Would I July to you August Frugaleers

[Unescorted]

Follow on from the last one

Tayto we're heading off early tomorrow for our hols too. Bins emptied, last dishwasher load on and anything else will be hand washed. Fridge empty in the morning. Leave as many windows on the latch as is safe so the house stays nice and fresh. Put the recycling that we forgot to put out in the week on the drive ready for next week's recycling day 🙄

@lifelongfrugaleer

Ooof uniform is £££

It really is! I got all the uniform sorted a few weeks ago in an unusually organised moment but still have to do shoes and trainers x 3 dcs. Dreading how much it will cost.

Have lovely holidays those of you heading off in the morning.

Happy holidays to those going away.
Can't face Changing Rooms I don't think, it was traumatic enough the first time!
life I love the idea of freezing the milk in ice cube trays. Fridge contents are always a challenge when you're going away.
Busy week here. Work and then funeral of an old friend on Wednesday. I couldn't get away from work for it, so joined the wake after work which was quite a surreal experience!
My parents took us out for tea on Thursday which was really lovely. It was hard to find an evening when all 4 of us could go what with both dc working, cricket etc, but everyone was on good form and we didn't have to pay, so win win
I'm not looking forward to doing my weekly spreadsheet update today as dh has done quite a bit of socialising recently. I'm not drinking much due to weight loss efforts, so that is frugal too. I have put our mortgage payment up in anticipation of going full time from September & will try to get our loan paid off sooner too. Don't want to fritter the extra away.

That's brilliant frugal Organisation North
My next targets are also to clear my loan and pay the mortgage off in ten years (it's a 13 year mortgage so this should be feasible) but at the moment I'm spending way too much on the puppy and need to get this under control.

Tayto have a wonderful holiday. My two would be make sure you have lights set on timers and turn off every socket that won't be in use including oven, washing machine and dishwasher

That is organised North, I can only dream of paying off the mortgage! I do try to make overpayments but the last couple of months I haven't been able to. Maybe when we retire...

We’ve been throwing money at our pensions and investments. Currently our mortgage is Ona. Great rate so we’re not over paying. But I think once we’ve done the renovations and the kids are our of nursery that’s when we’ll start doing it.

We did it on our old place and just saved up the 10% and lumped it all at the mortgage in one go. Saves on interest that way.

Our spreadsheet is a car crash. I haven't had time to keep an eye on things and the others have take it as an opportunity to spend spend spend..... some of it presents for me to keep me sane, so I feel like a heel for getting grumpy. I suspect there will be an element of line drawing and recalibration ( sorry my inner CS came out here....).

Today is a day of cake making and sketching (to nourish my soul as DD would say), but before that I need to food bank, clean the house and start processing the dirty washing.... it is going to be a busy day.

Today will be a jobs day too. Puppy needs a new collar so off to mole store.

We paid our mortgage off 7 years early with a combo of overpay and offset. Interest rates are shot so doing it again. Set 10 years with new house but hope to pay off in 2.

In 2?!?! That’s awesome!

I think next month our mortgage will tip under £400k which will make me feel happier.

I’m only doing a spreadsheet for my spends because I need to know where my moneys going.

Today I’ve got physio at 930. The. Riding at 11. Then have to do a tidy up. We ve got ds’ preschool friend and family round for bbq tomorrow.

Have time off the week after next so am going to use the time to sort my shit out. Pre winter life overhaul if you will.

Charity shop runs. Streamline things. Get my self organised again. And catch up on Netflix.

I’ve booked a piercing appointment for 16 sept. And have also just booked a tattoo appointment.

I have this. But want a fourth bird on there. And also am getting a simple line “drawing” of a cat and a paw print on my other arm. Yay!

2 years life?? That's incredible.
Since restrictions eased we have definitely spent a lot more, nothing to excessive, but just more eating out, as we'd missed doing that, going to the cricket club for the same reason and it's easy for that to become the new norm, so we must sort it.
We've got enough money saved to replace the car when we need to & for the big holiday next year so increasing the overpayments seems sensible. Once I go full time then any more extra will go to the loan as that is a higher rate. We do have enough money saved to pay the loan off if we think the car will rumble on for long enough, not sure what we'll do.
Ours is a 13 year mortgage too wolf, hoping to reduce to 10

em - odd numbers of things look better b/c it has a focus. With even numbers your eye doesn't know where to rest.

Life that is amazing.

Food bank done - so I now have a choice of fridges or bathroom. Both are grim. I swear my family are dirt blind.

