MF by Christmas 2024 - let's do this!

Coxy11

Time for an update.

DD's bedroom - DH and BIL (carpenter) spent the day yesterday doing the architrave and skirting board, plus bought and installed wood for a panelled effect on some of the walls. The price of wood!!! Anyway, this is progress as DH has largely ignored it for the past week or so as lacked motivation. We will pay BIL as he's self-employed and could have taken other jobs. Have also ordered shutters for both DD and DS2's bedrooms. Chose UK-made ones (Team UK!!) and they are on a 6 week lead time, which is better for us.

One of the 2 under counter integrated fridges (ridiculously small for a family home) has a freezer box which doesn't shut, so it frosted up and the door wouldn't shut properly. DH defrosted it yesterday and now we will stop using it, just using the fridge element. Our plan is to replace both with cupboards and get a standalone big fridge freezer next month.

The garden is really coming into it's own with lots of colour. We haven't bought much, just a few pelargoniums to replace some in pots by the front door. Everyday there is something different to see which is lovely. We need to order two bulk bags of pea shingle for the driveway/path plus I'd like a new house sign for the wall as the original one is very groovy 80's style-y. Both of those things will be ordered end of April.

We've switched our mortgage rate with NW as it was due in May and they kept messaging us. New rate is fixed for 2 years at 4.58% - we'd previously been on a tracker rate. Mortgage amount now stands at £29,800 ish. 

The large ticket items above will be ordered at the end of the month as we are away at the end of this week until just after Easter. Going to Devon and Cornwall as DSis and I are completing the last 170 miles of a charity hike. 

Job-wise - Have been into the office this week (3 days). Enjoying it so far. DH is enjoying the 30 second commute to the school caretaker job and has also been offered 6 hours/day, 3 days a week (same 3 days as me) as a yardman at DS1's firm. He starts end of April. All three PT jobs combined mean a household income of £30k-ish which is just perfect. Means we have some days to go out/do stuff to the house plus the means to spend without worrying too much. Win win.

Oh and some PB wins this month saw us £225 better off - whoop!

beanielou

All good then. 

Suffolk_lass

Rather than all pea shingle (which is exactly the right size to get picked up in the tread of wellington boots, walking boots and many trainers), you could try half and half with 20ml stone. It's a negligible price difference and a lot less likely to be brought into the house and deposited around (or trodden on in slippers) - no need to ask how I know this...!

Coxy11

Gosh  finally found my MFW diary on page 5, so I'm clearly in need of an update!!

• Mortgage monthly amount has reduced slightly now we've ported to another deal. DH to update total amount owed but c.£29,500.
• Wins on the PB this month = £150 between us.
• I've managed to finish my charity hike (John O'Groats to Lands End) - total of 92 days, 1200 miles, c£17k raised for MH charities in memory of my nephew. Just spend the last 2.5 weeks walking in Devon and Cornwall and finished in LE on Saturday. Tiring but glad to have done it.
• Budget a bit all over the place due to spends whilst we were away and no way of updating our spreadsheet. Will tackle that over the next few days and reset as got paid today.
• DD's bedroom ceiling and walls were plastered this week, so DH will get on and finish sanding the windows on Saturday.
• Shutters for DD and DS2's bedroom windows on a lead time of 4 weeks, so need to get on with decorating.
• Still need to order DD's radiator and sort a carpet (it's on two levels and we have wood flooring for one level) plus order the paint.
• Got paid for my new job but it's wrong as they have me contracted to work 3.38hrs more per week than I'm actually doing. Did email LM about this on 3 April but she's not done anything about it grrrr.
• DH has started his second yardman role and has done Tue-Thur this week to learn the ropes - he'll normally do Mon, Wed, Fri like me. He's off tomorrow and cannot wait!
• Garden now coming into it's own and looking lush. 
• Need to get back to the community kitchen garden but I have no car today so will have to wait until the weekend. A group of home-educating mums have joined and take their children, which is all fine apart from they don't actually 'teach' them anything except running amok and building dens. I'm not anti-children but this does grate somewhat. Might try to go on a day when they are not there!!

@Suffolk_lass good point about the aggregate. I'm still to order it (and the new house sign) but will bear that in mind!

Coxy11

Update time!

• Mortgage now stands at £29,420
• Wins on PB for April - £300 between us
• DD's bedroom almost finished - walls, woodwork and ceiling painted, window frames sanded and varnished, top section carpeted, lower section 75% wood flooring is down. Hoping to finish the flooring this weekend. New radiator installed.
• DS2's bedroom ceiling plastered and coving installed.
• Shutters for both bedrooms now ready and fitters want to come 16 June BUT we aren't ready for DS2's yet so will stall them for hopefully two weeks.
• My overpay from work was sorted in payday last week so now on an even keel.
• DH enjoying his two part time roles. My role is busy and so glad it's only part time. I'm enjoyed the two NWD's each week.
• Garden looking fab, although we are doing No Mow May which will be rectified this weekend.
• Community kitchen garden is a joy - was there yesterday and brought home mutant rhubarb, chives and fresh mint. Hoping for strawberries next week. 
• Front hedges trimmed back today and looking a bit bare, but has made a huge difference to the footpath width which the school children use.
• New house sign and aggregate to be ordered still.....
• Have found a free standing fridge freezer with Blue Light discount, so will check the measurements this weekend and order. 

