greent's mfw journey

greent · 9 June 2018 at 4:49PM

££££££:eek::eek::eek::eek:

Picks self up off floor - £1220 to put DS1 on my insurance until renewal!!!

To try and counteract that a little(!

) I have paid £30 to my CC (balance now under £1k - whoop!) from tcb and small fleabay sale

I need £553 to take total BTL mtge down below £60k and £576 to take sub acct 1 (the one I'm concentrating on as it's end date is the soonest) below 55K. I could pay that off when rent comes in, but I think I'll do about half/ just over and definitely get it below next month (still awaiting a quote for some work, so still not keen to repay too much from BTL acct)

Beautiful day here. Original forecast was dull and cloudy, but it is warm (windows and doors open, 3rd lot of washing just about to go on line) with blue skies and just some fluffy white clouds. I went on a helicopter ride earlier (Xmas present) for a fly above the city and the next town - views were brilliant. Not something I feel the need to do again, though!

Busy week coming up - DS1 has 4 A2 exams. I'm working every day. DS2 has 3 exams x 3 days and then a trip to a theme park on Thurs. OH is working away as usual and DD needs to submit her dissertation proposal this week. DS3 has a school trip on Mon

Oh - and Fri night OH and I are out at a concert at Westonbirt Arboretum

- hopefully I'll be able to stay awake!!

OH has now formally been offered an extension on his contract until end of Oct. Not likely to get one after that (unless just to mid Dec) as the 2 year rule would come in. Plus a lot of things are due to be finalised by end Oct. He is looking at taking it so I have suggested that - assuming he takes it - he takes off a full week every month to really get some benefit of R&R time, rather than odd days (so would mean working for 3 of the 4 months, in effect) - can spend some time doing nothing, some time going away/ out and some time doing house-y stuff. He does have a possible plan B in reserve, but that's dependent upon something else happening, and it wouldn't do so for several weeks yet.

brizzlegirl · 10 June 2018 at 10:36AM

Blimey. Thats a tonne of cash!!!!

Best of luck with exams. DD1 had a stinker last week. Really felt for her and the whole class (it wasn't just her) really. She also said there was a question which wasn't on the syllabus in another exam..I do wonder about the QA procedures at the boards sometimes....

Hope you can find a sensible solution for the contract extension conundrum. A week off a month sounds a good compromise.

greent · 11 June 2018 at 4:28PM

Thanks, brizzle - DS1 also had an exam last week where there was a question not on the syllabus - wonder if it was the same one?

He had Biology paper 2 today - none of them (bar 1) liked the paper - this is from a couple of sets of bright boys who mostly struggled with a lot of it. The teachers hadn't seen the papers by the time I left for the day, so I'll be interested in what they have to say about it.

OH has accepted the contract extension and is taking his first week off in the first week of July

- I will have finished all the exam invigilating and we can take some time out :T - we'll also probably do a trip to Cardiff one day to DD's new flat to take a load of stuff over there so it's not cluttering up here over the Summer break

greent · 11 June 2018 at 9:17PM

£85 just claimed from tcb in Tesc0 vouchers :T :T Will make a corresponding pymt to CC

michelle09 · 16 June 2018 at 10:35PM

Ouch! At least DS gets to drive now? I thought ours was bad, but I won't complain now.

When are all the exams over?

greent · 17 June 2018 at 5:53PM

DS1's A2 exams finish this week - he has 3 left - one each on Mon, Tues and Weds

Exams finish for me on June 29th - I will have had one day off in the exam period - which is June 28th!

However, I do enjoy it, but this year has been hard work with too many long days working straight through without a break.

Very expensive month this month! - insurance for DS1 (yes, he is driving my car, but only with myself or OH also present at the mo), new guttering, decking (around £500), kitchen painting , electrician to locate and repair a burned out junction under the loft bedroom floorboards (:eek:), new iron - total spending on that lot over £3300!! Ouch! :eek:

Aside from that, my CC balance is now down to the wonderfully low level of £140 - so that will be gone this month and I'll also pay Tax Cr people before the month end - meaning that we can then concentrate on the BTL/ build savings back up/ shove some more money into pension. BTL is now just under £60k (by about £2.50

)

Went to a gig at Westonbirt Arboretum on Fri night - good weather, thankfully. Also we were lucky - the gig by the same act was cancelled for the following night under medical advice. Yesterday we went to a 60th bday do in the afternoon - lots of fun

We spent the morning at Stroud Farmers Market - had forgotten how much I love it, not just for the wonderful produce, but mainly for the general vibe in the town - so relaxed and friendly

Have resolved to go at least monthly.

