MF by Christmas 2024 - let's do this!

beanielou

Happy new year xx

Coxy11

Hello all,

I've just completed my self-assessment for 23/24 and it's just over £1400 that's due plus another £700 on account for 24/25 BUT as we sold the rental property on at the end of April 24 and I only worked my day job from April-Nov I doubt I'll owe anything. I'm going to set myself a reminder to do the next self-assessment in April.

Budget wise we are still on track for this month. Still a healthy food budget left - we topped up with some eggs, milk and a garlic bread yesterday at the local C00p. Dearer than a bigger store but meant we only got those bits. We were going to have a takeaway - either Chinese or fish n chips, so the £8 spent was a fraction of what it could have been for the four of us. 

Mortgage balance can now only be viewed on the NatWest app which I don't have so DH just updated me with the total outstanding. It's annoyingly £30,284 - so close to the £30k I mentioned on my last post. We pay roughly £160 net each month, so after the Feb payment it'll be just under £30k. We have already overpaid the maximum we are allowed until April 2025 year end.

We have been making a list of things to do to the new house. Every room needs decorating but luckily no wallpaper to strip, just paint to refresh. Window dressings and carpets will cost a bit though plus the en-suite is very very dated, so needs a proper reno. 

First room we tackle will be DDs bedroom. She works from home and it's very chintzy. We need to price up some items this week then once DS1 has gone back to uni, she can move into his room. Hoping to have her room done, bar the carpet, by end of January. DH (project manager by trade) will draw us up a plan of action!

Very cold and wet here in Kent today, but thankfully the little snow we had overnight had melted by the time we got up. We are having roast pork and trimmings for tea. Looking forward to that.

Suffolk_lass

I completely endorse your point about buying just the few bits you needed from your (more expensive) local store! That is why I have milk delivered. It keeps me out of the shops! (I can resist anything except temptation, I realised - it has been absolutely key in reducing grocery spend).

Coxy11

DH has had a £275 win on his first monthly PB draw. A mix of £25 and one £100 prize. My allocation just missed this months draw unfortunately so no email for me ☹️ 

As DH holds the maximum allocation the winnings will be sent to our account and I’ll pop it back into savings. 

Coxy11

Hey everyone,

Update from me. Mortgage payment came out on Friday and for a few days our balance will under £30k until the interest gets added lol. A bit of a lull atm as most direct debits etc have gone out, just waiting for British Gas and the house insurance before we next 'pay' ourselves.

We've bought a few things to make life easier here. A long handled dustpan and brush for the kitchen/utility floor which needs doing several times a day. Very unforgiving white tiles. A couple of cutlery trays (finally) for the sharp knives, serving spoons etc. A small mirror for the en suite for DH - well it's set at his height - I use one in the bedroom. New peg ring as ours were brittle and snapping off.

DH still to call someone in about the drains.... but has spent yesterday and today at DS1's helping tile his bathroom. He is also helping BIL with painting on Tuesday. If we want to complete DDs bedroom this month we need to get a move on (still not started....).

We've been looking at the garden and have some bulbs peaking through, also weeded a small patch at the front. I will do another patch of weeding when DH is at BIL's on Tuesday. Was too cold today and I wanted to finish putting together a photobook for DS2's birthday plus finish a crafting project #priorities

Food budget looking good. We have two more shops (tomorrow and next Monday) and have £225 left in the kitty. Totally doable, just need to keep out of the middle aisles and as I'm on SW again to shift the Christmas poundage we won't be buying many snacks (or at least only ones DH will eat).

A quiet week ahead, just the local pub quiz on Thursday night which we have budgetted for.

beanielou

White tiles. Eeek. I would cry. 

Coxy11

Update time!

The drains were sorted on Saturday morning - hurrah. A guy came out and stuck a camera down. About 3m under the drive there was a mesh of fibrous roots causing a 'dam' which was catching everything. He blasted it with a super jet pressure washer so hopefully that's it for a little while.

We have been to a couple of bathroom showrooms and builder BIL has given us some ideas about our ensuite which we are now mulling over. No progress on DD's bedroom yet as DS2 keeps popping home for a night here and there, and we need him to be away for a decent period so DD can move into his room. 

We have looked at standalone fridge freezers for the kitchen as currently only have 2 integrated under counter fridges and no freezer which is frustrating. BIL can get us the carcasses from H0wdens on his trade account and DH will fit them, but need to sort FF first.

