The ups, downs, and occasional sideways bits of trying to be mortgage free

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  • Tahlullah
    Tahlullah Posts: 1,086 Forumite
    Well, they do say location, location, location. And an idyllic spot, even if it is the worst house on the street, it what we are all told to look for because you can always improve the house,. Maybe the home improvements your neighbour has gone through is a bit extreme (total rebuild). Some of us think we are doing ok with a lick of paint!

    I guess if you ever acquire that sort of hard cash, you can do the same. I doubt the previous owners are still in contact - that was a nice move, getting to know them so they would sell to you!

    Costco. The shopping list looks good for the outlay and yes, you will be able to live through the next ice age. You can all make a snuggle bed under the mahoosive number of toilet rolls. In fact, you could build the cat a new home out of them, so the guilt of turfing it out of the chest freezer is eased.

    You of course use words I have never heard - such as passata and spanakopita, but Google is my friend!
    Still striving to be mortgage free before I get to a point I can't enjoy it.

    Owed at the end of -
    02/19 - £78,400. 04/19 - £85,000. 05/19 - £83,300. 06/19 - £78,900.
    07/19 - £77,500. 08/19 - £76,000.
  • VelvetFreak
    VelvetFreak Posts: 573
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    Hello :)
    Found your diary and read the whole thing. So nice to have an Aussie friend. Wish we had a Costco here in my neck of the woods.
  • Cherryfudge
    Cherryfudge Posts: 9,857
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    I feel slightly reassured about my onion stash, after your Costco loo rolls :).

    I too had to look up spanakopita but now I think I'm going to make it one day. Spinach is cheaper in bigger packs and I always have some needing to be finished up!

    Just bemused by the idea of any Australian wanting to move somewhere more sunny...
    I think a bit of sunshine is good for frugal living. (Cranky40)

    Fashion on the Ration challenge, 2024: Trainers 5 coupons. 5/68
    20.5 coupons used in 2020. 62.5 used in 2021. 94.5 remaining as of 21/3/22
  • You don't have passata and spanakopita, Tallulah? They're both European! You haven't left yet!

    Hi Velvet, lovely to see you over here. We only got a Costco about three years ago I think (Adelaide) and while I do love it, I found the arrival of Ald! a few months ago far more practical on a day to day basis.

    Right, off to snuggle down in my quilt of toilet rolls. It's frosty here!
    MFW diary here. 1 Feb 2017 $229,371 - MFD Feb 2043 :eek: aiming for May 2028
    14 August 2017 - Refinanced: $220,000
    January 2019 $211,580 Current MFD 31 June 2036
  • VelvetFreak
    VelvetFreak Posts: 573
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    We have an Ald! but I can't seem to get the hang of it. I walk in there and I just don't know what the heck I'm supposed to buy. I suppose it's the non-name brands thing that throws me. I find it hard to compare prices because I just don't know what I'm looking at. Also tend to buy way too much chocolate and junk every time I go in there.
  • Tahlullah
    Tahlullah Posts: 1,086 Forumite
    We have an Ald! but I can't seem to get the hang of it. I walk in there and I just don't know what the heck I'm supposed to buy. I suppose it's the non-name brands thing that throws me. I find it hard to compare prices because I just don't know what I'm looking at. Also tend to buy way too much chocolate and junk every time I go in there.

    Oh, you are not on your own! Everyone thinks the same thing at first. Personally, I tried it a few times and then went back to Tesco's.

    Tx
    Still striving to be mortgage free before I get to a point I can't enjoy it.

    Owed at the end of -
    02/19 - £78,400. 04/19 - £85,000. 05/19 - £83,300. 06/19 - £78,900.
    07/19 - £77,500. 08/19 - £76,000.
  • shangaijimmy
    shangaijimmy Posts: 3,796
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    At least I know that when the zombie apocalypse comes there'll be another person with enough food to ride it out!!
    MFW: Was: £136,000.......Now: £61,892.24......
    Mortgage Neutral Deficit: £43,082.90... Mortgage Neutral Savings: £18,809.34

    MFiT-T6 #13 - £3,517 of £15,500 (22.69%)
    1% Mortgage Challenge 2022 - £157.59 of £650
  • Tahlullah
    Tahlullah Posts: 1,086 Forumite
    At least I know that when the zombie apocalypse comes there'll be another person with enough food to ride it out!!

    Wouldn't worry about it. Come the Zombie apocalypse, you won't be 'alive' for long and food as we know it won't be a priority for you.
    Still striving to be mortgage free before I get to a point I can't enjoy it.

    Owed at the end of -
    02/19 - £78,400. 04/19 - £85,000. 05/19 - £83,300. 06/19 - £78,900.
    07/19 - £77,500. 08/19 - £76,000.
  • Tahlullah wrote: »
    Wouldn't worry about it. Come the Zombie apocalypse, you won't be 'alive' for long and food as we know it won't be a priority for you.

    I don't know if zombies retain other bodily functions, but if they do, I'm sorted for loo roll! :rotfl:

    Velvet, Tallulah's right, I too found that to be the case with Ald! at first. But now I find it quite soothing that they only have a couple of options for each product instead of 20 brands of tomato soup, and I definitely save around $50/week or more. That's for a family of 4, your margins are smaller, but I recommend it. Stay away from the centre aisles, try the brand that's designed to look like the brands you know (ie, the product design for their taco shells, "El Toro", looks exactly like the El Paso brand in Woolworths!) and it's always worked out for me.

    Did a big freezer audit yesterday, and need to do a pantry audit, and then I think I'm going to try and set a July challenge of only buying fresh food in July - so if it doesn't belong in a fridge, I don't buy it.
    MFW diary here. 1 Feb 2017 $229,371 - MFD Feb 2043 :eek: aiming for May 2028
    14 August 2017 - Refinanced: $220,000
    January 2019 $211,580 Current MFD 31 June 2036
  • Mortgage refi is on hold for now. The bank need to see a profit and loss statement for my income prepared by my accountant, and I can't do that until the tax returns for the two associated partnerships are filed, and I can't do that until July, so it'll be a couple of months. This sounds a lot more complicated than it is: my partnerships are super simple and earn me only a tiny amount but they seem to have sent the bank into a tizzy.

    It's irritating, because if they hadn't suggested the change I wouldn't have even noticed, but now I feel like we're missing out on those extra couple of hundred a month. Anyway. There we are!
    MFW diary here. 1 Feb 2017 $229,371 - MFD Feb 2043 :eek: aiming for May 2028
    14 August 2017 - Refinanced: $220,000
    January 2019 $211,580 Current MFD 31 June 2036
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