Climbing the Mortgage Mountain step by step

LadyWithAPlan

That tart sounds delicious! 

I have to be GF but maybe I need to start working on my GF pastry! 

Good to see you managing to still save hard and well done on all the diy and decor 

savingholmes

You sound very productive

Good you are saving and getting on top of the debt

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

@LadyWithAPlan and @savingholmes, thank you both for your kind comments.  The flan was really yummy, we had it again last night with some lovely herby baby potatoes reduced to 60p.  I find it so much easier to make meals on a budget when it is just DH and I as we will eat anything, whereas I find DD, DS and DGD all need dinner to have a name and be identifiable, ie spag bol, shepherds pie, roast dinner, very frustrating as when they were young I was very much having to create meals out of nothing, some days producing a meal for all 5 of us for less than £1 in total (thanks to OOD food sites and YS in Morrisons).

After all our cleaning and tidying at the weekend, our guests may not be able to visit now, Covid strikes again!  But at least all of the decorating is done, the house is clean and tidy, DDs room looks lovely for her to come home at Christmas and we can relax and enjoy it.  Plus we will save money as we can cancel the table I booked for dinner at a local restaurant.

Pay day next week and I am working from home so I will be able to go to the bank and change up the coins I have saved (£180); allocate money for currency and plan the rest of the Christmas presents I need to buy.  I'll also withdraw my earnings from T0pcashback (£200).  I might start wrapping presents whilst I have the house to myself.  I have DGD's advent calendar to sort, she already has a chocolate one from my parents  so I am going to fill a wooden advent calendar with small toys (M!ni Brands) for her, bought from FB marketplace.  

Have a great day!

MvTMM

savingholmes

Good that you found the financial silver lining to the guests not coming. Hope you weren't too disappointed. You've made huge progress on the house and garden this year. Lots to be proud of and created security for DS and DGD during this transition.

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

@savingholmes, thank you for that lovely comment, it's easy to forget what we have achieved this year, especially in helping DS and DGD, the phrase 'it takes a village to raise a child' has never felt truer, we all do our part and she is happy and healthy and very well loved.

More home improvements last night, DH ordered a new bathroom cabinet for the family bathroom and a rainfall shower with a handheld side shower head, all now fitted and the bathroom looks lighter and brighter and more modern.  DH was so impressed with the shower that he has now ordered the same for the separate shower room.  New lights have also been delivered for the kitchen to replace the old fluorescent lighting, just need to be able to do that in daylight so may be a job for the weekend.  I'm loving how all of these little touches are making the house feel, none of it has been expensive or a specialist job, just replacing bits and bobs that have become a bit tired and freshening up the paint work makes a huge difference.  The old bathroom cabinet for example actually came from my previous house so is about 10 years old, the new one has twice the storage and mirror area but due to the design is not actually any bigger and the difference is huge.

We are disappointed re family not being able to visit this weekend but they would have a long drive which isn't fun if you're poorly and we really don't want to run our heads into catching anything either.  We can always re-arrange for after the New Year.

Have a good day

MvTMM

savingholmes

Sounds like you are making the finishing touches to your house. 

Hope you catch up with your would be guests soon.

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

How happy I am that it's Friday.

Obviously our plans for the weekend have changed but we may still go to the Christmas Lights Switch On tonight despite not having the children visiting, I'm a sucker for a mulled wine/cider and the forecast is for a dry night so it should be enjoyable.  DH are going to go to the cinema tomorrow night, probably have some dinner somewhere on the way.  The rest of the weekend will be quite chilled, probably get some of the decorations down, advent calendar etc.

Moneywise, DS was paid today so has transferred me his rent money.  I have signed up to the half price electricity on Sunday's through British Gas so will aim to do the bedding and towel laundry then as well as cooking a roast etc, won't save a fortune but it all helps.

Have a great weekend.

MvTMM

savingholmes

Half price electric 💡 sounds good. Not doing anything like that this side of my move.

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Sorry I haven't posted for a while, life has been exhausting!

So picking up from my last post, DH and I didn't got to the light switch on, we had a nice chilled evening at home, we did go and see Hunger Games the following night though and grabbed dinner at 'Spoons on the way.  Last week I was on call from Monday til Monday so didn't go anywhere or do anything, which although pants for my mental health is good for the budget, it was a full on week (the full moon didn't help!!) with lots of calls and barely any sleep.  I handed over the phone yesterday which was traumatic as I had to drive through the worst flooding I have ever personally encountered but managed to get there and back safely and last night DH and I went to see Napoleon which was truly immense!

Moneywise, we have been trying to make the most of the half price electricity on Sundays by saving bulky laundry etc til then; there was another scheme to reduce your usage between 4.30 and 6pm on Friday when the bad weather hit, I was home alone so just turned everything off and used my laptop on battery power to finish my work.  I think I pretty much have Christmas presents boxed off, we got some things down from the loft and there were lots of gift items in amongst that for work colleagues etc.  I have updated my signature following payday, credit card is now below £6k, loan will drop below £3k next month and mortgage below £111k so in the whole heading in the right direction.

DH and I got the Christmas decs out at the weekend so it is all looking festive for DGD, the tree has been Disneyed to the Nth degree!!  I have done the hack with a tension shower rod between our lounge and hallway and I am really pleased with how it has turned out, lots of foliage and tinsel wrapped around, with icicles and lights hanging down which can be seen as you come in the house and also when sat in the lounge.  I have sorted DGD's advent calendar, recycled an old M&S one that I had kept, refilled the boxes with Mini Br@nds bought from FB Marketplace, she'll be thrilled.

I am off to visit DD at the weekend, with my best friend, we will be hitting the Christmas markets so it's good that I know who I still need to buy for.  I won't be spending too much as I am conscious of our holiday looming.  I also need to order our currency, I'm thinking £700 worth (£100 approx per day) as we want to try and stick to a budget, will try and do that after my haircut this afternoon on my way to collect DGD from after school club.  Feel like I am constantly juggling!

Right off to interview a perspective new employee, wish me luck

MvTMM

savingholmes

Sounds like everything is full on. Hope it calms down soon.