Climbing the Mortgage Mountain step by step

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Feels like winter here today, cold, dark and wet!  I don't feel like we have had any summer, we've not even made it out on the boards once this year!  We have a week off from tomorrow and really hoping to see some sun then, especially as we have family visiting.

We've been eating from stores this week.  Had french onion soup and cheese on toast one night, kyiv with veg and baked potatoes another and homemade spag bol last night.

I feel constantly exhausted at the moment and a recurring sore throat and cough, I think it's the Covid that we had a few weeks back keep rearing it's ugly head.  I have started taking B12 tablets and hope that, with a weeks annual leave will make me feel better.  I have no energy or drive to do anything and we have things that need doing at home, ie the conservatory  needs clearing and redecorating and we obviously need to keep on top of the shower room and getting that sorted.

We have a few things planned for next week, may take a picnic and see a local band in the park, we have a concert booked and a free staff night in a company hotel and then need to move DD into her accommodation for her final year at Uni.

Have a great day all

MvTMM

debtfreewannabe321

We painted our last kitchen units. I used a tin of fr3nchic and did it myself. Cost me £20 thereabouts, plue extra for sandpaper and sugar soap. It lasted for a year before we moved out and as far as I know it's still going strong. It's definitely a good way to update your kitchen. I chose a lovely pink which everyone complimented (I know that's not really a kitchen colour but it looked great with wood worktops and white tiles).

Hope you're feeling better soon!

Aimingforthegoodlife

It has been a miserable summer hasn't it? I really hope the bathroom is completed quite quickly for you! @debtfreewannabe321 love the idea of pink, makes it unique! Sadly our kitchen is plastic coated so the amount of effort needed to sand everything is beyond my patience, skill and tool level completely! Will hopefully make a huge difference, changing the flooring makes a huge difference, but we won't be looking at our floor this year I don't think.

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Sorry I have been MIA for 6 weeks!  So much has happened, including 2 paydays so I really need to update my signature.

So, we had a lovely week off, some lovely family time with SIL and his lovely wife.  Attended a Ministry of Sound Classics concert which was amazing.  On the Saturday I began to feel ill, the Sunday we had to move DD back to Uni, DH drove and I just dozed in the car and then I spent a week in bed, all the covid symptoms, the exhaustion was the worst!  The second week I was struggling to get up mid afternoon and then vegging on the sofa until it was time to go back to bed,  The third week was a sunny week so I lay on a sun lounger in the garden, reading a book and soaking up the warming healing sunlight.  I then WFH for 10 days.  I'm back in the office now but still tired and can't shift this cough!!

Work has been INCREDIBLY stressful since I got back which probably hasn't helped.

Still no closer to sorting the shower room out, Insurance have made a cash settlement offer but it doesn't cover the work we want done by the plumber, let alone the tiling as well so will have to relook at that.

DH and I have next week off so the plan is to finally put the conservatory back together and do some general sorting out of the house and admin.

DD had a lovely mini break with her best friend before heading back to Uni, they went to Mallorca, I gave her 50 euros to spend as I always keep any leftover from our holidays these days, no point changing them back to sterling. and incurring charges.

MSE news, my Life Insurance and Critical Illness cover have been reassessed, new products on the market mean better cover and I've saved £30pm on the premiums.  Also managed to fix my gas and electricity saving another £30pm.

Have a great day all

MvTMM

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Well another month has flown by since I last posted!

Work is still stressful but the senior management team are being very supportive and I have started counselling again which is helping.

DH and I had a nice week off, managed to repair the conservatory wall, repainted, sorted and re-arranged so it is a lovely welcoming space again now and we have been enjoying using it.  We've also replaced all of the old photos and frames in the hallway with more up-to-date ones of the family, something I have been talking about doing for far too long!

Two of DS's friends are sorting the shower room for us, one the plumbing and the other the tiling, it is saving us some money so should be within the cash settlement figure, gives them some much needed extra money and will be done far quicker that if the Insurance company did the work, there predicted start date was February!  Plus they would have done strictly like for like, whereas we have been able to alter things a bit to suit us.

Another payday has passed so I will update my signature in a minute.  Holiday is paid off and spending money put to one side.  I have started my Christmas shopping, DGD and DSGD are both sorted, parents organised and paid for (as is dad's birthday present for next April!), a few bits bought for DD.  I have £65 on my banking reward app and £150 on cashback so those will both help with cash for DS and DDIL.  Turkey has been bought!  Got a large on in Lidl for £17.99, great price and I missed out on them last year so made sure I got one early this time, we've also started getting pates and cheeses as the good ones sell out early!  Christmas grocery delivery slot has also been booked and a provisional 'holding order' placed.

Have a great weekend everyone.

MvTMM

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Hope you had a good weekend.

We had a fairly chilled and frugal one.  Friday night we went to see Venom at our local  cinema, only £4 a ticket, we did buy a drink each but that was it.  Saturday I tackled some of the accumulation of 'stuff' in our bedroom, threw things out, donated items and feel good for it.  Yesterday we pootled into town to get a couple of bits and had a coffee and cake at our favourite people watching spot.

We have had a good result with the B00ts 0ral B toothbrushes, the duo pack reduced from £160 to £60, minus a further 10%, plus £20 in points, plus I had another 450 in points, then paid by Payp@l and got £20 off for that and am expecting cashback too! so coming out at about £10 for the pair, I've been wanting one for a while and we are really pleased with them, although I know they tend to get mixed reviews. 

