**Insert witty diary title here**

Naomim

Glad you got the Santander sorted and managed to shuffle the balance. 

Your goals and mine are so very similar and I'm guessing we are also at a very similar age. I can't wait for the debts to go and overpay the mortgage. I think ours is due to end when we hit 65 so a good few years to tackle it yet and on a low fixed rate but not for 10 years.

moving_forward

Yes I think we are both mid to late forties from what's been said @Naomim
I've bit the bullet today and asked the mortgage peeps to increase our payment by 100 per month as my spreadsheet says it will require hefty overpayments to clear by 55 if we leave it till debt free. 
With the interest rates starting to creep up I don't want a big amount on standard rate when the fix ends. I can always knock the payment back down to normal if something requires it. 
The result of the overpayment obviously knocks a chunk from our disposal budget but we need to knock the takeouts on the head more and if money's gone can't spend it right? Haven't told Mr M_F I was doing this, he hates debt as much as me and classes the mortgage as debt so will approve.

Our main problem with the food and household expenses are me not tolerating some foods well and having to buy some more expensive products like lactose free milk etc  and certain branded toiletries as both Mr M_F and I have dodgy skin. Even the dog shares my dodgy tum and skin. The cat can eat whatever but obviously being a cat, is a fussy so and so and still has the expensive stuff 🤬
I'm learning my limits so can cope with one lentil meal a week and can eat a cheese sarnie every day but yogurts a no no more than once or twice a week so I don't bother. 
I'm better eatting junk food tummy wise but obviously that's not good for you so try to eat as much of the good stuff as I can.

moving_forward

Morning Diary,
Not much happening in the world of moving_forward household I'm afraid -this is good as means money is not flying out of our hands except for....erm well...
We decided to go to the land of the blue and yellow flag -took along a list (go us yes) butttttttttttt made the mistake of browsing the what's new section of the website on route (no I was not driving don't you worry, Mr M_F was)  oh the shiny newness of things that must be purchased in order to enrich ones life. 
Managed to just add one thing to the list which was kind of needed a mop/brush/cleaning set fangled me bob.  We did actually need a new flat mop and were planning on getting the one from wilkos that fits the spare mop heads we have numerous of, but I was enchanted by the land of blue and yellow and had to have the one that has multiple cleaning attachments including a stiff brush head and a tile cleaner.  Cleaning any room is a pet hate of mine but the bathroom has to be the worse so a gadget that promises to cut the effort in that room will always win my heart (*insert puppy dog eyes looking sad and droopy to obtain sympathy*)  to cut down the expense decided against purchasing spare mop heads as we have plenty of the old type which are also the velcro attach type even if a different size.
Now thats not too bad I hear you say, it was a need (ok almost) so not much harm done butttttttttt (yes another big BUT) we also caved to the lighting departments enchantments and purchased a light for the bureau, yes we needed one but no it was not on the list to be purchased this month let alone this year and we did the bad old habit of not actually checking the price before flinging in the trolley (yup no puppy dog eyes are gonna get me out of this one -gulp).  Turns out the strip lights are not that expensive -£9.00 for our 40cm one, neither is the power cord needed -£4.00 in our case, but and here's the mega BUT the light and power cord needs a transformer me thingy bob to work and that cost £15.00  yes £28.00 in total for an unplanned and not needed immediate purchase.  Had we of checked the prices we most certainly would have decided against the light just yet but of course we hadn't done so and even the shock of the price of the transformer at the SELF CHECKOUT till didn't knock us back to senses and make us put it back. It was only in the car part way home when it dawned on me the sillyness.  
Oh well budgets been adjusted to take account of the random purchases and note to self -next time things needed from the land of the blue and yellow -BUY ONLINE!!!!

In other news, no takeaways have been purchased this week as planned.  We even took a pack up to the not to be mentioned place. Still on annual leave from work so not so much effort to cook and prep at home.  Christmas tree has been put away along with the fan not needed this time of year into the loft and the house looks slightly less cluttered which is good.

