We will get this debt down & the savings up

foxgloves

Awww, @Makingabobor2 - I know you were enthusiastic about setting up your shiny new money book, it must be so annoying not to be able to write in it. 
We have just increased our thermostat from 18 to 18.5 & found it is making a noticeable difference to room warmth. When the sun is shining on the front of the house, or we have had the oven on, we are finding that the temperature stays at or above 18.5 & so the boiler doesn't trigger on for the central heating, but generally, we have quite a draughty house. I have reminded Mr F twice this week about sitting around in a t-shirt, as he stopped that habit last winter & it doesn't need to be returning. I am strict about not even considering additional heating if there is anyone sitting around in summer gear saying that they are chilly. He's not really a chilly mortal tbf, but I just noted that there were a couple of occasions when he was contemplating lighting the stove before seeing if more sensible attire would solve the problem......which it did! 
F x

Keedie

Sorry to hear about your wrist @Makingabobor2, but glad that you're able to write and do more. Don't pressure yourself though, as it can sometimes take a while to heal. 

I definitely love my air fryer and it has really helped to cook a variety of things in there. Not sure about energy use, but it has saved me trying to use the oven that much as it is ridiculously slow and old and doesn't get very hot. But £211 is a crazy jump in energy, but the main thing is that you have credit on your account and if you needed the heating on when you did, then it's not a waste.

I think the MSE notifications are a bit off as I've not had them for a couple of days and I usually get them whenever someone posts on the Payment a Day thread as I set that one up. But I hadn't noticed the absence of them until I saw your message lol.

EssexHebridean

Aww MaB welcome back - I'm afraid I can't help you on the notifications question either as I don't use them! 

My multicooker has definitely had the airfryer mode used more than any other at the moment so I'm sure you will get on well with yours. Works a treat for crisping up the outside of a jacket potato, as a starting point! 

Makingabobor2

Well airfryer is supposed to be delivered today, but they keep changing the time. I didn't go out for a walk earlier as it was due, then they changed it to 1.30-4.30 and now changed again saying before 9pm!   Still at least I got out in the garden with a broom and managed to sweep up some leaves for the garden waste bin. I'm sure that helped my wrist a bit.
just been browsing for the liners to go in the airfryer. Seems silicone is recommended as lts not like to catch fire if it blows into the fan. But apparently it tends to not crisp the food so much and retains more fat. Also the parchment ones create more waste...its like a minefield.   Then I think I should get some racks for it as well. I'll wait till it arrives first and decide what I think before I order any accessories.  But I am hoping I can do cakes, bread and all sorts in it, not just frying...which TBH, we don't eat much fried food. I'm sure it will do great salmon though, which is something we do eat a lot of and hoping to roast chicken in it as well. 

So today a letter dropped through the post from mortgage company, saying we had missed a payment and were in arrears!!!!!!   I new this couldn't be true, we have never, ever missed a mortgage payment in 26years, despite all the other debts we accrued. 
So I was straight on to the banking app and also the mortgage app, both showing the last payment having come out on 31st Oct, as normal. 
So I got straight on the phone, which is like getting blood out of stone trying to get through security questions etc.  So he said his screen showed an arrear of £589.....the letter they had sent us said £699.   But the payment is £783 a month! so none of it makes any sense. I told him we had had paid and their app showed that as well, he then said he could see the payment that had gone through on the 31st.  He could also see all the overpayments I had made as well.  Then something about one of the sub accounts (we'd added on some extra borrowing many years ago for double glazing), had been closed and then re-opened and asked if I had requested it to be closed. Of course we hadn't!!  So he went through to his tech dept and ended up saying they are going to do a full investigation to see what has been going on and will let us know. Although the total we owe appears to be correct, his screen still shows an arrears, even though the app doesn't!  Think I need compensation for all the stress it caused me..lol

Only 1 small P/fc study today, although I did cash out over £11 yesterday. And on the bright side, today is a NSD
I've been good with the heating today as well, so far only had it on about 3 hrs this morning. So hoping we can keep it off and just stick gas fire on in the lounge later if its too cold, as that uses a lot less, its one of those lovely living flame ones with the coal that looks real and has an eco setting. TBH, I don't know why I didn't use it when I was sat in there feeling chilly with my arm in plaster.....obviously my injury had affected my capacity to think properly...lol

Today's dinner is yesterday's left over (chicken fillets and veg), heated up with half a jar of left over sweet & sour and a naan bread.   So very minimal cooking needed there. 
Signing off now, as my wrist hurts. 
Have a good evening all
Anyone watching I'm a Celebrity?

Makingabobor2

Afternoon diary readers.  Wet and gloomy today, but been busy in the kitchen starting to declutter cupboards and clean....as best I can with dodgy wrist, so I was quite warm all day and  not really needed heating on apart from couple of hours first thing.  Also I got myself a lovely warm fleece from that Bay of E, especially for wearing indoors and its super toasty. From the Warehouse of the Great Hill and a lovely bright pink. Absolute bargain at £6.  Anyway, after my start at decluttering, I have put some bits we no longer want into a box and will offer them on the free local FB group once I've finished. 

Air Fryer was delivered and I am impressed with it, although I overloaded it the first time I used it, so it took longer than I was expecting. Need to remember to put smaller portions in, or longer cooking time. I bought an accessory set, but not sure about the silicone liners? Anyone else tried them? I thought they would keep the trays clean, which they do, but I wonder if they stop the air circulating so well.

Listed a couple of things on FBMP, but one chap let me down after I stayed in yesterday afternoon for him to collect.  However I did make £20 on another item....will update signature in a bit.

