Climbing the Mortgage Mountain step by step

Fortune_Smiles

Hi there MvTMM.  Just popping in to say your meal plan for tonight sounds delicious 😋

Fortune x

savingholmes

Thanks for the reminder on the voucher. Will try and pick one or more up.

Hope you enjoy the band if you do go. It's hard isn't it to get the right balance of living - which being appropriately cautious. I've not picked up the paint yet - but may nip out tonight and sort it so I have it in - just in case.

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi all

@Fortune_Smiles, the venison etc was lovely, pan fried to rare, so tender, it was OH's first time trying it and he loved it.

@savingholmes, no we didn't go to see the band in the end, we stayed home and  had grilled sardines (from the freezer) and a lovely Portuguese red and pretended we were on the Med instead! 

We've had a lovely chilled weekend after the last few busy ones.  I've wrapped the majority of the presents and we have bought a fair bit of the food, ASDA delivery booked for 21st for the last few bits.  We attacked the garden as it was looking rather windswept, cleared all of the leaves and cleaned and refilled the hot tub ready for Christmas and New Year.

I still need to clear out some freezer space so tonight's dinner is lamb stew made using some lamb kebabs that never made it to the bbq, loads of rosemary, red wine garlic etc all popped in the slow cooker this morning, hopefully will work out ok, will make some dumplings when I get home.  

Money wise there seems to be a lot going out at the moment, it's that time of year, so I'm hoping my 1p for 365 savings will; make a huge difference next year.  However, I am still not shopping for myself, which is a massive change for me, I think the penny may well and truly dropped this time, I don't actually NEED anything!  2022 is going to to see a different me, more moneywise and hopefully this is rubbing off on OH as well, we are both going to lose weight too and get healthier, after all we have a wedding to prep for, we are planning to elope, very MSE and very hassle free!

And on that note I'm off to do some work.

Have a great day

MvTMM

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

It's been a week since I posted, got home from work last Monday and started coughing, have had a nasty chest infection ever since, obviously had to do the PCR tests etc but that came back negative thank goodness.  Back at work today but still not feeling great.

Christmas prep not going too badly, most presents wrapped, cards posted and food order due tomorrow.  We had DS and his family round yesterday for an early Christmas as they are going away over the festive period, OH helped me in cooking a full on roast which we all really enjoyed and we exchanged presents, all of which went down well.

Some inroads made to freeing space in the freezers as I've really not felt like cooking so we've been using frozen curries etc and the chicken and sausages for the roast all came out of the freezer too.

Financially there have been a few changes, OH has got a consolidation loan on a really good rate so cleared all of his debts into one payment for the next 4 years meaning he will have significantly more funds available each month, thereby escaping the vicious circle of limited funds resulting in Credit Card usage.  He will be keeping his credit cards but they will not be used, this should help improve his credit rating (which isn't actually too bad but could be better).  It's nice to see him looking more in control and organised.

I did my own Christmas nails using wraps and a gold Nails Inc varnish that I already had, DIL is a nail technician and asked me where I had had them done, result!  Need some good pampering sessions this week to make me feel more human in time for Christmas, DS gave me a lovely L'Occitane set for Christmas so I will start with that.  Obviously I still have my huge stash of toiletries to work through as well.

Have a great day

MvTMM

savingholmes

Well done on the nails. Sounds like you did a good job... 

Consolidation loans can be dangerous things if you don't get rid of the cards... Been there done that and re-incurred the debt. I hope your DH doesn't follow my previous bad habits but.... just wanted to sound a warning...

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

@savingholmes, yeap, totally agree re consolidation loans, I've been there myself, he is completely on board, wants free of this debt and will not be using credit cards again, he has been working at repaying the debt for the last 12 months but this will enable him to clear it a lot quicker and free up some of his monthly salary at the same time for savings.  We are keeping the cards locked away purely to improve his credit scores.

I'm still not feeling well, although my cough is lessening and my sleep improving, so dinners have been quick and easy things so far this week, bubble and squeak (roast leftovers) with bacon and eggs on Monday and gnocchi from the freezer yesterday.  We're off to the cinema with DD tonight to see Dune so will get some chips on the way home.  Our Asda delivery arrived last night, 3 small substitutions but nothing to worry about, so we have our Christmas Dinner sorted and enough cheese and Pate to sink a small fleet of boats.

Must go, busy day at work ahead!

MvTMM

savingholmes

Enjoy the cinema. Hope you feel better soon.

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Had a lovely night with OH and DD, the film was great and the special effects were amazing.  I bought the cinema tickets and then OH treated us to a Maccys on the way home, its been ages since we had any sort of take away so really enjoyed it, had the festive Chicken Burger

I have discovered today that I can reactivate my ISA, I have been unable to pay into for ages and thought it was they had discontinued that type of account, I just left the balance there ticking over, but now that it is reactivated I'm going to start paying into it again, I'm thinking of 'Tilly Tidying' my bank accounts into there and see how much I can save over the year. 

We were paid on 21st this month instead of 31st but I have been really careful not to touch it as January is going to be a super long month!!!  However, hopefully I will have a super frugal post Christmas time, using up all the leftover food, pampering with my new smellies and just relaxing.

MvTMM

savingholmes

Enjoy your tilly tidying. Glad you had a nice time out. Have a lovely Christmas.

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Hope you have had a good Christmas. we had a fairly quiet one, my parents came over which was lovely.  We've got OH's son and family staying for New Year and a few of our closest friends are supposed to be joining us for a small party.

Its is OHs birthday today so we are off out to the local Indian restaurant tonight, haven't been there since the summer so it will be a nice treat.

I have started Tilly Tidying my bank accounts and have already accumulated and extra £6.98 in my ISA, although it is a quiet time of the month for transactions, the next 2 weeks should see a few more Tidies, rounding down balances to the nearest £5.  Daily savings etc all going well.  One of DD's stocking fillers was a tin money box that matches her bedroom, I've suggested she pick one coin type and doesn't empty the tin until it is full, this will give her a nice little savings pot whilst at Uni.  She is incredibly good with her money and has just ordered a Mac book that she needs for her degree course, she's saved all of the money herself

Officially Payday tomorrow and I can update my signature with all of the payments that are due.

Have a great day

MvTMM