I put a large chicken stew in the slow cooker this morning with loads of tarragon etc, which we will have with Dough Boys (Suet Dumplings), should hopefully feed us for 3 days.  I did the same last Monday using left over roast lamb with red wine, garlic and rosemary, it was yummy and made life a lot easier.

I will be re-mortgaging in 12 months time when my fixed rate expires so I have started going though my budget and trying to get that in the best shape, repaying some debts and ensuring I stay out of my overdraft, I really hope the interest rates drop a bit more before then too.

Anyway lets get going on this new week.

Have a god day all

MvTMM

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Well the Chicken and Tarragon Stew was lovely and lasted us 3 days, we had the last of it last night.  Shopping tonight so a quick and easy dinner needed.  I've also just booked a spur of the moment haircut at 3pm today, I only go 2 or 3 times a year!

I had a mini sort out of make up last night and threw some out, earmarked more to be used up, along with some perfumes to target.  I need to do some more over the next week or so, I am gradually working my way through all cupboards and drawers.

I've just booked train tickets for next weekend, we are going to see DD and go to a concert, we had considered driving but parking around our hotel isn't great so we will get the train instead.  DS is going to take care of the dog for us.

The continuing saga of the shower room.....3 months since the leak was found.  Hopefully the shower tray is getting fitted today, we can then order the tiles and get that stage done.

Have a great day.

MvTMM

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Wet and miserable here today and I have to say I'm a bit envious of my friends posting pictures of snow in other parts of the country.

I had my haircut on Thursday, a bit shorter than I would have gone but looks really nice and have had lots of compliments since.  I have stopped bleaching/dyeing it, have been using and ashy blonde colour for years but have now started using Pl@ntur products, the anti grey shampoo on my roots and the brunette shampoo elsewhere along with the brunette conditioner over the top, am gradually returning to my natural dark blonde/light brown colour and I think it is looking more flattering, a softer colour and an easier/cheaper regime than constant dying.

The haircut did turn out to be fairly expensive in other ways.  My hairdresser had a very compact streamline ionic hairdryer that I was admiring, it came with a diffuser, 2 nozzles and 2 airwrap type curlers, I imagined it costing hundreds, especially as I am aware of the cost of Dy5on products and this seemed on a par, especially if in professional use.  However, I have managed to get the exact one for £130 which I am really pleased with, I have now got rid of all of my other hair gizmos and contraptions, apart from my straighteners, I just need to get to grips with it now.

We had a lovely chilled weekend.  Friday night we went to see Gl@diator in our local cinema, what a great film, the effects were amazing.  This Friday we have booked to see W!cked, I can't wait!

Saturday morning DH was working so I popped to see my parents, sorted out issues with Dad's ipad and mum's mobile, they are in their 80's and struggle with tech when it doesn't do what they want immediately!  I then went to see DS and his family and drop off their advent calendars.  Saturday afternoon was spent pottering at home and then we had some yummy lamb and mint sausages with lamb gravy and mash, proper warming comfort food.

Sunday was a lazy morning, breakfast in bed, then we went into town, bought our family Christmas cards and had coffee and cake in our favourite people watching spot again.  Home to jacket potatoes with homemade chilli and coleslaw and a film on the tv.

Yesterday I made a large cottage pie which will last 2 days, topped with potato and cauliflower mash and cheese, it was yummy but I've realised our meals for the last few days have been very meat and potato heavy, time for something lighter.  I have placed a chicken order through a friend, 5kilo of large chicken breasts for £28, they are really good quality and don't shrink much when cooked.

Since my last post I have used up the dregs of 4 perfumes and thrown away another one that I really didn't enjoy, I'm focusing on using up lots of bits and pieces that are cluttering up the house, be it toiletries, food items etc, we really need to streamline and simplify and in the process it will hopefully save money.

In the saga of the shower room, we now have a new, larger, stone shower tray down so the tiler can crack on. BUT last night we had a mishap with the washbasin in the bathroom, it already had a hairline crack but now it has a big hole in it!!  Luckily we picked up a freebie off of FBMP back in the summer, so our plumber is going to pop out and fit that for us.

Have a great day all

MvTMM

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Not a lot to report today, no snow........yet, but it is freezing.

38 days until our holiday, not that I 'm counting.  We had our Annual Travel Insurance renewal through, the price has jumped from £120 to £210!  I don't think so!!  My job this weekend is to do some comparisons and take a new policy (hpefully with cash back) rather than letting this one renew.

have a great Thursday all

MvTMM

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Blimey it's cold today!!

I've sorted the travel insurance, we both have existing conditions so never straight forward but I managed to get equivalent cover and after cashback it will cost the same as last year.

We've also booked our holiday for next year!  Same hotel as usual for 10 nights instead of 7 but cost us slightly less than this year!

I'm also thinking of taking DD somewhere for her 21st, we are looking at a few days in Rome as neither of us have been there.

I had an ECG yesterday to check the pressure I keep feeling on my chest, the ECG appeared normal so as I suspected the pressure is probably due to stress and anxiety, all due to work.  I also had to take mum to a check up following her skin cancer treatment, they were very pleased with how everything has healed but did tell her she need to start using face cream and SPF after 82 years of not bothering!

MvTMM