Cutting it Fine - the challenge is on!

savingholmes

Sounds good. Hope you recharge tomorrow

SandyShores

Just spotted another 100 xmas bonus nectar points in my account.  I'm nearly up to £40 again.  Will go shopping at the big S later today and use the points I need.  Will be back to payday again soon, and I still have the £10 Tesco points to spend on either food or stocking filler things.  

Mortgage interest is £11.49/day this month, and I've just worked out that at the moment every £1k paid off equates to a reduction of 5p per day interest .  I mentioned earlier about the receipt scanning I've been doing which works out at 5p a receipt - add those 5ps to these 5ps and multiply it by 365 days and it all adds up - so it is definitely worth it.  I'm not soooo sure about those nectar surveys I do which quite often result in 2 points for not qualifying for the survey, but I did a couple watching tv last night so probably earned 2p - it all adds up I suppose.  I'm looking forward to next months interest being only £11.39 a day - onwards and downwards   As this month's my debt neutral month, next month will see the real live emergency fund grow, and so I will be able to keep the first £1k (as per Dave Ramsey's baby steps) and have decided to pay another £200 off the mortgage.  It will take this year's overpayments to £1200, which sounds like a very nice figure - although it will knock my monthly total mortgage from ending with zeros to something and 800 pounds.  But while I'm building my actual emergency fund I could pay another £200 per month off the mortgage and it will soon be back to 000 pounds on the end.  Well April actually, which is our planned date for being completely debt-free, having a £6k emergency fund and starting to make some serious mortgage ops.  Fingers crossed it all goes to plan folks.

SandyShores

Mammoth shopping trip this morning.  Called into Marks and Spencers to spend my £10 gift voucher and noticed they had an offer of £5 off a £20 spend - just had to scan the QR code and it uploaded into my Sparks account.  The item I'd planned to buy was on offer (one for £12 or two for £18), so I bought two, plus a £2.50 deodorant.  It meant I spent only an extra £3.50 and got quite a lot more.  Also spent my vouchers in Boots, including some No.7 make up on the reduced shelf which was reduced from £29 to £10.  The next stop was Wilko - always great deals on toiletries.  Then onto the big S for the weekly shop using Nectar.  It was exhausting but I really like shops like today, where I gets lots of stuff for very little cash outlay.  I picked up a few bits for the stockings, and I've still got the £10 Tesco voucher for any bits and pieces this week.

savingholmes

Great news on the nectar points and the bargain shopping.

debtfreeoneday

I figured the nectar points wouldn’t credit if you’ve completed the challenge but they still do until 12/11. I’m off to Mr S tomorrow to pick up another 1500 hopefully. 

The nectar surveys I figure are a pain but it does all add up so I’m aiming for 1 a day. That’s all. If I do more great. 

Love those shopping trips as well. Bargains at M&S!  Well done. 

SandyShores

Thanks SH and DfoD.  I haven't been on such a shopping spree for a long long time!  It was actually exhausting spending all that money - at least it wasn't cash money   Still got my £10 Tesco voucher and MrShores gave me a £20 Sainsbury's voucher yesterday.  Those will definitely go towards the December food bill now.  I should be cashing in my Huyu £5 and Shoppix £20 next month too.  And I'm leaving the £10 voucher on Amazon for now - that will always come in handy - and it might go towards my craft/sewing items when I have my space back.

I will keep going with the surveys - when you get an 80 pointer or 150 pointer it makes it worth while.  

I've got a day in mind when I can take my phone in, just need to book the appointment now.  I've also found a local company who repair macbooks - mine is vintage according to the website, but it would be good to get a battery in that one too.  I would be all set up then with no big expenses left to make (apart from the car service - and of course the mortgage ).

savingholmes

Great to still have vouchers left

SandyShores

Thanks savingholmes.  I'm really loving having the vouchers, they are my little extra pots of money.  Its not huge amounts but its nice to feel we can treat ourselves without going into debt.  And I forgot to mention my £10 of Boots Advantage points. Its painstaking collecting the points sometimes, but it definitely feels worth it now.

I was just thinking about my major lightbulb moment, when I cut down the food budget to £80 a week (I think).  Its actually not a bad amount for three really, but we ate a lot of veggie and homemade food.  We still do to be honest, its so much healthier.  Having a pet has pushed the food bill up too.  I'm feeling very grateful that we now have our own home and are debt-neutral.  Back to baby step number 2 on payday, then we'll be working on step 3 for a few months.  

savingholmes

I love guilt free money and vouchers feel that way for me too. I agree that food shopping can suck way too much £ from the budget if you let it. You will feel so much better with a decent EF behind you too.

debtfreeoneday

I love free money. Feels I can spend it guilt free as well.