Just lost my last post. So I've decided to by a szechaun pepper plant, as my FIL and DD2 made bonfire night gin using peppercorns, very warming. Apparently these plants will grow in this country and I always like to grow something unusual at the allotment. My problem however is who do I buy from? I've looked at big online company and it will cost me £10.85 , but when i checked out the actual company who grow the plant they charge £12.85. So do i go with the cheaper option (MSE) or do I buy from those who've actually grown the plant? The only reason why they are more expensive is they charge more for postage and packaging. Wondered if this was because the bigger company has a deal with the delivery company as they will send more packages out. Need to sleep on it.

DH at work again this wkend, DD2 invited herself to her granma's and they are going to see paddington 2. DD1 at home revising for her mocks. So went to the allotment for a couple of hours and harvested tea and Tuesday tea also. Come home and trying to get my self to do the housework, but not sure where to start. Think the dog is first.

We only have one more cc payment to make and then we can start over paying.

Hi Sazzle, well done on all the small changes you are making, they will all add up quickly.

Do you make Tilly Tidy payments to your mortgage? These are so helpful at reducing the balance slowly each day.

Best of luck xx

Well done Sazzlebgood, you sound very organised. We have similar sizes and terms of mortgage and not so did-similar incomes so I will be following along with interest.
Have you had a play around with the MSE early mortgage repayment calculator? It's really good.

So the last of the credit card debt is paid off ,so i can now focus on the mortgage. So today will be the first hopefully of many over payments. Worked out we could be mortgage free in 14 years which seems along time away. We maybe able to do it quicker once the mum loan is paid off in the next couple of years. So to help make possible additional payments I've set myself several challenges this year some we've done before and some new. Some will save money and some won't, some will make life simpler and some will be just because!
1) Continue to only buy meat that is reduced.
2) No clothes buying except for school uniform and shoes, DD1 needs walking boots and DD2 will probably need a new winter coat by the end of the year.
3)Reduce the amount of plastic coming into the house, look for alternatives or look for ways for it to be reused.
4) Use stuff off the allotment everyday.
5) Use up stockpiles in cupboard and freezer.
6) Meal plan.
7) Declutter 2018 things from the house this year.
8) Cut our £600 food bill down and save the extra to pay for holidays, days out and special occasions.
9) Complete my second year (part time) of my degree.
10) Try to be more positive.

Meal plan for this week.
Tue- make roasted veg soup from christmas day veg that is currently defrosting with cheesie toasties.
Wed - chicken curry and rice (left over chicken from monday)
Thurs- sausage(ys), mash (hg) and beans
Fri- freezer suprise
Sat - out
Sun- cheese and crackers.
Christmas decs came down yesterday , sorted through and have got rid of several and binned broken ones

Declutter challenge 2018
1-3 broken decs in bin
4-20 decs to cs.

Went into town yesterday , struggled to park as it was so busy. Returned library books, set myself a challenge last year not to buy any new books or dvds (only buy as a special treat for birthdays) and support my local library. Managed to drop off christmas cards at supermarket for recycling. Mad at OH this am as i asked him to get the chicken out to defrost and he left it out on the side all night. So that was wasted. DD 1 and 2 back to school today. DD1 hopefully will get the results to her mocks this week fingers crossed. have a big long list of things to do today including looking at my next assignment, costing up new fencing and fitting a yoga session in.

declutter challenge 2018
20 - 30 various items of clothing gone to the cs

HM soup for lunch.

Had to visit the supermarket as the dog had been sick all over the dining room carpet and I'd run out of cleaner. Need to really take a list with me when i go as i came back I'd spent £50 odd pound and had only gone for cleaner. I think at the weekend I need to sit down and look at my spending habits when I go to the supermarket and look at ways to stop me spending so much. No wonder our bill is so big. I did pick up some christmas cards and paper some that could be used to wrap birthday presents and a couple of christmas presents. I noticed this year however that because I'd already got alot of presents in sales etc that it effected my enjoyment (not alot but abit) of the whole process of preparing for christmas. So I'm not sure if the frugalness of saving on presents versus pleasure of buying near christmas was worth it from an emotional point. Flooring for dining room is going to have to wait as the garage roof is leaking and the fence needs repairing may regret the additional over payment this month. Saved money today as OH brought back the remains of an old pan(no handle) from work to replace the dog bowl that went in the bin due to it developing a huge crack in it. Been and got bulbs (reduced to £2 a pack about 30 in a pack) to make a friends birthday present.