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Re starting my journey to an eventual debt free and frugal life

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  • Congratulations on your great achievement in month one:T. It’s really tough to make the changes when you have kids (I know from experience).;)

    You might find some of the case studies in the Frugal Woods blog helpful; though they have a very hardcore attitude to debt reduction and it’s very US focused.
  • Also I found a couple of things really helpful the 1) frugal art of substitution and 2) focusing on changing our family habits rather than just budgeting.

    You are doing great keep going
  • Well, the last few months have been frantic, I know it must have been for everyone, but i have not even caught up on anyones diaries since this all started happening in Feb  :o
    Well I am saving money on fuel and travel, but food bills have gone up, having an 8 yr old in the house, they never stop eating.  But things are now starting to settle down, and I am now ready to keep checking in on my diary.  I did a finance update yesterday as it is pay day tomorrow, and when July payments are made we will have reduced our non mortgage debt by around £7k. I am really please about this as we have had to pay out for my father in laws funeral unexpectedly (not covid relate) and other outgoings whilst his estate gets sorted.  My plan now is to settle into my new routine, with DD back at school as keyworker child, work settling down slightly and see where we can make any further savings / improvements.  First step if to look at when we can get the tax rebates as I will likely be working form home for 9-12 mths permanently before I go back to the office, so that £28 per month will be appreciated. 
    Meal plan is done for the week and shopping came yesterday, and payday tomorrow so hopefully we can keep spend to a minimum this week.  I will have to fill the car up as OH needs to travel to meet estate agents at his dads house, (350 mile round trip) and we didn't MOT OH's car at the end of March as we haven't needed to use it but may have to consider that now
    Loan £19,728 £1,541 Virg £14,273.81 £8,228 @0% Barc £10,056 £0 NatW £3,682.73 £2,917 MBNA £9,624 £8,654 @0% Overdraft £3,500 £2,000Starting Jan 20 Total Debt £51,239 Mar 23 £23,341 DFD Jan 25 22mths to go Mortgage £248,011.94 £239,659 - MFD Nov 2047 Nov 2046 - LTV 66%EF £0/£300My diary{/URL}
  • Also just notices need to update signature figures so will do that today  ;)
    Loan £19,728 £1,541 Virg £14,273.81 £8,228 @0% Barc £10,056 £0 NatW £3,682.73 £2,917 MBNA £9,624 £8,654 @0% Overdraft £3,500 £2,000Starting Jan 20 Total Debt £51,239 Mar 23 £23,341 DFD Jan 25 22mths to go Mortgage £248,011.94 £239,659 - MFD Nov 2047 Nov 2046 - LTV 66%EF £0/£300My diary{/URL}
  • So we have made it to the end of another week, its been a bit frantic at work as one of the other managers has been off on leave and our auditors are still asking follow up question from an audit they started in Dec  :o  Anyway, nearly the weekend
    Filled up the car yesterday as DH is off to the NW today to get his dads house valued, should be back Sunday so just me and DD for the weekend.  So she is bunking in with me so bed sheets are all washed and on the line so we can snuggle in clean sheets later.  I have promised her a takaway pizza tonight, not very MSE but we aren't going out anywhere at the moment so its nice to treat her.

    The pup has come into season for the first time , luckily we bought some nappies for her a few months ago as soon as we heard the vets weren't spaying during lockdown, so not had to pay out there.  She is only in them in the evening when she is in the living room, as I can mop the kitchen floor in the day  :)

    I have got 2 phones to try and get on fleabay and a local selling site so I will be pleased it I can get that accomplished over the weekend, also got no car for the weekend as we still havent MOT'd DH's car, but might ring next week and get a price from the garage.

    Ive also reduced my childcare vouchers for the timebeing as there wont be any breakfast and afterschool club until Sept, DD may as well stay home with me if i will be working from home over the summer, and Oct half term i have leave, so for a couple of months that will give me a bit extra on payday.
    Loan £19,728 £1,541 Virg £14,273.81 £8,228 @0% Barc £10,056 £0 NatW £3,682.73 £2,917 MBNA £9,624 £8,654 @0% Overdraft £3,500 £2,000Starting Jan 20 Total Debt £51,239 Mar 23 £23,341 DFD Jan 25 22mths to go Mortgage £248,011.94 £239,659 - MFD Nov 2047 Nov 2046 - LTV 66%EF £0/£300My diary{/URL}
  • Tried to log on and update last night but they were doing maintenance on the site!

