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

debtfreewannabe321

Morning all, well yesterday turned into a very naughty spends day all I can do is laugh about it and thank God that DP has a very healthy bonus coming. I have borrowed from a fund for the purchase and will pay it back straight out of the bonus pay at the end of the month.

This morning I tried to do a few surveys, got screened out of a tonne before getting one that said 20 mins which turned into nearly 30 mins bit annoyed really so after that I closed the page down. I will do another small one tomorrow hopefully and get pay out there.

Yesterday I cancelled all my subscriptions on prime after getting delivery notifications of more crisps turning up today when I already have three boxes in the garage! So I went through all my subscriptions and decided to cancel everything and order as and when I need it. I know it can work out slightly more expensive but I am not buying things unnecessarily then.

Today should be a NSD. Tomorrow I will go food shopping. I may even be able to eek out the food until Wednesday or Thursday. I will go and see what is in the fridge and freezer in a moment. I know that DP needs more oat milk but I think we may have enough of dinners and bread and other foods to see us through...that does depend on what the kids ate when we went to bed though, so I won't hold myself to a later shopping day just yet...but it would be nice and mean less spends on the budget then.

I will walk the dog now I think before all the men turn up and we want to speak to the EA today and get her to handle the delicate emotions at the top of the chain (he's panicking that we won't be completed by end of Aug) and the bottom of the chain that seems intent on moving on only one day in the month regardless of which month she can do her best and what we are paying them for...we tried but honestly too many factors involved and I would like to pass that baton over After we have had the survey done here and our buyers searches are back then I don't see why we can't go ahead with August, although solicitors at the bottom end of the chain are very slow to send out and reply to enquiries and anything else really....

Anyway I best crack on I need to go check see if the kids are awake so the removals and survey guy can get around each room okay. 

debtfreewannabe321

Ok so I did a meal plan to see us through a few days based on what we already had. But I did need a few bits so I decided to go to the shop today to be able to eek what we have in out until Thursday I hope. I spent £12 but I don't mind too much because when I go shopping that should see me through another week, got GF bread, GF/ DF pesto, peppers and oat milk and a couple of other bits I forget...and I may only need a few days top up again the other side to see us through until payday. We shall see though because the children are eating A LOT. They had an argument this morning over who ate the last of the peanut butter SO I also bought some of that when shopping, hence my shopping being over a tenner. 

I have five loaves of bread in the freezer, about 4 vegan butters, ice cream, lollies & frozen peas and mixed veg my sister gave me ages ago. 3 garlic breads, 3 shortcrust pastry (anyone any ideas on what to make aside from jam tarts lol) and not a lot else to be honest so we can eat that down easily. I have been really good and using the bulk cooking each month so help save on the budget so I don't actually have anything left aside from the curry I just took out. Fridge I used up all leftover veg in the meal plan for next few days, humous is nearly gone, yoghurts will be eaten and salad is coming to an end too...so all good there and no waste.

I have a pie to make for dinner because I had some leftover lentil bolognaise, some carrots and parsnips to use up and some puff pastry. So pie it is I hope I can pull it together and it tastes good. I have used the last of the potatoes too, they're peeled, chopped and ready for cooking and mashing. I have been prepping in between everyone turning up, so a lot of it is ready to cook.

Curry I got from the freezer will do for tomorrow as that takes ages to defrost, just need some rice with it. And I have a pasta, pesto with peppers and green beans dinner for Wednesday (GF for me which I already had in). Then Thursday I will head to the shops (or possibly Weds eve dependent on when I can use the car) and make another week's meal plan. DD has her birthday next Monday so one day is a take away day in there and 6 meals I will plan for. I foresee a few cheap meals like Jacket Potatoes, pasta and meals with lentils in. Any spare money from the food shop this month will go on our naughty spends yesterday rather than coming out of the bonus money. 

