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

debtfreewannabe321

It's pay day!

DP wasn't very forthcoming with his pay-slips so I have only just sat down to see exactly where we are for the month. So all in we will be short of £105 approx per month going forward until I get a new job. That isn't too bad. It just means no extra money for savings. 

I am still able to put away £450 a month into savings accounts overall so I think that is great.
No money for clothes/ DIY or health will reach that account this month though so they won't be growing as I have the money allocated elsewhere for spends.

The gas/electric bill came through this morning after I submitted readings, I allocated £130 for the bill and it was £133.37 so I was a little out and every penny has been given a job this month so that will have to come out of somewhere. I will add an extra £5 to next month's budget for that and also start watching the electric usage again as I think we have slacked off a little. 

I got a £5 a_mazon voucher come through this morning so have added that to my account. 
Also got my v1nted money finally. Bit annoyed about that he bought it then immediately put his account as on holiday and the parcel sat there for days ready for his collection. I messaged him late last night when I saw it still hadn't been picked up, politely asking if he would be collecting it soon, and it was picked up half hour after I messaged...so guess that's good. I will leave it in my account there for now as DD needs a bag for prom so I will see if she wants something off there rather than from the shops. Anything left I will cash out and use for spends. 

After tax DP had £900 in his bonus. He was taxed over £900 on his pay slip and they wonder why we all have problems trying to survive......anyway. I have taken that and divided it up into 3. One lot is in the account for this month's spends, the other 2/3 is in an empty account waiting to be transferred back for spends next month and the one after. 

If I can make up the £100 in sales and surveys etc we won't actually be short on a normal month's income and that was all previously allocated to savings anyway so it just means savings will slow down. 

I will pop to the post office in a little while and get out £65, £40 for DD & DS pocket money and I have decided to try cash for my pocket money instead of card so £25 for the next week. I found too many purchases were being swallowed up in my pocket money last few months and when there was overspends in certain categories I immediately thought to use my pocket money to replace and I ended up with not a lot left. So new tactic...and grateful there is money in the budget for pocket money for us all with all things considered  

Anyhow, money transfers made for now, more will happen on the 1st. Mr T is due soon so I will be off for now. 

debtfreewannabe321

I've had another small payout from a survey £6 odd and I have transferred it over to a savings account (the one currently holding our bonus money in) I am not wanting to tempt fate and send it over to the EF fund yet until I know we will be ok for pennies this month. I have already added £150 to the EF this morning so the savings pots have not gone without.....just very aware we are £100 short of usual money and my view is it is out of sight in the savings so not easily spent but easily accessible if we need it.

I have made two scrummy lasagna's today, one for the freezer and one for this evening. The vegan béchamel recipe is the best one I have tried by far so will print this one off and put in my recipe tin I think. I added extras to it so didn't exactly stick to the recipe but it is almost the same  

Managed a few surveys today, none very much money though, but nonetheless it's good to have a trickle feed, and I didn't put much time to any of them, 20 minutes was the longest for around £7 and the others all less than £1....managed to do them all whilst waiting for various bits to cook for the dinner

debtfreewannabe321

Afternoon all, 

Had a nice MS day with a friend, I stopped for some cake from a SM on the way over to her rather than going out to a cafe. She's in between her old job and starting her new one so thought we could save a few pennies there. 
Also had my chiro appointment, £50 gone, I don't need to see them again for a good few months though, the yoga I have been doing in between sessions did help me loosen up some stiff parts well so lots of cracks today, feel better already.
SO much roadworks everywhere I have sat in traffic for at least 1 hour overall today and am glad to be home. Have a curry prepped, I will cook up some chickpeas and do chickpea, frozen veg and spinach I think today in the curry. 

I am in a bit of an argument with A_ ma_zon because they sent me an offer earlier of an upgrade to my music plan for the family for 2 months free. When I clicked on it they immediately charged me for it. I have finally spoken to them after not being able to find a chat function at first and very frustrated with their customer service tbh. They are so nonchalance about it and I am trying to find how to cancel the whole music subscription now I am so annoyed. As usual they seem to hide these functions on a phone and make it impossible to find anything. Especially cancel your subscription buttons.  Raaa. 

Have another £7.52 cleared on Pr0l1f1c so will cash that out in a bit, I haven't had time to do any surveys today so will hopefully pick up a few over the weekend instead. 

Glad I started doing the clothes washing yesterday instead of waiting in hope that the weather might turn nice, we have so far today had hail, rain, sun and gale force winds so had no chance of hanging stuff out anyway.....right best be off dinner to cook, dog to walk and jobs to finish that i started this morning. 

debtfreewannabe321

Good morning all 
Saturday was quite a spendy day. I decided last minute, Saturday morning that I wanted to do something. I was bored of endless cooking and DIY snagging lists. So we got up, asked the kids if they'd like a trip out to an art gallery and a museum and off three of us went (DS chose not to go - no surprise).
Both places were free entry so that was good. We also visited the CS's and a couple of antique centres in the area (they're like museums too ) long day had to be honest and after my chiro appointment the day before my body was not liking me for punishing it.
It ended up being spendy because we were hungry!
Of course!
I did however remember I had a voucher for £20 off a restaurant so I used that and the food and drinks came in at £45 instead of £65. We could have opted for a fast food chain but that would have cost us £30+. It was thoroughly enjoyed and we left there happy (unlike my usual trips to, let's say, Mc _Ds) DD had a good distraction from her very first GCSE too as she had been non stop revising for months and I felt rather than her being all stressed out she should have a day off. She's gone off happy-ish to school today to do her GCSE so I am glad we took the day out to do that.  

