Prosperous soul embraces creativity & mortgage neutrality

lucielle

Grrr to bathroom tap. Well done on the mortgage overpayment. Just been informed that DD1 hasn’t moved back into her bedroom, hope she has by the time we get home. 

L

jwil

I'm with you on the making incremental changes.  

The active 10 app is quite good as a starting point: https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/get-active/

MovingForwards

Review your mortgage OPs when entering the new tax year, see if there's a spare £1 each month and increase slowly. It lets you adjust without too much of a financial shock.

Another scarf fan here, they dress up / tone down an outfit with minimal effort.

savingholmes

Thanks EH, GAP, Lucielle and jwil

Thanks for all the health and fitness tips. I'm feeling completely whacked today. My body clock just doesn't cope well with early mornings. Struggled all day despite using a flexi long break at lunch time to try and nap! I only started to feel myself after about 4pm this afternoon. I also wonder if I've had too much 'input' recently - as in too much web surfing, watching stuff, noise etc. So going to try and take it easier tonight. My brain has been overactive at sleep time. I hope to make myself go for a walk in a bit to see if that helps.

The £12 FB sale/pick up has been delayed until Friday. Hoping it still happens. In better news - £co have some cashback payable c£37. So withdrawing as an Am**** voucher. I'd just placed an order but hey it will work out.  I'm not going to immediately allocate that £ to something - as my budget feels tight at the moment - and it may help me feel I have some spare to enjoy rather than just managing. Will see how I feel later in the month. I'm going to send back the unopened thermometer I bought as I got the old one working with new batteries - so that would be about £26 coming but I've bought an electric blanket for roughly the same amount. The hope is that way I won't use my heating as much during the day while WFH. It says it costs 1p an hour to run. Will let you know how I get on.

I want to make a habit of returning mistake purchases more promptly. The one good thing about decluttering is it shines a spotlight on how much stuff we have but don't use. I want to get rid of more things. I will make up a xmas decs box for the kids / donate so I streamline how much I have. I spoke to my parents last night - about perhaps going to an event with them - and creating memories. So need to check into what's on around where they live.

Did I tell you last week that BG rang and I am stuck with the fuel split - with one going to them and one to Sh311? BG should be fully set up 20/1. No-one can confirm who is getting my credit. Will have to wait and see what happens. BG had better customer service though - so may switch to them from Sh311 when it finally goes through anyway. I don't really want two separate suppliers. Alternatively - I may use it to create 2 direct debits on a third account I'd like to switch. Need to sort some breakdown cover so I can cancel my packaged bank account... Struggling to make myself actually do it though. Also still need to get my will witnessed. May go into work tomorrow and see if someone will witness it there. It would also help with motivation and hopefully give me some social.

I checked my CC report on here the other day. It dropped to 851 from 999 - but I didn't think that was too bad considering I took out a huge mortgage, 2 CCs and switched 2 bank accounts LOL. I have a big cash box which has some CCs in. I seem to have mislaid it... hope it turns up soon - as without it - I can't cancel some cards...

savingholmes

lucielle said:

Grrr to bathroom tap. Well done on the mortgage overpayment. Just been informed that DD1 hasn’t moved back into her bedroom, hope she has by the time we get home. 

L

Hope all is well when you get home.

Viking_mfw

Hi @savingholmes ! Finally caught up with your diary. Electric blanket for wfh sounds like a great idea...

Tahlullah.H

I have been a fan of the heated throw for while - since the time half the house was removed last year, until it was rebuilt and I have continued using it.  I don't know how much it is saving me, but it has to be better than heating the whole house when I am sat still working.  Hope it works out for you.

savingholmes

Viking_mfw said:

Hi @savingholmes ! Finally caught up with your diary. Electric blanket for wfh sounds like a great idea...

Well done!! Welcome. Even I'm surprised how fast this diary is skating along... 

Tahlullah.H said:

I have been a fan of the heated throw for while - since the time half the house was removed last year, until it was rebuilt and I have continued using it.  I don't know how much it is saving me, but it has to be better than heating the whole house when I am sat still working.  Hope it works out for you.

Yes - that's what I am hoping on the electric blanket! I don't want to spend more than I have to on staying warm!

I've arranged to see my parents on my way down south early Feb - and Mum and I are going to a play. £35 each for tickets. It sounds like a modern twist on something old though so not sure how well that will go down with her but hey - it's an experience. I may overspend my 'experiences/hobbies' budget - my £30 ballet refund - when it eventually comes needs to be quite elastic at this rate as I'm then seeing my sister. I've allocated £50 in my 'eating out /days out budget' this month to help cover that. She paid for everything last time - but I don't expect her to repeat that. I paid for the new tickets on my 0% (for 23 months on purchases) card - and my parents will send me the £ for Mum's ticket. I've therefore paid £70 off the target CC to compensate as that one the 0% finishes sooner.

I want to try and keep my grocery bill down for Jan/Feb as in December I completely and utterly over-spent.

lucielle

The freezer is your friend to help with the grocery budget. 

L

boxofpaws

The money on spending time with the parents, is money well spent. You’ll never regret spending more time with them. I speak from experience.

Right, looks like I’m off to buy a heated throw now…