DAY 208-PLANS AFOOT! AND WEEKLY FINANCIAL UPDATE

Hi Everyone!

WELCOME TO JOSIE AND RAE! THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING MY BLOG.

JOSIE, I HOPE YOU CAN LEAVE A COMMENT FROM TIME TO TIME!

RAE: LOVED READING YOUR COMMENT, YOU CAN DO IT!

WEEKLY FINANCIAL UPDATE

MORTGAGE FREEDOM:

Our mortgage now stands at £16,247. Mr Sft gets paid on Tues/Wed so we hope to reduce our total. Fingers crossed, his wages are variable so we'll wait and see.

GROCERY BUDGET:

£20.42 OUT OF £60, LEAVING £39.58 to last until 26th November. BUT WE ARE GOING SHOPPING TOMORROW. We don't need too much as we are eating from the storecupboards/freezers. Hoping to spend no more than £10. Need Jay Cloths, Teabags, Mayonnaise, Sweetcorn, Tomato Ketchup, Toothpaste, Margarine, Bread, Eggs and Cream Cheese.

SEALED POT CHALLENGE:

Not been much put in the sealed pot this week.

BOTSWANA 2012-VISAS/INSURANCE/TIPPING

Thanks to Mr Sft's Computer Work this week we have added another £20 to this challenge. So now have £125.

NOW TO THE PLANS....

I have been wondering what to buy Mr Sft for Christmas..He is my soul mate on many levels, including an appreciation and contentment for what he has. And like me he doesn't need 'things' but loves experiences (especially a love of travel).

I know there is one thing he would like.....and that is to spend New Year in Cornwall. We did so last year and it was blissful but Mr Sft knows the commitment we've made to Botswana and Mortgage Freedom so he hasn't mentioned going back this year...but I know he'd love to.

So this morning I looked at the costs of going:

5 nights staying at Penzance Youth Hostel in a Private 2 Bedded Room=£216

Petrol to/from Cornwall=£70

Food during stay-We will take all of our food with us/use normal Grocery Budget

Spending Money from our own spending money

So £276 needed and I knew I couldn't afford it without Mr Sft's help.

So we went for a long walk where I told him we could go if he would help me find part of the money:

SEALED POT CHALLENGE: I am not sure how much is in the pot but hope it will be about £60 so that will cover the petrol.

BIRTHDAY/CHRISTMAS PRESENTS FROM OUR FAMILY: Youth Hostel Vouchers=£170

Which leaves £46 which I will cover and makes the trip possible....Mr Sft is delighted as he loves the rugged Cornish coast (including beautiful Porthcurno, pictured above) , the milder weather and a good pint of Doombar Real Ale at the Pirate Inn.

I will be planning and plotting about how I can find the £46 and maybe a little more for some treats! It's scrimp and save time..... :)

WISH US LUCK!

Are we having too much frugal fun?

What would you scrimp and save on to afford to live your dreams?

Sft x

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT YESTERDAY'S POST:

DAY 207-A SPEND FREE DAY-FUN AND GETTING SOME JOBS DONE! AN UPDATE!

SCARLET: I hold you (and DREAMER) partly responsible for what is going on in my subconscious...and where the plans to see beautiful coastline came from....Also you and J were planning a few nights away...maybe it was you who planted the seed! :) Only kidding!

But you know what bliss it is to head to the coast and just appreciate the beauty all around.

Aren't libraries just the best thing? I love reading! I have a little reading chair in my bedroom, it's was gold but Mr Sft painted it white. It's a Lloyd Loom according to my Mum and I sit on it and read and look out at the golden leaves of the trees in the lane. My dear blogging friend sent me the most beautiful hand made cushion cover and that sits in my little chair and it reminds me of her when I sit there. Such a thoughtful gift.

Hope you find some treasures at the Car Boot Sale..do we get to share them on your blog? Will see tomorrow!

We will definitely be trying the stuffed mushrooms. Mr Sft was really interested.

