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2026 - consolidation and calm
Comments
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ladyholly said:Happy new diary and wishing you a Happy and prosperous New Year.Sun_Addict said:You can’t get away that easily 🤣 Happy new diary and here’s to a fabulous 2026 🥳lucielle said:Still following and lurking
Lamber03 said:Ha, was just reading your old diary and was wondering if you would change the title of it to 2026. Subscribed and will continue to follow your journey.beanielou said:Happy shiny new diary. Will follow you on your journey.Doris17 said:Happy New shiny 2026 diary.PennysIntoPounds said:Happy new diary @jwil, looking forward to following your continued brilliant progress in all areas
Thank you everyoneSkint_yet_Again said:Happy new diary jwil 😊 I look forward to seeing your Pads in 2026
It's nice to have chums along for the ride 
"Good financial planning is about not spending money on things that add no value to your life in order to have more money for the things that do". Eoin McGee1 -
Happy New Year everyone! I was in bed just after 9 last night, but did wake to hear the fireworks. I had another good night's sleep though, so am very happy with that.
I've started my PADs off well this year by padding the interest/cashback I got last month.
We are heading to the seaside later for a nice walk to welcome in the new year.
I've bought 3 kindle books this morning from my wishlist which had been reduced to 99p - including the latest Strike book which is on 99p for today only. I've been waiting for that one! Those were paid for from Christmas gift vouchers so no cost to me "Good financial planning is about not spending money on things that add no value to your life in order to have more money for the things that do". Eoin McGee4 -
PAD (Payment a Day)
Today's PAD - £16
Jan - £16Car balance Sept 25 - £11,031 - now £8,838"Good financial planning is about not spending money on things that add no value to your life in order to have more money for the things that do". Eoin McGee3 -
We ended 2025 with an overall mortgage/debt increase of £1200, but that's due to the debt for my car. Without that there would have been a nice reduction, including the mortgage going down by nearly £6k!
Savings are up £2k but that is mostly inaccessible savings - my AVCs and LISA. Accessible savings reduced a bit. Pension remains on track.
Spends need working on this year!
Monthly spends:- Groceries - £510.02 (includes all supermarket/grocery spends, including non food. Excludes what DH buys).
- Mortgage - £600.83 (includes an OP of c.£35 pm)
- Ctax - £189.94
- Water - £88.60 (includes 5 months of water meter and the rest rated value, I expect this to reduce this year)
- Elec/gas - £125 (I have just increased the DD to £135)
- Mobile - £19.18 (has included some extra top ups this year, 2 phones).
- Internet, phone, tv - £62.51 (includes subscription services)
- TV licence - £15
- Insurances - £37.23 (home, life, boiler service, dog's trust membership)
- School - £179.24 (includes trips, clubs, piano lessons, lunches, general money requests)
- Clubs - £5 (this has ended)
- Clothing - £106.04 (me and the kids, including school uniforms etc)
- Health - £46.10 (includes optician, glasses, dentist, Slimming world, general prescriptions etc)
- Gifts - £108.34 (kids, DH, wider family and friends)
- Car - £985.47 (includes buying a new car this year! Insurance, mot/service, repairs, fuel/charging, parking, breakdown cover - would be about £80 without the car purchase).
- Entertainment - £265.37 (includes a week in Wales plus 2 weekends away. All meals out, days out, takeaways etc).
- Misc - £147.46 (general spends, frittering etc)
- House - £15.08 (includes repairs, work on the house etc).
"Good financial planning is about not spending money on things that add no value to your life in order to have more money for the things that do". Eoin McGee5 -
Lots achieved last year and looking forward to seeing what 2026 bringsMortgage at 01.01.14 £119,481.83:eek: today £0 Emergency fund £5.5/5.5k & £200/200 cash.:jWeight 24/02/19 14st 7lb now 11st 12lb determined to stop defining myself by my mistakes. Progress not perfection.:T100%through my 1% mortgage challenge. 100% through my pb challenge. I’m not perfect but I’m good enough for now.1
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New diary. Great. I will be following, cheering you on and no doubt being inspired
Happy New Year!
If you have built castles in the air, your work should not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them
Emergency fund 350/1000
Buffer fund 100/100
Debt Free (again) 25/07/20251 -
Thank you, hopefully lots of good things for us allin_need_of_direction said:Lots achieved last year and looking forward to seeing what 2026 brings
Thank youdoingitanyway said:New diary. Great. I will be following, cheering you on and no doubt being inspired
Happy New Year! Happy New Year to you too. "Good financial planning is about not spending money on things that add no value to your life in order to have more money for the things that do". Eoin McGee0 -
We had a lovely trip to the coast this morning. It was gloriously sunny and clear, the sea was like glass! It clouded over as we were leaving so we definitely chose the best time to go.
Just chilling this afternoon
Little miss has got back to tackling her room. I think she's overwhelmed with the amount of stuff. I'll give her a hand with it tomorrow and see if we can make some progress."Good financial planning is about not spending money on things that add no value to your life in order to have more money for the things that do". Eoin McGee6 -
Happy new diary and New Year too. You are doing so well reducing that car debt too 👏👏👏1
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Thank youmaggiem said:Happy new diary and New Year too. You are doing so well reducing that car debt too 👏👏👏 Happy new year to you too "Good financial planning is about not spending money on things that add no value to your life in order to have more money for the things that do". Eoin McGee0
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