Renovations and Repayments II: New Year, New Start, New Diary.

beanielou

Have a good time.

AlexLK

Thanks all. We don't go until Monday. Son is excited about staying with my cousin for 4 nights next week. Think he sees it as a "holiday" and I suppose it plays into his current mindset of wanting to be seen as being more "grown up" / independent. Bizarre to see as a parent for this is a relatively recent development.

Had an interesting conversation with my father today. He's had / got a few serious / potentially serious health problems which really took over his life to the point of him being terrified to do anything in case of needing medical help / fear of death. Chose instead to sit in the house and wallow in the past because he believed he could do nothing else. It dawned on me that I was there not so long ago but over mental health fears. I think a lot of us can fall to living in the past due to guilt / fear of the future or wishing away our present because we believe we have a better future. Definitely applies to finances too, I think.

Cooked again tonight. My wife and I are feeling a lot better for it too. Checking in to MSE is certainly good for me; check my targets and sort my bad habits out. Speaking of which I've sent our mortgage OP early. Not feeling quite so stupid over the fact we have a mortgage on the house as I think someone said on here its the cheapest loan going and money not tied up there can be utilised elsewhere. Father amused me today when I spoke to him about it and he told me if he were me and with rates as low as they are he'd buy hundreds of properties, get the capital paid, rinse and repeat for as long as the rates are low and it makes sense... going to look at a potential project / BTL tomorrow. After being long disappointed of my lack of financial discipline, now have my parents asking why I'm spending cash on places. :rotfl: I suppose in a strange why though I was aware my parents' financial standing was rather precarious during the majority of their working lives, I've never quite been able to think of them as owing money to anyone. Much like I can not imagine them being "young" or even my age. :rotfl:

AlexLK

This may be looking a little more rosy today.

Financial
Book appointments with accountant, tax advisor and IFA Done
Mortgage overpayment £1,000/£1,000
Personal savings /£1,500
Sell /£5,000

Household
Finalise kitchen designs
Quotes for materials
Clear kitchen of anything unnecessary

Food / Drink
Eating out /4 - want to try to cook a bit more this month rather than eating out numerous times per week. :rotfl:This has been a complete disaster
Grocery budget /£450 :rotfl:Double may cover it if we are careful (eating v. cheaply for the rest of the month and cooking)
Meat free days 2/10
Alcohol free days 2/15

Work / Business
Look for another project if offer not accepted Been to see one unsuitable today and going to see one tomorrow.
Book holiday time from work (Mrs. K. and I are going away for a few days together this month for her birthday) Done
Organise what I'm doing for the coming month

Life
Read a book not related to my work Picked one to read when away / travelling etc. :A

Red-Squirrel_2

What book have you picked Alex? Enjoy your break, sounds like things are going well at the moment.

Karmacat

Have a lovely holiday, Alex - time to tackle the grocery bill when you get back

AlexLK

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

What book have you picked Alex? Enjoy your break, sounds like things are going well at the moment.

Diane Ackerman's The Zookeeper's Wife. Mrs. K. read it a while back.

Things are going generally well at the moment, red squirrel. Could say it's been a long time coming. :rotfl:

Karmacat wrote: »

Have a lovely holiday, Alex - time to tackle the grocery bill when you get back

:rotfl: Yes, definitely need to get that sorted.

Had a bad day so far as food / spending is concerned but a brilliant family day out so not sorry about it, to be honest.

Suffolk_lass

All sounding a bit more positive Alex - have a great holiday

AlexLK

Well, we're back. Much money spent, food eaten and drinks consumed. Had a great time and could have stayed a while longer, to be honest. Only not so good points were having a rather difficult discussion with Mrs. K. re. son and a really bad hangover on the last day. Don't have the tolerance for alcohol anymore, a good thing considering I used to drink an awful lot I suppose.

Son had a great time with cousin but was ready to come home when we picked him up yesterday. Managed to have a good weekend as a family but another expensive one.

This coming week I plan to have a better one so far as food, wine and finances are concerned.

Not long to go until friend's wedding which is definitely sans parents who refuse to acknowledge he is even part of the family. On a lighter note, why anyone would entrust me with getting someone to be somewhere on time and wedding rings, I've no idea. :rotfl:

kelpie35

So pleased to hear you and Mrs K had a lovely time together.

I am sure your son missed you both when you were away, but good to hear he enjoyed his time with your cousins.

Take care.

newgirly

Glad the break went well Alex, especially as your ds enjoyed it too - plenty of couples weekends to be arranged for the future