I dream of a MF home for my plants

Idreamofplants

Another £100 Op’ed - didn’t think I would be able to make one at all this month so pleased with that

PermacultureGirl

Great OP news, IDOP. Another chunk you'll never have to pay interest on again 😊
Permie x

Idreamofplants

well not sure where the past 2 months have gone. I haven't made any more OPs but I have squirrelled away over £3K that might go to Oping. The dilemma I've been having is back to whether we just sell the house. This time I'm thinking we would have to go into rented as there is nothing large enough we would want to buy.  Anything 4 bed & affordable nearby is pretty much like the last house we had where you could hear the neighbours coughing and a lot more at night, and the kitchen you can't fit a family of 5 around a table in. I realise these are first world problems. I've been struggling with stress at work so selling up feels like the only option when I'm down on myself about not being able to cope.  I have always suffered from existential angst as an over thinker - I'm now thinking if we rented we could use the equity to buy a place to fix up and make big enough & I could finish working for a bit. I wish I could be half as chilled out as OH - they don't ever let finances or work stress bother them.  Probably just as well the amount I stress for us both!!! If we are staying I need to sort a new OP plan. I reckon we could put aside at least £1000 a month into OP for a few months at least.  I will post again once I've spent some time on the budget.  

Idreamofplants

in other non mortgage OP news my spider plants have babies and it has made me very happy since I cut off the brown leaves and popped them on my bedroom window sill they have thrived. 

Idreamofplants

Feeling pleased with myself as faced up to redoing our budget again AND OP'd £2000 off the small mortgage.  I have written a budget that will allow us to make some big OP for the next few months as I am working lots of hours - but with Christmas around the corner who knows if I will actually manage to stick to it.  Hoping my thread will help me to stay accountable and that having a plan will reduce the impulsive Christmas spending trap that I often fall into.

Idreamofplants

well that's me done with work for the week. I managed to get out for a big walk with the dog first thing in a nearby forest. I picked an area where it is free to park as the usual place I take her is between £5-£8 depending on how long you stay. I usually get an annual parking pass but haven't this year.  I took my own coffee as well - so I reckon I probably saved nearly £10.  DH has just saved £75 on our breakdown renewal too so a good start to the moneysaving this weekend.  I need to start and shop around for car insurance quotes this weekend as that is due in a couple of weeks.  Planning a walk with a friend tomorrow so will probably spend a little on some lunch out and parking but hoping I have enough petrol to get me through to payday so shouldn't be too bad.  Going to try and budget our OP to go next week once we get paid so we aren't tempted to spend it over the month.  Had my first mince pie of the year - v nice - the first of many. The plants need a bit of TLC this weekend. The cheese plant has not recovered from us being on holiday in August whilst we had the hot spell. The leaves look very sorry for themselves.  Still trying and failing to get my peace lily to flower.  Going to read through some more diaries over the weekend to keep me motivated. 

Idreamofplants

Well had a great day today - lovely catch up with a friend and a huge walk in the countryside completed.  Spends were minimal - just fuel - as we took food in the end and parking was free. Then this evening OH bought the wine and snacks so no money spent there. We have separate spends accounts each month from our joint finances so it feels free when he pays even though it has come from our joint account originally. Probably not the most logical system but I find I have to have some money that feels my own as otherwise I don’t like to pay for anything for myself from our joint account. Cooked Mexican meal for the kids and for the first time in ages everyone ate together. Eldest goes back to uni this week so making the most of seeing them. Just a run planned for tomorrow - hopefully another NSD.  Lurked at houses for sale online for a bit this evening. Then rather more productive I finally went through my inbox and set up blocks for all the online shops that send me emails daily. Trying to reduce temptation to buy things I don’t need. 

Idreamofplants

got up early and did a run in the rain. I’ve noticed that days I get out and exercise before talking to anyone I am more chilled for the day. Planning on a lazy afternoon at home.  Spent some time on mortgage calculator. If we OP by £2000 a month and I pay a lump sum from pension that I can claim in 2 years, mortgage will be gone in 42 months. Hard to know if we will stay that long here as both adult children might be long gone before then, and this assumes I can continue is to get as much additional hours as I am offered at the moment. If my hours were reduced to my standard contract we’d be nowhere near being able to make these OP. Also if we need to change a car (both pretty old) or wanted to go abroad with all the kids this figure would be out of the window. Currently we have been spending about £6500 per year on a holiday for the five of us. Kids now at ages where it’s not worth the money - the youngest would rather be out with their friends at the local park & spent our recent overseas trip glued to their phone for the 7 days. They made me laugh earlier as they asked when the weather would return to normal - I told them about 6 months time once we’ve got through autumn and winter! 

Good MFW habits for today
- walked dog at park with free parking
- took a flask of coffee so no popping into drive through *bucks
plans to do
- going to make a crumble with what we have in rather than go to the shops to buy a pudding 
- sort car insurance 

idop 

Idreamofplants

Awake early so on the sofa with the dog doing a bit of reading before work. Returned a book yesterday that had been an impulse Amaz@n purchase - £15 to be refunded. Spent no money all weekend so happy with that. 

skint_spice

Well done on your OPs to date, I always find it easier to OP at the beginning of the month otherwise I would fritter it away.

I bought a few plants recently and noticed today that one of them has a huge chunk out of a leaf, no leaf to be seen so I am thinking the cat??? Yikes!