Finishing the race

CRANKY40

I think saving is a good idea. I like being able to pay for house or car repairs without havng to add to my debt. This whole thing is also about learning to be responsible with money isn't it, and saving is a responsible thing to do. 

Thelaughingcat

Haha @DrCarrie!  Tomorrow evening, I promise.  But I’m totally tagging you into it, so be warned 😁

@CRANKY40, thank you for your wise words.  You’re right, it is responsible.  I’d rather pay a bit more in interest charges and have an emergency fund to hand.  It feels counterintuitive, but it’s not.

I racked up my second NSD today!  It was a very close run thing, though.  I went for a walk to take in the last of the evening sun and that delicious batter smell from the chippy had me in the line before I realised.  Then remembered that they only take cash and was saved.  What is it with me and fish and chips right now?!

But that concludes another NSD and I get to transfer another £25, so I now have a total of £50.  1% of my slush fund saved!  Another 99% to go 😆

I realised that I’d made a mistake in my first post though.  I’ve budgeted £75 a week for household essentials/food and then £25 a day for anything outside of that.  So if I want a bar of Lindt or the ingredients for a dessert, it comes out of my £25.  

My shop tomorrow will come out of the £75 (for the things on my list, at least!).  But my bro’s birthday card and my nephew’s birthday pressies will need to come out of the £25.

But then, I already knew that tomorrow was definitely not going to be an NSD - I may not need a freshly baked rosemary and garlic fougasse for breakfast, but I want one!

And I’ll eat it sat on the pavement in the sunshine.  Heaven is fresh bread 😎

Have a wonderful weekend everyone and I hope you all embrace your thrifty joy!

MuffinTops

Just caught up on your diary. We have a lot of habits in common. I’ve subscribed and look forward to hearing about your progress

Thelaughingcat

Welcome @MuffinTops!  Lovely to have you here 😊. Subscribed to your blog as well as yours chimed with me too.  We’ll both get there!

Thelaughingcat

I did a pre-dawn scramble up onto the moors, trying to beat the sunrise.  The sun pipped me to the post but it was still beautiful, and I feel so much better for a couple of hours out in the fresh air.  Who says we need to spend money to have a good time? 

£5 spent today so far on strawberries and a walnut & raisin sourdough.  Made a short stack of protein pancakes and caramelised the strawberries, drizzling the whole thing with zero maple syrup.  A mug of vanilla rooibos and a couple of slices of the fruit loaf and breakfast was served! (Your turn @DrCarrie!)

I’ll head out and get the weekly shop in a minute, nicely full so I don’t fall for hunger purchases 😊. Then I’ll still have £20 left of my daily allowance to transfer tonight and hopefully on Wednesday there should be some left over from my food shop allowance too.

I’m aware that I’ve massively over-budgeted but that was the point.  Psychologically tricking myself into that little thrill of seeing the pot go up while stopping myself from spending on things I don’t need.  When I feel restricted, I’ll just end up splurging at some point and I don’t need that.  Besides, who says building responsible budgetary habits can’t be fun? 😁

Happy Saturday folks!

Honeysucklelou2

Fabulous photos & what a delicious breakfast!

Thelaughingcat

Thanks, @Honeysucklelou2!  Welcome 😊

Thelaughingcat

Ow.  First off, migraines hurt.  Not had one in fifteen years so I’d forgotten how painful they were.  

Weekly shop is done, couple of bits to pick up again on Wednesday and anything my OH wants when he gets back this afternoon.  

Farm shop: £18.05
Tesco: £7.50
Myprotein: £35.08

TOTAL: £60.63

This leaves me £14.37 for the top-up shopping.  That’s tight enough to make me uncomfortable but I’ll have to suck it up (and hope my OH just wants a pint of milk 😂).

I checked out my student loan today, for the first time ever.  It’s been merrily going out of my pay check for years.  £7,500 left, ultra low interest rate and the online calculator reckons it should be gone in less than four years!  That’s an extra £250 back in my bank every month which would be amazing. Very long term, but I can still look forward to it. ☺️

I’m also going to get my head around our mortgages.  We got something called an indirect charge on our mortgage when we moved in six years ago which means I’m named on the deeds as an owner but not on the mortgage itself (my credit rating was terrible).  

I borrowed the money from my father for the deposit and set about paying him back every month.  The idea was, when I finished paying him back, we’d put me on the mortgage and I’d transfer that money into there instead.  I finished paying my father over three years ago now...I’m still not on the mortgage.  It’s both our faults.

So I’m going to go in on Monday and get the current totals (we have two: one super low rate one that we transferred from my OH’s flat when he paid that off and a top-up one at a much higher rate to reach the value of the house).  

Then I can put my head to how we can pay it off quicker, using my wage as well, focussing on the small, expensive one first, and potentially remortgaging to better terms.

If I’m going to be debt free, I want to actually be debt free.  This is going to take years (unless I win the lottery), but I’m looking forward to it.  No more day to day living...I want to plan for a future.

First, though, I want to lie down in a dark room again as my head is tightening back up 😭

DrCarrie

You go GIRL! Takes time for things to filter through and come to the forefront of our minds. 

Thelaughingcat

Super short post as it’s after midnight (and I’m basically Cinderella with big feet).  NSD number 3!  £25 more in my slush fund.  

I’m a boss.

Thank you and goodnight.