Getting a Grip and Saving towards the mortgage

EatingTheElephant · 18 June 2016 at 8:03AM

Glad you had a lovely break and huge congratulations for your daughter, definitely a proud mummy moment

I'm waiting for TCB to hit over £5 to request payout and it's taking forever!

try_harder · 19 June 2016 at 2:53PM

Well done to your daughter its a very stressful time for them thats for sure.Thank you for the rundown on the banks and interest rates ,i am going to have a good read through ,its so difficult to know where to put your savings with interest rates being so low although it does all add up of course and 5-6 per cent is very good nowadays but it seems you have to have a current account to open a regular saver which is a bit of a pain. Have a good weekend.

themadvix · 20 June 2016 at 9:26AM

Loving your 'free' money total - it's amazing how it adds up!

I too ought to be better at saving! All our OPs are coming from free money, as we need to be putting the rest into savings... but when there's DIY to do and boilers to replace it's slow progress to save and definitely not as appealing as paying it off the mortgage!

Busy_Mee1 · 20 June 2016 at 12:53PM

Hi Try Harder and ETE - thank you very much, it does feel like the end of an era.
Using current accounts to gain "free" money is working well for us. I did the bank account patrol this morning and gained £1.35 from an old cash back scheme we used before TCB, £28.20 interest and £8.12 cash back from Santander. I have transferred the £1.35 to the O&S account but left the interest and cashback in Santander because it gets more interest there. I am a bit annoyed that the TSB cashback for using contactless hasn't arrived yet ( it was paid on the 18th last month), so not sure when it is due. I also had a peek in the COOP accounts to see if the switching bonus or the £4 rewards have been paid- but no.....still that will be another little joy for another day.
The eBay sales netted me £114 yesterday but only 5 items sold for some reason, there was plenty of watchers on them all. It is really hard to predict sometimes. Anyway I have relisted and added some more, so have 14 items listed to finish next Sunday. That will probably be it for a while, because we are going on holiday and I have run out of stuff to sell.
The eBay sales have really helped this month and I feel like I am making progress again - we are on track to hit £37k at the end of June towards the mortgage. I am a bit concerned that we have a lot on over the next 6 months (family events and holidays) so I might need to revise my targets. It is a bit of a dilemma- do you aim high and then feel like you have failed if you don't achieve them or set easier targets to take the pressure off, but then not save as much as you could have ? Decisions, decisions......

Anyway back at work this week and back to sensible eating so I can fit into my dress for the wedding we are going to on Saturday.
Have a good week

abi_a_mfw_mum · 20 June 2016 at 1:19PM

Hi BusyMee,
Thanks for your advice. We opened 3 new bank accounts to earn interest and cashback from at the weekend. I'm now excitedly waiting for internet banking logins so I can set up standing orders to move money around and transfer direct debits. I'm still debating whether to switch a couple of accounts we won't need anymore, probably to Halifax, just to get the switching reward and £5 each month. I'm definitely enjoying the thought of free money from them.
Really impressed by your eBay sales, I haven't yet managed that. Maybe when the baby equipment is no longer needed...

Busy_Mee1 · 20 June 2016 at 1:50PM

Wow Abi that was quick work - well done. I hope you get on all right with it - people in real life look at me as if I am mad when I tell them I have 7 current accounts :rotfl: It does take a bit of effort, but I quite enjoy the bank account patrol to see what interest and rewards have been paid in :j
I imagine you will have loads of stuff to eBay as your little one grows out of it: :T

Busy_Mee1 · 22 June 2016 at 8:10AM

On the train to London this morning feeling very proud. DD has got her final marks and will graduate with a 2:1. After all her stressing, convinced she was going to fail a few weeks ago this is a great result and she is over the moon. She starts her new job next week, which means she will be off our pay roll from August :j This means more money to throw at saving for our mortgage.
In other MSE news the TSB cash back (2x £5) has arrived and been swept into the O&S account. Mr Mee has claimed £57 in expenses and has received £50 worth of vouchers from work. He has let me choose the type of voucher and is donating them to my Christmas stash of vouchers. So I now have £130 M&S vouchers, £15 worth of Am@zon and now £50 in Debenh@ms vouchers :T I am also quite close to cashing out my Bounts points which will mean £10 for Sainsbreeze.
Have a good day - I am hoping to make it back home tonight for the gym tonight, so have brought my kit with me :T

shangaijimmy · 22 June 2016 at 8:15AM

I remember the overall feeling of relief and then disbelief looking at that board for your final grade! i also remember the scores of people crying (though never knew if it was good or bad tears). mum on the other hand was a wreck!! congratulations.

great news on the job but dont cut those purse strings completely you have a graduation to pay for...!

Busy_Mee1 · 22 June 2016 at 8:33AM

I know Jimmy - it is already starting to stack up. £25 for cap and gown hire, a meal out to celebrate and probably a gift. Well worth it though !

chumpy45 · 23 June 2016 at 2:01PM

Many congratulations to DD - fantastic achievement. Am still waiting with everyone crossed for DS1's results

Getting a Grip and Saving towards the mortgage

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