Getting shot of the mortgage sooner than 2049!

Bluegreen143

Not sure how clear the new budget is so have detailed below:

JOINT ACCOUNT (£3,200)

BILLS - £965
Mortgage £530
Energy £203
Council tax £175
Home insurance £10 (pro rata)
Life insurance £75
Car insurance & breakdown cover £40 (pro rata)
Car tax £20 (pro rata)
Internet £25
TV & music £40 (Spotify, Prime, TV license & Netflix)
Kids’ subscriptions £50 (Cubs, karate, bike club)

SAVINGS - £1,035
Emergencies £335
Wants £500 (holidays/Christmas/kids birthdays)
LISA & Help to save £200

SPENDING - £1,200
Split the month into four blocks of 7-8 days with a £300 budget for each - for groceries, petrol, kids’ expenses like clothes, pocket money or taking them out for ice cream. Anything left each week siphoned into Wants savings or can add to Emergency fund, depending which is shorter! 

PERSONAL ACCOUNTS (£8-900 a month each)

For:

- personal spends like clothes, socialising, hobbies, work lunches 

- splitting dates or “stuff” for the home & garden, takeaways, treating the kids etc - basically any “want” which isn’t covered in our savings pot. 

- building personal savings 

Bluegreen143

Putting this here so I don’t forget - mealplan for next few days:

Tonight - creamy sun dried tomato chicken with spaghetti & salad 

Monday - Italian meatball soup 

Tuesday - Chicken souvlaki, wraps, salad, hummus

Wednesday - Breaded salmon, new potatoes, veg

Thursday - Tomato chicken pasta 

Lovely weekend so far with glorious weather - on Friday we went to the school playpark for an hour after school, then I took the kids to the botanic gardens for an ice cream then we did a loop of the river (they were on their bikes, I was on foot).

Yesterday Monkey had an outdoor party, while he was at that we hosted my friend’s youngest here for a playdate with Bambi (as her eldest was at the party too). After the party we had Monkey’s two best friends here for a play date and they were all in swimsuits having a water fight - lots of fun! One went home at tea time but the other had a sleepover here which Monkey has really enjoyed. 

I also got quite a bit of gardening done yesterday and went for two short walks myself so pleased with that

My dad and papa are coming to visit today so we’ll have a nice lunch out and a walk with them.

Oh, and I don’t think I said, but I got a bike through the cycle 2 work scheme this week 😍 I’ve had it out a couple of times, once on the canal and I’ve cycled the school run too.

Bluegreen143

Spent £95 on non-branded school uniform for after the summer (from Asda George) - first time buying two sets!! Got 5x boy’s shirts, 2x boy’s polo shirts, 4x trousers, 2x girl’s gingham dresses, 2x pinafores, 2x girl’s gym leggings, 4x girl’s shirts, 5x navy tights. 

I was curious and price checked it by putting in the same order in Next and it was £155, but with one less gingham dress, one less shirt and without the tights! So over 1/3 cheaper at George. 

Still need to order the branded uniform - tie, kilt & 3x cardigans for Bambi, I’m not sure Monkey actually needs any jumpers luckily as I think his will do him for a while more unless he has a growth spurt. Plus he has two jumpers in the next size second hand in the cupboard. 

I do need to get Monkey a new school bag as he’s used his two years and it’s falling apart. I’ve got a sweet little unicorn backpack for Bambi which she’s barely ever used so that should work. Ooooh and I nearly forgot shoes! Expensive business having two kids at school 🤣

beanielou

Wow a kilt. So cute. 

Bluegreen143

Aaaaand another £83 down - two sets of school shoes, a pair of plimsolls for indoor wear (only needed one as for now Monkey’s still fit) and a new schoolbag for Monkey. 

Hoping to save some £ on the branded schoolwear, the last bit to get. The tartan girls’ kilts are super cute but £30 each 😳. I’ve asked on the parents’ whatsapp group for Monkey’s year to see if anyone is done with one and wants to sell me it 🤞🏼 it’s £20 per cardigan too, and she needs three I think, so I’ll maybe see if I can get those second hand too 🤞🏼Monkey has two ties so maybe I just give his spare one to his sister for now! 

Bluegreen143

Going to try to get back in the habit of daily posting spends for accountability. 

JOINT (mainly “needs”)
Netflix £4.99
Tesco £2.60 (lemons and sugar we needed this AM)
Tesco delivery £77.57 (but chicken will be refunded as was off 🤢)
Asda George £95.75 (non branded school uniform for both kids)
M&S £83 (school shoes & school bag)

PERSONAL (“wants” budget)
Garden centre £22 (my share of various potted herbs for the garden)

Running totals from 02/06

JOINT
Groceries £80.17
Kids £178.75
TV & music £4.99

PERSONAL/WANTS
Garden £22

Bluegreen143

Lovely day today, I went on Bambi’s nursery trip with her. Gorgeous weather for it! Spent £10 while there on rides. 

Dinner tonight was air fryer marinaded salmon with a salad of lettuce, rocket, chives, red onion, grated beetroot, cucumber, pine nuts and feta and some buttered (supermarket) sourdough. I had a tub of chopped veg sticks which I put out for the kids too. 

Spending 

Rides at safari park £10
Kids’ pocket money £35
TV license £13.25
Karate fee for Monkey £20

Running totals from 02/06

JOINT
Groceries £73.67
Kids £223.75
Subscriptions £18.24

PERSONAL/WANTS
Garden £22
Funfair rides with Bambi £10

Bluegreen143

Was in the office today, busy busy. Brought food, so no spending on lunch though! 

After work/school I took the kids to the park then we just came home to do usual homework/dinner prep/chores merry-go-round 😂 

Dinner was Italian meatball soup (like minestrone but with meatballs in) - very tasty! 

I’m at 9lb off now, which is rather slow going (it’s been nearly 2 months) but as long as it goes in the right direction it’s ok! Hoping to get to the stone off before our holiday at the start of July though 🤞🏼

Spending 

No spending today so all totals remain the same 🎉

Kids are now both in bed so I’m off for a wee walk while it looks decent outside ☺️ 

Bluegreen143

Had a P1 induction visit today so spent £8 on 2x branded cardigans at the preloved stall. Really pleased as I also received a bag of hand me down uniform from a friend including the tartan skirt I need. So all that’s needed now is:

- one more jumper for Monkey and cardi for Bambi - I will order these new so they have one decent nick one each for first day, photo day etc 😂 plus a tie for Bambi

- navy joggers for Monkey for PE

- pencil case for Bambi

- name labels 

And that’s it! 

Out for dinner with friends tonight so there will be more spends. Think Red will make chicken pasta or curry for himself and the kids as there’s a couple of breasts I’ve pulled out of the freezer.

EDIT - another win - checked Monkey’s uniform box and he already has three jumpers in the next size, plus he’s not totally outgrown the three jumpers in his current size (though he might have by August). Either way, that’s another thing less to buy 🎉

beanielou

Great wins there. Enjoy your evening with friends.