We will get this debt down & the savings up

Makingabobor2

Glad I'm not the only one who doesn't like big quilted coats. And why do designers think we all want such dreary colours in winter? Surely we need cheering up, and black & yukky green, just doesn't do that. When we were out yesterday, there were so many women in black leggings with black coats! Hate it. 

@Blackcats....lol yep the 10p will go along way to help. 

Well, I need to get on with my morning, as I have a long list to get through, including ...
Some financial stuff
Taking stuff to CS
Ordering DH a shirt for Christmas
Tidying understairs cupboard
Need to wash towels, but sadly no chance of them drying outside

Have a good day everyone

Makingabobor2

Well in the spirt of trying to post more regularly, I'm here again. 

The day seemed to go by very quickly, but I managed to take the stuff to the CS and even found a birthday present for DGS4 while I was in there, for his birthday in 11 days time, only £3.50. Already got him some books from there the other week, so just need to add a few ££ and he's all set.   Also found a lovely little Christmas gift box that will do just right for DH's gift, was only 50p, and as I'll be using it for him, he will give it back to me to go in the stash of gift bags etc. 
*Towels are washed, but no chance of them drying outside so had to use the dryer as there were  too many to have hanging around damp. Used the econ dry program though and it didn't take too long. Dryer all cleaned out and water emptied. 
*Hoovered  through, even though it wasn't on my list to do, as I had to get the hoover out to suck the air out of some storage bags to put the garden chair covers away in the under stairs cupboard. They had been sat in the dining room for a few weeks and I can't see us using them again for a few months. So all put away and cupboard tidied.  
*Also got up on a stool to reach the top of the cupboard above the wardrobe and finally put the 2 small cases away, that had been sat on the landing since we got back from holiday. Found an old pillow that was past its best, so have had to chuck that.  Its a pity you can't take pillows to the CS

* Started sorting out my financial stuff, but as a lot of it is reliant on what should hopefully happen with the mortgage soon, I am leaving the finalising of all my changes until towards the end of the year and just made a few small changes for pension day next week.  In the mean time, will still keep plugging away at OPs.  Down to £12,200 now.
Decided to increase the house keeping budget by an extra £20 every 4 weeks. Just to see if it helps. I've also started a "Stock up and refills " savings pot, as when I go to the refill shop, I tend to spend quit a bit, but only go every few weeks, so taking it from normal housekeeping budget wasn't working too well.  

Studies & surveys have been a bit bad today. One on 1P*ll and just 50p on P/fc. Don't know what its gone so slow lately again. 

Been browsing all the supermarket apps as I can't seem to get Oatibix anywhere at the moment, everywhere is out of stock.....world wide shortage!!! I can't eat Weetabix as it upsets my IBS.  Also Almond milk was OOS on last week's Mr S delivery.   It seems that Mr M has both in stock at the moment, which they didn't at the weekend. So will nip down there 1st thing.  At least I am not spending any extra, as have the money left over that I didn't spend on the S delivery. 

DH messaged me from work to ask if we had a birthday card in stock that I could dig out for his sister.  We stopped sending cards to each other a few years ago, but for some reason he wants to send her one this year.   Even though he hardly ever speaks to her or sees her.  Luckily I have several cards in my stash, so all he needs to do is get a stamp. 

Well need to get on now. Pulling the curtains and putting the lamp on in the lounge. Its so much warmer and cosier her in the kitchen.  Dinner tonight is Sunday's left overs, chicken and veg, chopped up, some sauce or something added to it and as they say......"Bob's your uncle"! 
Then an hour or so of TV and early bed to read a few more chapters of my latest library book. Currently have 1 more library book waiting and about 5 CS ones, so plenty to keep me going. Its a pity we don't all live local to each other and we could have a book, clothes and houseware swapping party. 

Its strange how all of a sudden I seem to be much more into MSEing and posting more. I just seem to be much more organised all of a sudden.....long may it last.  

