Going to try making one of these...

We are going to a christening in a couple of weeks and staying overnight in a small cottage.  I didn't want to lug our large plastic high chair around so I started to investigate the possibility of making a fabric high chair that would attach to any normal chair.

I've seen a few of these around but they cost about £15 upwards so my mind began to whirr and I knew I could make my own from the stash of fabric I already had.

I found this wonderful tutorial on this fabulous website.  Just need to find the time to make it now!

M
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You give with one hand...

No sooner do I 'free up' about £100 of my pre-tax salary as I'm now paying my student loan direct than I get a reminder from work about paying the new work place parking levy.  It is almost £30 a month to park at work.  I've got no choice but to pay it with dropping off and collecting Little J.

Grrrr...

Cost neutral Christmas - is it possible

Yes, I've gone and said the 'C' word!  I LOVE Christmas and spend months planning and organising gifts, decorations and I even run the office secret Santa each year.   We dont really go over board.  We set a spending limit for close family and as we now have little J we have agreed with some friends that we will just buy for the little ones now rather than each other plus other halves as well.  I don't want to cut back on our real tree (this may be a mistake in hindsight with a 'soon to be walker' in our house) or the nice food and drink we buy so I've decided to try and make it cost neutral.

I save £75 a month for birthday and Christmas and have built up about £300 so far this year.  My aim is to use the cost neutral Christmas so I can put this extra cash into the overpayment pot.  So far I have:

£220 cashback from credit card
£65 Nectar vouchers
£10 Morrisons vouchers
£2 Coop voucher
£44.25 Quidco cashback

Total - £342.25

I'm rather pleased with this, although we are limited to some shops/websites with some of the vouchers I think we could probably manage most of the festivities with this!

Roll on December!

M
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Motivation Monday or how I've spent my salary before I got it...

Seem to have got myself into gear today.  I paid the odd £17.25 off my student loans which takes is down to  a round £500 (and also means I have set Student Loans up as a payee now to make it even easier).  I have also increased our monthly mortgage payment to £800, giving us a monthly overpayment of £200.

I just need to ring our payroll dept this afternoon to pay the £80.35 of my pension arrears I've accrued while on maternity leave.  Although I've been reading about Mabel and Maisy's pension dilemma and it is making me question how sensible it is to continue with a pension these days  I'm not brave enough to stop paying into mine but it has made me think about other possible income streams.

M
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What to buy for a first birthday?

It is fast approaching Little J's first birthday and I'm stumped for what to get her (or what NOT to get her).  A lot of people subscribe to the idea that they are too young to remember it so don't waste your money.  I partly agree with this and to be honest we already have too many toys that we have been given or purchased from charity shops.  I've already had several friends and family ask what she wants as well...

I've been looking on several websites but can't come up with anything that isn't a variation of what we already have.  Any ideas for a first birthday gift (preferably slightly educational!) would be greatly accepted.

M
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Lovely creamy, yet money saving pie

I made this recipe this evening for a chicken and bacon pie.  In my new frugal mentality I didn't want to spend money on cream or creme fraiche that I would only use one spoon of.  So I looked for a simple recipe using ingredients I had in the cupboard.

The pie filling was made with plain flour, stock and milk.  I wasn't hopeful it was going to be rich and creamy but I was pleasantly surprised and it was very tasty. Nom nom.

We tweaked the recipe here and there to be suitable for baby led weaning for Little J.

I would highly recommend it!

M
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Job dilemma

Since finding out I've got to go back to work full time in October I've come to terms with the fact and decided to really concentrate on paying off our mortgage.  I've discussed it with friends and family and got my head around it.  I've even been planning to find part-time work or work for myself when it is paid so I can be around to collect my daughter from school and be there in the holidays.

I've now found a really nice part-time job BUT it is only 18.5 hours AND a grade lower than I'm currently on.  It's put me in a tizzy.  Do I apply for it and shelve all my dreams of being mortgage free and possibly struggle financially for a while or do I continue with full-time work and pursue the dream? EEkk!