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The simple life

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  • Tink_04
    Tink_04 Posts: 1,206 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    Well 4 of us Maddie so an XL chicken has fed us today, will go in sweet potato curry tomorrow for tea and will also do lunches for a few days too! I've made a big salad and put it in the fridge as will use up all the bits and go with lunch :j for the first time too I've boiled the carcass and I'm making chicken stock for the freezer I'm really proud of this and I'm hoping I can do it regularly so I can use it instead of cubes etc - really want to keep replace things with more HM versions that I know what is in our food.

    We have also booked a short break for the Autumn I'm taking the kids out of school but I cannot afford the half term prices (over £1000 for 4 nights!) I will see if the school authorise it - worth a shot! I just want us to go away and have some family time, mine have never been abroad and we do 1 little caravan holiday a year, this is a beautiful lodge in a Forrest so will be really nice in Autumn.

    Tink
    Living the simple life
  • Tink_04
    Tink_04 Posts: 1,206 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    Ok I've just done my gas and electric readings and my electric seems quite high? Since 10th April I have used 543kw which works out at 9 per day? Is this a lot for a house with 4 of us?

    We have a shower (not elec) washer & DW - elec oven.

    I just think this seems high but I may be wrong?

    Tink?
    Living the simple life
  • teafor2
    teafor2 Posts: 3,322 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Morning Tink :) That chicken has gone a long way :):T I buy a medium one and after using it for a roast dinner the rest is for sandwiches.

    I don't blame you for taking the children out of school. I really fail to see how 3 or 4 days away is going to make that much difference to their overall education. I could tell you how DS's high school are always banging on about attendance then do this thing where all pupils miss a full day of lessons, without parent's permission I might add, to help out in the office, but I won't. ;)

    We've recently done the same exercise with electric. We were using about 15 per day but we have loads of computer stuff etc. Hubby makes a point of switching some of it off at night now and we've definitely found a difference as we're down to about 10-12. He still thinks it could improve though. xx
  • Tink_04
    Tink_04 Posts: 1,206 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    Hi Tea!

    Yeah it's really annoying! My kids have had days when they have watched movies all day towards the end of term .... it's just crazy :mad:

    I've been looking at it seems about average. I'm still walking round turning things off as I hate it when things are left on all day for no reason.

    Today I'm at the drs then going home to potter and tidy up. I have a few people to call and Email, one to pay a bill and one for a refund so will get that sorted out today.

    The weather is awful and the rain is just making things miserable. Looking forward to the weekend :)

    Managed to get the kids uniform bits in early as was a 20% off so only have PE kit, branded jumpers, shoes and bags to get. The Uniform saving pot has taken a bash but that's what it is there for. I swear they get more expensive every year!

    Tink
    Living the simple life
  • Tink_04
    Tink_04 Posts: 1,206 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    Ok .... it's been a little while and things have just blown up and it's all a mess again!

    The roof leaked and caused some damage, the savings (and more) were used to pay for the repairs but it looks like we are going to need a new roof sooner rather than later :(

    I have been trying to keep us all paddling but everything is out of sync I have been missing things as I'm not concentrating properly :mad:

    DH pay day is changing next months which has caused an issue as will end up paying more out. I don't think I can work out where we are at the moment.

    Will do some figures and try and get a plan together so I can start getting back on track but I don't even know where we are at the moment.

    Positives I have done tho:

    * got some of the kids uniform for September in
    * Kept the SC clear
    * I have been meal planning
    * got £14 in survey account
    * got enough points for £5 in receipt hog (going to keep going for now tho)

    Sorry:( this update is a bit of a downer, will report back when I know the damage ....

    Tink
    Living the simple life
  • teafor2
    teafor2 Posts: 3,322 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Hi Tink :) Oh no, leaky roofs are a pain in the bum and also expensive. Are you thinking a full re-roof or a patch up job for now?

    I don't think it's a downer post, in fact I think your list of positives really are positive. :T

    Hope you manage to get yourself sorted with DH's pay and get back on track asap. xx
  • Tink_04
    Tink_04 Posts: 1,206 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    Thanks tea!

    We have patched it up but will need a new roof, just hoping it holds this winter as I don't want to borrow for it :o

    The savings took a big hit and I had to raid everything I had to make it through the month.

    Going to sit and do the figures tonight. We have had a 0% card offer so going to do a shuffle so at least there is no interest to pay. I don't know if I can add the loan onto the card as we pay interest on it and it would save us a big money. Not sure if that is possible? Will have to have a look.

    Kids are on a school trip tomorrow so busy making packed lunches, the online shopping came and I have £150 left in the shopping pot for 3 weeks - keeping this month tight!

    I will update my figure later and see where I stand.

    Tink
    Living the simple life
  • Tink_04
    Tink_04 Posts: 1,206 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    Well, I'm still working on numbers as we are shuffling some debt to a 0% card but have used this card for a 0% purchase too. It had to be done as the EF got eaten by the roof and an item needed to be replaced immediately so not much I could do at the time.

    So onwards an upwards, I have squirrelled £300 straight back to the EF, I want this built up ASAP to at least £1600 so this is a priority.

    The loan stands at £1562 - this is the only thing we are paying interest on so I want to start making additional payments to this too.

    The rest is 0% and I'm working on a final number as some things have been paid off and others added. This will not be my priority until the loan is paid then I will move the overpayments to this.

    I know this isn't exact at the moment but I feel I need something to look at now as I hate not having a plan in front of me.

    Kids uniform buying is going well and my survey and RH is adding up. I want to get a system rolling and make some serious work for the rest of the year.

    It's July now so 6 more paydays before 2020! My aim is ..
    *EF to be at £1000

    *Loan to be gone

    This is doable if we budget and work hard - the other things that are 0% I will track the 0% debt but focusing on these 2 for now as these seem the most important.

    I'm also going to try and log in here once a day to keep me going :j

    Let's see how things go ...

    Tink
    Living the simple life
  • teafor2
    teafor2 Posts: 3,322 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Evening Tink :) Good plan to get some money back into the EF fund and also pay the loan off. And if you can keep on track 6 months isn't too long to see those goals come to fruition :T

    I definitely think coming on here as much as you can helps keep the mind focused.

    I've just cashed out £5 on Shoppix, it's much quicker than RH - I've still got half way to go with them but I'll get there eventually. It's all free money so I'm not complaining. :D

    Look forward to your updates. xx
  • Tink_04
    Tink_04 Posts: 1,206 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    Well today's update and check in is a good one. Me and DH have worked out the money and sat down again. The CC took a bit of a hit with the whole roof issues but it's not as bad as I thought.

    £500 - OD
    £1562.15 -L 10.4%
    £3266.32 - CC 0%

    £5328.47 - Total


    So I have 3 items ( the purchase was quite low and I had been making additional payments - was only £200 left so that got paid off) :j

    As you can see the loan is the priority now. I can only make 1 extra payment a month as it adds it to the DD. We have rounded it up by £20 as is due out in the next few days then I'm going to be allocating what ever I can to make a bigger additional payment each month.

    The EF is still a priority but has £300 in it and I'm going to carry on saving £50 and trying to 'make' £50 extra so the payment is £100 a month to save.

    So far we have just been trying to get back on track but I feel that I need to keep pushing ahead or it will all end up a huge mess again :(

    Tink
    Living the simple life
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