I dream of a MF home for my plants

Idreamofplants

Thanks for sharing this beautiful picture ❤️ spider babies are on the to do list for next week - do I just cut them off and put in water with nothing else then? Large OP is possible in part to me working regular extra hours so the money has not been ringfenced for anything else - that and we are not currently holiday saving - for the past few years I’ve put about £500 a month towards our family holiday but decided to not plan for one next year. Kids aren’t that bothered so it seems like a waste of money. I’m sure by next year I’ll be regretting this and will be desperate for some sun but currently happy to use the money to OP.

debtfreewannabe321

I usually cut the whole stem of babies off in one of my main plant is starting to struggle. Then chop the thick green stem that holds them all making sure there is at least one root showing (I will take some pics and show you hold on). Okay so first pics are just the babies in water with nothing added. One baby has even got more babies!! I just top the water up every now and then and give away as many as I can 🤣.second pic is about where I would cut and I would pop the plant with the 'umbilical cord' in water as is. It will grow roots. Then I cut the umbilical cord once there is roots. Third pic is how the roots grow. They go crazy and I've left babies in water for months and months before and they grow massive! These were all tiny ones when first put in water like the one I'm holding in second pic.

Idreamofplants

Oh wow thanks so much for this - I think my babies are too small to move just yet then - there are loads of them coming through but all pretty tiny so far. All very exciting for me! 

debtfreewannabe321

If the stem doesn't stay green and healthy snip it off as the plant will be giving too much energy to keep the yellow/brown stems alive and just find a shallow pot to put them in -GU pots are good I usually have one on the go with babies in. But I have a few plants dotted around the house where I have just left babies on them as they're high up (got some hanging from ceiling) and they look pretty cool with lots of babies. 

Idreamofplants

Thanks for the tips - I’m going to let them grow a bit more than see about hanging the plants so they have more space to grow downwards.
week off work going well so far. Got £48 refunded from a DBS middle child was going to be having but then was cancelled as they didn’t go on the course they were due to start. Spent all last night dithering about whether to spend this on Christmas bits or OP - still undecided! The weekend was good fun, used free cinema to take eldest to see Venom and got the kids all a pumpkin. No child seems that interested in the actual carving so I foresee me making pumpkin risotto this weekend and trying to find other uses for pumpkin. 

Finished my library book so need to pop that back. Youngest has put in lots of requests to be taxied to various places all week - none of them that expensive though - especially compared to when we holiday anywhere other than at home. This is my first week off in months where I don’t have a long to do list of household jobs to sort. Today I will be child free for about 4 hours with zero plans. This makes me v happy! Probably going to get out for a run then do some knitting. I’ve been thinking a lot about at what point I will worry less about the mortgage. I think definitely when it’s under £100k and possibly when it’s under £150k. Anything nearer to £100k rather than £200k. 

Idreamofplants

I'm struggling to get myself started doing anything today.  Youngest had a sleep over last night so waiting for his friend to get collected.  Also offered middle child they could go out and practice driving with me.  Enjoying not being in work.  OH is still working this week though so he is looking pretty miserable.  I would be the same if he was off and I was working.  Spent the DBS refund on a lamp yesterday which is now sitting repackaged ready to return as it was a bit naff once assembled.  Ordered a new dog bed and some more blankets for the sofas with the money in anticipation of my refund.  Went to go for a run but had no clean running kit - being off work has messed up my usual clothes washing routine - so now I have one load in and another waiting to go in.  Might try and go for a run later.  Not sure what to do with myself this afternoon.  Youngest will most likely refuse to come out given they were up half the night chatting to their friend.  I am tempted to go shopping for some Xmas bits and bobs.  Tomorrow I should find out what the interest on the small mortgage is now the OP are in - it is usually around £32 for the month and I'm hoping it will be a lot less. 

Idreamofplants

Interest on mortgage reduced from £32 to £20 for the last month.  By my calculations this should come down to around £5 a month next month once this months OP are taken into account.  Interest added for this month and repayments went out yesterday. Small mortgage sitting at £1545 and monster mortgage at £173684.  I think OP on small mortgage will save us about £300 in interest over the next year.  Very pleased with that.  Planning a trip out with OH today.  He wants us to get the most out of our 2 for 1 rail card before it expires so travelling somewhere by train.  Going to pick up some bits and bobs for Xmas whilst I don't have any of the kids with me.  Most weekends between now and Xmas booked up with plans. Going to move £100 from savings (currently at £2189) to fund shopping today.  Not feeling too horrid about returning to work next week as this week has been a proper relaxing break.  Ordered youngest new school shirts as he has outgrown the ones I bought him in August already - he's growing so fast.  £16 from G@orge and I've paid delivery as driving to the store is an hour round trip then parking I'm pretty sure adds up to over the delivery charge.  Up early this morning as middle child went out in Liverpool last night so I woke at 6am and immediately checked they had made it back to the halls ok - then was wide awake.  Decided to get up and get out for my run once I've finished a coffee so I'll be back before OH wakes up.  I love being out just as sun comes up although it looks freezing out there at the moment. 

Idreamofplants

Only 2 more days until pay day - yeah! 
Money saving over the past couple of weeks
- signed up for a cash back website and have ordered Xmas presents through this - so far balance at £17
- got a £10 reward for taking out pet insurance policy last month which converted to a coupon off shopping and then OP the £10 would have spent on food onto monster mortgage - this is now set up from my account so will start and make OP onto this when I get paid
- so far within budget for Xmas presents tho still plenty of time for this to go to s*it
- altered work hours to condense hours over 4 days so will have longer weekends and will save on travel costs. This was motivated more by me needing fewer days where I have to get up and get myself to work as the past couple of weeks have been a slog.
- bought all the chocolate and biscuits to go with kids/family presents from reward points/coupons on shopping
- listed some shoes that don't fit very well for sale
- opted out of work xmas do & secret Santa - I'm a bit anti social at these sorts of things & have started to hate driving late at night, everyone will be v drunk & I don't want to pay for a hotel to stay overnight - a taxi would be £35 min from where I live to the venue

Savings are down to £1450 - that's not too bad as I had to pay fees for a professional membership which I should be able to claim the tax, and the rest was a weekend break with OH & xmas shopping. I've opened a regular savings with a decent interest rate so plan on saving the max of £250 a month into that. On the whole not been really too stressed about the mortgage for the first time in ages.  I think seeing it will be under £170K by the NY feels more like an achievement.  Need to agree with OH what the OP for the next 2 months will be. Likely we will miss Jan in favour of sorting cars with winter servicing/xmas going out etc but would like to make an OP for Dec. 

Idreamofplants

Sent £2k to mortgage this morning - there should be enough money in the budget if I’ve remembered everything. OH was in favour of seeing what we had spare at the end of the month but I know that without a budget I’d spent the lot on tinsel and Xmas carp so pleased I’ve done this. Last week at work was pretty tough and I want to feel as though my pay has gone towards the house as that’s less time I will have to work once paid off. On a long day but remote working so plan on getting as much home stuff done as possible in between meetings. 

LadyWithAPlan

Well done on killing off the little mortgage and your OPs. 
I like the reframe of hard work now and more fun in your paid off home later