Future Proofing my life: Deposit saving then MFW journey in under 13 years

KajiKita

dawnybabes said:

I’m a happy bunny today - I’ve had a £100 win 😀😀😀

Yaaay! Me too 😊👏🥳🎉

KK

LadyWithAPlan

Its Friday update  Extra good as I had a lot on in Jan so feel freer and can do some planning for the year

I do have a couple job work tasks to tidy up today and one for Monday so planning that now and a gym visit

NSD 1/13 

WINNING - £75 of stuff
Won my first Inst* competition in 6 months - 2 thinsg -  a £50 voucher for a site but most things I want on the site are more - they sell boots etc which I do need a new pair of but I will end up adding more cash in so will wait on using that Plus some makeup stuff I may well sell ...


My giant wall chart -  is badly designed - it has a plastic cover that you cant fold back if you want to hang it up.. and you would need to rip off each month also to hang open at a current month - I want to keep old momths as a review . So its currently on my pull out desk and I am updating it each morning as a check in  ... (regular readers may remember my accidental auction purchase of flat pack last year  (from the Made auction - i dont do flat pack) ... a 6ft plus cupboard thats opens into shelving and a desk..  I have a monitor in there as well.

Sometimes my desk  is very tidy but not at present so it is a prime target for Minimalism Game - I cant sit an an untidy desk and often instead sit at my small dining table -- i have a brilliant folding laptop stand which I use. Sitting/working  in the lounge means I am flooded with light and by my juliette balcony windows ..

FOOD
I cooked the boneless YS chicken crown and served with brown rice made in the steamer with lots of spices. I also roasted in the halogen at the same time a small sweet potato, garlic cloves and a pink onion .. plus found some scraps of organic frozen spinach, peas and mixed veg in freezer - I desperately need some kale but didnt pick it up last night as too much to carry. I made a spicy mayo with mayo, colmans mustard and some paprika etc - I need to buy limes.

Also now soaking mung beans for 2 hrs or so  before making dal... I will follow the dishoom recipe roughly    apart from the double cream and I have mung beans not black lentils -   just the thought of how I will not be able to breathe and the excema  after eating loads dairy is finally stopping me indulging..
I use my pressure cooker but I may do a first hour on the stovepot to get rid of the bean scum stuff (not sure what to call this) as it boils off 
I may try to add  this sweet potato dal extra as necessary

AL*XA - surprisingly helpful
I was given an alex* for xmas never wanted one but I have found it useful for
- playing music louder through my phone/laptop when I dont want to hook my big speaker system up or use my much loved now 3 years plus old and stull great Airpods
- asking the weather temperature before I go out 
- occasional query on cooking
- most importantly using the alexa shopping list - I yell at it my items as I remember and they are all there in the alex* app when I go shopping

FRUGAL LIVING
I was reading a blog 'early retirement extreme' yesterday as recommended on reddit - he spends between $5000-$7000 per year (he is in a RV)  and it was quite eye opening how far some go  - as we all know from our discussion on frugality I am definitely at the fabulously frugal end  - however I am looking at 2024 for the house purchase and the less I spend on some things the more I have in deposit..
Having pulled back my spending so much last month - and with ynab clearly showing me that I am ynab poor so  when I do get properly paid as I wasnt in Jan  it has to go back against some bills /savings  as I pulled long term category pots  accounts  down to fully cover my beg of month bills this month.. 

On the Feb Grocery Challenge thread @London_1 is always fabulously frugal  and is managing £60 per month for just herself for  food!!!
love @London_1 mum quote 

But I grew up with my late Mums mantra in my ears " Feed the bin lassie, and your feeding the devil " a bit extreme, … 

I am trying to get my GC down to £155 + £50 bulk this month    .... I am GF and eat a lot (I am tall and active`) but I am seeing how far I can take this. Good to see how others live though and be inspired 
Food needs to be healthy and nutritious most importantly - so no junk and I cook loads so but more soup! 

