We will get this debt down & the savings up

dawnybabes

I’ve a smart meter with the tenticle one ! Yes they have saving sessions where the electricity is free.  I use my free coffee every week 

Makingabobor2

Afternoon all. What a horrible damp day. No rain, but just everything feels damp and there was no way the washing was going to dry on the line, so had to resort to using the dryer. Felt really guilty, but it was bedding and couldn't really hang it anywhere, and DH was in the kitchen painting the cupboards, so couldn't even get the airer up in in there.  I used the cotton economy setting though, and it did dry it in no time, and as its a heat pump one, it is more economical to run than some of the condensers etc.  Anyway, its all now dry and DH has finished doing the cupboards. Just waiting for paint to dry so he can screw the handles back on. Looking lovely and shiny white again. Good for another few years.....or when I win the lottery and get a new kitchen.   Ooh, forgot, I rarely ever do the lottery....

End of month mortgage payment went out and added a bit more OP. It is now down to £12,211  Will get that odd £11 off ASAP as hate odd amounts. Then aim to try and get at least another £200 OP by the end of the month. 

Not much more news to impart really. Got 1 more week of this budget period to go. Still got money in the petrol pot and the buffer pot, so all good there. Got a Mr S delivery due tomorrow and housekeeping pot is now empty, so hoping we will be ok the rest of the week.  I think we will, tonight is something and chips from freezer, I have chicken fillets thawing for tomorrow which will do 2 days. Then in the freezer there is salmon, sausages, some more chicken and pie. Have baking potatoes and eggs, and loads of veg to make soup, so think we should just about scrape by.  Pension day on the 11th and start of a new period.  Where are the months going? Can't believe its nearly end of the year.  Quite looking forward to the new year actually as can finally see light at the end of the tunnel for the mortgage, and once that's gone, the rest of the debts will be gone in no time. 

Surveys doing well. Got £60 from P/fc last month and am only 25p away from cashing out on Op*n*um now.  That will go into the holiday pot I think. 

Starting to get cold sat here now, but very reluctant to put the heating on yet. We did have it on for about an hour this morning as I was cutting DH's hair in the kitchen and he said it was cold for him to sit in his PJs....lol  Don't like getting cold as it makes my chest bad ever since I had pneumonia and the heart problem I have doesn't like the cold either.  Think I'll do a few thousand steps on the treadmill before dinner as I can't be bothered to go out now, and that should warm me up. 

Oh, and in dog news....the barking dog got worse and I have reported it to the council. They tell me they have already had other complaints of it and if I provide evidence they will investigate.  Last weekend it was left alone and escaped into the road, luckily a woman found it and brought it back. The owner was at work.  There is another tenant in the house and he has complained as he is a night worker and needs to sleep and when the owner goes to work, the poor dog just starts barking continually.  The other tenant has asked her to do something about it, but she is not interested. He has tried to contact the landlord, but he won't take his calls. Poor lad said he can't move out as he has a 6 month lease and nowhere else to go.  Yesterday it barked from 9.30 till just before 6pm.  RSPCA say they won't do anything unless it barks for more than 24 hours continuously!   So I'd just about had enough yesterday. The council guy was lovely and has given me the forms to fill in and there is an app for recording it barking. 

Anyway, have a good evening all. Time to pull the curtains now. 

badmemory

Who on earth thinks it is alright for a dog to bark for over 8 hours.  Yes horrible to have to listen to but that poor dog.  Shouldn't be allowed to own one.  A one off problem is one thing but day after day is just so wrong.

Mind you I am a fine one to talk as many many years ago I went out through the front door & the dog went out through the back door.  The closed glass back door.  She must have gone out of it so fast even her tail didn't have a scratch, the door wasn't so lucky obviously & I have never been so scared.  Not I hasten to add that she was ever left alone for hours but she was a little exciteable (todays understatement)

ladyholly

Oh that is awful for you, the other tenant and the dog. I hopee they do something about it soon. We had a problem round here and eventually the woman moved. we all breathed a sigh of relief.

