the hedgehog's balloons.

the_cross_rabbit

Its been along time. Mum has finally returned home this weekend after living with us for 5 and half months. We are picking DD1 up in a couple of hours from uni and life is generally good. We had an update on our mortgage and it stands currently at £70,746.39 with 16 years and 1 month to go. We've paid £1,640.42 in interest charges (where is the angry face emoji when yiu need it). Hopefully we can seriously reduce the term and interest charged, but who knows what life will throw at us this year. The hubbster is not particulary happy at work so he is actively looking, well I'm doing the looking and he looks and goes hmmmm maybe. We've looked at him going part time but its not something we could sustain long term, but could offset it with the kitchen and new car fund for awhile
Hope your all keeping well
CRx

Grogged

Good to see you back, missed your posting.
Take care.

Karmacat

Hello CR, good to see you posting.  You got your house back to yourselves!  I bet that feels *so* good.  Good luck with getting the interest paid down even further.

the_cross_rabbit

Yes karma it does feel so good to have the house back. Not a lot happening this week. Trying to be frugal at the moment to increase savings incase the hubbster goes for a lower paid job this year, but potentially more fulfilling. If at the end of the year it’s not happened, we’ve agreed the additional savings will go to pay extra off the mortgage. So far frugaling  has gained us a water butt and several bags of small stones in exchange for labour and 2 posts. Salvaging some decent wood from my sister’s to make some beds at the allotment. DD1 has got DD2 a memory stick for her birthday (saving for my purse). The Sunday roast provided sandwiches yesterday. Although the savings aren’t massive every little helps. 

CRx

themadvix

Every little does indeed help and there’s quite a bit of satisfaction to be had too I find😊

Karmacat

It's true, and keeping track of it is amazingly beneficial, that's one of the things that's so great about diaries  

the_cross_rabbit

Wow where did 2021 go? Super pleased to see the back of 2021, not the best of years on the whole for all manner of reasons. Trying to look forward and not back so focusing on paying the mortgage down and enjoying life to the max. Just checked the mortgage and we have 15 years and 3 months to go(without extra payments) 9 years and 3 months (with extra payments), we are still paying extra off the mortgage every month. In order to maintain this extra payment we need to start reducing costs elsewhere as the hubby has a new job, which he starts in the next couple of days. He's had to take a £2500 pay cut but he will no longer feel stressed. So we need to look at tightening the purse strings. So a frugal 2022 is on the cards.Hopefully I'll get into the habit of tilly tidying each day into my ISA and then pay a lump sum every couple of months. Meal planning tomorrow after I've checked what we currently have in the cupboards and freezers. The hubbster has decided to go veggie during the week to reduce his meat consumption and lower the food bill, floated the idea with DD2 and her response was a big fat 'NO', however I will be eeking out meals with extra veggies which she will tolerate and freeze any additional for later meals. I've put a large lunch box in the freezer for veggie peeling to make my own stock which is a small saving. Still maxamizing the allotment to keep the food bill down. Tomorrow I'm going to check out when insurances etc is due and put them on the calender to get the best deals. Transport cost will reduce a tiny amount as the hubbster journey is 4 miles less each way, unfortunately transport didn't work out for DD2 and college so I'm transporting. Fuel has gone up so no real savings to be had. We are still supporting DD1 but that was from money we saved with uni in mind 2 years ago. Although I have made sure this year we've only paid it when she is in uni, which reminds me I need to set the payments back up as I cancelled  it for December. Looking at how to save more from reducing utilities bills which needs seriously looking at especially as the cost is constantly creeping up.THink thats all for tonight, off to tilly tidy.
CRx

Karmacat

Hello cross rabbit!  You're obviously still really focussed on mse ways, even though your food bill's creeping up - inevitable really, with inflation the way it is.  Come back soon  

Fortune_Smiles

Lovely to 'see' you CR - Happy New Year!

Fortune x

themadvix

Lovely to hear your update CR, glad your husband has got a new job - I remember that it was causing a lot of stress.

 Is DD1 in her final year now?