SmlSave MFW diary - where to start?

[Deleted User]

hey smlsave and happy new year!!
will wait to hear bathroom and baby news- always good for tips as Im hoping on re-doing bathroom this year (but not getting a baby! :rotfl:)

DansMum_2

Ah not a choice Smlsave believe me, but when my heater pump went boink a few weeks ago, the gas man said to upgrade the rads before the boiler as my system is so antiquated, if I was just to install a new boiler it wouldnt do any good iyswim.....

So we're having new rads, pump and pipe flush out then hopefully the boiler will last a bit longer, he reckons its fine albeit 25 years old :T

Garden is new fencing (just gotta buy it) rip up most of whats there including grass, replace with something that doesnt need mowing, have a seating thingy (arbour or summat) take dowen the old wooden shed and install hens at the end of the garden... I am bursting to get hens!! Just need to get started :eek:

Then its bathroom, then new kitchen (rearrange it) then boiler.... Then is DansDad has any energy left take up the drive and replace AFTER putting down weed membrane :rotfl:

SmlSave

You'll have to wait for bathroom updates TYO as I'm not researching/lookiing in to it until after baby's here. You'll have to put up with baby stuff until then I'm afraid as I'm starting to have a one track mind

We got rid of all the grass in our garden too DansMum While I find I miss the greeness of it sometimes I never miss the upkeep! I'm still trying to fill the garden with evergreens. We tried a small patch of camoile lawn which is lovely in the summer but doesn't like winter in our garden as it gets no direct light.

Let me know how keeping hens goes and don't forget to extend your boundary underground to stop foxes digging underneath!

Then is DansDad has any energy left take up the drive and replace AFTER putting down weed membrane

Poor DansDad.... but I wish I'd thought of putting down weed membrane under our paving!

Pregnancy Update

All going well apparently I heard the Smllet's heartbeat for the first time on Tuesday and it sounds like there's a horse galloping in my tummy! I'm pretty sure I can feel it moving sometimes - like a tugging sensation.
While I still feel nauseous most days I've had my appetite back for a solid two weeks which is great I'm eating what I fancy but promise I will start introducing more fruit and veg, am trying to swim at least twice a week and if it's clear go for a walk with DH on the weekend.
I think my body's trying to get me ready for lack of sleep as I'm up 2-3 times a night atm! yawn.
Next scan in four weeks:D

SmlSave

On average for the last 2 years we've OPed £250 a month and reduced our mortgage term by 3 years. We're currently on 3.7% tracker and with the base rate expected to rise this year I’m thinking of fixing so that I feel nice and secure. We could fix with 4.09 for two years or 5.09 for five years.

If I choose the 5.09 fix for 5 years I could chop another year off the mortgage making it 18 years and our payments would then be £701.38p/m.

Or a fix at 4.09 for 2 years could be 16 years at 704.01.

:think:

Any thoughts....?

Radish72

Tough one that

Money wise not much difference
Time a huge 2 years
But less time fixed

So I'm no help what so ever

cha97michelle

Are you wanting more than one baby? If so, it is likely to be in that 5 year period and would be a great comfort to you knowing it was fixed for that long.

When we first got our mortgage we had a fix for 5 years at 4.99% which at the time was a great deal, and if we didn't have relatively so little left i would consider again because you can't buy peace of mind when so much else is going on in your life.

I think 2 years might be too short as the sml-let will not even be 2 when you come out of it, and you will have childcare costs and still be wanting to do the new bathroom.

What could you overpay on these rates? That is likely to have more influence with me.

(Movements - i think mine were later 1st time round, but i definitely was feeling it from about 15 weeks second time round. Might feel like wind or butterflies in your tummy, and it is one of the best feelings ever before it goes into full scale kicks. Glad the sickiness is going, but remember to eat the F and V or you will get constipated, and that can be horrible.)

museumworker

Glad to hear pregnancy going well, and well done on keeping up the exercise. I didn't exercise at all with DD and ate loads of biscuits and cakes - piled on loads of weight! Would definitely be more sensible next time.

In terms of decision making what is your LTV on your mortgage? We are looking to fix for 5 years, I think in 2 years we would come out onto a much higher rate, and the potential cost of remortgaging also needs to be considered.

CathT

It's a difficult one re: the fix. I don't have any sensible advice as I couldn't choose between the 2! Like museumworker said, what is your LTV? If you fixed for 2 years could you get a better deal in 2 years time due to a better LTV?

[Deleted User]

Hey smlsve
happy to put up with baby ramblings dont worry!!
I agree with what the others have said - good idea to get an idea of LTV and base how long you fix on that, but if there are likely to be other babies coming along you might find 2 years doesnt feel long enough!..

Zeddy

Hi smlsave, our mortgage term came to an end just when I was thinking about trying to get pregnant, and due to that and having a fear of the unknown, we went for a 5 year fixed as having only a two year fixed worried me as I figured that it was such a short time away and I knew life was going to be different with a baby/child but didn't know how, so am so glad that we went for a five year fixed as it gives me the security that I need.

Its a tough decision though.