Todays plans are groceries being delivered this morning so will put that away then possibly go for a short walk and feed the ducks on the canal. Lunch will be from stores, maybe using the half french stick in the freezer and dinner is chinese style pork.  We have cooked pork in the freezer and will add some peppers onions and mushrooms and make a sauce using ideas from Frugal Queen in France.  I made her garlic, ginger, chilli sauce last week so have high hopes of a tasty dinner. 

Happy new year to all -hope 2022 is kind x

moving_forward

Woke up with a thumping headache. Too much wine and woken by the neighborhood firework festival at midnight grr. Yes it's new year but why do people think everyone doesn't need sleep 😤
Right moving on from the grumpy news.

Balances at end of 2022.

Bureau £596.65 paying £37.45 a month on fixed 24 month plan. Will end around April 2023 if we don't over pay. 0%

CC1. £10889.49 paying £110 a month. Have around 12 months 0% so this will be snowballed/avalanches when EF built up. This has two different BT on but the first 0% runs out Jan 2023.

CC2. £2206.08 paying £30 a month. 0% until Mar 2024.

CC3. £3611.66 paying £50.00 a month. 0% July 2024.

Other £4760.78 paying £75.00 a month. This is an old debt left over from Mr M_F's old life and we just keep the agreed payment ticking over but as no interest charged this will be the last debt we clear.

Total debt £22119.38.

Savings

Sinking fund 1. £145.00. This is discretionary stuff like clothes gifts and holiday spending money. We don't go away but do do extras on our time off so budget a bit for this.

Sinking fund 2. £851.30. This is necessary stuff like car not serving maintenance and tyres. Pet care excluding food. Opticians dentist software household goods etc. 

Emergency Fund £215.16.

Sinking funds will be topped up at £145 and £215 a month but will go down from Feb when we have the mot and service. These amounts will be reviewed regularly.

As mentioned previously the EF will be topped up to £1000 then debts will be prioritized.

Considering at its highest our debt was around £28k we are pleased with our progress and intend to continue with our new frugalish lifestyle. 

Naomim

Happy Not Grumpy New Year @moving_forward 🥂

We were one of those families with some fireworks but it was a bit pitiful 🤣

Good job on the update. I have my sinking funds too but just ticking them over. I've updated my ynab today. Start as I mean to go on 👍

moving_forward

Happy new year @Naomim shame on you having fireworks 😆 hopefully your gardens bigger than those round here lol.
Note to self defence my mention hatred of new year fireworks when your about 🤣

We do like them honest just not in the middle of the night and in gardens that are no bigger than a postage stamp!

Naomim

To be fair it's the first and probably last time we'll do it. Never have before because of doggo and hopefully this time next year we'll have a new furry family member. Also we were at in-laws whose garden is much bigger than our teeny offering.🤣

moving_forward

Ooh puppies @Naomim lovely.
Can't wait to hear all about him/her. 

moving_forward

Wow diary only posted yesterday and already I had to scroll through four pages to find you. Lots of reading of other diaries to be had 😁

So yesterday went as planned. No takeout and spending only involved some burger buns for dinner. A bottle of pop and some dog food.
Had another brief stroll feeding the ducks at a local park and that was about it for the day. 
Today will be back to the normal routine of finish off housework and prep for back to work Tuesday so can't see any opportunities for spending unwisely.
I also joined the Tilly Tidiers and made a grand start in tidying the sum of £0.34 to our EF fund. Hoping it will give me a bit of competition to do better and judging by @WinterWarrior s effort it certainly will 🥳
It's a lovely friendly group and very grateful to @Naomim for running it.

Naomim

Aww thanks @moving_forward I'm hoping by running the thread it will keep me motivated. 

I find with the diary I have a flurry then I go quiet so trying to keep updating more regularly