Spendy Wendy to Saver Savvy

Spendywendywoo

Wow, almost 5 months of not posting…it's been a busy time. It doesn't mean that progress hasn't been made…

Summary of updates;

• New role is crazy, not too busy but I'm doubting myself a lot so that's taking a lot of energy and time…also, the team I am working in isn't led particularly well, there's a lot of initiative and self motivation needed
• Overpaid on our mortgage at the point of remortgage (7k) and reduced the term by 9 years. Now paying what we was paying before (including overpayment) but much less years left (19). The plan is to overpay and reduce further when the 5 years fixed term is over, ideally just to a remaining 5 years (meaning we will have taken 18 years off the mortgage if we manage it)
• Currently have £1,937.09 saved which covers the sinking funds to the end of the year (overestimated for some items such as uniform and school trips but I feel this is better then underestimating and being left short, any surplus will move into the EF and savings)
• Currently have £3,162.91 in EFs out of a desired £12,600
• Upped my pension by a further 3% so now, with employers contribution, paying in 19% each month (early retirement is the aim)
• Started a credit union fund this month which is taken straight from my wage (£300 a month) which we will try not to touch, unless absolutely necessary (husband does the same and has a fair amount in there but we dip into it sometimes for renovations or remortgage overpayments, if absolutely needed
• I'm still faffing with my diet and have lost 0 pounds, in fact I'm eating more now than I used to do and doing much, much less exercise! :(
• Reading hasn't been a priority recently but with travelling more with work I have managed two books recently and have two books on the go

I think that's it really in terms of big updates. Personal life has been very busy and now with the school holidays to contend with…

Today I have done an inventory of the kitchen fridge freezer, and the chest freezer in the garage as both are fit for bursting, and have used Co-Pilot to pull together a list of meals - most of the meals are quite unhealthy as there is a lot of ultra-processed foods in there but there is also mince, chicken, salmon, cod and a lot of meal prepped meals that we haven't used up (chilli, curry, soup etc). I think I'll pull out a veg soup for tomorrow and pair it with half a garlic baguette (DS will have the other half as a snack, thankfully he does a lot of running around and sports).

Hope all is well and I'll be accepted back after such a long time,

Wendy x

Sun_Addict

Hello stranger, welcome back 🙂

Rhyddid2026

Nice to see you back and doing well.

Spendywendywoo

thanks @Sun_Addict

thanks @Rhyddid2026, you’re doing amazing with your debt repayment ⭐️

Spendywendywoo

Early start this morning, feeling incredibly overwhelmed as it’s been a very busy few weeks and woke up very emotional for some reason. I’ve journaled this morning which has helped. I’m questioning my work choices as I’m just not enjoying the work (but does anyone actually enjoy work?!). It’s so difficult to know what to do for the best, isn’t it. I must remember that I’m an adult and I can change my mind and/or direction at any time.

Super glad it’s Friday! I have a plan for the day and getting up early has only helped that by giving me more time (may be flagging by dinner time though).

Top 3 to do:

Read book for 30 minutes with a coffee

30 minute walk (might make it outside this morning as the weather is cooler)

2l water

Food plan:

Toasted bagel and fruit

Veg soup and half a garlic baguette

Buffet dinner as we are at a function tonight

I hope everyone has a great day,

Wendy x

Spendywendywoo

eee.. busy few weeks navigating school holidays, travelling with work and lots of birthdays and celebrations. I knew we'd blown the budget last week but I've only just had chance to review the data in detail. In the interest of being transparent, and needing to get in a better routine, like we did last year… here goes…

Of the money that we have spent since payday;

Pub (this includes a festival, a date night, drinks for birthdays etc) 24.62%

Shopping (food, toiletries and general items) 23.96%

Eating out (includes takeaways, any food bought whilst out and about above what is bought on the shopping) 15.72%

Gifts (end of year gifts for teachers, big month for birthdays and other celebrations) 9.86%

Haircuts 5.76%

Health (includes medication and a necessary treatment for an injury) 3.67%

DH 3.47%

Days out 2.90%

Petrol 2.81%

Pets 2.48%

DS 2.54%

Me 1.50%

Transport 0.70%

This isn't a typical month, thankfully, and the spending is after all bills, investments and pensions have been taken into account. Our EF for each category is full other than a 6 month EF which we are still saving towards, and all sinking funds for the year, including Christmas and a holiday, have also already been saved.

At the start of last year, before my LBM I wouldn't have batted an eyelid at a month like this but on this occasion I have seen this spiralling and knew we'd need to take action as I don't want to return to our very spendy ways.

So… now I have the detailed stats, I have shared with DH and we are putting a plan of action together for next month. We are having a nice quiet weekend this weekend and prioritising our self care, eating from the freezer and stores as they are ram packed and 'enjoying our mortgage', as the saying goes.

Feels good to type this and hold ourselves accountable.

Hope everyone is well, Wendy x

Spendywendywoo

Today is a day in the office. Usually I would buy lunch from the work canteen but today I’ve made a nice health packed lunch from food we had in. Saving circa £5.

I do need petrol today as we are down to the last 30 miles, it will get me to childcare drop off and work and then will go to the petrol station on the way home. I also need to pick some dog food up as we only have enough left until Friday morning. I’ll just purchase one pack for now though and then restock next week at payday for the whole of August pay.

One of this weekends tasks will be for me to research DB pensions. DH has one of these and his pension pot looks very low but I do think there is an element of final salary pay in it. I know it’s bothering him that I have more in my pension pot and I haven’t been paying into mine for as long as he has so looking into this will help him reduce worry. If anyone has any insight/experience of a DB pension your input would be appreciated.

Anyway, best go and get dressed, I think it’s frowned upon to walk into the office with wet frizzy hair.

Have a great day, all 😀

Smudgeismydog

With a DB pension, you don’t have a ‘pot’ like you do with a DC pension, instead it is a guaranteed income, paid at retirement age for the rest of your life with an element of inflationary increases. The value will also be increasing whilst in deferment (i.e. the value of the pension you see now, will continue to increase up until the age he starts taking it).

Spendywendywoo

@Smudgeismydog thank you - this is reassuring. We are going to look at his work documents, from when he started, over the weekend.

Spendywendywoo

So today has been a spend day but for necessities, and all planned; I got some petrol £75 and some dog food and a pack of buns (for burgers tomorrow which I have taken out of the freezer to defrost).

Tonight we are having steak puddings with frozen chips and mushy peas. Not the healthiest of teas this week but using up what we have. The plan will be to meal prep lots of homemade meals once the freezer is empty… I'm thinking that will be in 2-3 weeks time. My inventory is packed ready with suggestions from Co-Pilot so we have lots of choice. I'm actually looking forward to the random 'picky' dinners tbh.

Busy day today in the office but saw lots of colleagues who I haven't seen for a while with WFH and also from other non-local offices. Our office day has been cancelled next week so I may look to do a silent working hour with a colleague or two.