Countdown to Freedom

Dimbo and Billy, the amount of interest you have saved is phenomenal. When you hear about the banking benefits, bonuses and salaries etc I find it quite frustrating so absolutely applaud any way of reducing the amount of £ that go into their coffers.

This coming weekend we will be sitting with spreadsheets at the ready to plan the last 4 months before we move mortgages as we need to save as much as possible. After that it is stick with the plan until March.

Thanks for your posts.

G&T at the finish line sounds like an excellent idea, along with the ability to make decisions based on what we want to do, not what we have to do. We are moving to FD and the monthly statement will be a big help.

With the 'Spanish' bank I have tried to over pay so many times and without fail it was always a disaster, so I ended up reducing the term instead. In fact I actually ended up getting compensation the last time it was messed up so I gratefully put that into a savings account in readiness for March.

Have just returned from the O2 having seen the Red Hot Chilli Peppers so I have a happy DH, and apart from train fare which came out of unspent housekeeping, it was a cheap night. The tickets were his birthday present so spends already accounted for.

I think I will have to get DH reading Billy's diary to get some clues for my next big birthday! :rotfl:

Feeling a bit bushed but my mind is still thinking about spreadsheets so perhaps I need to get out more.......or just build myself a mortgage pig!

Enough for now, goodnight to anyone still online.

Quick update on the planning: we have now got a lodger who is staying Monday-Friday and will enable us to earn up to the allowed 'rent a room scheme' maximum before having to pay tax. As we have often had friends, lost souls, au pairs with us in the past, it's no hardship and we will have the house to ourselves from Friday through Monday afternoon.

This will enable a transfer into savings, if that makes more sense taking interest rates into consideration, or could be straight capital repayment each week. However capital repayments only from March 2012 when mortgage shifts.

Big decision but one which will be a significant help.

Billy, have read your plans for the big house and it did cross my mind that we could build after clearing this mortgage, to which my DH groaned. I always like a challenge!

Onwards and upwards.