Marginal Gains

Cornish_mum

I just wrote a very woe is me post but have just given myself a good talking to and decided to put on my big girl pants and stop moaning! Let’s just say my work situation is v rubbish currently (high workload, no allowances at all for homeschooling or option to reduce hours).

Money update 

My plan to cut my pay to offset the income shortfall wasn’t possible (all employment contracts shorten instead). My 5 year contract is now 3.5 years. So I have decided to up my AVCs by another 5%, so I am now paying 20% into the DC pension pot in addition to my DB contributions. CM AVC pot increase £1400 this month. Haven’t checked MrCMs.

Groceries challenge was partly successful.   Total for the month was £230 so a bit over what I wanted but as I had to feed the kids lunch and snacks because of the lockdown I am happy with this. We managed to eat down the freezer which I was very pleased about.

We had to buy homeschooling stuff (pens, paint, printer ink and paper)~£40. DS needed new trousers (he has grown again), £15. We spent £70 on new undies for MrCM and me (ours were 10 years old and really needed replacing). MrCM wanted to splash out on a cordless vacuum in the January sales which cost £250, ouch. He hardly buys anything so I didn’t grumble. I bought new oven gloves and a tea towel (we needed the oven gloves as our spare pair had worn through) but the matching tea towel was a splurge. I also bought a gift for BF in the sales from the same supplier £45 all together. I needed to order window films for the bathroom and loo new windows (cheaper than having the double glazing frosted) £147.

Our drains backed up and as we have such a lot going on MrDH just called Dyno-rod. All sorted out but cost £145. We had one take away £15 when I couldn’t face cleaning up after the window fitters before cooking. 

It was abit of a spendy January but we managed to put aside £2385 to pay towards replenishing the money we borrowed from our Education fund for the new double glazing.

We have new double glazing windows in the kitchen, family room, bathroom, loo and DS bedroom. It was disruptive but an absolutely lovely job, has made the house feel warmer and we are really pleased. £4458 to go pay back to the education fund, I hope to do this by the end of March.

I managed to declutter DD & DS bedroom and half of the family room before the windows work started.  I want to tackle the kitchen next as it looked so nice without anything in it after we cleared it for the fitters. 

Frugal things 

I have been using the local library app to borrow audiobooks for DS. 

I made clothes for DD Sylvanians out of scraps and old baby socks. DD ‘helped’ and it was a nice Sunday afternoon activity.

We reused some chocolate that the kids were gifted for Christmas that they didn’t like into chocolate chip cookies.

MrCM managed to setup an old work laptop for DS zoom classes and school work, so we didn’t need to buy him a new computer.

January goals

Lockdown rather wrecked my plans to get more exercise and lose weight. I haven’t had the time to think of either, however at my regular weigh in at the hospital I seem to have lost 2.5 kg (not quite sure how I managed that as I have been eating a lot of rubbish). Other goals completed.

February goals

Save £2000 towards repaying windows money.

Spend £70/week on groceries.

Try to count my blessings. 

Arrange house insurance. 

debtfreeoneday

Sorry things weren’t the easiest in January. Hope Feb is better. Well done on the weight loss. 

Cornish_mum

Thanks Debtfree!

I’ve been vaccinated!!! Has made me feel like total ratfrink but yeah!! I’ve never had a reaction to a vaccine before other than the BCG so was quite surprised.  

Thankfully MrCM and I had minimal work deadlines this weekend, as I have been good for nothing since about 10am on Saturday.  I was supposed to be giving MrCM a complete weekend off house chores and kid entertainment for his birthday. He has been very nice about it. All I have managed to do was make him a cake (which took me 2 days), cook some soup today and play a board game with the children. Hopefully I will be back to normal by tomorrow; as I have loads of work to do and need to sort out the house insurance. 

In money news; our car went kaput about 10 days ago, £400 to get it working again.  Groceries were £77 this week, I spent £14 on a few treats for MrCM and we spent £46 on takeaways - whoopsie slipping back into bad habits. It was a weird week as we had the windows finishing team here, I had my regular treatment plus the vaccine and it was MrCM’s birthday. Nothing happening for the rest of the month so fingers crossed no more extra expenses.

SWSEGirl

Congratulations on your vaccine @Cornish_mum - although I'm sorry to hear you feel so rubbish. Your productivity prior to this sounds incredible, I am in awe of you! I hope you feel better soon x

Cornish_mum

Thanks SWSEgirl!

I am feeling much more spritely; though work is still awful but we made it to half term, so glad to have the week off homeschooling.