Oh and the next door dog has spent a good few hours barking this afternoon, all recorded. Quiet now as I think someone has come home next door to keep him company. 
oops, spoke too soon, he has just started up again!

Have a good evening all. 

ladyholly

i f you have fireworks going off near you it could be them that is setting your neighbours dog off. Our Bear is barking every time he hears one and I spoke too soon yesterday saying there hadnt been many. They are making up for them tonight..

Makingabobor2

ladyholly said:

i f you have fireworks going off near you it could be them that is setting your neighbours dog off. Our Bear is barking every time he hears one and I spoke too soon yesterday saying there hadnt been many. They are making up for them tonight..

No its not just the fireworks. It barks for hours at a time every time she goes to work. 

Makingabobor2

Well a good today I think.  2 wash loads done on 30c and it was breezy enough and the path was dry, to hang it outside. didn't dry 100% obviously, as we had no sun at all, but it was a good 80-85% dry, so won't take long to finish off indoors. 
I have also stripped the bed, put the clean covers on, hoovered downstairs, wiped all the surfaces in lounge, steamed the kitchen floor, washed all the dishes and cleaned the sides down, emptied all the bins and cleaned the loos. So I feel like I am on a roll now. 

I've had a couple of P/fc studies, and should have some to cash out tonight. Keeping an eye on how much I make on surveys now, as I don't want to have to pay tax. So if I get close to the £1K as end of March approaches, I will not do any for a while until next tax year.  Which is a shame, but not worth risking having to pay tax, or get into trouble if I didn't declare it. 

Made another mortgage OP today, so its down to £12,100 now. It still looks as though the thing I mentioned before, will happen, so we can hopefully make a massive OP and I am now aiming to get it finished by the end of the year...which would be 18 months earlier than the term.  Don't want to say anymore yet and jinx things. But am very hopeful, positive and determined....and just a little bit excited.  Then we can concentrate on some F&Fs for the other debts and start saving a bit more as well. 

Dinner tonight is jacket potato, so an easy one there.  DH will have some tuna mayo on his probably, or maybe ham & cheese. I might just do some veggies to top mine with. Not feeling that hungry and not in a cooking mood today for some reason.  I'm tired today.  Woke up in the night at 2am and took ages to get back to sleep.   Did some treadmill exercise earlier to try and make me feel better, and jot about to do an online class, but could still do with a bit more to reach my steps target for the day. 

Well, best go and sort things out and decide what we want to catch up with on TV after dinner.  Still not seen GBBO this week, or Monday's edition of Hardacres, which I am enjoying.  

Have a good evening everyone. 

Sun_Addict

Sounds very exciting that you may have the mortgage paid off soon 😀

Makingabobor2

Sun_Addict said:

Sounds very exciting that you may have the mortgage paid off soon 😀

Thanks, yes it is. I don't want to talk in too much detail about it yet, in case it jinxes it in some way, but I am quietly confident and ready to celebrate.  

Sarahwithlove

That's great news I'll quietly keep my fingers crossed for you 

Makingabobor2

Just a quick update as today is the first day of new 4 week budget period.  All monies transferred to various pots and an extra £200 OP sent to mortgage.  
Done a freezer audit and just about to write a meal plan before I go shopping tomorrow, as don't think I will need too much "dinner" stuff this week, mainly fruit/veg, butter, bread and pantry stock up stuff I think  There seems to be 2 lots of diced chicken, some salmon, chicken fillets and sausages in the freezer. Also plenty of rice, pasta, etc, so hoping for a not very expensive shopping bill tomorrow.  

Walked to the local C00p earlier to take some plastic for recycling and managed to nab 3 packets of crumpets orange stickered to 5p each and some lovely flowers stickered down to £1.88, plus I had a 50p voucher. So good bargains there. They are currently having a refurb in the C00p and seem to be reducing things down a lot more than they used to. Maybe its not selling as they keep moving stuff around and people can't find anything.  Think it will be loads better when its finished though.  

