Happy Monday! October is normally one of my favourite months of the year, as I love Autumn and Winter, but it hasn’t been the case this year. I don’t know why, either! I have been feeling a little off during the month, so I’m glad it’s over. October has been another quiet month for The Frugal Cottage household. I have been on holiday for the last week which has been nice. Me and Frugal Baby have had more quality time together.
After September was such a positive month for our finances, October had a lot to live up to. However, October has been good! I guess not having much on helps in that area. But, I have had a lot of little spends this month, which has scuppered NSDs somewhat.
My Financial aims for October were:
– Have 20 No Spend Days (NSDs)
– Overpay our mortgage by £100
– Put £700 into savings
As a supposed advocate for NSDs, I am rubbish at them lately! Little spends have crept in and mean that I am nowhere near my target. Things like taking Frugal Baby to soft play, or going out for coffee soon add up. Nothing that breaks the budget, but breaks my NSD habit. In October, I have managed 13 NSDs. Urgh, that’s not good. I am definitely not going to make my 2016 NSD aim either. Ouch!
Our mortgage overpayment plan is still there, but plodding along quietly in the background as opposed to being a focus at this time. Our mortgage is going down nicely, so in line with our long term plans. In October I have overpaid £41.95 so just under 42% of my aim. I’m not actually worried by this. The interest we pay is getting smaller each month, so our plan is working.
Finally, my savings aim. Like I said, October has been quiet and it shows. I have managed to put £1,043.18 into savings which is fantastic! Absolutely smashed that target 😉 I doubt I’ll be able to do that again in November or December, so I’ll take that for now. Very pleased with that this month.
My Personal Aims For October were:
– lose 8lbs
– make a decision about the staircase/hallway
– start planning for Christmas
As soon as my mood begins to dip, my eating habits go out of the window. I have struggled massively during October to eat right. I have lost 2lbs in October, so better than nothing I suppose. My aims might alter slightly in November to reflect this.
We have decided that we are going to pay a family member to help us decorate the hall and stairs. They should be starting next week! I cannot wait for it all to be finished. It’ll look so much better and make our home seem brighter. I think I’ve chosen the colours I want to, so looking out for a good deal on paint.
Lastly, I have started Christmas shopping! I got Frugal Baby’s Christmas presents in the Sainsburys sale. All of the things I got him were over 30% off, so he’s sorted. Nothing too big either, as he has quite a lot already. I have also got a couple of family members their Christmas presents. There are still quite a few things to buy, but I’m glad to have made a start. I have also been thinking about what I would like for Christmas. I have added a some books on my wish list, such as The Little Book of Hygge*, the 4-Hour Work Week* and Whole Larder Love*. My birthday is also in December, so I struggle to know what to ask for, but books are always a firm choice.
One final note, the top three posts on The Frugal Cottage during October were:
- September 2016 Online Income Report
- Why Starting A Blog Was The Best Decision I Ever Made
- How To Start Meal Planning When You Don’t Know Where To Start
So, October is over and it’s been a quiet month. I’m looking forward to seeing what November brings. Bonfire night, for a start!
How was your October? Have you hit your aims? I’d love to hear about it!
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October was a bit harsh to me with many unexpected necessary bills. But I am glad I did pull thru with a bit of surplus and November will be a bliss.
You absolutely smashed your savings aim! If you’d diverted some of that towards the mortgage, you would have smashed that aim too!
My October was mixed. I had some wonderful weekend catch ups with friends, but unfortunately had a few A&E trips and dr visits with hubby. He’s finally got a diagnosis and can be fixed with a fairly minor operation, so really, all is looking well 🙂
In follow up to Sarah’s comment, how do you decide how much money to put towards overpaying the mortgage and how much to put towards investments?
This has only just come up as a comment – sorry for the delayed reply. At the moment, we are focusing on saving as much as possible in our investment accounts, so that we get the dividend ball rolling 🙂