Right - time to test the new iron whilst dinner is cooking, methinks....

xx

greent · 19 June 2018 at 5:59PM

Oooof! Beautiful evening here - sat here with French doors open

I can hear the rowers training on the canal

We had the guttering all changed yesterday (the house and the garage) Good price and looks great. They have damaged my big pear tree, though - 4 branches have been broken. There's no way that they didn't notice and I appreciate that the branches do go close to the garage, so I can see how it might have happened (but not all 4...) - however, it would have been polite to have mentioned it

They trampled on some strawberries, too. (although I am bored of picking and eating strawberries now!)

Last A2 paper for DS1 tomorrow. He didn't like today's (stats) and didn't finish it.

Talking of exams, the provisional timetables for next Summer's GCSE and A2 exams are in - dates have been moved forward for A2s (starting before half term) so it's all a bit of a squeeze. Means we end earlier, but it will be a challenge getting it all done and keeping any sanity!

DD has gone back to Cardiff for a few days - she's seeing Ed Sheeran and also tidying/ cleaning the flat, ready to hand it back to the lettings agents this weekend - we shall go over on Saturday to collect her and the remaining items (all kitchenware, bedding, a blanket box and some random bits)Next year's flat is - she assures me! - nicer than this one (can't be worse!)

Oooh - new iron is very efficient. Not sure I'm a fan yet, but it's certainly speedy

Moneyfordreams · 20 June 2018 at 11:23AM

they certainly should have mentioned it and apologised for there lack of care.

I remember last year picking our DD2 up from the south , it was so emotional ..... she keeps threatening to go of again to uni, somewhere , Swansea, Dublin, who knows

greent · 2 July 2018 at 4:46PM

Whoop! Work is over now until a couple of days in September :j :j

Life feels like it has been put on hold somewhat, so I feel I can try and catch up a bit now

I have done 3 hours (:eek:!!!!) of ironing today - there's probably about another 2 hours worth left! I've been getting DD & DS1 to put it away. Will tackle the rest of the house throughout the week.....

We finally had the skirting boards fitted in our kitchen today (was a freebie, so we had to wait) and they look lovely. It was meant to be painted last Friday, but I've rearranged that in view of the boards being fitted today. Am hopeful, though, of the kitchen being totally finished by the end of this month!! :j

DS1's exams finished almost 2 weeks ago and he had his leavers' dinner last Friday - which cost me a new suit, shirt, tie & shoes! He looked very smart, though - and I think he enjoyed the evening overall

Am loving the chance to finally get to enjoy some of this fantastic weather! How wonderful! The garden is suffering (our water butts have totally run dry) but I'm not complaining

Oh - in money news, last week the last 0% CC and the bill tax credits sent us - so our only debt now is the BTL, so all focus is now on there. Have managed to pay £50 to it today from flebay/ cashback/ a5da priceguarantee vouchers used :T I need to pay about £200/ mth to it to meet my 2018 OP target, and I'm confident that that will not only be achieved, but exceeded (unless we have a major, major disaster)

x

greent · 2 July 2018 at 5:10PM

(Nothing really new for 2018 - it's a take stock, get rid of debt kinda year and then re-assess after that. Biggest change will be if DS1 goes off to uni, which he is really looking forward to

)

