Buying a little piece of Middle England; Manifesting my way to mortgage free.

debtfreewannabe321

I'm saving back some chickpeas now but I've cooked/ used up the excess aside from the lot got curry. Can't quite believe how far they went. DP didn't take into consideration they'd double in size 🤣

This morning we have planted 20 hedges! They were bare root so we had to get them in quick. The ground wasn't frozen at all. I think it helps that side of the house is south facing. The back garden is much colder. Used rooting powder and fertiliser and mulched in with leaves DP swept up from the driveway. All watered in and it's raining now anyway. 

Some plants look a bit moth eaten but hopefully they will perk up? Be nice to have some greenery to look out at rather than road and pavements and houses across the street. 

Ironing is done. Scones all eaten for lunch and I've just got to do dinner. Feeling tired but happy with what we've achieved this weekend - and the built in cupboard/ bookcase is coming along nicely and just needs some side panels to cover brackets now and filling in of holes and painting. 

I'm officially on countdown now to half term. Three weeks left. Need a break am shattered. And I don't want to be filling that week off with appointments and DIY... however I already had a dentist appointment with DS and two opticians appointments and I want to get my hair cut again 🤣🤦🏻‍♀️ oh well. 

Right off to light a fire, put a movie on, have some hot choc and chill for a few hours ♥️😁

CrazyBee787

Looking good, putting us all to shame!!XX

slm6002

Hopefully those small plants will turn into a lovely fence to hide the road.

Like you we are on countdown to half term, and already have the dentist and driving theory test booked in.  I am sure that it will soon be filled with house bits too.  You can do it, not long to go

missymoo81

@debtfreewannabe321 I have finally caught up on your diary! I have had a lovely time reading about your diy escapades! I’m sorry about your rubbish last 2 jobs and about FLD though 😔. 

You have made so much progress from the beginning of your diary, new house, new adventure! Your energy is amazing and I am in awe of you and your job! You’re made of stern stuff. I will follow along now I’m up to date and cheer you on from the sidelines.

debtfreewannabe321

Ah thanks @CrazyBee787, I hope they grow up big and quickly too as they're tiny!  @slm6002 I have just realised we have three dentist appointments up and coming over the next few weeks (thankfully none for me 😏🙈). @missymoo81 ahh welcome, thank you- yes the last two jobs were physically demanding and at my middling age (how else to put that politely for I have not kept my fitness up since my thirties) it was too much. This job is turning out to be more emotionally and mentally demanding........is there such a thing as an easy job? Where do I find one if so I can't quite believe how far we have come in a year actually, when I look back we've achieved a lot, it's not a wonder DP and I are both desperate for a holiday about now......  

Well this morning I'm arguing with YNAB as per. I am not sure I will renew this when time comes round..........it's a permanent torture device to my bank accounts and my mind. I find my paper budget works better for me and doesn't take 3 hours to find one mistake  
So the budget this month is looking as follows:

Household:
Mortgage- £660
Council Tax - £168
Gas/ Elec - £120 (will up this eventually but trying to get rid of the loan first)
Water - £51
Talk talk - £36
Insurances (life/house/etc) - £50
Hosting fee- £25 

DIY- £140

Car:
Payment- £271 (will review after we have had it 6 months and try to get new lower rate loan)


Loan/ CC:
Loan & OP - 350
CC- £235 
MOP- £60

Savings pots:
xmas- £100
Ski - £100
Driving Lessons - £100
EF - £100
Holidays - £100
Prime/ Ynab (think that will be going elsewhere by the time it is due)- £15
Car Insurance - £50
Contact lens - £38

Food:
Groceries - £700

Other:
Pocket money - £460 -£200 per adult, £30 per child. 

Feb dates- valentine's day, my birthday, half term (kids will go to their dad's house for half though), cinema date with DD that I promised her at xmas to see the new Bridget Jones movie. Umm and I think that is it...for now. These costs will have to come from pocket money this month. 

DP has way overspent on his CC am pretty annoyed. So where I was going to pay mine off entirely I am splitting the money and paying half on his and half on mine. It was all DIY/ Diesel costs and I think hotel from xmas costs so trying not to be too annoyed but still am because as much as I save he tries to spend am sure of it!! Have said NO use of CC this month going forward or what is the point in my saving...? May as well be using that savings for paying for the DIY or whatever without the CC at the time.
We also should be getting those windows fitted in next few weeks. Our glazier had flu so was unable to do it in Jan, but that's fine, gives us another pay day. So instead of raiding the EF I will use the money I would be sending to that account -hols, ski, driving lessons, ef money etc and use that to pay him. Seems silly to transfer that over and then £500 straight out. 

