Happy Friday! I know I say this every month, but how fast has September gone by? The signs of Autumn are already appearing, and the nights are getting darker and cooler. I am a big fan of Autumn! I’m looking forward to the colder months. September has been a quite month for us; both me and Mr FC have been at work all month so it’s just been plodding through the every day routine. Frugal Baby has started to go to a play group one morning a week which he is loving, though he’s not very good at sharing toys!
After a somewhat lukewarm August, September has been much better in terms of our finances, as I will talk through in a moment. I suppose having nothing planned and being at work quite a lot of the time means that spending will inevitably be less! We have been out on a couple of occasions towards the end of September for celebrations. That means that the entertainment part of our budget is slightly higher than it has been in previous months.
My Financial aims for September were:
– Have 20 No Spend Days (NSDs)
– Overpay our mortgage by £100
– Put £700 into savings
I mentioned in August’s update that I am struggling with NSDs, though I decided to up my target slightly for September non the less. Again, as I’ve been at work throughout September, I did manage slightly better at 19 NSDs for the month. One away! No spend days really can help stick to a budget, if you use them correctly. Not everyone is a fan of counting days where you don’t spend at all, but I am a big fan of them and track them monthly.
As I mentioned in a previous monthly aims post, I have now decided to have a concrete figure for overpaying rather than having just “an overpayment” as the aim. So went for another month with a three figure overpayment. Being mortgage free is definitely a big factor in our long term aims, so plodding along with this is a (very small) priority too. In September, I managed to overpay £49.78 which is just under 50% of the aim for September. Not great, but plodding along.
September was a quiet month in The Frugal Cottage household, so I set out with exceeding my savings target. Quieter months equal less spending/more saving! I have managed to save £877.08 which smashed my goal! Still not at the level needed quite, but getting nearer! Just waiting for that snowball to take effect 😉
My Personal Aims For September were:
– lose 8lbs
– make a decision about the staircase/hallway
– read two books from my “to read” pile
I have lost 3lbs in September, which I suppose is better than nothing. I have totally lost my motivation with weight loss. Not sure what else to say! I know what I need to do, I just need to do it! Although, if it was that easy, everyone would be their ideal weight 😉
I think we are going to pay someone to help with the decorating. I keep getting more paper off, slowly, but it is just dragging on. So, someone we know will help, we just need to organise a suitable time for them to start. I’m not sure how much that will cost, but investing in our home is important too. I’m fed up of living in a half decorated house!
I am currently reading The Samaritan, which I am loving. I haven’t been particularly well throughout September so by the time I go to bed, the last thing I want to do is read. However, I am trying to read a couple of chapters each night and I would recommend The Samaritan as one to read!
One final note, the top three posts on The Frugal Cottage during September were:
So, September is over and it’s been a nice, quiet month. I’m looking forward to seeing what October brings. Another couple of family meals out for a start 🙂
How was your September? Have you hit your aims? I’d love to hear about it!
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