Pay off mortgage and start having even more fun 😁

South_coast

Ouch 😱😱😱 I always thought you were a bit outside of Greater London, you must live by a different shopping centre to the one I thought it was (not that my musings help you in any way, just thinking aloud 🤦‍♀️!)

We could all crowdfund you a pushbike?

Moneyfordreams

That definitely is an ouch!! 
I'm hit by how the lower incomes will struggle with work. Is there a way around it? My sister lives in Kingston and uses her car as part of her job role? 

newgirly

Hi sc, it probably near the essex shopping centre you are thinking of 😉 we used to be officially in essex and now it’s a London borough. 

There’s no real exemptions except delays for the disabled snd a few other reasons. Even the scrap page £2k allowance is only for disabled and low income/benefits 😟

Not sure what to do yet, I’m thinking old banger until mortgage free, dh can use the electric van for work and we don’t NEED a car, but I really don’t want to not have one, I think I’d go crazy without  unless we really had to 😩 

South_coast

newgirly said:

Hi sc, it probably near the essex shopping centre you are thinking of 😉 we used to be officially in essex and now it’s a London borough. 

Ah, you are where I thought then - it was definitely in Essex last time I went there 🤦‍♀️!

newgirly

 Not much to report except the Tesco delivery was £1.52 cheaper than expected so remaining budget is £1298.13 / £1800 - £501.87 remaining now. 

Looks like best friend and I are also taking another friend (the one who’s just moved back from Thailand) with us to York in December, not booked anything yet, but think it may be more sitting in the pub than seeing sights, we will see! I shall book York minster though as I LOVE it there and still have a pass from earlier in the year, plus it’s always handy for the toilet 😆 

Dh is off this weekend, Friday we went to mums with most of the kids for a takeaway (and I took food instead 😆) yesterday we went to the In-laws , we did take flowers and pannetone but dh paid for that with his personal spending money, as he also did when he ordered us pizza delivery last night 🙂 I did get 50% off from the tastecard that comes free with the cineworld pass. This morning we are going to the cinema to see Bones and all with ds2 and dil, so another no spend day for me, I shall take my own cup of tea with me , they don’t care! 

Been looking at old bangers online and I’m fairly sure we will do that, our car is big fast and comfy like an old armchair so I think if we ever spend any money on a new (ish) car it would have to be also ticking some of those boxes which would be expensive. So I think I’ll keep my eye out for anything that looks ok between now and next august that’s dirt cheap and drivable. 

Then we should fingers crossed only have 24 months left on the mortgage….

CathT

The car decision sounds sensible, I can't believe the charges though! Our car is on PCP and I'm debating trading it in early for a smaller cheaper version but we both love the car. Need to get out of PCP asap too. We're rarely all together at the same time though and it s a bit big just for work commutes and football runs. 

I look forward to seeing your 2 year plan. 

newgirly

Hi Cath, long time no see, I hope you are all well 🙂 
Car prices seem to be so high now, I can see why you want to reduce especially if it’s cheaper to run. 

Payday and dh seems to have extra money, clearly not from his evil employer so I’ve Googled it and maybe it’s a reversal of a NI rise? I think it’s about an extra £17 odd, either way it’s not often you have unexpected money 😆 I shall spend it on something useless and festive I think, either some fresh pine branches or maybe some Xmas food or drink treats, it’s not really allowed in the £1800 challenge but I fancy some Xmas cheer 😬

Our living room is terribly sparse this year, we normally have a massive multicoloured tree covered in mismatched decorations, this year I’ve moved the brown blossom tree that’s in the conservatory all year round to the living room and but a few baubles on it, the kitten has made it very difficult 😂 Popped a few less sentimental or unbreakable bits out but it’s not our usual effort! 

newgirly

Well I spent the extra on some carnations which I shouldn’t have bought with the cat (will shut in a room she doesn’t go in!) and ordered a second hand lace next top from Vinted for £5.20 delivered to wear Xmas day and when out for dinner in york. 

 Ds1 is back from his weekend in Amsterdam with girlfriend and asked if she can move in for a few weeks in January, her landlord is evicting her and her two friends, they are south London and it’s a flat which costs £3k a month, they are selling apparently and it’s worth millions now their rent was “cheap”! They are viewing another flat tomorrow so it will be temporary having her stay.

Payday and the money shuffle is done, will update the monthly figures asap 😬

newgirly

💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙 MONTH 2 OF THE 33 MONTH CHALLENGE 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙

Start balance 1st October 2022 £61,452.11 

Balance today £58,918.83

Total reduction since month one £2533.28

Total reduction this month £1296.58 

Also the planned £560 has gone in the cruise saving pot for the northern lights cruise next Nov. 

The planned extras I wanted to achieve this month are hit and miss! The Xmas pot for York with dh was filled and then emptied due to unexpected cat purchase and paying for dil’s private mri scan (along with money saved from cancelling a weekend to Poland). 

 

The girls Xmas day out pot was filled though (£60) we are doing crazy golf, dinner and a film. 

It’s felt like a tricky month, but at the end of it the planned overpayments were made as was the holiday savings so I guess it’s a success, two months down and 31 to go 😬

newgirly

It’s been a couple of no spend days in terms of the £1800 budget, however in reality it’s been very much a big spend day today 😬 I had an email from the cruise company that bookings are open for excursions on our northern lights cruise next November. Ten minutes later one had already sold out and so we have booked all the ones we wanted borrowing from the money I’ve saved to pay some of the balance, it’s not as bad as it’s sounds as I can cancel and get refunds if we can’t afford them next year 🙄 but I didn’t want to risk them selling out as the trips are the reason we booked. So here’s the cost if anyones interested and it’s not very moneysaving…

• Husky adventure £189 each 😱
• Day trip over the Atlantic Ocean road £104 each 
• Northern lights talk and then nighttime search £150 each 
• Arctic cathedral evening recital £55 each 

So this is what I need to find in the next year as well as some money for parking and drinks on top, it’s a lot to find on a budget 🤞