How far I should go all in on saving and not having a life for a year whilst I sort the house buying  is something I am pondering  - I remember reading Caeler as she spent 18 months doing nothing whilst paying off her house..  Though realistically a better solution for me now  is to go get more work and earning many more ££££'s whilst being careful  as per my ynab budget but not stressing myself on chasing pennies 

I do have a social dinner to go to in a couple weeks as a visitor over  - will be £100 spend with dinner/drinks probably but not planning mad drinks this weekend at all.   I may have a date though ... 

AGE OF MONEY 41 DAYS
MG   2 as of Feb 1st  plus   2 so far today 

LadyWithAPlan

dawnybabes said:

I’m a happy bunny today - I’ve had a £100 win 😀😀😀

Congrats! I have only had that once I think ! And great it is draw for March 

pebbles01 said:

Oh I'm sorry you didn't win on PB's...but the good news is it's only 29 days to the next draw!

I'll never get men (apologies to the nice ones) - but how can someone say they are falling in love and text to end it two weeks later.  Even the one I'm moping about wasn't that bad!  I'm a firm believer in the only men I can depend on is dad and brothers!

But the way I see it is that's why I have a budgeting book and MSE diary.  I am in control of spending decisions.  I don't get to control big things like interest rates.  But I'm in charge of my income and expenditure..I balance the books and I get to make decisions that impact on my monthly budget.  After being in a relationship with a man that spent most of my wages, then that is priceless.

@pebbles01  go you ! I  also love the feeling I have of being in control  of my own money and life - we are so privileged to be able to when historically and in some countries as a woman it wasn’t possible (I am assuming you are female though so if not you are still doing fabulously) 

I am not sure how I will cope if I get into a committed  relationship regarding finances - too many years of doing it myself - paying my own bills .. I will need a lot of open communication about spending (& my version if frugal) Spendthrifts scare me 

it was my first (hopefully only ) time to be text dumped and it did hurt -  however everyone deserves kindness and  communication- so I did know immediately I just needed to ‘wash that man right out of my hair’ as that repulsive  behaviour made him very unattractive - I ignored his later calls and  text - at least he spared me the phase where you both try to make it work ! 

 I know one has to mope our way of heartbreak but hopefully the spring  days coming will help speed up you getting back to fully loving and enjoying your life 

beanielou

A date?! 

Sneaked that in at the end. 

skint_spice

Hope the date goes well!

Watty1

We all noticed you sneaking in "a date" there at the end

I've been thinking a lot about frugal and I could indeed spend 18 months indoors and not go out and work hard but I'm not sure with my motley crew of animals that would really be that helpful LOL   

I once read a book about someone who worked part time and vowed to save everything for a fabulous wedding present for her brother so had a no spend year, it was motivating but one thing struck me that her friends all had to go along with her plans in order to see her and a lot of "nights out" were huge fun as they were gallery openings and so on.  I live in a village so no gallery openings LOL .  She saved a sum sufficient to buy brother and new wife life membership of the National Trust and it was inspiring but much of her savings only worked if you lived alone and were prepared to eat a lot of jam sandwiches!

This year I'm doing my own version.  I can't do a no spend year. I tried in January and it isn't an option for me but I can be more mindful of what I spend on so that will do for me.

beanielou

I think being mindful is good enough. 

pebbles01

You are quite right - we are so lucky to live in a time and place where women (I'm also female) can live independently.  I've never actually thought about it in terms of that before now, but it is a privilege.  

I think you are right in any future relationship - full and honest communication about attitudes to money.  I'm the same in that I couldn't imagine being with a spendthrift.  I love a good bargain!  

Good luck on the date!

dawnybabes

A date ? Tell us more …… hope it goes well 

PennysIntoPounds

I wouldn't worry too much about how much longer to save and not having a life for a year, you have an amazing deposit so keep on viewing places and if one takes you, get involved- you know that you'll make it work for you 

Hope the date goes well!