EssexHebridean

Poor dog and poor you having to listen to it as well MaB! It's good that you aren't the only complaint, and if the other tenants in the house are also not happy, that adds some more weight to it as well. Hopefully the council will take some form of action sooner rather than later. 

Makingabobor2

Well the weekend was reasonably quiet next door as the dog owner was not at work. We were out early this morning as DH had a day off work so don't know what time it started barking today, but was barking when we got back about. 3pm. All quiet now though.  I have taken recordings on the council's app as requested. So we'll see how it goes. 

On MSE news, today was an NSD. It wasn't planned to be as I was intending to buy a coat, but we went to several places and I just can't find anything suitable. I am a stupid size.....tall and skinny with no bust or hips to speak of as I've got older and skinny legs. Size 10s in a lot f makes seem too big, but some size 8s are too tight.  These large padded coats, that quite clearly keep you warm, seem to look awful on me. Also I want something bright, pink, red, bright purple etc. They all seem to be black, dark green, horrible beige etc, which just drains me completely. If I have to grow old, I want to do it in bright colours. I have a couple of lovely bright jackets, but they just aren't warm enough.  I tried on several longer coats and think that a long padded one just makes me look like I'm wearing a duvet....lol.  So now considering a warmer jacket and maybe some fleecy leggings for the colder weather.  I can't stand my thighs feeling cold, but also don't want to look what I call the Michelin Man....you'll have to be a certain age to understand that....lol. Want to be warm, without being bulky when I'm out walking.  So back to the drawing board now and searching V*nt*d and the Bay of E again, to see if anything on there looks like it might fit. 
So I didn't buy anything else while we were out and DH treated to a coffee from his personal spends.  He asked if I wanted a cake.....but at over £3 each I declined.  When we got home I mixed up my favourite "go to" chocolate cake and while the oven was on I cooked sausages for tea later that I intend to serve with pasta and some left over sauce and the last few veggies from a bag of frozen ones.  Its all about using up what we have this week, before pension day next Monday and new budgets. 

Had 1 study on P/fc today...a measly 10p, but better than nothing I suppose. 
Last night I finally managed to cash out £25 from Op*n**m, so will wait for that to hit my account before I declare it on my signature. That will go into the holiday pot I think.

On the mortgage OP front, there may be BIG news on this soon. That's all I am saying for now, as don't want to jinx anything, but watch this space.....

Tomorrow I intend to sit down and re-do a lot of the transfers that go from my pension to the savings pots each month and the ones that come weekly out of DH's wages. Sometimes its a work in progress I think, to see what works well and I do feel that we are finally getting somewhere it all, and with the "hopefully" forthcoming news on the mortgage, we may get the rest of the debts paid off a lot sooner than we thought. 

Well think its time I got some dinner and see what's on TV tonight.  DH says its cold in the lounge....its always cold in the lounge.  We may have to put the gas fire on for an hour. At least we haven't had the heating on today. Although we did have it on a couple of hours yesterday, as it was really cold here.  We are currently over £300 in credit, so will see how it looks when next reading is due round the 17th. 
Have a good evening all. 

Sun_Addict

I’m the same with coats, I’m very petite and most just swamp me so I look like a walking coat 🤣 All these teddy bear and padded coats just look daft on me. I also prefer bright colours like you. 

ladyholly

I am definitely not slim and if I wear a padded or furry coat I look like a yeti. I am not sure who they are supposed to suit. I like bright colours but dont wear them as at my size I prefer to melt into the background. Who am I kidding - melt into the background?

Blackcats

Fingers crossed that your potential mortgage good news happens.  Is it linked to your 10p survey today? 🤣

foxgloves

I don't like those quilted coats either. Why would I pay money to look like a fat nacker wearing a sleeping bag? Boring colours too.