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

poorbutrich · 28 August 2011 at 8:39PM

Hi there
I hope it's ok to join you! I have been lurking on these threads for a while and have been very inspired by your stories and success.

We bought our house two years ago and paid too much for it! I resent every penny in interest we're paying on it and am determined to be MF as soon as possible!

I am married to a lovely, wonderful man who shares my dreams to be MF most of the time, but is very busy with work and studying, so the practicalities are left to me. While he's supportive of my extra curricular activities that I undertake in order to bring extra pennies, he doesn't have time to do the same and can sometimes come home with cans of beer or a takeaway! He's not as meticulous as I am with comparing prices and ensuring he gets the best deal, but he's perfect in every other way, so I can live with it :rotfl:

The other reason for paying off our mortgage asap is that I am six months pregnant, and it's recently occured to me that I won't be working (and therefore earning!) for six months, and that we'll most likely have a BABY at the end of the year!

I'm going to detail the silly little things that keep the wheels turning and how I am going to cut back and overpay as much as possible!!

Today's thing was selling various CDs and things lying around the house. Several things have ended on that auction site tonight, netting us £40, so that's a good start!

Looking to hearing your views and getting a good kick when my energy starts to fail!

Hurdler · 28 August 2011 at 8:41PM

Welcome! And Congrats on the impending arrival.

The SOA is a pretty good start and you can pick up all kinds of tips from other people's diaries ..

Enjoy!

Lois_E · 28 August 2011 at 8:45PM

Hi poorbutrich and welcome to MFW. Of course it's OK to join - you sound like just the sort of person this board is aimed at. :wave:

What sort of work do you do? Would you not get maternity pay? Or if you are self-employed, you can get some kind of maternity benefit for people who don't qualify for SMP - sorry can't remember it's name, but it's for those who are self-employed or who changed jobs at the wrong time and haven't been in their job for long enough to qualify. It probably wouldn't pay you as much as you'd have earned without the baby, but it's better than nothing. Congratulations on the baby, of course.

Good luck!

originalmiscellany · 28 August 2011 at 8:49PM

Well said Hurdler

Poorbutrich welcome, and I'm sure your OH is a lucky man to have you - a frugal but wonderful woman!

Sepa74 · 29 August 2011 at 11:56AM

Hi PBR, I like your user name! Welcome to the board, I look forward to reading your diary. This is certainly the place to write about all the little things you are doing to save money... all the little things that no one else could care less about, but which us saddo's all find rather inspiring!

Congrats on the good start!

newgirly · 29 August 2011 at 12:08PM

Hello and welcome!

Have you though of doing a statement of account, its a good way of seening if others can spot any savings that you may have missed. Good luck with your new journey, newgirly.

starnac · 29 August 2011 at 12:10PM

poorbutrich wrote: »

I will get maternity pay, but need to find out more accurately how much it is! I am still in denial about this baby!

Hi PBR. Hope you don't mind me posting. I've got less than 2 weeks left before I start my mat leave so thought I could shed some light on SMP. This is what I am entitled to and I think this is pretty much the norm
6 weeks @ 90% ave weekly pay
33 weeks @ SMP £124.88
then you are entitled to an extra 3 months off work but those are unpaid. That adds up to 12 months you can take off.

Hope that helps and good luck on your MF journey

ultrarunner · 29 August 2011 at 12:16PM

Starnac - SMP Flat rate for the 33 weeks is now £128.73 as of April 2011

Best of luck for the mortgage-free journey PBR

starnac · 29 August 2011 at 1:37PM

ultrarunner wrote: »

Starnac - SMP Flat rate for the 33 weeks is now £128.73 as of April 2011

Best of luck for the mortgage-free journey PBR

that's good to know thanks ultrarunner

BaconandEggs · 31 August 2011 at 12:06PM

Hi poorbutrich. Like the name and enjoying reading your diary. Well done in selling the cd's etc. I prefer to get rid of things too rather than have them collect dust - esp if it reduced the mortgage. Why do you say you paid to much for the house? I know what you mean about working and studying. It can be hard to find the time/effort and discipline. I went through a few months of working 2 jobs and studying for 2 courses with no days off - it wasn't easy. You've also got the MFW stuff - which can also take up time and effort so fair play to you! It is enjoyable though - and addictive!

Yorkielass · 31 August 2011 at 2:19PM

poorbutrich wrote: »

While we were on the hellhole that is the retail park, I did take a bootful of aluminium cans to the recycling machine to get clubcard points - topped up by a couple of binbags of empty cans from a party we were at over the weekend. I didn't disagree with the hosts who said it was kind of us to help clear up - but I did have an ulterior motive that was far too embarrassing to reveal!

I did that years ago - was helping at a summer school where the kids all had drinks in cans and I said I'd take & recycle and took them to the local scrap metal people - only got a few pounds but it was better than nothing (back when petrol was cheap to get there!) I think it's great - recycling and helping others too with their clearing up and getting some extra points for yourselves - if my Tesco had one I would!

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

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