The surveyor came round earlier was very chatty unlike the last one we had. He took MANY pictures. I asked how long until the buyers receive and he said 3-5 days, as it is Monday hopefully Friday at the very latest...that will be too late for them to hand notice in by Friday so I reckon we are probably looking at Mid September move dates which is frustrating. He mentioned indemnity insurance which we were sort of expecting anyway as we had our glass replaced by a glazier who is not fensa registered. He did our last house and we needed it then. It still works out cheaper to do it that way then go with the other local firms who were fensa so we don't mind and need to factor that in to our savings goals. 

EA is on her day off. So no joy there to help with looking at dates.

Had a removals guy come round, first of three this week. He reckons we need one lorry and a luton just for the garage and loft stuff Minimalist I am not. Oops. Anyhow I will get that quote in by tomorrow afternoon so that is good. It is starting to feel a little more real now which is great! And I will have firm figures to be aiming for in my savings. 

leftatthetrafficlights

The food sounds good! I hope your pie turned out well 😁 I'd use the shortcrust pastry for pies - one of my favourites (I must admit that I'm not keen on pastry at all so it's rare that we eat it) is a bubble and squeak pie - leftover veg and potatoes with stuffing added - served with either marrowfat peas or carlin peas and plenty of gravy! Mint sauce or tomato ketchup are generally used too 😉 

Good luck on the house move! I hope all goes according to plan 🤞😁

debtfreewannabe321

Ah thanks @leftatthetrafficlights 😁 the pie was delicious! What a great way to use up old bolognaise- all I did was add some extra veg that needed using up, I cooked it ready to add, then added gravy to it. And added a roof once it was in the pie dish! Kids ate all of it (well actually no DD picked out the parsnips- but she ate the rest). 
I had a fail though I thought I had gravy. I didn't so had to pop back out again so spends yesterday were closer to £16 once I popped to the small very expensive local shop.

I think I will use the short crust for some pies as well, I quite like a short crust pie it's DP who always wants the flaky puff one. 

debtfreewannabe321

Morning all,

Today will be about sitting down for five minutes to sort out the budget (i.e reconcile any spends and see what's left of budgets) ...even though I don't go out to work any more I seem to find myself as busy as ever. I need to sort my time and day out properly.

I want to see if I can get some more surveys done too. I finally cashed out another £5 voucher this morning. I am saving those for some storage boxes/ bags for moving. I meant to buy some ages ago to be honest as I need a way of storing winter duvets/ summer duvets depending on season. So I was planning on getting some of those vaccum bags. 

Next removals guy is due around 11 or 12 can't remember which I will check in a bit.

Hopefully quotes will start coming in soon.

Oh yes! I just had to read back as to where I left my moving updates yesterday...well EA was off.
But I walked the dog into town, DP decided to come for some fresh air and stretch his legs after sitting at the computer all day. It was nearing the end of the work day and we decided to pop into the solicitors as it was on the way through to where the dog has a little run around. All solicitors and assistants were kind of stood around chatting which was super helpful as we got to speak to everyone that we've been having email chats with, FLD got fussed and they assured us they had been working on our case this morning. And here's the kicker - we've all been working towards timings for the top of the chain because of the pressure of the 56 day turn around needed. Our solicitors tell us the 56 days starts the minute the buyer gets the buyers pack usually. Well, 3-4 weeks have gone since he put his offer in (I think?) and he hasn't received it yet?! We were actually speechless. Dumbfounded. And stood there parroting what, what, whaaaaaat?! for about five minutes. 🤣... 
So we walked away with a good attitude I think....the solicitors were very helpful and we were like, okay, it's okay, we will happily aim for September now and enjoy the house for a few months and pack super slow to conserve energy for the move (cos otherwise we like to work too hard then crash and burn for a week which isn't good). 

Our seller messaged us last night painting the air blue with expletives aimed at his solicitors. We had a small giggle at the language - I know childish 🤣. And he said he had indeed received the pack! And filled it out - it is what he was filling out when DP went to see him the other week (which is what I thought it was and kept saying to DP he has had It!) so his solicitors lost it when he sent it electronically, not sure how you misplace electronic documents but there we go. So he has sent a paper copy AS WELL as the email version. And they still haven't had It.

