Our MFW Adventure!

Needhelpsaving

Hi,

I've had two previous diaries, but as things change and time moves on, so do our goals and aims. I set up my last diary in November 2016, and boy have things moved on since then! So, we're starting a new chapter in our MFW journey and with that comes a new diary.

A little bit about us for anyone who hasn't met us before, we're a family of four, me (32), OH (37) and two DD's (6 & 1).

We live currently live in the suburb of a major city, and over time would love to move to somewhere semi rural, but we need to get this mortgage out of the way first

We refinanced our mortgage earlier this year (mainly due to Brexit looming, becoming a one income family and wanting to keep the certainty of a low interest rate), so we have a balance of £55,579.36 outstanding on a 5 year fixed rate product.

This year will be a slow start, as we're getting married at the end of the year and are cash flowing the entire thing, no debts/loans etc.

I will sit down with OH and look at our SOA and see if there is anywhere we can start looking to reduce spends.

My first goal is to try to raise £79.36 before 31/07 as a token OP to move us forward.

We're a quirky bunch and things don't always go as planned, but we're going to give it a try

longway2go

Hi, just wanted to say good luck. I only started my diary yesterday and it will also be quite slow for us until the start of next year as I am on mat leave although I hoping to build my knowledge now and make plans so that we will be in a good place when I go back to work and Christmas is done and dusted

joedenise

When I was trying to make overpayments to our mortgage I used to round down to whole pounds anything left at the end of the day in each current account - we had 3 at that time - also known as Tilly Tidies.

It's amazing how the bits add up, although the statement at the end of year tended to be several pages long!

Denise

beanielou

Happy shiny new diary

Needhelpsaving

Good Morning!

We're off the starting blocks for this months target. I have spent some time this morning reconciling our accounts (as it's just before payday for us), and have OP'd £18.40.

July OP Target = £18.40/£79.36

I have also used some Amazon vouchers collected from survey sites etc to buy some reusable lady products, which should not only reduce our waste, but mean that we won't have to buy any more disposables. It's an investment up front, but I will re-coup that soon enough.

Needhelpsaving

Food Shop done today based on a meal plan (£28.68 spent in Aldi, including 7 wedding items & £12.85 spent at the butchers).

So, at the moment, I have £8.47 of my £50 budget left for this week. I won't OP any at the moment, just in case it's needed (although it's very tempting!).

I did score in Aldi though (wedding related) ... we had planned to buy small token gifts for the kiddies (we're not doing favours for the adults ... controversial for some people).

Anyway, I saw some A3 Disney colouring pads on offer for £1.99 each (apparently the RRP was £9.99?? :eek:), then when they went through the till they had been reduced to 99p each!!!! So I only need to grab some crayons/pencils to go with them, but were coming in around £1.50 per child favour which I am chuffed about, as they look like they cost a lot more

Needhelpsaving

:whistle: I was SOOOO close to an NSD today, but it wasn't to be. I spent a whole £1.02 on a fun run donation at DD1 school :rotfl: (the teachers were out in force shaking tins, so I gave them what was in my coat pocket, a whole £1.02! :rotfl:).

Not too bummed about it though as it's for a good cause.

Other than this, there were no spends at all.

A bag was sent to the charity shop, all stuff that has been listed for sale with no takers, so they went as I can't hang on to them forever.

joedenise

At least it was a Low Spend Day! Things like this can't be avoided when you have kids.

Denise

Needhelpsaving

Good Evening!

I hope everyone is well and has enjoyed their weekend. This weekend has been low spend for us, I popped out yesterday and came home with cake

I did have a little wiggle room in the money I had left for this week, so I am still under budget by £2.47 for this week, in spite of my cake purchases

Today has been an NSD, cars washed and cleaned at home by DH and DD1, all food has been taken from what we had in and I made my first crumble today :T

Two more items have been listed for sale online, and I cashed out a £5 Amazon voucher from a survey site.

Tomorrow I need to go and collect some school uniform I have ordered for DD1 to try (for next year), but I will walk to the store to combine my aims to reduce petrol spends and increase exercise

Needhelpsaving

Good Morning (albeit a bit of a wet morning here)

Yesterday was an NSD :T I walked to the shops to collect the uniform ordered for DD1, only two items fit, so I think I'll just take her to the store next time to stop this faffing around. I thought I had got the sizes right by ordering the size above what she's in now (and growing out of), but they were all massive on her :doh:

Current accounts checked and rounded down this morning - £5.35 sent to mortgage as an OP. July OP is now at £23.75/£79.36

Spends are planned for tomorrow, DD2 needs her first pair of shoes, I had delayed them by skipping the pre-walker types you can get, but as she started walking at the weekend, they are now needed. I'll go to the local Clarks Factory Outlet to see what they have.

DD1 also has a haircut booked for tomorrow (again, delayed, but it definitely needs doing now).

Sold another item online last night, it will be collected today. The money will go to DD2's piggy bank as it is her old walker that she had as a Christmas gift that's been outgrown. I'll just be glad to regain the space as it's a fairly big item

Also requested a £5 PP cashout from SB yesterday, so that will be going to the mortgage OP's when it arrives.

Needhelpsaving

Hola!

Just dropping in with an update to keep me on track. Spends made today;

- £9 on DD1 haircut (£1 under budget).

- £0 spent on DD2 shoes (I was advised to come back in 3 weeks once shes walking more confidently).

- £44.32 spent on food shop (I moved it forward from Friday to get spends consolidated on one day).

- £5.68 change added to window cleaner pot so I have money to pay him at end of month.

Things to do this week;
1. Call British Gas and see if I can renegotiate boiler cover cost.
2. Return school uniform ordered for DD1 which isn't suitable.
3. Continue with surveys etc to work towards my OP goal