Queen Bee fighting for her Hive!

Queen_of_the_Hive

Hello Sunday!

Its the day before the kids return back to school and its been quite a lazy day. We've been enjoying the new series of The Grand Tour and thats pretty much it!

Apart from enjoying time with the kids i've made a bit of a start on clearing the kitchen for the move. We have all sorts of flours and various baking ingredients in different stages of being used up. So made some mini fairy cakes to use up some of the baking ingredients and also make a tasty addition to the kids packed lunches this week. At the same time as the cakes were cooking, I also cleared & washed out the baking cupboard and medicines box. Putting the out of date ones aside to drop to the pharmacy.

Half term didn't really go to plan, I was working the first half of the week and had planned to take the kids out on Thurs and Fri but plans changed. Thursday & Friday was taken up with some dull video calls with hauliage companies to quote for the big move. First quote was recieved on Friday, it was wayyyyyy out of what we could afford and this became the start of a meltdown. Struggling with the move and I just cried, shouted and was an awful middle aged hormonal brat  

Yesterday having felt terrible form my outburst I treated the kids and OH to two games of bowling which was ultimately the highlight of the week! The kids did so well with the youngest taking his first steps bowling without the ramp and the big one getting the grips of the game and making 2 strikes! Proud mummy!

Queen_of_the_Hive

Hey diary, 2nd post today.

After feeling rubbish for a few days, hormones and stuff today has actually been quite nice. Ended the day by being able to say i'd achieved two lots of baking. The second lot of baking was a biscuit mix that had been sat at the cupboard for an age and it was time to use it up. The kids gave them a thumbs up so they have some more baked treats this week. 

Tasks for this week:

* Investigate broadband packages for new home.

* Order set of packing boxes to make a start on the dreaded task.

* Book removal company.

* Appraisal at work.

* Spend 30 mins looking at study notes to refresh! Truth be told, am behind and not in the right headspace but need to make a start to a better mindset.

* Do at least 1 walk a day.

* Order skipping rope for skipping challenge.

I'd seen a skipping challenge advertised by a charity and thought I fancy giving it a go, to see if this may kick start fitness plan. Terribly missing going to the gym but as we are moving in just over a month its not worth getting a gym pass for it.

enthusiasticsaver

Congrats on buying a house. I hope the move goes well. 

Queen_of_the_Hive

Hello Sunday,

Absolutely loving the change in weather, the spring sun is most welcome!!

This week was a busy one as usual. We have now decided upon and booked the removals. It was a little bit more than expected but pleased to have got this task ticked off the list. We are looking at just shy of 3k for removals inc pack up and delivery, alongside booking train tickets for the upcoming move so its all go!

There seem to be tasks galore coming from here, there and everywhere related to house move and i'm trying to get the written down and ticked off. So this is where we are:

* Investigate broadband packages for new home - Discovered this week, OH, who is not great with admin hadn't set up his original broadband account correctly so that needed to be done first. It looks like we may well be able to get a much cheaper broadband package so thats with me this week to get sorted as I need broadband for work.

* Order set of packing boxes to make a start on the dreaded task - not yet started this yet but booked removal's.

* Book removal company - COMPLETE!

* Appraisal at work. - COMPLETE!

* Spend 30 mins looking at study notes to refresh! Truth be told, am behind and not in the right headspace but need to make a start to a better mindset. - Started but need to focus some more time on this!

* Do at least 1 walk a day - this has been good! Been quite motivated this week! Yes!

* Order skipping rope for skipping challenge - Skipping rope bought and now on day 4 of skipping challenge! Actually enjoying this and feeling the better for it! 

The other major task completed was putting together a spreadsheet to capture the dates and time of needing to be back in the city to spend time with the kids. This is for me a major stressor but at least its made a start.

Tasks for this week:

* Set up and make a start on match betting.

* Book in the broadband for new place.

* Continue skipping challenge

* Use up more flour.

* Make lasagne today!

Queen_of_the_Hive

Hello 1st March!

Mini win of the day.... made first mortgage payment on the new house today & inc in the payment was a wholesome overpayment of £55.34

This week also sorted out broadband, taking opportunity to put it in my name (greater control than OH) and hopefully getting £50 cashback & first 3 months free (fingers crossed). Just hope they do in deed come on the day they said they will to install as need the internet for work. Internet is going to be a bit stronger than current deal and a bit cheaper too. So all in all a win win.

Baileys_Babe

Congratulations on your first mortgage overpayment

Queen_of_the_Hive

Hello Sunday,

Was awake early and thought i'd use my time wisely and give the diary a well overdue update!

This week was actually quite a good one. My job is WFH so I don't normally get out much and mix with people but whenever I get the chance to, I enjoy the time. This week it was some mandatory training on site at work on Weds which was great, met some new faces and also had the chance to mingle with a small number of people from my team and close teams that we work with which was lush! Thursday with my eldest, he took part in some paid market research. We had the pleasure of getting into central London and visiting offices in one of those gorgeous Georgian buildings. My son, enjoyed this opportunity to get out and do something different and he earn't a little bit of money for it. Kinda his first paid job which was exciting. He should be getting £50 for it. Sadly I didn't get any money but was worth it for the experience for him. I keep applying for some market research for myself as they pay quite well but haven't as yet taken part in any studies. On Friday it was also back to the volunteering which again is great, the ladies are a nice bunch and just getting that interaction makes it worth it. 

This weekend we've just been doing the usual, the little one had his football training in the morning and yesterday afternoon it was a quite time at home getting some house jobs completed as today the little one has a birthday party and the kids are looking forward to seeing their teams play together so we are going to watch it in the pub afterwards. 

On the money front my credit card is close to end of the credit card month and its horrific because i'd booked the sleeper train and Harry Potter steam train for our summer holidays. I've just booked single train tickets for May too using a discount code and ouch train soo expensive but we are limited due to the location of the new house and trying to eek out the most from the weekend. Planning to do a balance transfer soon after putting the removal costs on the card and it will be a slow burner to pay it off. Grrrr not how I wanted it to be but things are so bloomin expensive. Let me stop ranting....! 

Last week was payday and as already stated I was able to make the last (& hopefully ever!) rent payment and also our first mortgage payment so an expensive "double" month but also feeling a bit of joy that we should in making the changes we have made, make our living situation more stable. We were able to add £20 each (me & OH) to our Australia holiday fund, taking us up to 33% of the flights now saved for which is another step forward. Sadly debts are not going down, but doing the opposite and increasing... eeek! Absolutely keeping a watchful eye on the situation and may need to use some savings to paydown but right now the priority is getting the move complete & seeing what costs we will have associated from it and then how the house is as its not been lived in for 2 years.

Days 1 & 2 complete on 100 skips a day challenge!

Have a good week.

MFWannabe

Congratulations on house purchase 🎉
Have you received your rental deposit back yet? Remember this to factor into your money numbers 😉

Queen_of_the_Hive

MFWannabe said:

Congratulations on house purchase 🎉
Have you received your rental deposit back yet? Remember this to factor into your money numbers 😉

Hi MFWannabe! That is a very good point you make. We are still in the rental property and moving out end of this month. We hope to be able to use most of the rental deposit to pay for the removals, please keep everything crossed we get the full deposit back. You never can tell with landlords.