Climbing the Mortgage Mountain step by step

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Payday on Friday and my payslip came through today, £50pm payrise (takehome), not a huge sum but it all helps.  I still need to do my mileage claim and bill my sister, should get on and do that really.  I will change my signature over the next couple of days, it will be a bit scarey after all the expenses lately. The roofer has now been paid so that's something crossed off the list.

DGD stayed last night so I popped into out Morrisons Daily and grabbed some reduced bargains for dinner, chicken kyivs and goujons which we had with chips and veg, I also picked up 4 packs of 2 salmon fillets for £2.50 each which I've popped in the freezer.  Just DH and I tonight so I might do the sea bass.

savingholmes said:

Glad your DS can help with the flags. That should save you loads.

@savingholmes - it feels quite weird putting a big job like this into the hands of 'my little boy', I keep forgetting he is nearly 30, has been in the army, and does construction work for his living!!  I think he feels it is some payback for us supporting him and DGD through the breakup (as parents that what you do though isn't it), we will help him with lifting and shifting slabs etc. I'm really excited to get it done, the scruffy, wonky, lose old patio has driven me mad since moving in 6 years ago, and covering the two tone cement path will finish it off nicely.  That will be all the major jobs in the garden done, except for replacing the greenhouse with a composite shed next year.

Internally we need to sort out the shower room flooring, may get the kitchen re-vinyled too as it has warped and is wearing.  We need to repaint the lounge ceiling now that the leak has been dealt with and the conservatory also needs some remedial work.  Our bedroom needs decorating, I did it just before moving in 6 years ago and it would be nice to change the colour scheme etc to something for me and DH.

Have a great day

MvTMM

savingholmes

Hi - you seem to beat yourself up over £ given your savings and past OPs. Perhaps be kinder to yourself. You're on track for a good year in terms of debt clearance. It will be nice if you can get some of these long standing jobs done too.

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

savingholmes said:

Hi - you seem to beat yourself up over £ given your savings and past OPs. Perhaps be kinder to yourself. You're on track for a good year in terms of debt clearance. It will be nice if you can get some of these long standing jobs done too.

@savingholmes - thank you for that, I think it comes down to the years with my ex where I always had to be the one to worry about where the next meal was coming from, how the bills were going to be paid etc, he would always spend spend spend with no regard for the debt building up and the pot running dry.  I feel a great deal of comfort knowing that there is a cushion of money in my savings for an emergency (even if I also have debt - but this is being managed).  I also have my dad's voice in the back of my head saying that every job where a tradesman or professional as involved will 'cost thousands', where the reality is they don't and will infact save thousands if dealt with promptly - the roof is a case in point, it's cost £400 to get the leak dealt with, if it had been left we could have eventually been dealing with rotten rafters etc.  You are right, it will be lovely to get these things done once and for all.

I did check my savings, and allowing for the payments due tomorrow, I am about £500 down on last month which I was really pleased with, I thought it would be in excess of £1000, I will update my signature.

We had some seabass last night, baked with garlic butter, lime and coriander couscous and mixed vegetables, it was lovely.  Shopping night tonight, again just myself and DH which is lovely, not sure what we will have for dinner yet.  We have DGD tomorrow night and DS and his new g/f are coming over for the day on Monday.

I have been a bit 'naughty' but in a good way if that makes sense, there is a specific dress I really wanted, I think it will be really versatile in my wardrobe but it is quite expensive.  I have now sold 17 items on V!nted and intend to list some more this weekend.  I found the exact dress, also on V!inted, and have used some of by balance from sales to buy it, it was £50 which I would never spend on a dress normally but in a way feels like it was free as I could have quite easily have donated the clothes I have been selling, plus I have decluttered in the process. 

Have a great day

MvTMM

LadyWithAPlan

I have been prompted by you to go on Vinted - not sold or bought anything yet but the clothes seem to go quicker than on the bay of E... 
So great when we are on the hunt for a specific dress and find it as a bargain
Last year I bought a dress on Vestiare which was a different colour of my favourite dress which fits perfectly and is beyond beautiful - its a moment
.. Normal price £2000 (!) and I paid £200, it looked as it it had never been worn I will be wearing it for years as I have the first one (which I had bought for £300 on a tkmaxx gold label thing).. Expensive yes but its down to about £2 a wear now

I actually retiled my bathroom floor with vinyl tiles, I had never done such a thing but as long as your floor is level etc it was super easy. I did just lay the tiles over the previous ones. Maybe you need to do more prep work first  but I was  surprised at how good it looks, how satisfying and as it was my first ever 'real' DIY job how like a puzzle..
Just get the right spray on adhesive and those tiles, make sure you 'dry lay'  it first  and centred - from the centre out - so you have equal edges (as otherwise you may get a full tile on one side and a sliver on the other)

savingholmes

I'm glad what I said helps. Funnily enough someone just gave me a similar message on my diary

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

I hope you all enjoyed the Bank Holiday weekend, the weather here was actually better than forecast.