DP checked what solicitors he is using and it's a huge firm. In the city. It's the same one our buyers last move used and they were utterly useless. When a company like that is that big and that useless it makes you wonder how they keep going. Their conveyancing dept seems to be inept. Our solicitors had to keep chasing them last time for our last buyer. We have purposely both times chosen smaller firms and stuck to conveyancing experts rather than a small dept in the bigger solicitors offices.

So anyways...we are unsure what the heck is going on again 🤣 

I've said to DP why are we dealing with it all? I think because we sold with PB last time we had to be the ones chasing everything. But this time we are with a proper EA. Five minutes walk from us so we can check in...I've said to DP when your teams meeting is over this morning let's pass the chasing baton on to the EA because I'm done with stressing over it all. I just want a date. And then I will plan my life accordingly. End of. We don't pay these EA a commission for nothing, surely? So yes, all change on the moving front once again 😆 I'd like a date -ish I know how they can change by a day or three nearer the end but something to aim at because right now it is mid august - mid September and that's too large a difference for me to know when to start doing anything. 

Kids are off to their dad's house last week of July to mid august so I would like to get all my redecorating (touch ups where shelves and pictures need to come down) then. So at least I have something to work towards. I am going to spend the next couple of weeks chilling now. And collecting boxes.

I see why moving house is rated so highly on the stress factor 😆

debtfreewannabe321

Oh dear. I've just sat down with the budget. 
So here's where I am at:-

Food running total:- £308.98. I had to give money to the kids for their surprise expedition with AC the other day so because I didn't have a misc pot it had to come from somewhere so I added it to the food budget. I've also had several Amazon subscriptions come out that I had forgotten about (all cancelled the other day in annoyance at my forgetfulness oops but still impacts the budget) and the food shops themselves I've actually done a really good job of keeping within a decent price. So lesson learned. I need a small misc float. I have cancelled all S&S from Amazon so shouldn't have that issue again. 

My pocket money :- I have just under £20 left which is great as I've bought a few things this month that were quite spendy, so happy enough with that.

I had over spends on the prom.
I basically have £244 over spends this month but for the full picture (literally)£240 was the overspend the other day when DP and were naughty and bought a beautiful oil painting 🤣🤣 it is for the new house 😁 and we loved it so we have no regrets and I WAM the money from another pot. So actually overspend this month is technically only £4 from the budget. So I think I can pull that back in if I don't overspend on the food for the next couple of weeks. My food budget works out to around £95.50 per week going forward....any ideas 🤣 considering I have two teens home ALL day, my freezer contents are a little lacking and my fridge is the same. I have plenty of herbs, spices, lentils, rice though so I will have to get creative. 

I'm still deciding how much to give to DD for her birthday. I wanted to get her a nice present like a necklace or something but we have vastly different tastes. I'd like her to open something though rather than it all be just a wad of cash for spends. I will think on it. I best hurry though because her birthday is next week! Money is in a pot anyway so won't affect the budget. 

Okay think that's all on money now. Best go see if I can make some on surveys or FB MP to bolster the current account....

debtfreewannabe321

My mistake- the removals are booked for tomorrow. Gawd I am so ditzy sometimes. I wrote it out on the calendar and everything Was just about to get super annoyed at their no show until I thought I best check the email..........
NSD today for sure, it is grey, miserable and wet and cold and I can't be bothered going out at all aside from a quick walk for FLD

Watty1

debtfreewannabe321 said:

I'm still deciding how much to give to DD for her birthday. I wanted to get her a nice present like a necklace or something but we have vastly different tastes. I'd like her to open something though rather than it all be just a wad of cash for spends. I will think on it. I best hurry though because her birthday is next week! Money is in a pot anyway so won't affect the budget. 
..

