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Resourcefulness: The budgeter's friend
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Yes, if it's the same one, @Blackcats, it is quite interesting on the whole & the regularity of it means the payments are adding up. Just need to get back in the habit of engaging with my other main survey site now.
F2026's challenges: 1) To rebuild our Emergency Fund to at least £5k.
2) To read 50 books (12/50) 3) The Re-Shrinking of Foxgloves 8.1kg/30kg
Remember....if you have to put it on a credit card, extend your overdraft or take out a loan to buy whatever it is, you probably can't afford it, as that's not your money, it's somebody else's!4 -
@PennysIntoPounds - All cat food has gone up in price, plus shrinkflation on pouch size, which Soot noticed instantly, but he really doesn't like this more premium brand. Ash loves it, so no waste, otherwise it would have been a lucky local hedgehog.
F2026's challenges: 1) To rebuild our Emergency Fund to at least £5k.
2) To read 50 books (12/50) 3) The Re-Shrinking of Foxgloves 8.1kg/30kg
Remember....if you have to put it on a credit card, extend your overdraft or take out a loan to buy whatever it is, you probably can't afford it, as that's not your money, it's somebody else's!6 -
One small water saving we make is that we always stick the watering can under the kitchen tap when running water through to hot for washing up - we have a long run from the boiler so essentially get a full can each time, well worth having!🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00. Balance as at 31/12/25 = £ 91,100.00
SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her6 -
We do that in hosepipe ban seasons, @EH. It's surprising how much can be collected that way.
F2026's challenges: 1) To rebuild our Emergency Fund to at least £5k.
2) To read 50 books (12/50) 3) The Re-Shrinking of Foxgloves 8.1kg/30kg
Remember....if you have to put it on a credit card, extend your overdraft or take out a loan to buy whatever it is, you probably can't afford it, as that's not your money, it's somebody else's!4 -
Hello Sunbeams,
Today's efforts:
*A no-spend day.
*Got my daily minimum steps by being generally busy, a 2 hr gardening session & wanging the vacuum around downstairs.
*Did a few budget updates to keep the various pots straight.
*Did 3 surveys.
*Wrote a list for town on Saturday.
*Unpacked my dress pattern & cut out the pieces.
*Cleared & weeded 2 patches of garden border & planted out the rest of the cosmos (free & saved seed), dead-headed sweetpeas & had a general tidy.
*Garden pickings - a lettuce, coriander & a few baby carrots & strawberries.
Delighted to discover that there are swift chicks in 2 of our 3 swift boxes. The 3rd may also be occupied, but I haven't seen birds coming & going from that one yet. Swift boxes are around £40 but they bring a lot of interest & joy, as well as helping a red listed species if anyone has been wondering whether to get one.
I think I've got time to do a few more steps in case they put me ahead of Mr F....not that we're competitive! 😀
F x
2026's challenges: 1) To rebuild our Emergency Fund to at least £5k.
2) To read 50 books (12/50) 3) The Re-Shrinking of Foxgloves 8.1kg/30kg
Remember....if you have to put it on a credit card, extend your overdraft or take out a loan to buy whatever it is, you probably can't afford it, as that's not your money, it's somebody else's!9 -
Mr PIP and I wanted to install a swift brick but our builder seems to think the build won't meet the requirements that swift bricks need. I'm keeping my beady eye on it though! (If we even have forty or so quid left 😭😂)https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6466032/an-in-between-phase/p1
'self-blame can be as egotistical as self-praise... any work worth doing is greater than we are... we must not overrate our importance to it, either for good or ill' Margaret Kennedy Lucy Carmichael5 -
@PiP - Ours is a wooden RSPB box. Our roofline wasn't quite as high as their specifications, but we had swift nests in our old wooden fascias so knowing they were the same height, we went ahead & the swifts do return every year.
F x2026's challenges: 1) To rebuild our Emergency Fund to at least £5k.
2) To read 50 books (12/50) 3) The Re-Shrinking of Foxgloves 8.1kg/30kg
Remember....if you have to put it on a credit card, extend your overdraft or take out a loan to buy whatever it is, you probably can't afford it, as that's not your money, it's somebody else's!5 -
That is good to know, thank you. Might just wait until (if!) it's built then stick a box on and see if there are any takers.
Probably mice 😂https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6466032/an-in-between-phase/p1
'self-blame can be as egotistical as self-praise... any work worth doing is greater than we are... we must not overrate our importance to it, either for good or ill' Margaret Kennedy Lucy Carmichael4 -
@PiP - Just imagine spending £40 on it then discovering you've got a mouse box! Talking of which....spotted one scampering down our pear tree the other day. Foolhardy rodent, as we have magpies, sparrowhawks, Ash & Soot. That peanut feeder must have been tooooo enticing.
F
2026's challenges: 1) To rebuild our Emergency Fund to at least £5k.
2) To read 50 books (12/50) 3) The Re-Shrinking of Foxgloves 8.1kg/30kg
Remember....if you have to put it on a credit card, extend your overdraft or take out a loan to buy whatever it is, you probably can't afford it, as that's not your money, it's somebody else's!5 -
Would be very on-brand for our current life and the build nonsense 😁 I can't believe 'our' mouse has turned its nose up at all the peanut butter offerings in the humane traps. Still, at least Mr PIP is happy being able to sample various peanut butters!https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6466032/an-in-between-phase/p1
'self-blame can be as egotistical as self-praise... any work worth doing is greater than we are... we must not overrate our importance to it, either for good or ill' Margaret Kennedy Lucy Carmichael5
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