Make memories together - good ones! - Definitely a keeper - we've had family games continue, a day trip to Leg0land (financed by CC vouchers), meals out, a day to Slimbridge with smalls, clearing student flat with DD (and finally meeting her bf's dad ) and DS1 survived A2 exams, DS2 has almost done his first year of secondary school OH and I went to Westonbirt to see Billy Bragg, Paul Heaton & Jackie Abbott. (Also meant to see Tears for Fears earlier in year but their tour was cancelled) (
Little jobs which need doing around the house - spreadsheet to be updated over Xmas hols and timescales decided upon. Some of these will be achieved along with kitchen, as we've asked tradespeople to do the small jobs along with the kitchen job. Definitely want more progress on this in 2018 than in 2017! Ideally I would like to achieve something and update the list every month - as well as kitchen, we've had our shower fully replaced/ new tiling, 2 radiators elsewhere in house changed, guttering changed (after a large piece fell off in a storm!), an electrical issue with landing and hallway lights sorted, an electrical fault found under flooring and rectified (thankfully no damage). Need to update s/sheet and see what we can achieve in 2nd half of the year
Kitchen remodel - now delayed (by kitchen co) for a couple of weeks. However, I want it in essence done by my bday (early March) and properly finished by end of April. We have most of the money in an account, but anything which gets put on 0% CC to be repaid in 2018 - kitchen done, except for painting the walls- money has been set aside for this. Anything that was put on CC has now been repaid in full :T
Tackle various bits of debt (eg: OH's car loan, possible tax credits overpayment, 0% CC debt) - would like it ALL gone by end of 10/18 - ALL gone by 06/18 :j
Carry on supporting DD through Uni, DS1 through the end of VIth form and hopefully start of Uni, DS2 through the rest of his first year at secondary school and (towards the end of the year) DS3 in starting to prep for 11+ test - DONE - except for DS3 prep. His test isn't until 09/19, so will start gentle prep over Summer
Continue to declutter - Marie Kondo style Mostly done except for the continual ongoing things needed. I want to re-gain a calm house (*most* of the time) I'd like to achieve 2018 items in 2018, but I'm not sure I can (am almost at 2017 in 2017 though! ) - abandoned keeping tally after laptop failed and lost my list. However, lots has left and more will leave (children's rooms!) over the Summer. House is not very calm after the exam season, but am hoping this week will see it a lot of the way back.....
Make £1000 from surveys/ selling unwanted/ unused/ unloved items discovered during decluttering! - currently at £542, so on target
Pensions - have made a start on this. 2018 will see us increase our contributions to co scheme (and co contributions are also increasing - both ahead of what the minimum requirements are) and probably an appointment with an IFA to gain a better understanding of what our options with our old pensions are - saw an IFA, and we have put on hold any ideas re our old DB pensions for now, but will continue to review occasionally. We now each pay in 10% to current co scheme, and co pays in 15% and we may increase that again before the year end. Other investment plans on hold for a couple of months whilst we figure out what OH might be doing - but money is being saved to a separate account in the meantime
Lose 2 dress sizes - no action taken whatsoever.... :o
Review all finances to ensure current needs being met in best possible way and also set up a targeted savings plan come end of year - it tends to be a bit ad-hoc at the mo, and we could do better - some improvements made, but could probably still do better, however, I have been focussing mainly on slaying the debt. Now that's gone I can look at the wider picture
Ensure Co accounts and personal tax stuff submitted to accountant promptly again - Co accounts submitted - just waiting for any queries to come back. Still need to send personal stuff (kept it for student finance forms) - will submit this month
Carry on targeting BTL IO mtge - target for 2018 is £4000 reduction - ahead of target at 2772/4000 at the mo - pleased with this
A family holiday and maybe even anther night away just OH and myself - nothing arranged yet...!!!8230;...
Continue with simplified life. - I will be resigning from the 2nd invigilation job - I've only done £100 worth this Summer and it's not worth the mental switching between the 2 schools.
Health - I need to get fitter. My shoulder is much better than this time last year. However, I have lost a lot of cardio-type fitness in the 2nd half of the year and need to get this back up - and actually finish c25k this year! - I did some soft tissue damage to my left foot in Oct (which hurt until around March), followed by a bad break of one toe in Feb. Also had flu/ chest infection for 3 weeks in Jan, followed by anaemia (probably as a result of not eating properly with flu) Have just sent off questionnaire for Body Coach (I had a free plan offered after doing it last year) to motivate me again
The garden -make it so that we enjoy spending time in there Ultimately (but definitely not in 2018!!) I would like it re-hard landscaped and remodelled as it needs it. - OH has started building a deck at the top where we used to have a broken small patio. Weather is not conducive to continuing with that at the mo, but it'll get there! We have some pretty pots planted up, and the patio will be jet washed this month/next month (waiting for some rain, or I'll feel guilty as the water usage!) We have had a couple of BBQs and eaten outside more, though
Count my blessings each and every day - I like thinking at the end of the day about what I am thankful for - Yep. Some days are easier than others, though!

greent's mfw journey

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