I mentioned in this post that I was starting to de-clutter the house (again), in preparation for a car boot sale. Some readers expressed astonishment (in a good way lol), that I even have any clutter.

Well to dispel any myths I present to you (with slight embarrasment), the box room of our house:

I have four theories on how this stuff has accumulated again 1) I’m still buying too much 2) the children buy too much stuff 3) I didn’t purge well enough the last time 4) the pixies put it there!

Anyway, theories aside, it must all go again, and I will try (again), to keep it gone.

In preparation for my car boot sale, I’ve started to move everything into one place – a selling, donating, recycling epicentre for everything as it were – my sons bedroom/hubby’s office.  This room is rarely used so it’s perfect in the short term.

I’ve listed a few items on Amazon and eBay – now I just need the weather to get/stay Spring-like and I’m off to the field, pasting table and change bag at the ready.

Are you you getting ready for a car boot sale? Yard sale? Do you manage to keep clutter to a minimum?

De-cluttering……again! is a post from: Move to Portugal

One of our financial goals in 2011 was to save a ‘first six months in Portugal fund’.  Our goal was to save 6k, enough cash to cover the initial cost of renting an apartment for 6 months and the deposit/fees.  Anyway, we didn’t quite make it to our goal.  At the end of the year the fund stood at £5k, £1k short of our target.

Now we haven’t really made any plans to add much more than £300-£400 to this fund in 2012, preferring to attack the mortgage instead, but I would still like to get the balance up to £6k…..somehow!

Time to review the budget!

Moving Abroad Fund (Progress #4) is a post from: Move to Portugal

One of our financial goals in 2011 is to save a ‘first six months in Portugal fund’.  We set the amount for this goal at £6k, which should be enough cash to cover the initial cost of renting an apartment for 6 months (including deposit and any fees).

Well despite our good intentions we didn’t add any extra money to this account in September or October, choosing instead to send the money to our mortgage debt.  We have however added £700+ this month to bring the balance up to £5,000.  £1k short of goal for the year but a good start for when we eventually move to Portugal.

As the months have gone by in 2011 there’s been a definite shift in our focus towards paying down the mortgage vs. saving and it’s probably going to continue for the foreseeable future…….the mortgage free dream still feels a long way off but it is possible if we keep the momentum going.

Moving Abroad Fund – Progress #3 is a post from: Move to Portugal

One of our financial goals in 2011 is to save a ‘first six months in Portugal fund’.  We set the amount for this goal at £6k, which should be enough cash to cover the initial cost of renting an apartment for 6 months (including deposit and any fees).

Moving Abroad Fund Progress #2 is a post from: Move to Portugal

One of our financial goals in 2011 is to save a ‘first six months in Portugal fund’.  We set the amount for this goal at £6k, which should be enough cash to cover the initial cost of renting an apartment for 6 months (including deposit and any fees).

I’ve come to the realisation that I work much better, and have a gazelle like focus, when I have one set amount to work towards.  Having several savings goals, as well as the mortgage debt to focus on dilutes my intensity way too much and causes me to flounder.  So for the last few weeks, with the mortgage over payments and travel savings on auto pilot, I’ve concentrated solely on our moving abroad fund and its £6k target.  And it worked; in July I managed to add £1,000 to the pot.  The money was a combination of our regular deposit (£370) and money earned through my websites (£630).

I’m by no means an expert on earning money online but I’m learning more and more every day.  A great resource for me is Crystal from Budgeting in the Fun Stuff who has taken the step to blog full time.  Read more about her story here.

I’d like to say that I have some secret formula to help us all gain focus when we need it, but I don’t.  And if I could find it for every area of my life (she says trying not to mention dieting!!) then it would be totally amazing, but for now I’m very content to have my eyes on just one prize.

♥  Subscribe using your email account or your RSS feed reader  ♥

Moving Abroad: The First Six Months Update #1 is a post from: Move to Portugal