We had a busy but quite relaxing time.  Saturday was chores, cutting grass, visited parents to help with some paperwork and then put up the hot tub and the curtains on the new gazebo, then we had a cheese and port evening by the fire pit.  Sunday was a bit overcast so hubby did some maintenance on my car (changing some sensors or something?) and I got on with listing 20 more items on V!nted, so I have 39 items currently on there and have sold another 18, lots of interest already on the items I listed and I have 2 items to post today.  DS has also had a sort out and has a bag of things to list, some of which I laundered for him, I've said if he sets up an account in his name I'll show him how to list etc.  DH and I then spent the evening 'testing' the hot tub .  Yesterday DS and his g/f spent the day with us along with DGD and g/f's little girl, we had a lovely relaxed day in the sun, the kids played really well together, spent time in the hot tub, had a picky lunch and icecreams and then when they all left DH and I went in the hot tub again.

I spotted a couple of 'good as new' footstools on FBMP which match exactly our new garden furniture, they were only £5 each and just down the road so we picked those up yesterday.  The new patio slabs are due to arrive this week and a colleague of mine is having our old ones as she currently doesn't have a patio and with baby number 4 on the way doesn't have the money to buy one, he hubby is going to get a van to collect them and he is able to lay them for her.  I'm getting very excited about our new patio, we were discussing it with DS over the weekend, I think he is quietly chuffed we've entrusted it into his hands, he doesn't know but I'm not going to take rent from him next month in exchange for doing it.

LadyWithAPlan said:

Last year I bought a dress on Vestiare which was a different colour of my favourite dress which fits perfectly and is beyond beautiful - its a moment
.. Normal price £2000 (!) and I paid £200, it looked as it it had never been worn I will be wearing it for years as I have the first one (which I had bought for £300 on a tkmaxx gold label thing).. Expensive yes but its down to about £2 a wear now

Oh @LadyWithAPlan, what a bargain the original dress was and how lucky to have found a second, again at a bargain price.  I watch a lot of Trinny videos and she always says to break the expense down to 'cost per wear' as sometimes it is the more expensive items that work out as the best value, especially if you always look and feel great in them and wear them numerous times, cheaper items don't last and can either be fad items or end up looking like rags in no time.  Having said that, I did get a couple more brand new Zar@ items from our British Red Cross shop last week, another sleeveless top with shoulder pads, I now have one in white and one in black, and a linen mix white long sleeve shirt which I know will get a lot of use all year round, only paid £16.98 for the two.

savingholmes said:

I'm glad what I said helps. Funnily enough someone just gave me a similar message on my diary

@savingholmes, your words always help!  That's the lovely thing about this forum, there is always someone with helpful advice, reassurance or just a good old kick up the jacksy when needed

I read the meters on Sunday evening, Gas is well down due to the heating barely being used, electricity slightly up, but DD was home for 3 weeks so that was to be expected.  It will be interesting to see how running the hot tub affects things.

Jobs today are to post the 2 items I have sold, post a parcel on to DD and return her old passport so that her new one can be issued.  Not sure what to do for dinner, DGD is there so may do pasta, Salmon and dill for the adults and something simpler for her.  I also have some vegetables that need using up, so may do some mixed roast veg tonight in prep for making something tomorrow.

Have a great day

MvTMM

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Another bright day here but the air is still quite cool.

I posted all of my parcels and whilst at the Mossies Daily picked up 2 packs of their 'posh' fishcakes with cheese in the middle, DH, DS and I had those with homemade spicey wedges, DGD didn't like them so had baked potato with cheese and beans instead. Whilst the oven was on I prepped and cooked some honey roast parsnips and mixed roast veg which would have other wise gone to waste and can now be frozen for use another day.

DH and I went and picked up a bargain he had spotted on FBMP, a really large, solid, cast iron chimnea for £25. It was only a few miles away but out over the hills so made for a nice little drive in the vening sun and some alone time for us.

Tomorrow evening I am driving to our nearest airport to pick up my longest friend, she is flying in to surprise her mum for her birthday. I'll need to leave home as soon as DH and DS get in so I might try and prep some dinner for them tonight, even if it's only a pasta bake.

Have a great day

MvTMM

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Quick catch up.

I got home from work last night and DH and I demolished the old patio, lifted and stacked 135 slabs ready for my friend to take away.  We all ate frozen meals I had made previously, DS had some Salmon and Dill pasta, DGD had cottage pie and when we had finished the patio DH and I had Chinese Chicken Curry and rice.

Today I am juggling being short staffed (half of my team off), picking up DGD and then working from home, then as soon as DH or DS get home I'll be heading to the airport so they will have to fend for themselves food wise.

Must dash

Have a good eveing

MvTMM

savingholmes

Have a lovely weekend. 

Good the patio is coming along.

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Horrid wet day here today.

Had a busy day yesterday, picked up DGD from school, then worked from home, typing with one had and decorating a crown for DGD with the other.  Handed over to DH when he got home from work and drove 50 miles to nearest airport to collect my friend, it was so worth it, the look of surprise on her mum's face was priceless!

DGD has gone off to school today wearing her crown and a red, white and blue outfit (which we didn't know she needed until last night, luckily DS was able to make a pit stop at ASD@ on his way home), she's very excited and hoping to win a prize for her crown.

The new slabs are being delivered today, so we'll be spending the evening moving them from the drive into the back garden so that they don't go missing, I know how to have a good time!!   Food shopping tomorrow and a quiet chilled weekend planned, although I now have to work the late shift on Monday due to staff sickness

Have a lovely long weekend everyone

MvTMM