Our forever home

Moneywhizz · 22 September 2025 at 10:05PM

Wow that is an amazing achievement while working and taking care of a baby. Well done and best wishes for the future.

bellevie · 28 September 2025 at 2:32PM

Thank you all so much 😊
I'm so happy with the result, when I first started I would never have thought I could achieve that so very proud!

bellevie · 5 January at 9:10PM

Happy new year!

25 was intense, the occasional win, qualifying being a big one, but really for all of us it was just crazy, full on. We reached December exhausted, having all been ill for weeks on end, over worked ready to switch off. I don't think I know anyone who hadn't been affected by severe ill health, work trouble, relationship trouble. We got by relatively well compared to some people I know but still my most difficult year for a long time.

Hoping for a smoother year to follow.

One good start in December GP finally agreed I should start HRT, after me reporting the extract same list of symptoms I had 2 years ago when they first offered anti depressants. Early days yet, but within days of the estrogen patch I have to say I felt better than I have done for easily 2 years if not longer. I really suspect after IVF finished and I had DS my hormones plummeted straight into perimenopause. It's been a very difficult couple of years.

Will be attending a fitness though menopause group at a leisure centre funded by work, and I'm hopeful I'll carry forward what I learn. Aiming for an overall improvement to physical and mental wellbeing this year.

Financially, the long awaited moments arrived, nursery fees dropped, pay rise in!
DD is starting driving lessons so swallowing up the nursery savings, but we've agreed this is time limited, she should be moving to a paid role come next September so from then if still learning she will take over the cost.

House aim is to have bathroom redone, DH will do the work so it's just saving for the bathroom itself, and potentially a plasterer.
Second mini goal to re carpet stairs and landing with something more appropriate than deep pile. Rooky mistake there, we've stretched it out 5 years. Bedrooms all ok, as and when they need replacing will do one room at a time.

We have Dds 18th birthday to save for, yet to agree on what we are doing with family spread wide and far it's difficult to get everyone together for a party, so thinking an event but not sure what, still want to be financially prepared.

Mortgage on 1st Jan was £245,366.

We paid £16889, £8355 interest, so just under half went to interest. Think small overpayments helped here

I've signed up to sprive to increase overpayments but am weighing up whether it's any better than my work scheme which is slightly higher % cashback but I just need to manually send that money over instead of leaving it in my bank account.

I'm contemplating cutting back a day at work, have been thinking about if for a while, unsure if I'm exhausted as an older mum of toddler, perimenopause or a mixture. It works out the day would close to wipe out the pay rise I have, but am trying to consider the benefits of more quality time with DS before school, as I was not able to work part time with him like I did with DD I've had a lot of mum guilt. He can be a handful and I wonder if he's I er tired from a full nursery week. I would be due a further pay increase a year post qualification which would be noticeable again, so not a loss as such if I base it on my original salary.
There's a couple of things we need to pay off, and having committed to DDs driving lessons it's not an immediate option but I'm hoping come spring / early summer it'll be doable.

It wouldn't quite be part time, but a day a week would break up the long week at nursery I hope. Then the number of hours might work with when he does start school in terms of being able to pick up and drop off. Right now I think we both need a day a week, but when he starts school I would request 5 short days instead.

With that in mind no fixed numbers in financial goals, just really to do what we can to make progress, with the home, with our accounts but mostly a big push for a better balance in life.

Bargainhunter30 · 6 January at 12:18AM

The extra day off makes a massive difference, I really recommend for balance. I'd struggle to work full time again.

bellevie · 8 January at 7:19PM

My mind is made up now first week back and the chaos & exhaustion for our youngest, he needs an easier week and I need to be there but still.bring in enough to cover our bills.

It says to allow 2 months for the request to go through. I've calculated should be feasible by may, so will submit my request in March.

I was spurned on to pay a chunk off one credit card, I know debt should go before savings but I've liked having a little pot elsewhere, until I receive a notice saying it's dropping to 2% just not worth it. So that card will be paid off end of the month. I then have Feb, March and April to clear down an interest free card before interest kicks in. That should make the 'pay cut' much more manageable.

In the meantime still continuing to save little and often.

I'm not too sure what happened to the food shopping this week, placed my order last night for £85, it's usually 120. £10 was due to stopping my toddlers little dish meals for nursery he's gone off them, but the rest of the savings I'm not sure where the savings are from. Hope I haven't miscalculated the dinners & lunchesfor the week. But if it works will be trying to continue paying less than £100 a week would make such a difference.

bellevie · 10 January at 7:21PM

We had nice news our water bill is going down £11 per month. Nice to hear as the last time it jumped up £22! I think that was around the time prices rose.

bellevie · 15 January at 7:36PM

Shop worked out well this week the £85 shop from last weekend has lasted well still 3 more meals and I just had to pick up a loaf of bread today.

The order for Saturday came to 92, difference there I think is bottled water (I don't trust tap) and extra desert yogurts and trying babybel on ds lunch. DH announced he needs coffee so will pick that up over the weekend. Still hoping it'll stay under £100.

Next week's plan includes 2 veggie meals, one fish, 2 meat, 1 x pizza night and one DIY night - everyone cooks / chooses their own all usually quick, freezer food /pasta/nuggets /jacket potatoes.

Trying Quorn with our korma this week, I just can't tolerate chicken breast anymore, tried it for the first time in a while this week it was rank.

I much prefer chicken thighs or legs but Dd & DH hate them! So will give Quorn a try, worked out cheaper than chicken too.

I've persisted with changing ds hot food daily in his lunch box and we've had some successes, long may it continue!

bellevie · 18 January at 8:34AM

Ds new bedroom furniture arrived, bed and combined wardrobe with drawers. We opted for a mid sleeper with den underneath and slide. Trying to get ds interested in staying in bed or even just staying in his bedroom as we are exhausted with 4 am wake up calls. First night so far so good, he woke at 7 this morning.

His nursery set sold to a lovely couple, was so happy to see it going to them. I was a bit sad to see it go to bed honest, I thought he'd have it for a couple of years more.
When we first had the idea of an exciting bed, I considered changing only the bed but realised we'd save space getting a wardrobe chest combo, as the slide would take up floor space, but bed was not high enough for the chest to go underneath.

Money we raised goes towards cost of bed.

Visiting in laws today for a nice lunch, they are just over an hour away, looking forward to that.

4 day week this week due to my overtime worked. Makes such a difference compared to my 5 day weeks, can't wait until the change if it's approved. I was thinking I may need a back up incase it's declined. There are lots of part timers in the team and I know we will need hours soon for when a colleague qualifies. I was debating potentially 2 half days if a full day isn't doable. if full day I'd like Wednesday. If it's half days do I think about every other day so Tues and Thurs, or 2 days back to back Tues/weds, weds/ Thurs. I was thinking for 2 half days, I could pick up D's at 3 instead of 5, that could give me a couple of hours to myself and D's still has an early finish. The second day I could pick him up earlier and plan an activity. Will see if that makes a difference pay wise. Thinking about it now time to myself is an absolute rarity!

bellevie · 29 January at 3:00PM

It’s been a tough long week, for us all busy schedules all ill at the same time, trying to juggle too many balls pushed me to get the application in. Praying it’ll be approved.

In other news direct debit for gas and electric going down a fraction.

Car insurance due for renewal soon hopefully will try to nudge that down a little.

One credit card fully cleared and one bnpl finished 😊

Shop came in at under 100 this week, preferred the £80 weeks but think we had lots of things left over from the holidays. Still it’s an improvement on long standing £120 pw!