Tomorrow my plan is to sit down and start looking at budgets for next year and listing what we need to save for and plan for making more F&F payments for debts. I think I have the mortgage OP's under control now, so time to look at those F&Fs a bit more. We seem to be getting letters from all creditors now offering good deals if we can afford them, and  I suspect more in the new year, so will hopefully take advantage of them. Especially as there is quite a substantial rise in state pension in April.  Must say, I am very glad that DH is still working and has had a decent pay rise this year, which has helped no end. So time for me to make even more big plans now, for debts down and savings up.  Hoping to actually be able to come up with a date for DF & MF, although it might take a bit of thought to be accurate. 
Yesterday DH put me up a couple of shelves in the kitchen, from some old wood he had saved....white to match the cupboards, and it is just right for keeping my budget book, my Nancy Birtwhistle book ( have asked Santa (DH) for 2 more), and my recipe folder on. Since we bought our new (2nd hand) kitchen table and chairs and got the radiator moved, I have spent a lot more time sitting in the kitchen, so much more warm & cosy and feels like my little HQ now for doing everything and means i don't put the heat on so much by having to sit in the cold lounge. DH says we should get a TV in here as well and we'd probably never move after dinner....lol.   Not sure where we'd put one TBH. He said on the wall, but I'm not keen on that idea....we'll see.  

In other money saving news, I got a £3 voucher from Mr S when I reported a couple of dented tomato tins and 3 bendy parsnips in the delivery.  So that was way more than the cost of the items, very grateful for that and will go towards the Christmas delivery, which should also have nectar points to add to it as well.  I left it a bit late booking my slot for Christmas and can't get anything after 20th....hey ho, it should be fine. Meat is ordered from the butcher to collect on 23rd and DH will take me to the veg man at the local garden centre on 23rd as well.....I still won't be able to drive by then apparently....

Anyway, that's all for today, just had a very frugal cup of tea.....ginger, honey & lemon and I use the tea bags about 6 times at least as don't like it strong. 

Have a good evening everybody

Edited to add that I just cashed out £5.92 from P/fc

Makingabobor2

So the start of a new month and TBH, I am actually looking forward to the new year, as I want to start all sorts of new savings pots and plans for debt busting etc, but leaving it all till I have more time at end of month to sort out.  
This month is going ok, I am actually in week 3 of my budget period.....just to confuse people...lol.  I work it as a 4 week period, starting on pension day. As DH gets paid weekly still, this fits ok. 
Yesterday the winter fuel payment hit the bank, along with the extra cost of living payment that the Govt are paying. Wasn't expecting to get that, thought it was only for people on pension credit or something. But it turns out that as I was born before a certain date, I qualify, regardless of the fact that DH still works.  So very grateful for that. 

Paid some more OP off the mortgage today, only a little bit, the bigger extra chunk goes over on pension day. Its lovely to see the total going down, it motivates me to pay more. 

Added up what I've spent on GKs Christmas presents and just need something extra for DGS4, as he was way under the others. DD says it doesn't matter as he is only 2 and won't know, but I will know and that is the point. Found him a couple of bits on the Bay of E, which is always useful...Nectar points as well. 

Off to a good start to the month with £5 on SB surveys hitting the PP account today. Just waiting for some to approve on P/fc. Need to have a go at some of the others as well, seem to have lost focus on 1P*ll & Qm**

Walked to the Village earlier....yes it was way too cold, but had to go to the PO.  Found a lovely Christmas jigsaw for £1.75, so will start on that next week soon as I've finished the one on the board at the moment. Also got DH 3 books for £1 each to put by for Christmas, all by his fav author of the moment, Lee Childs. My dad gave him a pile of then earlier in the year and he's really enjoying reading them. Luckily these were ones he hasn't read. They had a few others, but I couldn't remember which ones he had, so will take a photo, and then go back next week and see if there's any more. 

Time for some exercise for my wrist now, before getting dinner.  Had my hospital appointment on Weds and Dr says its healing ok, but may get pain for several months yet. Sometimes it just won't go in the direction i want it to and still doesn't bend properly, but physio is helping, next appointment for that is next week.  It always hurts more at this time of day, after I've done things all day. think typing isn't helping actually, must try not to type so much

Have a good evening everybody. 

Sun_Addict

I work to a 4 week budget period too, I find it much easier than monthly. Mr SA used to get paid weekly when he worked so I got into the habit years ago. 

Glad your wrist is healing well it takes time to get back to normal. I still have trouble with my ankle 7 years down the line. 

Blackcats

Glad that your wrist is beginning to heal.  

I smiled when I read that you didn't want to use your left hand and make untidy entries into your budget book.  I'd be exactly the same - I like my budget folder to be neat and tidy, so much so that I sometimes write things out "in rough" before making a neat version for the folder.  OH laughed at me with my ruler, coloured pens and dividers when I started prepping 2024 pages.  It confirmed his speculation that I must have been a girly swot at school.  

Makingabobor2

Blackcats said:

Glad that your wrist is beginning to heal.  

I smiled when I read that you didn't want to use your left hand and make untidy entries into your budget book.  I'd be exactly the same - I like my budget folder to be neat and tidy, so much so that I sometimes write things out "in rough" before making a neat version for the folder.  OH laughed at me with my ruler, coloured pens and dividers when I started prepping 2024 pages.  It confirmed his speculation that I must have been a girly swot at school.  

I'm the same   coloured pens & ruler. DH can"t understand why I even need a book & don't do it all on computer. I have a spread sheet for the joint acc with all the DDs & SOs and another for the debts, but I still need my book. 

ladyholly

Pen and paper is king!!!