    So yesterday was a NSD  :) MOT booked at local garage in 2 weeks time, money from that will come from a deposit refund for DD birthday party we couldn't have.  Had a healthy breakfast, lunch cleared out some of the fridge (but not so healthy) then SW Chicken Laksa for tea (yum) and there is enough for lunch today.
    With the pensions, I have asked for the paperwork to transfer one into my current scheme, no defined benefits so I can make sure it is working for me if I move it, that will mean 2 in Av!va that i can monitor online, the other 2 are  Final salary and Average salary pensions, so finally spoke to a human yesterday and they have updated my contact details, they don't send annual statements, but can send me what i would be receiving if i retired today.  As these schemes are closed and protected they can only change with inflation so should give me a good indication of what I should be getting in 25 yrs  :s 
    Also with having dealt with mum passing 18mths ago and DH's dad passing in May I have listed out all of this information and life insurance info for DH just in case anything ever happens, feel better for doing that, just need him to sort his out now.

    We were discussing last night what we might do with the small inheritance DH will probably get, we don't want to put it all to debts so have started listing out options.
    1. Front garden, apply for dropped kerb and make an in and out drive (DH has a work van currently parked on the verge, this would work better for us)
    2. New wall and window in playroom (this was a garage, previous owners made into a room by taking the garage door out and putting in a big patio door :# so not converted!) this would be step one in fully converting the room, but waiting on floor etc as we would like to extend above, and this would mean making the single brick external wall comply to building regs and digging out better foundations, so just looking at finishing off the front for now.
    3. Get a quote for new windows for rest of the house (no idea how much this would cost so would be good to build a budget for it if we can cover it)
    4. at least 25% of inheritance will go off the debts, more depending on how much 1 & 2 cost

    If 1 & 2 can get done in the next 18mths, that will help with getting the house revalued for remortgaging, fingers crossed  :)
    Loan £19,728 £1,541 Virg £14,273.81 £8,228 @0% Barc £10,056 £0 NatW £3,682.73 £2,917 MBNA £9,624 £8,654 @0% Overdraft £3,500 £2,000Starting Jan 20 Total Debt £51,239 Mar 23 £23,341 DFD Jan 25 22mths to go Mortgage £248,011.94 £239,659 - MFD Nov 2047 Nov 2046 - LTV 66%EF £0/£300My diary{/URL}
  • Monday again, the weekends seem to fly by so fast.  So Saturday we went to the local NT site for a few hours and took a picnic and hot chocolate.  We are members so no entry fee, but not quite a NSD as I bought DH, DD and her friend an ice cream each, but £7.50 for a day out didnt seem bad.  Dinner of beef shins and pearl barley was put in the slow cooker before we went so yummy tea when we got back home  :)
    Our food bill has been astronomical during lockdown, with weekly Te5co deliveries so yesterday I ventured to an actual large supermarket for the fist time since March  :o So a quick wizz round L!dle and at the chicken factory shop on the way home, and our bill for the week was half what we have been spending, so will be continuing with that going forwards.  Also put some fuel int he car so quite a spendy day overall

    I have signed up to a few survey sites, my plan being to save all points earned until Dec and used them as spends towards Xmas presents, not doing too badly at the moment so just need to keep it up going forwards.  Tonight starts 8 weeks of puppy classes so need to take the first 4 weeks payment with me, but after that there shouldnt be much to spend on this week until my hair appointment on Saturday so we will see how many NSD's out of 4 I can achieve.

    Off to click through any surveys and crack on with some work, before day 3 of C25K during my lunch hour, that will then complete week 1  o:)
    Loan £19,728 £1,541 Virg £14,273.81 £8,228 @0% Barc £10,056 £0 NatW £3,682.73 £2,917 MBNA £9,624 £8,654 @0% Overdraft £3,500 £2,000Starting Jan 20 Total Debt £51,239 Mar 23 £23,341 DFD Jan 25 22mths to go Mortgage £248,011.94 £239,659 - MFD Nov 2047 Nov 2046 - LTV 66%EF £0/£300My diary{/URL}
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