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Winter Wonders
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Well aren't you lot just the productive little soldiers eh?!
Wednesday - absolutely no reason to EVER force yourself to read a dull book, and any book group worth its salt will be quite happy for you to tell them that you simply thought it was dull so stopped reading - that's my view anyway!
Our kettle also needs descaling which has annoyed me a this is the point of using the water filter. Sigh. I too use vinegar when the dreaded task gets done, and then the hot vinegar heads down whichever plughole needs it the most and gets jiggy with the couple of tablespoons of bicarb I threw down first. I've got a separate kettle for upstairs these days for this purpose - only ever gets used for the vinegar so don't have to faff about trying to stop it smelling of vinegar afterwards!
Marmalade making has commenced here - batch 1 got made yesterday and I pushed on to deal with the prep for batch 2 as well - that's spent the day sitting in the pan with a cloth over it and we'll start the simmer as soon as the peak rate drops off at 7pm. I might sit down and get all the labels written tonight as well to avoid the jars sitting on the side for days while I get around to it.
Can't recall what else I had listed as OATs now. Have I done any more of them though? Let's be honest, it's doubtful isn't it.🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00. Balance as at 31/12/25 = £ 91,100.00
SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her7 -
Two listings
Listings prep
Finished a perfume samplehttps://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6466032/an-in-between-phase/p1
'self-blame can be as egotistical as self-praise... any work worth doing is greater than we are... we must not overrate our importance to it, either for good or ill' Margaret Kennedy Lucy Carmichael4 -
Managed to get a new bathroom caddy on the wall. Finally taken bottles from Christmas to bottle bank.I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.
Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
"A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.
***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb. ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.4 -
I had a very intense soundbath at the weekend which was lovely at the time, but I woke up yesterday feeling terrible. It reminded me of the feeling after a migraine as I had brain fog and felt tired and cold. I had to have a lie in and then I kept having nightmares. I got up as we had a workman here yesterday as we got a new kitchen cupboard fitted. The kitchen had such awful storage so now at least I can fit all my dry goods in the kitchen as I had been keeping them in a cabinet in my living room.
I've woken up today feeling fine and have been awake since 5. I thought I would get up about 6.30 as I couldn't get back to sleep.
I have done a morning meditation listening to binaural beats as the soundbath reminded me about them. I have done one OAT which was to book a smear test as I'm pretty sure I am due one this year as I remember them saying it was when I was going to be 50 years old.
I have made a sandwich for my lunch today as I couldn't get into the kitchen easily yesterday and the workman is coming back here this morning. I am going to make a smoothie too as I went through the fruit bowl yesterday and chopped up and froze the very brown bananas.
Right, I am off for a shower and to get ready. I remembered to have my protein water today too. I am getting my hair blow dried today as I'm out tomorrow so of course it is raining heavily so it will probably ruin my hair on the walk home!3 -
I emptied the large upright commercial freezer in the pig-shed, and turned it off to defrost and clean, maybe move too. Naturally there were a few bits that didn't fit anywhere else, so soup, jelly and a pot of berries for breakfasts have been (made and) transferred to the fridgeSave £12k in 2025 #2 I saved £14,660.97 of £6000 or 244.35% of my target. The 2026 Save £12k in 2026 thread is here
OS Grocery Challenge in 2025 I finished the year at £2880.99/£3000 or 96.03% of my annual spend so I am sticking with a £3000 annual budget for 2026
I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the grow your own in 2026 discussion thread
My keep within our budget diary is here3 -
I had a huge power bill today, I've used £200 of gas in the last month 😱 so I really really need to bring some wood in and stop being lazy about it. I'm very close to using up the last bit of credit.
This wood is from the load I bought 16 months ago, and it's not great, and some needs cutting down to size, and it's stored in my alleyway so it's just been lumped in the CBA pile most of the time.
I am also running 2 extra radiators this year and still can't close my living room curtains coz of the boxes. I can't do much about that today but I can get some bloomin wood in and make an effort to light the log burner a few evenings a week through this week and into February!
I've written here now so it has to happen.Debts 04/01/25 02/02/26
Natwest2 £6,509.97 £5,100
NatWest CC £7,612.74 £6,535
Lloyds CC £6,112.60 £4,450
1st Direct CC £176.03 £3.53
CC total £20,411.34 £16,088.53
TSB OD £500 £0
1st Direct OD £600 £0
Car loan £4,000 £4,000
1st Direct Loan £10,684.44 £7,655
Total £36,195.78 £27,743.53
EF £1,100.13
HF £101.432 -
Remembered to eat some strawberry jam for breakfast. We currently have three pots...
Looked through high-up cupboards, decluttered some cat stuff
Finished the crackers for cheese from Christmas
Might have accidentally on purpose acquired a bag of toiletries from olio so will have to make extra efforts with skincare and haircare!
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6466032/an-in-between-phase/p1
'self-blame can be as egotistical as self-praise... any work worth doing is greater than we are... we must not overrate our importance to it, either for good or ill' Margaret Kennedy Lucy Carmichael3 -
Logs brought in and used. Will need to repeat this on Thursday (out tomorrow evening).
Christmas parsnips now used up. I accidentally made a large batch of yorkie batter for my toad in the hole, so now I have 20 yorkshire puds for the freezer, plus one big one. Thank you very much to my chickens for the fresh eggs in winter.
Debts 04/01/25 02/02/26
Natwest2 £6,509.97 £5,100
NatWest CC £7,612.74 £6,535
Lloyds CC £6,112.60 £4,450
1st Direct CC £176.03 £3.53
CC total £20,411.34 £16,088.53
TSB OD £500 £0
1st Direct OD £600 £0
Car loan £4,000 £4,000
1st Direct Loan £10,684.44 £7,655
Total £36,195.78 £27,743.53
EF £1,100.13
HF £101.433 -
Marmalade all made, jarred and labelled, and MrEH took one for the team and took on the task of getting it all stashed away in the cupboard - he did find an additional large jar of the 2024 vintage in the back of the cupboard which was an unexpected bonus too!
Parsnips - that reminds me I absolutely MUST get parsnip soup making onto my list of things to do the next time I have a spare hour that will work for it!
🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00. Balance as at 31/12/25 = £ 91,100.00
SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her4 -
Two listings today.
Am bringing a bit of cheer to the day by using a candle instead of keeping it 'for unspecified later'
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6466032/an-in-between-phase/p1
'self-blame can be as egotistical as self-praise... any work worth doing is greater than we are... we must not overrate our importance to it, either for good or ill' Margaret Kennedy Lucy Carmichael5
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