.

Wombled - I think that's the term - two frothy coffee sachets from a workmate who doesn't like them, a free card from the work ex stock freebie box and a planted container (I don't often take the free plants as usually past saving, but I'm going to take the chance.) I plan on nabbing some plastic pots and trays also as I'm hoping to pot up seedlings tomorrow on my day off.

Feeling very tired and run down today. So will be no more spends today and am going to try and do minimal tomorrow.

a_silver_lining

Another NSD as home all day. So 4/7.

Potted on loads of veggie plants with partner. She treated me to a takeaway,... and donuts... naughty!

Tomorrow I need to spend some money food shopping and buy the shoe repair bits and shampoo using my amazon voucher, so will be another speedy day. I'm working the next four days, so over the bank hols, so not expecting any other spends. Hoping Monday I'll be reporting 6/10 NSD.

a_silver_lining

I've been very caught up in work the past ten days and a bit up and down with how I feel as a result of being tired.

I've been getting a real ache to move home, I think due to how I feel and also the realisation that I could be here for quite a few years more due to my career change impacting on how much we will be able to afford mortgage wise.

I've decided to pay £150 to my debt in advance as I want to see and celebrate that I've hit 50%, rather than the money just sitting in my account waiting to be paid.

After my exams in June I am then going to focus on making a little more money by selling more bits and trying matched betting. I need to remember that if I stick to plan that this time next year I will be debt free, have 4-5k savings. I think then I will send savings straight to overpaying the mortgage, as my 5 year fix term is up in October 19.

a_silver_lining

Mini check in.

I've been mostly focusing on eating well, as I have been struggling with feeling lethargic. No major money saving to report.

I called my bank to find out my mortgage total, as come May next year I should have paid my debt, have 5k emergency fund and have 4-5 months until my fix term ends. I presently owe 93928.59, and when my fix ends it should be roughly 90544.41. I should have over 50% equity, but am feeling nervous about the interest rate next year... will start thinking about how much I could overpay to bring it down.

a_silver_lining

Another £250 in the regular saver so 5250/10k 52.5% debt paid. Chipping away.

a_silver_lining

Off work sick today, which is more then annoying as I am worried I will not be paid for it. Feeling a bit low too.

My partner wanted to go out and buy nice food for breakfast, but my tummy can't handle it anyway, so I made porridge instead. I stewed some homegrown rhubarb to have with it, yum! I need to remember to freeze some near the end of the season.

We decided to tidy the house and seeing fruit and veg be chucked made me more then a little sad. Need to get back on meal planning.

Spending Update
Last month I spent £454.11 rather then £310. £196.14 Was on food shopping (cat and household products), and £116.65 on eating out. This is the most I think I have spent on food in a month, the scary thing is my partner has also spent that much, so that in effect was just feeding me. This month is household use up month.

I am waiting for a parcel from lovehealthhatewaste with lots of organic pasta and snacks. My hope is that we only spend on fresh food this month.

£53 was on exam fees, so £88 was spent on all other spends, which isn't bad. Part of that is that I am trying to not spend so much at work, and instead focusing on plants I already have.

Decided to record he positive moneysaving I do for a bit to hopefully boost my mood...

Moneysaving today so far:
Homegrown stewed rhubarb.
Homegrown mint tea.
Stopped us going to the shops for food.

Moneysaving to do over the next three days:
Take some cuttings of a fern and some mint in the garden to gift to my dad.
Hopefully return some wood I did not use for a credit note. Done.
Check to see if I already have a credit note as I keep returning old diy bits. Done.
Pick up pond liner/form a workmate has gifted me (saved me £24!) Done.
Plant out a bit of veg and sow some salad seeds. Done, see next post.
Eat homegrown salad. Done.
Weed and mulch last garden border with 50p (from £3) Bark I got from work cheap.

a_silver_lining

I didn't check in yesterday, but we went out in the afternoon and had a fantastic time

Spends so far.
£10 student membership.
1.50 icelollys on way to day out.
22.50 (should have been 16.50) plants on day out.
7.50ish on lollys and a snack on day out.
13.71 on food shopping
- Total: £52.21

Moneysaving yesterday and today so far:
Brought drinks with us for our day out and had extra in the car for journey home.
Spent minimal eating out as only out for four hours.
Bought icelolly mould I'm not sure how much money this will save, but it will be miles healthier.
Made icelollys (Yet to try one)
Took in delivery from lovehealthhatewaste and made bread from it and meal planned a bit.
Returned wood and got £5 refund.
Went to gym today (after months) so actually using membership.

Moneysaving to do...:
Eat leftover stewed rhubarb for breakfast tomorrow. Done.
Take pictures and get refund as they misscanned at till on our day out and overcharged me by £4.
Take some cuttings of a fern and some mint in the garden to gift to my dad.
Pick up pond liner/form a workmate has gifted me (saved me £24!) Done.
Plant out a bit of veg and sow some salad seeds. Done, and partner helped which was lovely.
Eat homegrown salad. Some eaten.
Weed and mulch last garden border with 50p (from £3) Bark I got from work cheap.

a_silver_lining

Woke up early for work. Still not feeling 100% well, but ready to face the day.

Moneysaving so far
Ate leftover rhubarb.
Have a packed lunch for work.
Have sown salad seeds this morning before breakfast.

Moneysaving planned
I need to bring my card to work to get cat food at lunch, but I will limit myself to that. Whoops, see below.
I will carry the pond liner home today if not feeling ill at the end of the day. Done, and super heavy!

Spends today
Forgot the cat food, spent 5.60 on a plant and about 4.70 buying a workmate and I coffee

a_silver_lining

Moneysaving so far
Free coffee at work, though not great as the point card means I've bought a lot!
Ate homemade lunch and snack again.
Did not buy the plant I wanted!

Money spent
Necessary shopping of cat food and toiletries

Moneysaving planned
Batch cooking curry tonight when home from college
Pick rhubarb to stew for breakfast tomorrow

and still to do:
Take pictures and get refund as they misscanned at till on our day out and overcharged me by £4.
Take some cuttings of a fern and some mint in the garden to gift to my dad.
Eat more homegrown salad.
Weed and mulch last garden border with 50p (from £3) Bark I got from work cheap.

Edit to add that I added £300 t my actual saving (not debt repaying account), so I have 1.5k savings.

a_silver_lining

Payday. Another £250 in the regular saver aimed towards debt repayment, so £5500/ 10K, 55% paid off!

I pushed over my monthly budget again. It means that rather then saving/ paying off £650 a month it's more like £550.

I've taken another look at my spending aa-gain and I've realise that since New Years I have spent £120 on the lottery. I keep saying I am going to quit my work lottery and tomorrow I will. Eatin gout is still a big spend. £127.27 this month and £116.65 last month. That's £250 I could have in my savings account. The rest of my spending I have kept pretty low.

I've started clearing the house and garden and I have taken pictures of a fair few bits and have some bags full of other bits. It always amazes me how much stuff I find that I don't need. I also filled three bags with garden waste and non charity shop items. Garden is now beautiful and tidy.