Starting Afresh Back Home

Jessy103

Returning to normal here. Negative tests now, so back to work tomorrow, still not feeling 100% but only 7 working days to go until we break up for Christmas!

An overpayment of £175.08 has been made so my new total for the mortgage is £44,800.00. As we're going away over Christmas that probably should be the last overpayment of the year, but we'll see 😂

A couple of Christmas presents bought over the weekend, so only 3 left to get which are for my nephews, so I'm thinking money and a tub of chocolates each. Nice and easy 🙂

Jessy103

Merry Christmas and hope you all have a happy New Year 😀

Unfortunately, it's not gone to plan this year, but it seems from catching up on diaries a lot of people have been the same. I went back to work after covid but then unfortunately caught the flu that was going round work. I had to take the last two days off work before we shut down for Christmas and I'm still not fully recovered. This has put a damper on our week away as I have had to keep going for a lay down, not had much of an appetite, blowing my nose constantly and coughing like I have a 60 a day smoking habit! Hey ho, it was still nice to getaway and we have had some nice walks in the Peak District.

As we haven't been able to go out as much as planned, it means we haven't spent as much, so I've made a £232.40 overpayment to the mortgage, making my end of year total £44,700. Yipee!

The target for next year is £37,000 and after talking me and BF have decided that after I pay off the mortgage, hopefully in 3 years max, I will quit my job and go part time, so we can have a better work life balance. Our little bungalow might not be perfect but it is enough and yes, something might come up which means we can move to somewhere with a garden and garage but life is for living too and we don't want to mortgage ourselves to the hilt just for a little bit extra.

🙂

South_coast

Ooh, sounds very exciting (apart from being ill 🤒)! I 100% think you are doing the right thing x

Jessy103

Thanks SC 🙂

Well, we're back home. We did have the cottage until tomorrow but with it chucking it down today and having to be out by 10am tomorrow, we decided just to take our time today getting packed up, had some lunch and then head home. We got back at 3pm, unpacked, walked the dogs and then had a Chinese takeaway for tea. A last treat before BF takes boyo back home tomorrow. I think while BF does that tomorrow I will get the washing done and the Christmas decs down, then we can have a nice chill weekend before going back to work on Tuesday. No plans for new year's, so we'll just have a nice quiet one. 

I'm trying to think of targets for next year other than getting the mortgage down to £37k, but with the wedding in September I don't want to overstretch and think that just making sure the wedding is all paid for with savings and not credit cards is enough. 

I would like to set a little reading target of 2 books though. I used to love reading, I do love reading but I've just got into the habit of putting the TV on and falling asleep to that in an evening. I want to cut down on the TV and read instead and I've got plenty of books to get through! 

Jessy103

Busy and productive day. BF took boyo home at 11am and as it's a 4hr round journey he might stay at his parents tonight and drive home tomorrow. He will let me know.

I have taken all the Christmas decorations down, cut up the cards we received to use as gift tags for next year, cleaned, done 2x loads of washing and cleaned the windows on the inside. Oh and walked the dogs twice! Shattered now as still not feeling 100% from covid and this other flu. Fingers crossed I'll be back to normal by the weekend. 

I then sat down and went through some surveys and have now claimed £20 from swagbucks and a £10 Amazon voucher from norstatpanel. Getting close to pay out with prolific and panelbase so need to keep an eye on them.

I read three chapters of the book I've had on the go for months last night as well, so feeling good about my little reading challenge for next year 🙂

themadvix

Wow, you're a whirlwind of activity Jessy! Great goals for next year -  I think you're wise not to overstretch given the wedding coming up.

Jessy103

Thanks Vix 🙂

A quieter day today, did some washing but that's the last of it, just waiting for it to dry on the radiators and then it can all go away. I had a shopping order delivered, didn't need a lot so only £60 spent and all stocked up. A bit too stocked up in all honesty and I'm going to get back in the habit of doing meal plans, so I can start to use it all up. 

I used my Amazon voucher on a new nighty which arrived today. I can't remember the last time I got a new nighty, so definitely needed and I think I'll have a sort out tomorrow to get rid of any old nightwear and check the underwear and socks situation! Then it'll be back to streaming as I've had a break over the past 10 days with Christmas and being poorly. 🙂

newgirly

Hope you are feeling better now jessy and happy new year 🙂

Jessy103

A lot better, thanks NG 🙂

Happy New Year everyone, hope all your dreams and goals for 2023 come true 😀

I did 7hrs of streaming today and it was great fun. If I can get this pesky mortgage paid off I would love to give it a proper go full time. We shall see. 

We had tomato soup and a cheese roll for dinner and pizza for tea, so no spend day. Tomorrow will be salad roll and then quiche and jacket potato with salad for tea. I plan on streaming for most of the day again tomorrow and then having a lazy day Monday before going back to work Tuesday. I

Have a great evening x

Jessy103

Unfortunately, my new years day didn't go to plan as my nan got taken into hospital and I went to go visit her with my parents. This is the third time she has been admitted in the past year because of breathing difficulties caused by long covid. She's on oxygen and doing better, so hopefully she will be discharged in a few days and we are now trying to get her some help at home getting dressed in a morning and an at home oxygen tank. Fingers crossed It won't take too much of a fight to achieve.
It was sad to see her in that state, a little old lady confined to a bed, but unfortunately she is that little old lady now. I'm very lucky in that I still have two sets of grandparents, and I need to make more of an effort to spend time with them because it won't last forever. 

We had the meals as planned today, so a no spend day. I'm going to try and keep this going as much as I can. One of the dogs is limping after getting over excited at a cat sat on a fence though! Hopefully a few days rest will see him right and he won't need a visit to the vets. His insurance is up to date and BF has enough saved to pay any unexpected bills anyway, so I'm not going to worry about it if he needs to go, it's just never ideal! Blooming animals! 

I did finish the book i've had on the go for months last night and I'm just getting started on Graham Norton's debut novel Holding, I'm hoping it will be as good as I hope it is as I do love Graham Norton 🙂