The past week we have edged the lawn and cleared more beds of leaves, revealing lots of bulbs sprouting up and some plants we couldn't even see. More to do but it's looking better. DH pressure washed the patio and it's a lovely sandstone but a large area has succumbed to lichen, so he's ordered a special treatment which arrived today and will have another go. He also removed a large branch which was overhanging the entire patio, so that has really opened up the space.

Managed to order DS2's photobook and got a 50% discount. It arrived at the weekend and is fab. He will also get a chunk of money from us (as the older two did for their 21sts). We are eating out on Sunday with DD, DS1 and DIL to celebrate and will have cake and fizz back at theirs.

Food budget just squeaked over budget at £18 over. But we have food to last until Saturday night and the cut off is today, so it balances out. 

I've tried out a couple of social things - local WI, a daytime group where I'm at least 20 years younger than everyone else and they kept calling me 'Debbie' even though my name isn't Debbie and starts with a C?! Also tried knit and knatter at the local titchy library where again I'm the youngest by about 30(!) years - not even joking. There is a village community kitchen garden which DH and I will go along to next Tuesday. Sounds more like our 'thing'. 

Otherwise all ticking along here. Although the house is dated, there's nothing pressing to get started on which is almost worse than it being unliveable in some ways. 

Suffolk_lass

I was a bit reluctant to join things with people older than me and some work, others don't. I'm a bit conscious of toxic nostalgia as opposed to reminiscing. I love hearing the old stores about the village we live in but having groups run by people with no fresh ideas who have always done it this way and are not open to new people's enthusiasm will be the death of many village groups.

I have a 600mm wide FF in the kitchen (freestanding, next to the utility passage door (which we removed). The fridge is 3/5 on top of the freezer and it works well for the immediate things (frozen veg, butter, T/A trays of rice and chick peas I have cooked, ice cubes and ice cream) but we have trusty outdoor freezers (chest)  for bargain meat, fish and cakes (panetone eg) - we buy half a lamb so it is quite big. And another (upright, catering) for stuff I grow that I prep and freeze, like courgettes and rhubarb, picked in a glut, which keeps me cooking from stores and knowing where everything came from. I probably pay as much to freeze and keep them as it would cost to buy as I go but I now no sprays have been used, and no chemical residues are there

Coxy11

Time for another update.

Drains are still an issue so the company are due back here this morning for another stab at it. The appointment is from 8am-1pm. We plan to go to the community kitchen garden afterwards - joined last week and have yet to actually volunteer! Definitely hope it's £40 (£20 each) well spent as will reap the benefits of fresh fruit and veg at some point. Haven't been back to knit and natter but did pop my library book back yesterday so said hello to the group, but don't think I'll be going back tbh.

DH has an interview for a 10hr/week caretaker role at the primary school opposite our house. It's tomorrow morning and he's hopeful. I have also been offered an IV for an NHS role in mental health services. It's 4 days/week and a 12 month fixed term contract. IV on 17 Feb. A bonus is I can get there by train and I'm invested in the subject - win win.

On the house front: DH applied a special treatment to the patio and it has come up like new - honestly can't believe how amazing the Indian sandstone now looks. Hard work but worth it, and only cost £40 for the materials.

We have continued working on the garden and clearing leaves/cutting back. Looking so much better and OMG we've found so many (literally dozens) items of gardenalia - could open a shop. Some will stay, others will go (mooning gnome anyone?).

Budget wise - all looking good. I have started to partake in Prolific Surveys and earned £15 in January (only started on 20 Jan). Will continue with this as a side hustle of earning some extra cash for treats - I like nice skincare and only take £200/month for personal spends which might be a bit tight some months. I also need to pay WI subs in March for my original group, which I think is £45, so any extra is welcome. Mortgage should be under £30k when the payment goes out on 10 Feb - whoop.

 

Coxy11

Drains still not sorted. Company failed to arrive on Tuesday and again yesterday, so now expected on Saturday morning. Downstairs loo flush started failing yesterday evening, now fixed after I fiddled with it, but upstairs en suite loo is filling up to the brim!! Needs sorting asap.

As a result of having to wait in on Tuesday for the no-show, we didn't make it up to the community kitchen garden. We are going today instead.

Drumroll please.......DH has a job!!! He will be the new caretaker at the primary school opposite our house, 10 hrs/week. He is beyond excited - the happiest I've seen him in ages. Not sure when he is starting but it'll be soon, as previous job holder is unwell and retiring.