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

debtfreewannabe321

Morning all!

Ohh I have some visitors, thank you for popping by @beanielou , @killerpeaty & @ladybird1106

WELL.......It's PAY DAY yay! The longest month ever is OVER!!

Well, DP pay yay not mine....Mine is always messed up. I am supposed to be paid every two weeks on a Friday but since the new company took over it has been paid on a Weds or a Thurs for the most part and sometimes a Fri. Mostly a Thursday though so I thought it might be here today. I will await the payslip for that one too, but have re-worked the budget because we were slightly conservative with our estimate for DP pay and we actually have around £100 more. DP I don't think is too happy about moving all the money out of his account on the first day, he likes to see the numbers there for a while but it is always a dangerous game to play I think (as I stated above lol).

He's gone off to work though so I am unable to move any money about yet and see how much is going where. He hasn't had time to shift some of the DDs over to the new account yet but that is okay we will get it done by next DD round hopefully. I have made a list of the ones I was able to do and the ones in his name I will just have to be a bit more patient for.

The s'bury shop has been already this morning, I greeted the lady with big bags under my eyes and pjs still on, hair disheveled and no bra. And it was still dark out I will do anything for a cheap delivery slot The freezer is almost full now (and we have a large larder one in the garage) and the cupboards and the fridge. For some reason I ordered three bags of carrots though and no satsumas hmm Perhaps I got confused with the pictures because they were all orange? 

I have decided (well DP & I) to put all extra money into the EF for now instead of in the OP pots. DP is looking to change his job and you always have that first month where pays crossover and there is a shortfall - at least that is how it always seems to work for us. So I would love to have £1500 or as close to that as I can, in the EF by around end of March. That might be a push but we will try. All extra from no council tax, extra pay, not needing to pay the gas & elec £250 will go in there this month so this month it will get a great start...perhaps not quite as good next month though as that is not a bonus month but rather a normal pay day.

DP was docked nearly £200 for fuel last month thank goodness I got him to put nearly £100 in to cover some of that! £100 is what we budget usually so that works out okay when we cover extra trips that DP does to pick up bits for his new business.

Work was okay yesterday, less stressful than it has been all week. Tonight will be back to a stressy shift though because we have new starters again. Yesterday one of them was off so we got to do our usual supervisory job rather than training. When we train we have to take them round their jobs as well as do our own in the same time
DP & I have spoken about me leaving again...we have quite literally in three weeks managed to save in outgoings what I make in a month.
£120 on the gas and electric,
£300 on the food (this one seriously makes me cringe how did we let it get so high when I easily brought it in under £500 this month )
£10 on the water (better than nowt eh),
£125 on our usual loan payments as we are paying that off this month!

In fact, adding it up .......£555.....ehhh in numerology and angel numbers 555 means change So I am on the right track! ....so yes anyway, £555 is more than I earn..... But then OPs would be severely affected. Hmmm, I think I will think about it and try to get the EF up as quick as possible, wait until DP has news on the other job (a significant pay increase if he does) and then make a decision. It is an okay job but very physical. I have zero energy left some days when I am done, and I ache all over. I also have the added stress of supervising people who hate their job and therefore don't do a very good job  

So Saturday DD & I are going on a shopping trip. One that I was very good and put off until after payday (you mse'ers would grimace at me before, I would have just taken money from DP overdraft and gone when I wanted before oops). I invited the other supervisor from work and she is bringing her son (he is a year older than DD so we are hoping they will keep one another company and maybe like one another - my attempt at being Cilla). My friend doesn't get out of this town very often as she doesn't drive and the trains are a bit rubbish round here, they take you to the city and then you have to change to get anywhere else, it's a right faff. I am looking forward to Saturday it is the only thing that's kept me going all week. DP is staying here he is selling some of the electrical bits he's refurbed (mostly old computers and tablets and stuff but a few other things). He's having fun doing that and I think he'd rather do that than shop tbh. Aw Gawd I like to ramble, sorry, I will be off for now then Hope everyone has a good day, thanks for stopping by everyone  

redofromstart

It's all coming together nicely by the sounds of things - so impressed at your power usage turnaround.

I always smile at the building works and cooking whilst juggling on a unicycle descriptions.  I bought 4 lots of chunky chips and 4 lots of nuggets this week for the freezer because I know I will be CBA once I get started on the garden etc but it's better when I plan for chip cobs for lunch etc. 

debtfreewannabe321

I always smile at the building works and cooking whilst juggling on a unicycle descriptions.  I bought 4 lots of chunky chips and 4 lots of nuggets this week for the freezer because I know I will be CBA once I get started on the garden etc but it's better when I plan for chip cobs for lunch etc. 

@redofromstart yes I am the same, which is why my food bill got so high I think. I have a freezer full now of things the kids can eat if they are hungry and I or DP are at work, chips, pizzas etc. Also a few shelves of good stuff too but there is junk food in there. There have been many nights where I just cannot be bothered....

debtfreewannabe321

Yesterday was a nice easy shift at work for which I was super grateful! I spent yesterday morning cooking a batch of lentil/ mushroom spag bol - I used one lot for dinner last night. I have frozen two more dinners for four of us, one can be turned into chilli with rice (just add some paprika and chilli and red beans) and one will be either lasagna or shepherd-less pie (with added veg in it and marmite and mustard). SO that is two dinners done for the month already
Once again me and DP were exhausted by 7 pm though so we took drinks up and watched some tv half heartedly until we were ready to sleep. My eyes were too tired to read by that stage.