is it a special birthday?    I have a lovely memory of shopping with my mum (we had different tastes) for a birthday present and we found an opal ring I still have and still wear.  That year she gave me a candle snuffer to unwrap (random I know) and I still have that too as I remember my dad asking why on earth she had bought me something and my mum robustly saying  "I didn't buy anything, see the tag, its from the dog, he used his pocket money "

debtfreewannabe321

@Watty1 it's her 16th, so I wanted to get her something to keep instead of just money to fritter away.
I asked her what she wanted and she said some hoop earrings and a few other little jewelry bits. So I have this afternoon spent a few hours online looking for some bargains. I will be honest I went on jewelry shops and dismissed them all because she doesn't look after her stuff well enough for me to spend a small fortune. I just bought her some cheapish ones, from accessorize and a few bits to go with it, like some PJs and socks which she needs in the summer sale. I got 20% off the purchase and 4.8% cashback from quidco (if it tracks I've had a few issues with there lately). I also got myself a few little bits with my left over pocket money, some hair clips because mine are broken (my hair is so thick and heavy they always snap!) and a cheap chain for my pendant as mine snapped. And all in the sale aside from the hoop earrings so I managed to get around 13 items for £84- cheapest items £2 and the most expensive was £19 then £15 (a chain for DD too as hers also snapped recently) and £15 for some PJS respectively so lots of cheap little bits in there on top of the more expensive bits. I have transferred the money across from the birthday fund to pay for DD's bits and my spends were already in my account. At least she will have something physical to open now so I'm happy. As long as it all arrives on time! I will give her £50 I think to go with the presents and that is her done. Just need a card and some gift wrap...will pick those up when I go shopping in a couple of days. 

Not a NSD after all but relief that I have got the bits. I was debating going into the city but the accessorize near us is small and never stocked well...same for a few of the other shops I was debating buying from. Plus they wouldn't have had the 20% discount and the cashback

July is always an expensive month for me with nephew's birthdays, DD, DS2, DDIL and a couple of friends too....Roll on August when I just have one  

debtfreewannabe321

Morning all, 
I have yoga'd, exercised and showered and made myself celery juice this morning. Go me. If only I could be bothered with this routine every morning

Raining once again, right after I decided that I would put a wash on now rather than the weekend because there is some sun...that quickly disappeared behind a blanket of grey mass, can't even call it a cloud because I don't see a beginning or an end to it.

Waiting in for removal guy today, I need to go shopping today after he has gone. I literally used the last of the celery in my juice (hence why I have it to use it up) and have enough for dinner but that is it. We have a large larder fridge and 3 shelves are bare the others have one or two items half eaten on...I do have some chickpeas in there so I will whip up some hummus later on with that.

I am going to go to Mr Al then Mr T for what I cannot get (or not willing to compromise on) and I might eek out the food until after dinner and go shopping this evening. Mr Al shuts around 8 from memory and Mr T is midnight so I will have plenty of time to get round both.

BIRTHDAYS
I also need to search for a few bits for DD -card, wrapping paper and I have decided to make her a sweet 16th hamper. I have a basket I saved from a hamper given to me, so I will fill it with what I have already bought (i hope it turns up in time now) and just fill the rest of the space with what teenagers like- chocolate, sweets, few bath bits etc. Don't plan on spending too much more but I always spend more on the kids for their birthdays over christmas so I don't mind. I think they should get more presents on THEIR birthday rather than JC when they're not even in the slightest bit religious (unlike when we were kids and great emphasis was put on that day thanks to catholic mother lol)....

MOVING
I had one quote in last night from the removals guy from the other day. £1300 after vat is added (I wish they would just quote with it already added as I saw the quote and thought that was it until I went back with DP and we saw at the bottom....plus added vat ). This is more than I thought it might be, so ummm,..... re-think going forwards. I mean we have 3 more guys coming out now so this may be a high quote but it may also not be

We are trying to get hold of EA for a yes or no on the situation regarding an August move vs a more probable September move but no joy so far.

BUDGET
So because of this I spoke to DP last night and have decided to just take the money out of his bonus at the end of the month. All of it that we are short on (I am going to do a new budget today of what we are short and also what money will be needed from Aug as we have the maintenance for DP more than doubling.) 

Going forward all I need to do is budget for day to day stuff and not trying to be pulling money out of the budget to make up the money we need for moving. I am also aware we need an indemnity policy so I will budget for that too and lock all that money away together until we go. I can stop stressing then and if we have any money left at the end of each month it will go towards my new EF pot. So if any emergencies happen we have that pot to draw on not the HMF.

Right I will be off for now...