Finally I have a mortgage I can start to pay off!

Morning all!

Off out for a walk and lunch with mum, sis and niece for 'Mothers' Day' today - we always take mum out somewhere and never on Mothers' Day as we spend it with nan, but it's rare we're organised enough that it happens before Feb time (whoops!). So it'll be a spendy day today.

MS things:
* Comps up to date
* £3 PC survey done
* 10p VB poll done
* Have had a closer look at what I'll get paid after putting tax etc. aside this month and paying cc bills and it looks like I'll be able to settle all the small IOMes and put some back into my buffer fund.
* Transferred £34 to OP fund from VB and Prolific pay outs. Now at £89.
* There's a nice surplus in the joint bills account too, so we'll have a sweep of that at the weekend hopefully and might have enough for an OP.

We're miles behind on our MFW 2017 target, but it was ambitious to start with, before taking into account the dire start to the year I had financially. Hoping that another good OP will bring us back to 'almost there' status and that the next half of the year will be better!

Have booked one of my birthday presents - a trip to a chilli farm. We have quite a few of these experience-type things we need to book, but loathe to do it until we know what's happening with kitchen (hoping to hear from wife of electrician today.... but I've heard that one before - she's one of my best friends, so I'm allowed to be rude!). DH has only limited holiday left until September, so don't want to use it up on frivolous things before the kitchen is done/started.

Gratitudes:
* It's sunny, we'll have a nice walk
* Nice evening last night playing Exploding Kitties.... especially as ginger cat decided to join in by sitting virtually on the deck....

Happy Friday everyone!

It's been a busy few days since I last updated!

Mum, sis, niece and I had a lovely lunch and walk on Friday. Saturday DH and I did housework and DIY, and went to a barn dance birthday party in the evening - it was a good laugh. Sunday was more of the housey stuff. Monday, we set off early to be in Central London by 9.30 (my goodness am I glad I don't commute into London for work - it was SO busy!). DH had been invited to a corporate thing for Wimbledon, so we ate, drank and watched a lot of tennis (Court 1) - it was an excellent day. The company also paid for a swanky hotel in London.... panoramic views from our bedroom of the river - amazing!! (Only costs to us were the bus fare to the station and cat care!)

Not a lot happened Tuesday (I even missed my evening class as I was too tired to drive!) and yesterday the main excitement was DH being away with work, so I had dinner at Mum's and admired her new kitchen.

Must do some catching up on diaries!

MS things:
* Swept interest from accounts and added to OP fund.
* No win on PBs
* Comps up to date
* Less than £1 to go on YSP (and then I'll be closing the account); 10p poll on VB done
* £1 YG surveys done
* At pay out on SBs, but don't need an Am voucher at the moment, so will keep it in there for now
* Prolific about £18 when all approved
* Meal planning done for this week (just need to do the shopping!)
* Vax had a sale on - had been planning to buy a new carpet cleaner (ours is 20+ years old, inherited and falling apart in multiple places) as we use it a lot with the cats - new cleaner, due to be delivered today £79.99 instead of £199.99, gets great reviews too.
* Tax return done and PBs money requested to pay July bill and put money in pension. Am undecided as to whether to split the pension money between Nest pension and LISA or just bung it all in pension...

OP fund at £108 now. We did check joint a/c for sweepings, but because I've order flea tablets for next year already and we owe old fuel supplier, there's not much in there (about £100 excess). DH has some money in Plum... not sure whether this is coming my way.... and no lift sharing this week (maybe tomorrow) as he's not been in the office!

We've had £214 back from insurance company for glasses, but this went towards the deficit the new ones had caused!

I was able to pay off all my 'IO Mes', except for the large chunk borrowed throughout the first few months from my buffer fund, so my finances all feel much tidier now. Amendments have been made to my spreadsheet so there are more budget categories (thanks Lady Gnome for the inspiration!), so I'll have less to spend but more of the regular stuff will be covered. DH and I have agreed that we probably need a new master spreadsheet that's up to date (and possibly a new way of doing things).

Think that's all for now, finance-wise....

Gratitudes:
* Wimbledon
* Barn dance (and time spent with friends)
* Quality time with DH
* Random friendly cat in front garden this morning
* Wildlife in mum's garden last night

I'm giving blood later, so better have another drink now!

Well I didn't faint this time from giving blood (was on strict instructions to rest and drink a lot - I had 3 pints of squash between getting home and going to bed!), but I feel pretty lightheaded today, so I'm not sure it's going to be sensible to continue, which is really annoying!

Am trying to take it easy today, but I've got quite a bit I need to get done. Some of it I have nudged to tomorrow's list though.

MS things:
* Surveys up to date
* Cashback from £co now paid because I complained.... may be switching my allegiance to tcb
* Am investigating alternative wormer for cats - the new tablets they've given don't go down with fussy cat and at £7 each are expensive (especially when he refused point blank to eat it, despite it supposedly being 'tasty'). I can't seem to find anything that clearly states the difference between the different brands, which is so annoying!
* Sister's birthday present ordered via TCB
* Comps up-to-date (have even managed to find a couple to post on the forum, so I feel I'm doing my bit )
* Need to go food shopping again - will remember the Sains voucher this week! (and not leave my £1 in the trolley!)

Gratitudes:
* Not fainting - hurrah!
* Silly circular family phone conversation last night, involving sister's birthday present/surprise - it was funny
* DH looking after me last night

Happy Friday everyone!

Glad it's not just me re MFW 2017! I'm feeling like a MFW fraud at the moment... there's virtually no OPing going on, and we seem to be spending more than we have on the kitchen (and not on nice stuff, just plastering, wiring etc.). I have to keep reminding myself that it'll be worth it and add value in the end.

TH - have you ever visited with any of your children when they give blood? I was scared, but then I went with my friend (I couldn't donate as didn't have an appointment) and once I'd seen how it worked I wasn't so bothered! Sadly I'm not sure whether I'll do it again - I didn't faint, but I did spend most of Friday feeling lightheaded and I'm not sure that my body's is up for it, even if I am.

Weekend was quiet, did quite a few house jobs, which was good and have freecycled some bits which has given us more space in the utility room. Tried out our new vax - very impressed! DH is going to B&Q tonight as we need a couple of bits to finish some small jobs off - I've sent him a £10 e-voucher to use (from a tv survey), so hopefully that will cover most of the cost. Am going to try to keep a record of the vouchers we use/free stuff we get for doing the kitchen/other rooms, to see how much we can offset the spends.... While ultimately it'll mean more for the OP fund, with money a bit tight I'm not going to immediately transfer it over.

MS things:
* Surveys/polls/SBs done
* Comps entered....
* Menu plan done and being stuck to
* Found a few bits during clear out that hopefully electrician man can use (it's no longer our friend doing it, so anything to reduce the cost is good!)
* DH used £5 shell voucher off of fuel
* DH still lift sharing (still not seen the cash!!)
* Loose change into the sheepbank
* Tax bill paid, am in process of deciding what to do with pension savings...
* Rhubarb crumble from garden (and tomatoes are coming along!); harvested and froze redcurrants last week

Gratitudes:
* Got to go for a nice drive in the country shortly to return something borrowed
* Lovely walk yesterday evening with DH
* Nice family time at Nan's yesterday
* Rhubarb crumble from garden (and tomatoes are coming along!)

Happy Monday everyone!