Money news

Groceries were £80 last week, bumped up by buying wine and steaks for Valentine’s Day. We didn’t do cards or gifts this year but we will have a nice meal with the kids. DD and I made heart shaped gingerbread biscuits, kids have been eating them all week for an afternoon snack.

This week regular groceries were £75. I also ordered an MrIce extra order for frozen fish, seafood and oven chips, TP, shampoo and conditioner £60 (all better value than MrS) plus free chocolate. No other spends.

We have slipped into Thursday night takeaways from the local Chinese ~£15/week. MrCM and I discussed it and have decided that it’s worth it until the lockdown is over, as it’s really cheering us up, is taking some pressure off me to cook whilst WFH/HS and we can afford it. Though this week I made bottom of the fridge noodles on Thursday, as we had stuff to use up and it was much easier without homeschooling to manage.

I renegotiated house insurance £50 saved.

Our drains backed up again, MrCM made valiant efforts to clear them on Saturday. We will review this weekend and see if we need to call someone out.  

Busy_Mee

Great to hear you have had your vaccine. We have also decided to carry the costs of more expensive food and takeaways through lockdown on the basis that it is cheering us up x

debtfreeoneday

Glad you’ve had your jab!  

Cornish_mum

Thanks all

Month end totals

Mortgage balance £177,644, capital reduction £925.

pension AVC  increase CM £732 in feb; MrCM £3157 jan & feb. 

£2250 towards paying back the education fund. £2200 to go.

February money and organisation goals were completed; even though we had the unexpected car costs. I overshot abit on groceries but have restocked the cupboards so that evens out. I wasn’t very successful at not worrying about work. I’ll try again on that.

March Goals 

Save £2200 

Continue with AVCs

Sow seeds and continue to tidy garden, MrCM to karcher patio and paths.

Stop worrying about work.

Regular groceries were £86, including £2.50 on nonessential tulips to cheer myself up and a special offer curry ready meal to have instead of Thursday night takeaway (£3). I also put in a wine/cleaning stuff bulk click and collect order at HerrA £110; this should last 2-3 months. DD needed new trainers for school PE and DS needed a new coat (as they had grown out of their old ones), £60 all together. No takeaways this week. 

Our drains are still not clear, so we have booked in a CCTV inspection. I am really hoping whatever the issue is doesn’t cost too much to rectify. This will come out of our March budget.

MrCM and I are thinking of a radical rethink regarding our money goals, especially around whether we can take on sending DS to private school. This mostly relates to the insecurity in my job, and that if my contract is not renewed; I will likely have trouble finding work at the same salary. The plan was to subsidise the fees from the fund we were saving up but it relied on us maintaining our current income.

debtfreeoneday

I would say tulips were essential then, happiness is important. 

Cornish_mum

Phew! The last two weeks have been unbelievable at work. We all had a huge and important deadline on Friday (our contract rebids). Back to school went well for DD and DS, though both kids are shattered, they are so happy to be back in the classroom. I am currently enjoying my Mother’s Day lie in. 

It’s been a year since the pandemic started to affect our life. Yesterday, a year ago I took DD to a birthday party and that was our last social event. During the party I started receiving emergency emails from work looking for  people to volunteer at the PHE testing labs and from the hospital next to door asking for testing reagents, as they were running out.  I remember rushing home and telling MrCM that this meant that the pandemic was now out of control in the UK. Two days later and we were self isolating. 

I am so grateful for all the people that have helped us get through the last year, for not losing our jobs and for all keeping well. 

Money things

Groceries for the last 2 weeks were £160.

I treated us to some summer Lilies and Dahlias bulbs/corms (£25), new bins for bathroom and loo (to replace ones that had rusted through), books for kids and hairbands for DD (£84). To celebrate getting through the last few months. 

DS had grown out of some of his school trousers, so I bought him 2 more pairs in the next size up £25.

We also spent £100 on Mother’s Day letter box flowers - I used a discount voucher - for 3 bunches (including one for me!)

Mother’s Day cards were all homemade (the best kind). 

The drain inspection revealed we have a collapsed pipe, it’s so bad that the guy couldn’t get the camera down so he only charged us for the callout fee and flush. Saving us £100 but the quote for the repair is £1200 plus VAT.  Now work is calmer I’ll get a couple more quotes then it will need to be done ASAP. 

Our fence has started to really lean and needs replacing too, as with every windy day it’s getting worse and worse. I think the next few months are going to be quite spendy...

Frugal things 

No take aways for the last 2 weeks, MrCM has been helping with cooking while I was so busy.

I let down and re-hemmed DS school trousers.

I resoled my slippers with a piece of felt. 

We have done quite a bit of gardening, digging out/cutting back and MrCM started karchering the patio yesterday.

I hope everyone has a nice restful day.