Sunday was a NSD> and we cracked on with the endless snagging list. I have been putting it off for months and months and months and well....I just decided it's time to get on with it. LET's get the house valued so we know what we're doing finally, once and for all, well maybe not 'all' but for the foreseeable. We got paint brushes out and painted round door frames that we had [reviously caulked. The caulk on top of paint kinda....leaks...spreads...looks like damp *rolly eyes* so I felt it had to be done as every door frame looked like it oozed damp they look better now. Many windows also needed doing for same reasons. I painted chipped bits of wall and floor where we had done the job and then done another  job and the ladder or whatever had chipped the first job....gawd it is endless. I still have bits to do. But I was like do we just get someone round with chips and all to value or do we sort out the problems that look like damp, that look like the staircase is breaking (it is again chipped paint)...I felt like they needed to be fixed. I think I have a perfectionist hid inside of me because DP couldn't even see half of what I was blathering on about. Meh, it is done, just a little more to do now he also painted the coving in our bedroom - the bedroom we finished over a year ago (aside from that ONE job!).

I am going to go round and do a bit more today. Will take one paint pot round at a time and do all the jobs in that colour, then move on to the next....can if I put my mind to it get it done in an hour or two. I am giving myself a week

Hoping for another NSD but unsure yet. I may need more paint *insert rolley eyes again* 

I have fallen into a bit of a good habit by accident. I was looking for snacks the other night as I was hungry and found some yoghurts (vegan for us, dairy for kids) and decided to throw some chia seeds in them and leave them to soak. Then I cut up some fruit and made small fruit salads. Gave each of us one. AND no one came looking for snacks after that. I have taken to observing the days I do this and the days I don't and how many snacks are being eaten on which day. The days I give us yoghurts & chia & fruit bodes well for the snacks staying in the cupboard longer...so I will order more fruit and yoghurts than usual next week. It is healthier and snacks these days are so expensive anyway I would rather spend it on fruit. The kids don't ever opt for a fruit snack if there is junk on offer too so it is one way of getting fruit inside them....cutting it up like they are toddlers and opening the yoghurt and putting chia in and handing it to them  

Right best be off to start those jobs...think I will start with the pink there isn't too much of that paint colour around the house so a nice small job to start with. 

debtfreewannabe321

I have finished the hallway that was the worst area by far, ladders, furniture and who knows what else had chipped so much paint it looked shabby. I've touched up all door frames, walls and I just need to do one door frame at the top of the house as it needed sanding before painting. I am going to finish caulking the dining room door frame now and then hopefully have that painted up by tomorrow. It was another job that was never done. The stair case already looks a thousand times better as we have a runner up the middle and paint down the sides and it was all chipped. I pray we don't need to move any more big furniture now or ladders around the house because this is what's caused all this mess (doesn't help I have no spatial awareness and knock everything on the way through with step ladders). 

Will be another NSD I hope as I found all colours that I needed so I don't think I need any paint to finish the jobs  

debtfreewannabe321

Morning all, 
I'm feeling fed up today. Overwhelmed, frustrated and like I am stuck in groundhog day and very tired. Am sure it will pass but it's left me feeling somber. 
I didn't sleep well last night, as usual, whenever I do painting, caulking, glossing (any sort of DIY really) it causes hot flushes in me all night long. My body detoxes the toxins Allllllllll night. So tired today. 

I also had an allergic reaction to something and my asthma was playing me up for the first time in years, I suspect it was the gloss and wax I used over the last few days. The VOC rating was low on all we bought because of my chest but it means nothing, they're all as bad as one another it seems. Anyway I had an antihistamine sometime in the early hours and I did finally get some sleep....I don't think I will be up to much today though. Probably good for my purse though eh. 

I have cashed out six quid odd on surveys this morning and will put it across to my EF. I have reached my goal of one month's full expenses then that's cheered me up actually. 
I do at one point need to buy a small tin of paint, I had the right colour in but it was the wrong finish. I didn't realise this until I had already touched up all areas and then last night I was like hmmmm that doesn't look right I had used a satin finish over a matt finish and it is now on all the doors, little touches here and there, little swipes here and there so I will need to do that.
 
I am happy with the front room though, I took out old nails and screws in the wall from pictures we hung long ago and then took down...it's in a brick wall so serious wall plugs and screws in most holes, and in the dark watching TV I would often think it was a great big spider sat on the wall so they are once again filled, sanded, painted. I achieved quite a lot really yesterday!

To even out my somber mood (and moaning) I will go through what I did to remind myself all is not bad I touched up all doors upstairs and downstairs. I filled in all holes from pictures we hung and then moved, sanded and repainted all areas (thank goodness we had all the colours left to do so), I touched up all scratched paintwork- in the kitchen this has made the biggest difference as I painted it a sunny yellow as it's a long narrow dark room and where it had been scratched angry red was bleeding through looking like the wall had been shot. Why anyone would paint their entire house brown and red I will never know, but here we are, in that very house So every time there is a scratch those are the colours coming through. I also cleaned up some window handles that were grubby with paint splashes, I repainted (touched up) the entire hallway, top to bottom (and it is looooong up and downstairs). The bathroom, our room, dining room and kitchen were all touched up too so it all looks good again. 

I have sent the £6.85 over to the EF (this update is taking ages to write I keep leaving it).
I have had money come out my bank for crisps (subscribe and save) and soap (H&B subscribe and save). I won't class this as today's spends though as it is food budget money and was a planned spend. 
I went through my hallway cupboard yesterday, I have enough cleaning stuff, enough shampoos and conditioners to last me a long time. Perhaps till summer. DD has very long hair though and likes to use a lot.... 

Today I would like to dust. I think this is what is making me miserable, as I was painting I was realising just how many spider webs there were in tall dark corners. I need to find my duster and use it Then I am going to return all the paint, sanding paper, hammers and other things I have strewn all over my dining room back to the garage and I am going to hoover/ sweep & wash all floors downstairs. I have my bedding in the wash and would you Adam & Eve it....the sun is out!! I haven't seen it in weeks here...wonder if it will oblige and stay out until my wash is finished so I can dry the bedding outside. That would be nice....I need to finalise my shopping today as I believe it is due tomorrow. Last week's food shop seems to have lasted well, much better than the week's before. I have a meal plan so will use that to do the shopping. Praying it comes in at around £110 tops......I will report back on that though. I also need to make humous, and prep some dinner for later. 

DD exam went okay, she said she managed to talk for 10 minutes (speaking part of French) and the teacher said she did way better than the mock......but she got a barely scrapped through mark on the mock so....it couldn't have been worse but anyway she's glad it is done. Hasn't got another one until next week I think. This is a good way to ease her in otherwise she will freak. 
Right-O best go and get on with some jobs.....need to also put washing away, walk dog, hoover upstairs and clean bathrooms on top of all that above *no wonder I am tired*. 

debtfreewannabe321

"I don't think I will be up to much today though"

quoting myself..........
Jeez.
My to-do list would beg to differ.  I think when I wrote it I hadn't had my cup of tea yet...... after tea I feel I can conquer the house clearly. Think I must have meant outside the house...and spending money

debtfreewannabe321

OMG just had a total nightmare with Mr T online (my fault) I went in to add some items I needed, working from my meal plan but also checking cupboards and freezer out (well done me I don't always do this) and went to make the page bigger and shut it down opened it back up, went into my history, to try and get it back and was all gone. I had spent about half hour doing it
I left it...as was so annoyed and two minutes later it refreshed itself and found the order phew.
So all done I checked out before I could do it again . 

It is saying £118...but we know what online orders are like that could change. But happy enough with that amount so far. 

So Groceries to now: £133.59 (Mr T first weeks shop) + 10.75 (H&B) + 7.20 (crisps s&s) = £151.54 and with the shop that is due Friday that will take it to nearly £270. Which leaves only £115 for the last two weeks going forward. I think that will be tight but I will try and keep beneath £500.

HotDog2020

Hi Dfw321, I know what you mean about feeling it. My usual routine is get up do a spot of housework then sit at the computer all day, I don't really get out much, so it is a shock being on holiday, and today is a free day and I am pooped each part of the day, but motivated to do more each time. My legs feel like pain makers.

debtfreewannabe321

HotDog2020 said:

Hi Dfw321, I know what you mean about feeling it. My usual routine is get up do a spot of housework then sit at the computer all day, I don't really get out much, so it is a shock being on holiday, and today is a free day and I am pooped each part of the day, but motivated to do more each time. My legs feel like pain makers.

I will be honest, I did half my allotted jobs and then sat down ...am so tired I really didn't sleep well last night, so sat watching a programme about people who bid on storage lockers, argue with one another cos the camera is pointed at them then find a load of toot in it still I am 3 programmes in so the drama has somehow captivated my attention lol.

So I have cashed out the V1nted money, DD couldn't find anything she liked. I transferred the money to the clothing budget for now. I may use it for EF, not sure yet.
I have cashed out a £5 .mazon voucher too that will go towards little spends over the month.
I have done maybe 5 surveys whilst watching tv. No biggies just small ones.  

I have washed and dried the bedding (got it dry on the line in two hours it's that windy and sunny!) I also dusted the whole house and re-made the bed. Need to run hoover around and put it back upstairs. Need to make dinner but will be an easy one, won't take long. 

Got my 3rd NSD already this month as no money spent