bitbybit's road to freedom

Kittenkirst

Ooooh what lovely & tasty loot from your nephew- I bet he is in your good books this week:)

bit_by_bit

Thanks for popping in beanilou and Kittenkirst. Oh yes he is in our good books alright. Two of my DH nephews live with us, they are both grown up but came when young. A third one has left home. These two both work in kitchens and we get all sorts of goodies bought home.

Good week this week. I overpaid just under £300 to drop my mortgage well below £31,000. Very please. If I can over pay like this over the next month or two I will get below £30,000. I can't wait.

greent

Wow - brilliant food freebies
x

bit_by_bit

I know greent. I am very lucky. I get laughed at work for being so enthusiastic about it. My collegues wouldn't accept free food like this, finding it suspicous and possibly poisonous. They are the same people who knock my survey doing, mortgage overpaying and planning for early retirement, although not so much now that I AM making serious plans for early retirement. I tend not to talk about this side of my life these days. They don't get me thats fine, as long as i am happy about it all.

michelle09

Welcome to the MF board! We Buy Books is really good for getting rid of books. I find it a little pickier than music magpie, but tends to pay out more. As greent suggests, if you're clearing, scan them all into multiple companies and picking the highest paying. It's a little longwinded but we picked up £300 clearing out before moving.

michelle09

Sorry your workmates aren't positive about it. My OH's workmates are the same, they mock him quite a bit. Scuppers them though, we picked up a 25 serving cake for £2.50 on the reduced counter last week and I took into my work because his would have been unpleasant about it!

bit_by_bit

Hi Everyone, still alive. I hope you can all get out to enjoy the weather while it lasts.

I paid off £203.71 extra this month. Would have been double that but been enjoying little breaks away, not too spendy, and getting outdoors while the sun shines.
I have also spent a considerable amount of time in training for the moon walk at the weekend. My out fit is ready (think saloon girl) and I can do the distance. No godod retirng early mortgage free if unfit, so this fits in with all my aims but cost a bit of money on my part. In return I have raised over £1300 so not complaining.

bit_by_bit

Moon walk done and I am back. I calculated today that I will be sub £30,000 after my next mortgage payments go out on 2nd of May plus an overpayment of £110.00. Money is tight at the moment. I have loaned out some and spent quite a bit just having fun, going away etc. Most of the big expenditure has gone out on credit card so my priority is to clear that before my mortgage. I don't want to pay interest to a credit ever card again.

bit_by_bit

So I have been spending money fast of late. I have been away but also paid up front for different things, mostly holidays. It will continue to be spendy in the next few month but should settle down in August.

In light of the money disappearing I have decided to reboot money saving strategies that I used up until February this year. I just couldn't be bothered, too tired etc.
My main strategy was to keep a spending diary.
My second strategy is to hit the food spending.
My main area of expenditure after holidays is eating out. I go out a few times a week at least and really enjoy socialising. I haven't kept an eye on this and the times I am eating out has not changed but the time I buy food due to laziness has increased. So heare is the plan.

No McDonalds on the way to the allotment on Sunday morning ( a totally unnecessary treat)
Taking lunch to work every day. M&S at work are doing very well out of me. (again unnecessary)
Take food and drink when I travel in the next month. (again lots of unnecessary spending to be prevented)

If I just take these three things and work on them I will save myself a lot of money in a short space of time.

So there it is. A commitment to my wasteline and my bank balance. Wish me luck.

bit_by_bit

I went off to visit my DB Saturday and came back Sunday. I should have gone Friday but was tired and its a three hour drive. As it turned out it may have a good thing, his mental health is not good and I haven't seen him for over a year. He wasn't at his best shall we say.

Back from my weekend away, and things didn't quite go to plan expenditure wise.

Not so good: My DB and I ate twice together. On Saturday evening I got a ready meal from Sainsbobs for each of us and a spare and some bread for him. He doesn't eat well. This was cheaper than eating out so still better than nothing. No booze either.

In the morning we went for breakfast but I knew it would mean I wouldn't want lunch (thats my excuse)

I bought a coffee on the way home. The coffee in my flask was cold and I needed it as I was tired. Its worth it for not having a crash.

Did well

I had didn't buy lunch at work Friday as I was on a half day. I visited friend for coffee instead, and then went home and ate. I usually eat out with this friend if we meet on a Friday, usually early evening, so that saved me a bit.

I packed fruit, yoghurt and crisps for the journey both ways (and ate it both ways).

I didn't buy any food food on the go.


Just didn't record my expenditure but it was a lot less than I normally spend at least by £30.00 so happy with that.

Just got food shopping today and eating at home. I am eating out tomorrow for DS3s birthday, but I will keep it small for me at least. DH may pay.

Dh and I are away for the weekend at the Hay festival. We are taking food to cook and make packed lunch with as we are camping, so apart from the odd cuppa we will have a cheapish time. I stopped buying books a while ago but I may get tempted.

So not a bad start, looking forwad to the challenge over the next month when I am away or doing something every weekend.

Will record spending from today.