2 washing loads done today and hung out to dry.  Was almost dry when I brought it in, so won't take long now, especially as I have just relented and put the heating on for an hour.  Started to get really cold feet and nose, even after a lovely sunny day.  Probably because I have been sat at the laptop a while doing surveys and admin. 

£8.50 cashed out from P/fc today, so about to send some to the 1p a day challenge, as I fell behind a bit on that and the plan was for it to pay for our cottage away at Christmas, and balance is due on Dec 1st.  I have almost all of it, so shouldn't be a problem.

Think that's about it for today.  Off to get dinner now...yesterday's left overs, turned into a stew. 

Makingabobor2

Evening all, just a quick update as I have been AWOL since Monday.  
All good here so far.
Tuesday I went grocery shopping and found some great orange stickered items in L*d!, all things I could incorporate into my meal plans and able to freeze  So although they were not on my original list, they mean that I won't have to go shopping next week. Which is good as DH has a week off work for his birthday.  No plans other than shampooing the carpet one day and going out a few places for walks if weather is nice....although its looking like being either wet or cold! 
Orange stickered items were salmon x 2 pkts, minced turkey, diced chicken, 2 loaves of the lovely malted loaf that we like.  Also spent enough to get free fruit item, so chose the large tub of blueberries, and also a free bakery item, got a Belgian bun for DH as they are his favourite.

Was very upset to see I still can't get Oatibix anywhere in this area. Think it must be a nationwide thing, as I read someone down south saying they can't find them either.  Hope they are not being discontinued as I can't eat Weetabix as it upsets my IBS and I can't stand porridge....makes me heave. No idea why. Even if I flavour it with honey, or chocolate or something. Its like eating that glue we used to make at school with flour and water!

Washing has all almost dried on the line this week, and only needed a bit of finishing off inside. 

Trying not to put heating on too much, but it really is getting cold now.  Our next reading/bill is due at the weekend, so will see how much we have spent!  I can't stand being cold though, it just makes me feel bad. 

Found a top for DGS4's birthday tomorrow for £2 in Mr S, so added that to the 2 CS bits I'd got him and will add £10 so DD can save it for something he might want later.  He will be 3, so has far too many toys and doesn't appreciate lots of clothes like the older ones do.  Found a birthday bag to put it in, so saved there. I have a big stash of them, but a lot of them are flowery and girly. Luckily this one just said Happy Birthday all over it. 

Tonight's dinner is always chips on a Friday....done in AF, but DH normally likes a pie....the one day he eats UPF and not something healthy for his dinner.   But there was a sausage roll in the freezer that from where he brought some home from work a while ago, that someone had taken in and they had some left over.  So almost a free dinner for him, I will have a piece of salmon. So just need a few veggies and some mushy peas for DH....I hate them!
He had a couple of cheap lunches this week as well, as one of his colleagues brought him a pork pie from the Iron Bridge museum shop.  I tried a small slice and must admit, it was a very nice pie.  Pork pie salad, made a change from his normal sandwiches. 

Today I whipped round and cleaned everywhere, in the hope I don't have to do too much housework next week when he's off work.  Stripped the bed and washed the bedding, hoovered, cleaned all the surfaces, deep cleaned the kitchen sides, underneath the AF and MW and cleaned out the toaster....a lot of crumbs!  Emptied the VAX and washed the filter and charged the battery.  

Studies on P/fc have been a bit slow again. Nothing yesterday, as they had a technical fault apparently and everything I tried to get on, didn't work.  One came up today, but when I went into it, it wouldn't let me continue.  Done a couple on 1P*!! but that's it.  Still waiting for my £25 from Op*n**m to hit the bank. Been 12 days so far. Hoping it doesn't take much longer. 

That's about it for today. Have a good evening everyone