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

Thanks PP, you too! Been a slow relaxing day with lie in and no plans.

* received new Amex cards, to earn £100 cashback AND use for Dec shop small promotion (£5 back on £10 shops)
* DS swimming lesson, moved earlier from next week to avoid taking up too much of our Sat
* HM bread for lunch
* weekly meal plan written
* coats returned for £105 refund
* Split £42 food shop at Mr S into 4 for 1100 points (worth £5.50 or £11 on double up) + 5% cashback + £1.67 to reclaimed. Officially over budget on groceries now and still one whole week left to go before hols
* £5.77 claim Shopm!um from Fri
* YNAB updated
* living room tidied
* played with DS and DD2 individually
* birthday tomorrow planning to use £40 vouchers won for family brunch and printing off voucher for free entry to heritage attraction afterwards via OH work

Thanks all for the birthday wishes!

Had a lovely day, brunch was really nice and only £12.78 after vouchers, had budgeted £30 for family meal out for birthdays so pleased with that .

Then free visit to Hampton Court, their new playground is brilliant, and of course the maze. Did a little bit of the kitchens and courtyards but DD2 mostly shouted and ran around so will have to go back on my own to actually soak up the history part :rotfl: They also have wonderful kitchen and rose gardens. Took a picnic (sounds better than packed lunch) and a HM banana and chocolate cake which was delicious. Only cost £2 for all day parking and a bit of petrol which was already in the car.

Had some really thoughtful and useful gifts from the family, and a decent number of birthday cards too.

Tomorrow is DD1's birthday so need to wrap a couple of presents now. Plus I have the day off for a) a £3 haircut and b) a three course lunch with the OH at the Ritz. Yes, really! Wondering if that sentence will get me banned from the MFW boards :rotfl:! We bought the lunch as an offer last year which is already paid for, and have budgeted for a bottle of wine and service on top. So nothing to do but enjoy it

Thanks KM! Hope you had a lovely birthday too!

£3 haircut turned into £13 haircut after treatment and tip. Great job done and still £17 below budget (which I had not added a tip to).

The Ritz was fantastic, we had a 3 course meal with glass of champagne. Extra wine, coffees and service took it to £100 :eek: which is over budget but it didn't feel like the time to skimp. They brought out a little cake with Happy Birthday written on it which we had boxed up and used to have a little candle blowing out moment for DD1. We will be doing a proper dinner and cake for her next weekend when her best friend sleeps over. The overspend on dining out came out of the family days out budget so that worked out well.

DD1 loved all her presents too which I'm really happy about.

OH checked his childcare vouchers and we had more than expected (£372 instead of the £124 we thought) so have readjusted YNAB. We now have some extra money to put to OH's travelcard.

Definitely time for bed so night all!

MW x