The 'scenic route' to mortgage freedom...

PiggyBankShaker

Just popping in to complain that there is too much month left at the end of our money

Had to spend quite a bit on the weekend whilst I was away with work and I still haven't had my expenses from the last fortnight reimbursed yet.

*Just* about managed to stay mentally healthy these last few days but we went straight into a marriage counselling session yesterday and with hindsight it might not have been the best scheduling as it was emotionally very draining and dredged up old stuff again. 

The only big expenses between now and pay day is the kids horse riding. However, the cupboards are looking a bit bare so a food shop is on the cards too. 

PiggyBankShaker

Work expenses have been paid and I have submitted the next batch. I have a few parking tickets to add but they total less than a fiver, so I haven't done them yet.

Busy day today, DS is at school an hour early because they are going on a trip, DD needs picking up in the middle of the day and taking to the orthodontist 25 miles away, we have an open evening at DS's new school tonight and DD has Pony Club. Add to that the fact that DH is working and I'm sort of supervising some workmen at the house who are hopefully, finally building us a new driveway... The latter is a great development as our front garden has basically been an unusable building site for the last twelve months.

We're going to view a house on Tuesday - it has land and it is in the school catchment, but it is slightly out of our price range and also not quite to our tastes. But it has potential, hence the viewing. We're also viewing another one a week next Tuesday that is also slightly out of our price range and also out of the school catchment, but its totally bonkers and could be an amazing place to live. We also saw a few listings in Scotland that would be perfect, but are definitely out if the school catchment so probably won't be viewing those :P   

savingholmes

I am impressed you can view at the moment. A lot of EAs want you to have sold

Driveway progress sounds good.

Sorry MH isn't the best

PiggyBankShaker

I've read that that's the case elsewhere @savingholmes but it doesn't seem to be an issue here. I'll keep going to viewings as long as they let me, our house is lovely (despite the extension debacle) and I'd only move for the right property, certainly not going to sell it otherwise!

Been to work, done some digging and planting in the garden and waiting on 1700kg of slate chipping to arrive tomorrow for the driveway and a path in the front garden. We're expecting two of the builders to come back with quotes for installing the kitchen and re-configuring the a few rooms upstairs, once we know what sort of figure we're dealing with we can plan properly.

Our money has just about stretched to the end of the month and we're due our CB as well as both our pays on Tuesday. Not sure how much is on the CC this month, but I *think* it should be less than the last few months, which will mean more money into savings.

Stay safe everyone!

PiggyBankShaker

We've both been paid and the CB arrived. All the bills and automatic savings payments start going out tomorrow, so for one day - and one day only - the current account looks really healthy

Did some more work in the front garden yesterday, its so close to being finished, just a bit more digging and levelling to do and them we can put the weed membrane down and start spreading the gravel.

Taking my Dad to the local cancer centre for a check up this morning then dropping the kids at the bowling alley with the friends they are having a sleepover with tonight, then back to the house for a kitchen fitter/plumber pricing visit, then the house viewing. Quite looking forward to the viewing to be honest. I don't think it's the *one* but certainly open to having my mind changed. Then tonight DH and I are having a date night! First one in about a year or so, I think? He has two free cinema tickets so we'll be using those.

Stay safe moneysavers.

pennywisepoundstupid

Enjoy date night x

savingholmes

Enjoy your date.

Hope your Dad is ok.

Good luck with the viewing

PiggyBankShaker

Thanks @pennywisepoundstupid and @savingholmes - date night was great. The cinema was free and we bought treats in Aldi beforehand. We watched The Lost Island, and it was perfect silly nonsense. DH laughed a lot which was lovely, I think I enjoyed listening to him more than the film! He gets another two free tickets in two months time so we are going to try going again.

The house was nicer than I thought, but not for us. It was too much money and the land wasn't really suitable for a horse and the house needed work. It sold the same day though so that's interesting in itself, it suggests there more money sloshing around than people think and that despite the cost of living crisis the housing market is still buoyant, at least for now. The estate agent told us another house is soon coming on the market that we might be interested in so we'll have a look at that. And of course we have a viewing on a totally insane house on Tuesday. 

Most of our bills have gone out, just a few stragglers left to pay - for example CT is the middle of the month I think. We've worked out a budget and put some money over to savings, on top of the regular savings that go out. Things are looking okay.

The big news is that we finalised our kitchen design and have a firm delivery date booked of the 10th August. This means that the extension is well and truly over and we can move forward with a new plan and lighter hearts. They we offering 0% finance so we will be paying about £100ish a month from September onwards. I'm really happy with the design and I think it will improve our quality of life and increase the house value too, or at least make us more 'saleable.'

We worked in the front garden yesterday and it is now 95% finished. We just need to get another dumpy bag of slate gravel and DH needs to finish one small part of wall and lay about 6 patio slabs. Of course, it is raining today so all of that will have to wait. Even so, it is looking absolutely fab and I'm so chuffed with it.

savingholmes

Home improvements sound like they'll be lovely. Interesting that you are viewing property at the same time.

Glad the date night went well.

PiggyBankShaker

Just popping in to say that I make a £9.36 mortgage overpayment to take the total overpaid to exactly £16,000. I love round figures.

DH has started booking accommodation for our summer tour; £247 of our own money and £211 of vouchers (so free to us)

£16 due on TCB so requested that to be paid out.

Need to start shopping for kitchen appliances, but I'm not quite in the right headspace for that yet. Still not received any complete quotes for the kitchen installation and room reconfiguration, hopefully next week. Trying not to feel demoralised about it but I am worried it's going to be the extension debacle all over again. Also we did get a quote for new windows and it was more than expected. Going to dig into the figures a bit more and maybe try and find a different company to quote as well.

UPDATE: Negotiated new phone contract. Was 30GB data unlimited texts and minutes for £12 a month. Now 40GB data unlimited text and minutes £4.98 for 3 months increasing to £9.95 thereafter, but a rolling 30 day contract so I can leave after the first 3 months if I want.