Beating Lifestyle Inflation and Staying Mortgage Free!

earthgirl2

So It was great generally not leaving all of the cleaning till the weekend, and I have left some time on Friday to make a start this week. The weekend felt much more relaxing. The past few days have been a little up and down with various events and changes. I didn't sleep last night with things running through my mind. We have had a fairly productive day today though.
Money saving
Isn't going to well. I tried really hard to get our food to be healthy and fit into our budget and for everyone to still enjoy it and eat it. I've had to significantly top up fruit and veg and milk, and also needed more meat. Back to the drawing board.
I have made a present and a card for a relative though.
Money Making
Going ok! I have a few cancellations coming up bc of Chinese exam week and holiday. 

earthgirl2

So a quick update.
Money saving
I am currently in communication with our mortgage company as they have charged us fees of £230 last year for overpaying, which I think is wrong. I am trying the nice approach at the moment, and then I will put in a complaint.
My food spending wasn't crazy - I forgot I changed my shopping day from Tuesday to Sunday, therefore my shop did us 11 days with a fruit, bread and milk top ups.
I did a full shop this week with lots of bulk buying and also quite a lot of reduced meat and fish. I got my 10% teacher discount. It was £98 and I am planning to make it last 2 weeks with a top up on Sunday.

Money Saving To do's:
- sort out meals for 2 weeks done
- stick to meal and snack plan
- organise seeds and buy seeds needed, sort garden for early spring.
- call 5ky and negotiate discount
- call ee and negotiate discount
- check credit card bills to make sure everything is accounted for done
- do the v1rgin current account switch
- check my am£x card - does it have a fee? Move to am platinum every day done
- check the cat's pet insurance amount - I think it should be 5.25 but the dd looks like £10

Money Making
Last week of the month, and I am doing well this month, next month is looking a bit leaner as my chinese students are on break.
I need to be tighter with my time so that I work more efficiently and consistently on surveys, ohs business, and school work.

Money Making To do's
- update tutoring facebook site
- claim back mileage tomorrow. done
- develop consistency with surveys and OH working on OHs business
Sort of connected - collect marking from school tomorrow and spend some time on this.

Generally, I've made big progress with one thing that was bothering me, and it should afford me less sleepless nights and therefore more action and consistency with things I do want to work on.  I am not sure that I will be getting homestay students this year again - oh well.

apple_muncher

Broken nights are rotten. Hope things improve x

ruby_eskimo

Just popping in to say happy new diary!  I read Atomic Habits last year and might have to give it a re-read because I've failed to implement anything   Hope you manage to sort out the fees with the bank!

beanielou

Hope that your sleep improves pronto.
Nothing worse.

earthgirl2

Thanks everyone! Yes atomic habits just suits my personality, I crave routine and habits so it's a good fit! I've lost 7lbs in January just by implementing a habit of getting a work out and water in first thing.

I'm waiting outside non contact football practice (which is basically running with a ball!) so a quick update:

Mortgage company refunded me the £230 which is great. Im half way through lots of tasks on my money saving and making list so I'm itching to get them finished and tick them off. 

Much better sleep since I've sorted the major thing that was bothering me. I sometimes have to teach or work at 6.30, some times 8, sometimes 9... my body doesn't like this different wake up time so this week I'm going to try 6.30 starts and see how I get on. Should hopefully get way more accomplished! The atomic habits book has really helped me to stick to things with habit "chains".
So I've still got the list above to do, and I'm looking forward to the end of the month so I can see how much I've saved!

beanielou

Good news on the refund 

Needhelpsaving

I'm a bit late, but Happy new Diary!!! 

Karmacat

Excellent news on the refund - and I totally empathise with being halfway through lots of items on your list, I'm exactly the same!

earthgirl2

Money Saving To do's:
- sort out meals for 2 weeks done
- stick to meal and snack plan
- organise seeds and buy seeds needed, sort garden for early spring.
- call 5ky and negotiate discount
- call ee and negotiate discount
- check credit card bills to make sure everything is accounted for done
- do the v1rgin current account switch
- check my am£x card - does it have a fee? Move to am platinum every day done
- check the cat's pet insurance amount - I think it should be 5.25 but the dd looks like £10

Money Making
Last week of the month, and I am doing well this month, next month is looking a bit leaner as my chinese students are on break.
I need to be tighter with my time so that I work more efficiently and consistently on surveys, ohs business, and school work.

Money Making To do's
- update tutoring facebook site
- claim back mileage tomorrow. done
- develop consistency with surveys and OH working on OHs business
Sort of connected - collect marking from school tomorrow and spend some time on this.