Yeah but it’s a relatively little mortgage and combine with offset, existing savings and dh gets a maturity lump sum. Being tight has its paybacks

That's amazing Life. I'm going to sit down and redo my budget this morning. Then I'm going to do some broad easy weekly meal plans and get my arse in gear.

£5 breakfast

North I know what you mean about spending more since lockdown ended.

Well I’ve missed posting while on holiday and the thread has moved on fast!
Happy hols to all of those going. It’s a pain sorting the house beforehand but I appreciated coming home to clean and tidy house.
Welcome to the newcomers too.
Holiday was less spendy than I planned so within budget. Am taking DC to cinema today (first time since lockdown).
wolf I hope DS appreciated your efforts on his room
sing great that you have got organised on decorating and lessons
em you sound very busy and organised despite sleep deprivation, hope you get some down time too
mrs please do share, you’re not being maudlin. It’s amazing you do so much for your mum (who I presume was part of your tough childhood?) I hope it brings you some peace to do that for her.
gen great scheme, good for you
I hear you on uniforms, like humbug I did most of it early but still blazers to buy for DS1 andDS2. At least our school stuff is relatively cheap as it’s not a well off catchment area. And they need new walking boots, and probably more winter stuff…DS1 has been slow to grow and now he is I’m not used to cost!
mrs we went to north wales by the way, not sure if that’s near you - had a day out in snow don which was beautiful and I swam in a stream - blooming freezing but beautiful.
Off to watch changing rooms and shop well for less now

Urghhhh we got a notification late yesterday from nursery that DD is a contact of a covid positive case. As the rules have changed for kids she didn't need to isolate. She was unsettled over night waking 4 times and this morning has a high temperature so going for a covid test shortly. Which given she's a contact there is a realistic prospect of it being positive which is worrying for me being heavily pregnant and unvaccinated (the latter I appreciate is my choice and I do own that). And also just going to be a right hassle if we have to self-isolate for 10 days for various reasons. The silver lining is that at least DH won't have to self-isolate now the rules have changed given he's double vaccinated.

Oh no meadow I really hope you are both ok. It must be a difficult decision to make re vaccinating when you’re pregnant, given the vaccine is so new.

Hope you are both ok meadow

Gws. Meadow dd. Hope it’s not the virus

Meadow fingers crossed it is a common and garden cold.

I am taking DS to the drop in centre for his first jab on Tuesday. He just scrapes into the age group.

Both fridges done.... I was ruthless with the use by dates and realistically never going to use half jars. I found several jars of pesto.....opened, one spoon taken and the rest left to fester. Does any one know if it is freezeable?

Cupcakes in the oven.... lemon drizzle with lemon buttercream so high it looks like Ru Paul's wig is the plan.

@Unescorted

Meadow fingers crossed it is a common and garden cold.

I am taking DS to the drop in centre for his first jab on Tuesday. He just scrapes into the age group.

Both fridges done.... I was ruthless with the use by dates and realistically never going to use half jars. I found several jars of pesto.....opened, one spoon taken and the rest left to fester. Does any one know if it is freezeable?

Cupcakes in the oven.... lemon drizzle with lemon buttercream so high it looks like Ru Paul's wig is the plan.

I’d imagine pesto is freezable. To be fair I freeze everything.

I love a cupcake like that. One my my colleagues uses fairy cake pan instead of the bigger muffin pan for her cupcakes then pipes on oodles of frosting. May as well have no cake….

em I’d hate that - I like the cake part more than the icing!
mrs always love hearing from you
meadow I really hope you’re ok. My sister can’t have vaccine either as she had a near deadly reaction to a previous one, and she’s feeling very sad about potentially not being able to travel etc.
I’ve done a meal plan:
Chicken (fake) and pepper kebabs with sweet pot fries and salad
Veggie meatballs with homemade tomato and veg sauce and pasta
Squash and spinach curry with chickpeas and DH homemade chapatis
Chicken burgers (real) with homemade slaw and wedges
Smoked mackerel fish cakes, peas and broad beans, tomato and basil salad

I'd def freeze pesto unescorted. I hear you about a dirt blind family! I get so pissed off here. I leave the kitchen clean when I go to work and come home to carnage. I have a bathroom window sill that I love. No one else seems to appreciate it at all and put other things on it, move things, it makes me rage and then there's the dirt & general mess!!
Humbug I meant to say earlier, you're at a stage where mortgage overpayments are not on your agenda, but it will come, childcare is sooo expensive