Keeping on the Straight and Narrow...

savingholmes

Happy Birthday Dancing. Glad the budget is holding up and you agree on a way forward with your savings.

DancingInTheRain

Hello all

Not a lot happening here so have been fairly quiet and just taking everything one day at a time.

DH was paid on Friday, so I have just completed the associated money shuffling.
Have rounded down the mortgage account but managed to miscalculate by £5 😳 (in our favour though).
Also had £30 from TCB which, in the absence of any other plan, has gone in the EF.
Signature updated.

My furlough leave has been extended until end of February which is a relief and I'm incredibly grateful for so just need to keep doing what we've done in January to keep to some sort of routine and to keep control of the budget.
I'm also very happy that we're seeing more daylight now the days are a little longer, small things but they make such a difference.

Not a lot else to add so I'll leave it there.
Hope everyone is safe and well, take care x

savingholmes

Glad that furlough is making life easier for you. Lovely to be paid to be home with the kids - especially at that age. I imagine it's still hard work too though - I don't know if I'd have coped. 

DancingInTheRain

Evening all

Furlough is definitely taking some pressure off in one way but my goodness it's been a challenging week this week. DS2 has had a couple of broken nights sleep which has in turn disturbed DS1 and my sleep (DH never heard anything 🤬) so we've all been grumpy (boys) and easily irritated (me) DH has quite an important project on the go and is also a bit short tempered so all fun here!

Determined to get back on track so the boys went to bed a little earlier tonight and I'll be doing the same shortly.

Not much money news happening, I have managed to pick up a couple of bargain gifts for DS1's birthday next month and also by some fluke, while looking earlier today I got a click and collect slot tomorrow so no need to go in to the supermarket for the first time in ages, will stop any random extra purchases and means I don't have to swear under my mask about people getting too close when walking round the shop 🤣

I've promised the boys if they are good tomorrow that after collecting the groceries we can go to the drive thru Costa next to the supermarket for a juice and cake (plus coffee for Mummy 😉) it's as good as a treat gets these days and I'll have to not think about the amount of juice or cake crumbs they'll drop in the back of the car!

I've also used some of my personal spends to buy a new activity tracker as I lost my other one last week (the strap had been dodgy for a while) I was hoping the old one would turn up but no joy so far and I was missing having one so went for a basic model, only £20 but it seems to be doing the job so far.

Also used some clothing allowance money to buy both boys some new socks as literally every pair they own are looking threadbare, I know no-one else can see them but they're bothering me 🤣

Hope everyone is well, take care x

beanielou

Enjoy your wee treat 

savingholmes

Glad you got a click and collect slot. I've only been in a supermarket less than a handful of times in the last year but found each occasion extremely stressful due to all the nutters who want to get in your space.

DancingInTheRain

Morning, well my plan has worked unbelievably well - both boys still asleep which is totally unheard of, I can't remember the last time they got up any later than 645!

I was up at 615 so have enjoyed a cuppa and then have been doing laps of my living rooms to get a good start on my step count for the day (3000 so far 🤣).

Also updated my signature so it just shows original debt and debt free date as opposed to including the mortgage and ISA figures. As we're not planning on hammering down the mortgage anytime soon it doesn't seem relevant to include and the ISA will continue in the background for the long term rather than having an impact on day to day life.

Short term we just need to navigate furlough, keep saving pots up to date and keep to budget and then review again when lockdown eases.

Having completed many laps of the living rooms today I can see just how shabby and tired they're starting to look so I can see a post lockdown goal may be to get these rooms re-plastered, decorated and new flooring. DH has mentioned this a couple of times recently and I'm coming round to his way of thinking. We've been here 8 years now and apart from new carpets and a lick of paint a few years ago they haven't been touched.

Have a good day all x

savingholmes

I think many of us are building up wish lists
Well done on the steps

DancingInTheRain

Morning all.

Weekly budget reset day today. Again, thanks to lockdown we have stayed within budget even with buying some new underwear and joggers for the boys so pleased with that. Life is such a boring slog at the moment that I'll take the small wins where I can.

Have had plasterer and decorator friends round to quote for doing some work in the living room, need to contact an electrician as we need to move some sockets and then a joiner as DH suspects one of the joists under the floorboards needs repaired or replaced as there is a slight but noticeable difference in the floor level from one end of the room to the other so we might as well try to get it all done in one go. It's good to have a project to focus on, see if I say that when I start stripping the walls!

As such, my wages at the end of the month will be set aside to put towards the work that needs done.

Thankfully when the work starts we can seal that room off and use our other living room (has our dining table in there so technically the dining room but also has a sofa and the kids toys in so gets referred to as the big living room here 🤣) will ensure the tradesmen can work socially distanced as they can use our front door to access the room and we can go through our kitchen and use the back door, just need to get them all coordinated now which could prove to be the biggest job...

Homeschooling still just about bearable with the little ones but they are definitely showing signs of boredom, trying to think of things to do next week with it being half term but I think I'm running out of ideas after us being home for so long - will see if inspiration strikes.

Hope everyone is okay, stay safe xx

beanielou

Sounds like a good plan