PBR's "M" for "mortgage" diary!

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  • mouche
    mouche Posts: 902
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    hi pbr..hope all is well. you haven't updated for a while. I did a £58 (gulp!) ish shop at Approved Foods myself recently. Most of that was on 17 boxes of Splenda (OH is diabetic) and 14 packs of Pampers baby wipes. But somehow some of those pesky biscuits and chocolates and chips sneaked their way in as well. :)
    Mortgage (original/ current):193,000 (23/09/11)/ £102,500 (07/11/2019)
    2019 Challenges: Make £300 a month: £9.71/£300 (January)
  • poorbutrich
    poorbutrich Posts: 1,349
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    mouche wrote: »
    hi pbr..hope all is well. you haven't updated for a while. I did a £58 (gulp!) ish shop at Approved Foods myself recently. Most of that was on 17 boxes of Splenda (OH is diabetic) and 14 packs of Pampers baby wipes. But somehow some of those pesky biscuits and chocolates and chips sneaked their way in as well. :)

    Hi Mouche!
    How lovely to hear from you - I am really touched that you were asking after me!

    I've been neglecting this diary a bit (although I have been lurking on everyone else's diaries and feeling like a bit of a failure!) as with no money coming in, I've not been able to make any overpayments. I have been doing some little MFW things every day, but these help keep us afloat and pay for DS's nappies and so on, rather than knocking that mortgage into shape!

    I didn't realise that AF did wipes - that's quite a saving! I'm impressed that you spent £58. I spent £30 and couldn't believe all the good stuff that arrived!

    Hope all is well with you and LO! Thanks again for popping by! What happened about your office move? Have you been told officially that it's happening?
    Overpay!
  • Sepa74
    Sepa74 Posts: 962 Forumite
    Hi PBR, don't feel disheartened about the mortgage, you have way more important things to think about!

    If it helps keep you motivated, why don't you start focusing on the little money saving things in this diary? it's all for the good.

    The other thing to do may be to try and do something to allow you to OP by even a pound or two a month so at least you can see it coming down.

    But do you know what, it really doesn't matter what you do either way, as long as you squeeze every ounce of enjoyment you can out of your new baby and your home life - those are the memories you will treasure forever, not paying a few squid off the mortgage :)
    Borrowed £150,000 in an offset tracker mortgage in May 2007 - MFD May 2041 (67)

    Jan 2012 - £125,620.02 / 2,913.87 / Nov 2032 (58) :beer:
    Apr 2012 - £122,901.88 / 3,170.91 / Jul 2032 (58)
    Jul 2012 - £122, 589.02 / 3,507.99 / Sept 2032 (58)
    Oct 2012 - £120,476.31 / 3,889.42 / July 2032 (58)
  • poorbutrich
    poorbutrich Posts: 1,349
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    Sepa74 wrote: »
    Hi PBR, don't feel disheartened about the mortgage, you have way more important things to think about!

    If it helps keep you motivated, why don't you start focusing on the little money saving things in this diary? it's all for the good.

    The other thing to do may be to try and do something to allow you to OP by even a pound or two a month so at least you can see it coming down.

    But do you know what, it really doesn't matter what you do either way, as long as you squeeze every ounce of enjoyment you can out of your new baby and your home life - those are the memories you will treasure forever, not paying a few squid off the mortgage :)

    :T Thank you Sepa, what a lovely message! I have been a bit too spendy recently and with nothing coming in, it's making things very tight. I am all too aware that these early days with the little one go by far too quickly and I am trying to enjoy every second! You're right that I should give myself a break but once you start overpaying, it becomes something of an obsession!

    Unfortunately, we're with that Spanish bank and they only accept overpayments of £500 or more. I guess I could make small OPs into a savings account and then make an OP when I get to £500 but that involves a level of organisation that is way beyond my poor baby brain at the moment!