Coxy11

Gosh, it's been a while. My Dad paid an unexpected visit for three weeks, so all house improvements were on hold......

Time for an update:

• DD's bedroom shutters fitted and all furniture moved back in/rearranged. Only things left to do is the beading around the wooden floor - have done behind the wardrobes but need to finish the rest. Also need to make and secure a room divider/bookcase, and tile around the vanity basin.  Will hope to do the flooring and bookcase this weekend. Still need to source tiles.
• DS2's bedroom windows sanded and varnished and shutters fitted. Carpet architrave and skirting removed and taken to the household waste site. Still need to paint, buy and install new radiator, and fit flooring. DS2 has returned from Uni so is sleeping in the dining room/home office which isn't ideal but hopefully not for long.
• New house sign ordered and should be arriving today. May be installed tomorrow or over the weekend depending on how DH is feeling.
• Still to order aggregate.
• Fridge Freezer out of stock so have set up an alert for when new stock arrives. Still struggling on with two titchy rubbish fridges.
• Community kitchen garden continues to delight - have visited twice this week and we are helping at the open day on Saturday. Rewards this week have been 1kg of broad beans, 6 large garlic bulbs, 8 beetroots, golden beans, chard, tenderstem brocolli, spring onions, strawberries and raspberries. Just lovely.
• Our garden is looking good BUT loads of watering required due to the hot weather and many pots (c. 30 at last count). However we still love it.
• Premium bonds for June draw netted £350 and July draw £600 between us, which is great.
• And......saving the best til last......we have been gifted some money from ILs so have made the max overpayment allowed on the mortgage. Mortgage balance now at £23,290. Savings pots topped up and my Premium Bonds topped up to the max too.

Suffolk_lass

How lovely to hear that your in-laws have gifted you money to help. We also had premium bonds win this month. I won £550 (never had a £500 win before) and DH had £100

In out last house that had skirting boards (this one has a base of render under wooden plate) the builder pointed out the the decorative panel in the show rooms (lounge and dining room, hallway and first staircase) matched the decorative mouldings on the internal doors. We had a section of skirting removed, stripped and used as the template for reinstating the mouldings on the doors between the two rooms (they were 8'6) and the mouldings were important to stop them twisting and made good in both rooms. The study, kitchen and bedrooms had a much simpler board with only the top part of the more decorative ones. Naturally, I now notice these things...

Coxy11

Time for another update:

• DD's bedroom  - only things still left to do is the beading around the wooden floor - have done behind the wardrobes but need to finish the rest. Also need to make and secure a room divider/bookcase, and tile around the vanity basin.  Still need to source tiles…..
• DS2's bedroom – all finished apart from new wardrobe doors which BIL will be collecting and installing tomorrow.
• New house sign up and looks fab.
• Still to order aggregate.
• Fridge Freezer ordered and received two weeks ago. Had a farce getting it actually into the house (it’s a beast) but enjoying having a swish new appliance. Old titchy fridges have been removed by BIL today and he’s retro-fitting two drawer-line base units in their place which will add to our storage.
• BIL has ordered us some sanitary ware for the family bathroom, we have sourced tiles (it’s only tiled for a bath not a shower) so that’s another job to be ticked off the list this week.
• Hallway pew padded seat finished – have only had it 5 years….. just never found the time to actually make it!!
• Community kitchen garden continues to produce but we haven’t been for a couple of weeks due to decorating DS2’s room. Hoping to go tomorrow and bring goodies home.
• Our garden is looking good BUT loads of watering required due to the hot weather and many pots (c. 30 at last count). However, we still love it.
• Premium bonds for August netted us £150 which isn’t to be sniffed at but was hoping for more given we each have the maximum invested.
• We have a family holiday (6 of us) to the US in a couple of weeks’ time. Just a week in Seattle seeing DIL’s parents. Really looking forward to the break, have a budget so hoping it meets our needs!
• I have decided the part time NHS admin role wasn’t for me (for various reasons I won’t bore you all with) so left giving a week’s notice. Will look for something else once back from our holiday in September.

Think that is it – unfortunately the recent BofE rate cut won’t affect our mortgage payment as we are on a fixed rate deal, but mortgage is now only £22,900 so small beans compared to what it used to be. This is part of the reason I had the option to walk away from the job – I recognise not everyone is that lucky.