MRS TIGHTWAD: You mention Frugal Recipes! I totally agree. I would add my TUNA PASTA BAKE WHICH LEFT ENOUGH TUNA AND CREAM CHEESE FOR US TO MAKE TUNA PATE for today's lunch-with a hint of horseradish it was delicious-A DINNER AND LUNCH FOR 2 PEOPLE USING 1 TIN OF TUNA/AND A TUB OF CREAM CHEESE! Frugal cooking!

SILVERSEWER: I think a little bit of spending money takes away the guilt factor of spending! It also means you weigh up the choices you're making more carefully. I'm hoping to squirrel a little of this SPENDING MONEY month's away for Cornwall. I LOVE THAT YOU ARE SAVING LOTS THROUGH BUYING YOUR QUILTING BOOKS OFF AMAZON AND SECOND HAND. I don't buy new books-the last one was a few years ago using a gift voucher! LOL!

It's great that you use your hobby and talents to make money for your holiday!

Hope you manage to pick up some SR flour. It's a blow when you forget something at the shops, isn't it?

TANIA: HOW LOVELY TO HEAR FROM YOU! Mr Sft and I loved looking at your lizards, pretty big but just beautiful!

You said such a wise thing about Christmas. The coming together with family is the most special part of the day! That's what I enjoy and maybe a little after lunch stroll around a pretty area.

Isn't it interesting that you have saved more since giving up work? Is there something in that?GOOD LUCK FOR ACHIEVING MORTGAGE FREEDOM. YOU CAN DO IT!

NO MORE SPENDING: Good to hear your making lots of plans for 2012! £100 works out fine for me and yes, if something is coming up like a weekend or a trip away I try and save some towards that too. I try to look ahead to the next few months and THEN I ONLY SPEND ON THINGS THAT MATTER MOST. I am a different type of person, because only things that are useful or beautiful (sentimentally) matter to me (Just like William Morris, eh Dreamer). I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO THE JONES' ARE AND I'VE NEVER KEPT UP WITH THEM! ALSO I DON'T CARE WHAT PEOPLE CARE OF ME! SERIOUSLY! I LIKE BEING ME!

FRAN: Now having £25 per week is what Mr Sft does, very interesting. LIKE THAT IDEA BECAUSE LIKE YOU I'D ENJOY SAVING AS MUCH AS I CAN/WANT.....

BADPENNY: Billy Elliot is going to be so much fun and as we are going on a Friday Night, after school, it will be something to get me through any tricky daily times. I LOVE THE THEATRE and by budgetting and getting cheap or lucky seats off Ebay I get to go-especially through the winter months. When we go on a Saturday we try AND COMBINE THE THEATRE WITH FREE OR FRUGAL THINGS TO DO IN LONDON...GOT LOTS OF IDEAS ON MY 101 CHALLENGE LIST ON THE SIDE OF THE BLOG!

JO: Fortunately I have a pretty good sense of direction so I just try and enjoy every moment of being out in nature..there is just a surprise at every turn...LOOKING FORWARD TO READING ABOUT ARCHIE'S NEXT ADVENTURE!

SAMMYLEIA: YEAH, YOU CAN POST NOW! The UK is just beautiful and I can totally understand why people want to live here. We have fascinating history, beautiful countryside and amazing coastline! AND SO MUCH MORE! You'll love it here...and like anywhere the media is negative at times so I get out and live my life to achieve balance and appreciate how lucky I am.

LITTLEANNA: Not sure about train fares to London from further afield. Maybe visit Moneysavingexpert? What are you up to in London? MINI SPLURGES ARE THE KEY TO SUCCESS, LIKE DIETS DENYING YOURSELF EVERYTHING DOESN'T WORK! If you open your loose change tin on December the 3rd with others on the blog then you'll have an empty pot FOR WHEN THE NEW SEALED POT CHALLENGE STARTS ON DECEMBER 4TH!

RAE: Welcome again and so glad you left a comment. Finish some of those crafty projects, appreciate the beauty in life and have some MINI TREATS AS YOU FULFIL THOSE DREAMS!