Right need to make lunch then get to work. Should be an easy day, Mondays are usually *touch wood* drama free and easy. 

debtfreewannabe321

Another nsd. Easy to do when you leave your card at home and have some sort of weird phobia about using your phone to pay for stuff 😣🤣 (I tried once and it failed and loads of people behind me in the queue and I felt like I was going to die of embarrassment 🙈🤣).

I've emailed my supervisor about the extra hour and asked for an hour off on Fri afternoon. Thought it was a stretch - they've said no. That class is too high need (🙄) so have to stay with them all day. However, I can have it off tomorrow afternoon instead going forward. So from tomorrow I will be working 9-3 instead of 9-4. That's my second worst day so a good enough compromise for me. Means I only have two hours work after lunch which is good. And I get to drop a maths lesson per week 🤣. I have tallied up the hours I've already worked and will make a note of it and request it off in toil end of year. But for now I needed to just work as little as possible on the bad days to regain my confidence and keep my sanity going forward. Tuesday afternoon is quite stressful to be honest as I don't have a girl I'm sure she is a hyper squirrel on coffee instead 🤣 and I end up running around campus trying to keep up with her. So yes, good compromise for me. I do help a lot of others in that class though and they were all grateful saying the last lady didn't help anyone but the one with ehcp....many of them need the help and are low level learners they just don't have the bit of paper to agree with that sadly. So I'm hoping the other lady who will be taking over on that last hour will help the others. Some are still adding with their fingers for sums up to ten...so...all need help. Anyway, 'nuff said. I'm happy I work one hour less now and get paid the same. 

Right I have chickpeas (still 🤣) that need eating so we are having another chickpea curry this evening before they turn. I've already soaked the rice and it takes half hour tops to do so will chill for an hour as DP is still on a conference call and DS not home yet. DD is sat in the dark opposite me watching a horror movie 🫣... 

beanielou

Good result. 

debtfreewannabe321

beanielou said:

Good result. 

It was!

Would you believe I prepped the curry and got the chickpeas out and DD had decided to air-fry some as a snack and I didn't have enough for curry 🤣 so I added a pepper, some small new potatoes and some lentils instead. It was fine and tasted good. -& have some leftovers for lunches too so all good. 

Right off to get ready for bed it will be an early one for me the walk home has absolutely exhausted me. That hill is so long and steep I was done in by the time I reached the top and still had another long road to walk down before I was on the home stretch. Six tutors off sick today and I feel like I'm battling something but keep going anyway.... tonight's dinner had plenty of cayenne, turmeric, garlic and cumin in to clear any cold we might have 😉😁 (my grandad used to use those ingredients in EVERY single thing he cooked as he said it kept you healthy- I've kinda carried on that tradition 😆 much to my children's dismay)!!

CrazyBee787

Sounds like our elders know best, I hope you don't pick up anything, enjoy the snooze and restXX

debtfreewannabe321

Didn't sleep very well last night again, definitely feeling a bit under the weather. I got into work early and spoke to the tutor about the student who had basically got me told off for doing my job and said, I shan't be doing my job with them...i'll work with others (as I have been told to do). Tutor said another student had been in crying about this student already this morning and 2 other teachers were putting in serious complaints...this was all before 9am this morning. So tutor moved student up to sit with him. Was a very peaceful lesson thanks to that. In the next class they were pulled out for a meeting and never returned so.....The morning passed relatively quickly. Then only two hours after lunch. If this carries on Tuesdays won't be my dreaded day any more. 

Day off tomorrow and so far I have nothing planned. (Let's hope it stays that way!)

I got an email back from Mr L and have been given a voucher to spend in store because the discount wasn't working. £20 so that is more than I would have saved with the 10% off anyway, so happy with that If we need any food before the 1st I can use that without impacting on the Feb grocery budget. 

Not much else to report really just waiting on the new month to start. Have finalised the budget for this month (posted before) and just waiting to move money around really. Need to chase Ex up about the money he promised me for the ski trip too....! Before he allocates it elsewhere.