The mindful MFW: A healthy, happy journey to a mortgage free life!

Thanks PP, had a really nice weekend. GCSEs are next year thank goodness. I will share the Singapore noodles once I’ve cooked them at home to make sure they work out as well as the ones I made in class.

Weekend started off not great, found out one voucher planned to use with OH on night out not valid on Saturdays and the one planning to use with DD1 had already expired :mad:

But all was not lost... agreed we’d still go out but go halves from pocket money. Found out that keg of beer I won last year for local craft brewery via twitter was still valid so had 2 free pints (worth £8). Then we tried a local pizza place, the food was really good. Babysitter was a swap so only cost £17.50 each for a night out. Still have 51 pints to drink in local brewery in the next year too :beer::beer:

We took kids out together on Sat to local pop up cafe with giant marble run for kids, then a walk in nearby new nature attraction. Total spend £5 on coffee.

Took DD1 to free history talk on Sun with tea and cake in nearby cafe. Total spend £11. Was nice to have some time together and she enjoyed the talk, which is related to her GCSE topics. Have made plans for another outing together once her exams are out of the way, and we’ll watch a documentary together later in the week.

Food spend about £60 this week which seems a bit steep, but did include £4 of dummies I want to return, and some very overpriced oyster sauce from Mr T. OH is trying his hardest so need to be a bit less critical when he comes home from the shop overbudget.

And looks as if charges for car are finally settled, looking most likely to be £130. I still think they are scamming us, but just glad the whole debacle is nearing the end. We’re due a refund this week for the rest of our deposit apparently. Lesson learnt about purchasing independent damage waiver insurance and photographing hire cars more closely before and after the hire.

Postal survey up to date and just about to update YNAB. 10 days til OH gets paid and I’m feeling the itch to do something financially crazy! Good news is have a night out with friend tomorrow and have won a pair of tickets to a food festival on the weekend so a couple of things to look forward to that can use my pocket money on.

An MSE update:
* Cheap weekend, we ended up going to a free museum family festival, £6.40 in parking but all activities and entry free, we had a lovely day out
* kids loved the party yesterday completely free day out
* £29.99 cheap mobile handset only bought via cashback site (due £20, although currently showing as £10 so will report when confirmed). Due to collect tomorrow. This will work as a festival phone/spare handset once I'm ready to choose another smartphone but gets me out of the lack of phone situation I'm in.
* evening out tonight, will overspend on pocket money BUT will claim my work expenses tomorrow which will up the pocket money account. Please shout at me if that's still on my to do list later in the week
* sorted out a wardrobe at home, three bin liners ready for charity, and equivalent of four bin liners to the tip for recycling. This was mostly excess bedding and unused 'hobby' equipment. Most proud as OH and I worked as a team on it, and we are one step closer to updating DD2's room.
* bought beauty advent for DD1 reduced from £19.99 to £7.99, so all kids now sorted for advents
* about to buy the first few beers for OH to have a beer advent calendar, thought it would be nice surprise and can do a different craft beer a day for about £30-35
* Checked in with accounts and YNAB updated
* Only 4 days until OH gets paid :j!

That sounds like a bargain wish! I don’t have a Costco card am afraid but can look into getting one for future purchases. My beers with discounts are coming in at around £1.27 each so far which isn’t too bad but £30 all in sounds like excellent value.


MSE wins:
* Work expenses submitted and approved (£35)
* Dumb phone collected and in use
* Won 3month taste card from mobile phone purchase
* £5 shopmium refunds claimed today.
* Half price meat from meat counter + staff discount so beautiful 2kg of AA beef topside for £10.20, will freeze for Boxing Day; organic pork chops £3.80, and 1.4kg of pork shoulder roasting joint for £4.75.
* Rest of deposit from car hire company returned to credit card (£1520).
* Cost of alleged repairs £170, need to find in next month’s budget but at least the ordeal is over. Have submitted claim to credit card so small chance of refund.
* Bought 3x more craft beers for OH advent at £1.27 each.
* DD1 advent collected, bought for £7.99 reduced from £20
* Read book on kindle had already purchased
* OH paid and monies allocated in YNAB :j! Can’t cover all our costs and savings targets this month at the moment, probably not even when the rest of our monies come in. December will be very tight, although we have only 4 weeks to payday which might save the proverbial bacon
* DD1s flute dropped off for service (budgeted for)
* Run some figures and looks like financial targets for next year are to a) contribute all of OHs income above basic tax rate band to pension contributions. This works out at 32.5% b) increase my pension contributions to 9% to take income below personal tax threshold. That way we are making the most tax efficient savings possible c) split any remaining savings between mortgage overpayments and stock market investments
* Moved timings of spa session OH booked for us to gain an extra hour use of facilities
* Booked free evening out next week with food, drinks, and chance to win money
* £3.26 TCB claimed
* £25 received from fleabay
* Been listening to financial podcasts on 1.5 speed so getting even more hints and tips!

Mindfulness and health
* Realise mindfulness is taking a back seat in this journey, so from next Monday I have to pay 10p a day (discounted cost of headspace membership) each day I do not listen to it.
* Planning to enrol on family course related to DD1 health, which will cost £100. Much needed but an unbudgeted expense.

Financial fails:
* need to put DD2 in pull up pants for a few weeks for nursery. Will buy from Lidl to minimise costs
* Still have to find £150 for tap replacement, £170 for car hire damage and £100 for health course this month :eek: