Queen Bee fighting for her Hive!

Baileys_Babe

You will have the debt cleared in next to time I bet. Well done on clearing 9K of debt 😀

Queen_of_the_Hive

Hello Saturday sunshine 

Finished week 2 of part time work and its been a bit weird. This week was handing over some work to my colleague and felt strange to do so but was the plan. 

Yesterday was payday and salary was reduced but not too different from last month which is welcome. Next month though will be the gulp the new reduced pay. Will be researching how to bump up my incomes from other ways. Haven't paid the bills yet so will enjoy a bit of extra in my account till tomorrow evening. 

Yesterday we went food shopping and spent just over £60. This was a good shop though as we managed to get some meats reduced which have been put in the deep freeze and should last us a while. I've managed to pick up some prolific studies too, just waiting for these to go into my account to pay out. Also pleased to see the stocks and shares isa is picking up after earlier slump. 

Today we have a low spend day planned. Taking the kids out to one of the big parks on the train with our bikes. This will be the first time we have tried such a thing so will be fun. Going to make a picnic to save on buying lunch. OH would much prefer to buy lunch but picnic is just as good

Drawingaline

Hope you had a good trip out 

Queen_of_the_Hive

Hello Sunday night & happy mothers day. 

Having spent the last coupe of hours trying to get the kids to sort out their bedroom  with plenty of pity cries its finally looking a little bit better. Def need some storage for the zillions of lego bricks so that is something to look for and have to get rid of some toys which they no longer play with. I don't think these are worth anything though sadly. 

Marked Mothers day with some cards and flowers which was nice but I don't think the kids really get the sentiment. They still have been upto
 typical kid behaviour. 

So yesterday we ended up staying at home and pottering about it in the garden. Was lovely, managed to cut the grass, litter pick and sew seeds. Had fun filling mine and my youngest old wellies with soil and sprinkled some wild flower seeds so excited to see how they come out. Finished the day with a BBQ. We decided against taking the kids on the bikes to big park as trying to do that plus BBQ would have been too much. 

Queen_of_the_Hive

Eugh, just paid the monthly bills and urgh. Was late to pay one of the kids expenses from last month so double pay out this month plus new term stuff too. One more payment down on credit card, 3 to go, no more owing over 1k. 

Queen_of_the_Hive

This morning was a mare of morning. 

Kids out of bed late, thankfully on time for school but fiasco with eldest who was having his spring concert and a rogue email which we didn't recieve meant a second mad dash to school with said instrument and music bag, late for work and growling at music teachers. After calming down, work was much less eventful. 

Been to the gym this evening, feeling tired now. Enjoying listening to podcasts atm while working out. Strangely turning into my happy place. I'm sure this will wear off soon. 

Sat enjoying cup of mothers day tea, littlest made a card at school and a tea bag was stapled to the card. Lots of  for this. 

Rechecked finances after yesterdays bill paying exercise and can see things are heading in the right direction. Plus one stocks account which has been sitting in the red was in the black today - just! Magic of £2.14

Lastly finally mastered turning off the central heating - we just got to cope now with the cold. 

Queen_of_the_Hive

Had a very strange sleep, lots of thoughts going around my head and this has really made me think I need to make some positive changes for the better starting with what I eat. Running to school yesterday I could see how unfit I was and in equal measures I enjoyed the run. 

Queen_of_the_Hive

M DAY! (31st March 2022 has turned into National Meter Reading day ) - took ours & added £200 to our gas prepayment meter which is not on a smart meter, a handy tip from Martin. The heating is off and will now stay off no matter how cold it gets. Very tempted to invest in wearable sleeping bags.

The kids school is continuing to cost - kids came home with school photos, enrichment club fees and eldest has a place on a residential trip. eeek!  

Queen_of_the_Hive

We've had friends ask us if we want to go on holiday together in school holidays to Europe, sounds awesome but will be pricey and not something we have budgeted for. Have requested the leave from work and OH is doing the same so we'll see where we get with that. 

I will be the first to admit I never usually bother looking at the smart meters but since Friday its become my new obsession. We only have a meter for electric, gas is prepay. Not our choice but what the landlord had set up previously. At last check this afternoon we had used £15.50 ish since the 1st. The heating is off, more layers are on. 

Tomorrow we have a plumber coming to install an outside tap and re-do the silicone in the bathroom & kitchen. 

I've also managed to stick just over £30 from surveying into stocks and shares isa. Every little bit helps.   

Queen_of_the_Hive

Hello sunshine and happy May day bank holiday! 

I've just lost a long post

So last time I wrote in my diary was early April and at that point I was being good, well how that did turn. Between myself and my partner our spending went a bit crazy with Easter school holiday activities & stuff combined with a big push on our new holiday let venture. So spent a few ££ on furnishings, equipment & ice cream  . Hopefully starting to take paying guests in the late summer. Time scale is a bit later than I wanted it to be but we've struggled to get some trades people as they are in such high demand in the area. 

Last time diary was updated I was in a dilemma regarding a holiday opportunity to go away with friends or not, the trip was looking to cost over 2k for flights and accommodation (with no pre-budget for a holiday). So with that in mind, we took the decision not to go. Instead we've booked the Eurostar & some reasonably priced accommodation on a houseboat in our chosen location. This was 1k instead of a more heady 2k so pleased with that. The kids were thrilled when we told them the plans.

This morning has been a bit of a bump back to reality. After enjoying being off the spending leash I've spent a good couple of hours checking the spends, tickling spreadsheets and yeah its frankly a bit ugly but I keep reminding myself that there is only 2 more payments to go on the balance transfer card which will make a big difference. Currently paying £259 per month on it & when we start seeing some income flow from the holiday let it'll be worth it. 

The kids are with their dad this weekend, so me and OH took the opportunity and went to the coast with our bikes. Train tickets were just shy of £40 for both with the two together railcard and we enjoyed beer & fish and chips. It was not a cheap day out but was fabulous. One of the biggest things I have learned through my debt free journey is its good to save but its equally important to have some days of just living in the moment too

Work this week is going to be hectic with new boss and a big project to deliver so today I am relaxing at home, lightly catching up with domestic tasks.