I moved lots of money about but DP could only transfer a certain amount to me before his bank said NO. Annoying really but we got some important things done like making the payment into the YBS before the end of the month, I have put aside another amount to go over on Feb 1st. DP paid off the loan in full That is £125 back into our budget every month! I have moved some money across to the EF. I want it at a decent amount before I start moving all the extra money to the OP pot. 

I bought DD prom ticket I have put money aside for prom stuff, air cadet uniforms and the DIY job we have lined up, and also for the clothing, Christmas and birthday pots. 
I got my payslip and have been paid more than I thought, undecided what to do with the extra atm so have left it floating until I decide. I would like to have a really good start on the EF tbh because this may be the last bonus paypack that DP has if he changes jobs. I'll speak to him and make a decision later. 

I have taken some puff pastry out the freezer (I am lazy and buy ready done and rolled) and will make a butternut squash and (other frozen) veg pie/ wellington type thing with it for dinner with mash. It tastes better than the description, I've made it a few times now  

Mortgage OP is at £329 now and EF is currently at £396.37.
Amazing how quickly you can build up savings when you focus on the budget and what is coming in and out. Kinda makes me feel a bit mad at myself for allowing the money to just 'disappear' before now. I couldn't actually tell you what the last bonus money was spent on! This month we have paid off a £768 loan and put £730 (approx) in savings....!!!!!! did I do with it before. Surely not all take aways and trips to antique centres (she says whilst looking at a beautiful mirror she bought around the last time of the bonus at an antique shop )

I will update the signature and carry on with the TT and small PAD to the mortgage OP I think on top of everything else this month.

debtfreewannabe321

Just saw on my profile it was this time 13 years ago that I joined the DFW boards! (24.01. official birthday) And all those years...and I still have some debt. OOppss....

debtfreewannabe321

Oh deary me, in other news I think the toiletries and cleaning products guesstimate may be well off the mark and in one month I may have nearly spent the year's budget DP has decided to grow a beard, so as a treat I bought him some nice organic beard oil and balm and a trimmer and brush type set from a small family run company.....and that has just eaten up rather a lot of the budget. Whoops. He deserved the treat though, and he needs to look good for his job and the up and coming interview.

So I will reassess that particular budget. Might have been a bit low even without that spending because I have included all skincare, cleaning stuff and shampoos etc and loo rolls.
And I only use organic stuff without all the nasties in which always seems to come at a premium!

debtfreewannabe321

PAD £20 straight to mortgage OP.

I checked the account and I hadn't been able to do a PAD for four days since I started so sent a little extra to make up for those missed days.

killerpeaty

What are angel numbers?

Glad you are doing so well! You can't do anything about the past so try not to be upset about it. You can only change things along forward

debtfreewannabe321

killerpeaty said:

What are angel numbers?

Glad you are doing so well! You can't do anything about the past so try not to be upset about it. You can only change things along forward

@killerpeaty Have you ever noticed recurring numbers that seem to make you notice them wherever you go for days on end? Like you'll look at your watch and it is 11:11, the next time you glance at it it is 1:11, your shopping comes to £11.11 or you have 1hr 11 mins left on the washing machine.....We call them angel numbers because spirit is trying to send a message. 1:11 would be new beginnings, you're on the right path etc, 555 is change. Of course, entirely dependent on your beliefs etc. Most would roll their eyes at me and call it nonsense and a coincidence. I don't really believe in coincidence though.

So yesterday was a pretty spendy day as is today, meh. I had to buy the uniforms for the kids and I thought I had been conservative and overbudgeted, I think in actual fact I underbudgeted sigh, so will add all the invoices up later and see where I am at with it. It was a necessary purchase though as the kids are the only ones in their group now without a uniform (oops). I also took my friend, her son and my DD to the big Swedish yellow and blue shop yesterday for some household bits I had been planning on buying this payday. I was pretty good and that was under budget so perhaps between the uniforms and household items the budget won't be too badly affected. I put back far more than I purchased yesterday and really only bought something if it sparked joy I came home and bought a new kettle used but good as new on Amaz0nia....£14 instead of the one in the shop which was at least a tenner more if I remember rightly and really not as nice. 

I have had a sick dog all morning, he's thrown up nearly all night too. He often does this though when he's eaten the wrong foods as he has a sensitive tummy, so have looked after him as best as we can and used the leftover drugs and protocol from the last time this happened. He is looking sorry for himself though and I am exhausted now. 

DP is doing dinner as I am so tired, and also have nerve pain up my leg which is not very comfortable but not as bad as it has been in the past. Will catch up on actual spends tomorrow I think when I am thinking straigher. My mood is about as grey as the weather today I don't do well on no sleep!

Hoping to set some goals for myself for next month:
1- 15 days free of social media (I struggle with this because I use mark3tplace so often but I will do it as have nothing up for sale atm)
2- Practice gentle yoga every day for at least 10 minutes (it helps with nerve pain from sciatica)
3- Read 1 book to the end 
4- Catch up with 3 friends in real life (am totally fed up with SM being our only interaction with people these days bring back pre internet days)
5- Two weeks of no sugar (I meant to do this in Jan but had too much Christmas sweets left)
6- 10 NSD 
7- Get out in the garden and start the clear up after winter (we've dead fallen trees everywhere)

I might add to the list but I want to keep it achievable and realistic.  

debtfreewannabe321

Oh! And I had to buy DD a pair of new school shoes!!! She leaves school in a few months and I was hoping she could use the ones she has until then but the sole quite literally fell off one on Friday. I found some that I liked as well as her, so got those, so if she doesn't want to use them after she leaves school I have a nice pair of dune brogues (lucky we are the same size ) and I got cashback and they were in the Jan sale less than half price. Will total everything up tomorrow though as to how much I have spent to keep me accountable for the rest of the month.