    I will focus on the small things (and in fact I do lurk on that thread of the same name - very inspirational!). I've got an expensive month ahead and then I shall get back into MFW gear!

    Thanks for your lovely post. I am going to print it out and put it on my fridge! Hope all is well with you - I've been reading your diary as you're doing very well but will butt in and post more! At one point, our mortgages were about the same, but you've streaked far ahead!
    Overpay!
  • poorbutrich
    poorbutrich Posts: 1,349
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    Hello diary!
    I'm back after a month away. I'm afraid to say that I had a bit of a meltdown over a couple of things and decided that I needed to get my head straight. This involved disappearing to warmer climes to get a break from this incessant rain and spending money - my mortgage was the furthest thing from my mind!

    It has been a very spendy few weeks, but I feel a million times better. Sometimes you can't put a price on your health and sanity. I have returned much happier and have given DS a taste of overseas travel - not that he will be able to remember it!

    So I have returned and am about to try to find £500 so that I can make an OP. I've found just under £100 in Paypal, so that's one fifth of the way there.

    I found DH's swanky old phone and asked if I could recycle it. To our horror, it's only worth about a fiver - that's less than what I got for my much older phone! I bet he won't laugh at me for using a brick as a phone again!

    I've discovered the delights of music magpie and have made some pennies there. There's the money I can change back from holiday and some Euro that I found. There's an old expenses claim I forgot to make that I'll have to hand to my boss with a very red face.

    I've found a gift card with £30 on it -not sure whether to sell it or how I can turn this into pounds? I've listed lots of eBay items including a pair of maternity jeans that I never wore! They still have the labels attached! I bought them and put them away and then totally forgot about them - that proves I have more money than I need and can do this OP business!

    I found 22p under the sofa and I - past any sense of shame now - asked my friend if she could return the £20 she borrowed from me. I have tickets to a gig for next week and wonder if it might be possible to sell mine?

    So, I need to find about £500. Only joking! With all of this searching, I've got about £420. Wish me luck with my eBay listings - if I can get £80, then OP here I come!!

    Will have a read of everyone else's diary for inspiration! Well done for reading this brain dump if you got this far!
    Overpay!
  • poorbutrich
    poorbutrich Posts: 1,349
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    Right - I seem to have found the £80 I needed, but have now realised that I have a credit card bill to pay and now need another £230!

    It doesn't look like anyone's reading - and after my last post in which I really felt sorry for myself, I'm not surprised! So, I am going to use this as a post to motivate myself.

    I'm going to list everything I own on eBay. I've even listed DS' pushchair. Oh dear.
    Overpay!
  • skint_spice
    skint_spice Posts: 12,571
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    I felt I should post to show you have lurkers! always best to whine online I think and get it out of your system than make friends/family suffer:D

    You are doing well just keep going. Hope the pushchair sells - think of the space too...
    Mortgage End Date: Apr 36/Aiming for Aug 28/Current Nov 35

    Mortgage OP 2024 £1500/7000

    Mortgage balance: £53705

  • starnac
    starnac Posts: 5,917
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    I'm reading too.

    Although wont you need the pushchair?
    Goals for September
    Declutter 10/20
    Money Made £56.52/£200
    Overpayments £0/£200 not this month as need to put into savings instead
  • poorbutrich
    poorbutrich Posts: 1,349
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    starnac wrote: »
    I'm reading too.

    Although wont you need the pushchair?

    Yes! But needs must! I'll just have to cope without it until I start earning again!
    Overpay!
  • starnac
    starnac Posts: 5,917
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    I don't envy you PBR going without the pushchair. My DS weighs a ton and I would struggle to carry him very far. Saying that I walk a lot or get the bus so the pushchair is a must for me. I do sometimes think about selling it as its a 3in1 travel system and getting a cheap stroller type instead
    Goals for September
    Declutter 10/20
    Money Made £56.52/£200
    Overpayments £0/£200 not this month as need to put into savings instead
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