Time to get my house in order!

Grogged

The weather has been dire hasn't it, huge swings from nice to winter and everything in between...

MovingForwards

Mortgage overpayments are consistent, which helps bring it down.
Would it be worth trying to gently bring your food budget down, do reduce it by a pound or two at a time, make sure you can meet that budget then knock another pound or two off.
I do rave about having dedicated savings pots, then you know what's available for something.

Thick_n_Thin

MovingForwards said:

Mortgage overpayments are consistent, which helps bring it down.
Would it be worth trying to gently bring your food budget down, do reduce it by a pound or two at a time, make sure you can meet that budget then knock another pound or two off.
I do rave about having dedicated savings pots, then you know what's available for something.

Yes the grocery budget is definitely the area that needs a bit more focus. I need to be more consistent with meal planning and making a list. I’ve noticed a little bit of waste creeping in now as well, not much but more than I’m happy with so need to pull this back. 

2 more sales on eBay yesterday which will be around £10 after fees so I’ll pack these today and post on Tuesday when I can get to the post office. I’ll put the £10 in one of my savings pots. Not much planned for today. A bit of washing and cleaning although not much needs to be done as I’ve got quite good at keeping on top of it during the week. Hopefully the rain will stay of today so I can line dry the washing. 

MovingForwards

If it's veg waste knock up a soup and freeze it for a light lunch. Fruit can be used in cakes, biscuits etc. Both only work if you catch it before it's too late.
All the random pounds add up over a year.

powerspowers

Good luck with the food bill, ours seems to have jumped lately too!

Thick_n_Thin

Well it’s been a while since I updated. Still chipping away at the overpayments but adjusting to a new budget has meant that overpaying has been inconsistent while we adjust and adapt to our new income. OH has changed job again and is happy and settled and I am still in the same role, been there just over a year now.  

I think I said a while back that OH had an inheritance and I posted a while ago on the savings and investment and retirement boards for advice. We have been dithering for months over what to do with this cash, pay of the mortgage and the rest into investments or Sipp. We have still not made any firm decision and the money is still sat in savings which I know is complete madness given it’s not earning anything in the way of interest but we keep putting off making any firm decisions. We are definitely going to look at this sooner rather than later, so I suppose you could now say we are Mortgage neutral. Anyway thought I would restart this diary to keep me on the straight and narrow seeing as living costs are spiralling at the moment .

MovingForwards

A happy OH makes a world of difference and well done for making it to your 1st job year anniversary.

Filter some of the money into regular savers, higher interest rate accounts, maybe PBs while making a decision. It's better to take your time and think everything through, rather than rush to use it.

I'm glad to see you post again 😀

Thick_n_Thin

MovingForwards said:

A happy OH makes a world of difference and well done for making it to your 1st job year anniversary.

Filter some of the money into regular savers, higher interest rate accounts, maybe PBs while making a decision. It's better to take your time and think everything through, rather than rush to use it.

I'm glad to see you post again 😀

Thank you 😊 

Just made an overpayment of £50 to the mortgage to get my focus back. I think that’s all we will be able to afford this month. Have revised our grocery  budget for this month and reduced by £60 for the month and have done a meal plan for next week and based my weekly shop around that, minimal toiletries and cleaning items needed so I think I’ll stay in budget this week fingers crossed. Any underspend I’ll put into my utilities saving pot. 

Oh is working today, I’m not. Have done a quick clean round, hoovered throughout, mopped bathroom floor, towels and bath mats washed and hung out. Going to spend a few hours tomorrow in the garden hopefully, OH will do the grass and I’ll do the weeding, have just been getting some inspiration for my borders and pots off Pinterest so will be on the look out for some cheap plants over the weekend as well.

Thick_n_Thin

Weekly round up
spent £46 in Dobbies on some plants for my border, not cheep but they are evergreen so will last and they have made my border look nice and full, need to do my pots this weekend so will need some trailers and some coulor for these. 

All meals eaten from plan this week and no shop bought lunch’s, did buy 1 coffee out and then immediately regretted it so won’t be doing that again, vast improvement on the past where I would buy a coffee on the way to work on a daily basis. 

Taking mum out later for lunch ( my treat and all budgeted for) hoping to get out into the garden as well to do my pots. I also need to re-stain the decking but that may need to wait until next weekend.

MovingForwards

While you've spent £46, plants last and work out to pennies over the years you have them. Enjoy pottering, planting and lunch!

You're saving a lot of money by not having the coffees. Last one I had out was a let down, thankfully it was free (voucher) but I've been in no rush to try again.