Balancing overpayments, savings and home improvements...

Jesthar

Ooops, I'm sure I meant to post here more than once a year...

Anyway, mortgage statement arrived the other day, which reminded me to update here. I'm now up to £6k in overpayments, and have knocked nearly £13k off the original £90k loan - not too bad for just under 4 years, I don't think Still managing to overpay at £150 a month, hopefully will manage to keep it up for another year!

Fence is done, and was expensive. Shouldn't need doing again for a LONG while, though - job's a good un!

I've added a thicker curtain over the back door for the winter, and the difference can really be felt. Not sure the cat is so impressed, though, as she can't slip behind it to gaze out the back door!

Cupboard at the top of the stairs is NOT done. Might do it this year, funds allowing, as the storage space would be SO useful.

TV has a new Freeview box after the old one got tetchy. Doing well so far...

Decorating will have to happen this year, I think. The place is looking tired. Time to start hunting for ideas, although I don't want to get too complicated! Just painting, hopefully.

I do have both a cheap tall bookcase for the living room (Argos sale!) and a pine filing cabinet for my bedroom (courtesy of Gumtree), both of which are much needed additions and very much appreciated. Now I just have to get around to doing the filing properly

Only other noteable addition is the Wii Balance board and sundry fitness games, I'm trying to get my body into as healthy a state as my mortgage! Hopefully that won't take quite as long, though...

Now, will I remember to post here more often? Only time will tell...

~Jes

Jesthar

Well, two posts in two months isn't so bad, is it? An improvement at least!

I've actually had a couple of pretty good months money wise, which is just as well as my car has needed it's MOT, a nail in a tyre fixing, and a leaking water pump replacing this month. :mad: Still, at least that should get the petrol consumption back down...

I also have some taps which are starting to refuse to turn off properly, and my perspex shed window decided to shatter from UV fatigue the other day, so those will have to be dealt with too. And the paperwork still isn't fully filed, procrastination is a wonderful thing - not!

On the other hand I have a regular payment ending soon, so I might be able to up the overpayments a bit if I want - might depend on how other things go, but it's tempting...

~Jes

Jesthar

Hmm, down to three posts in six months, I'm slipping again! A bit like the Wii Fit, haven't done that in a while either, after being very good for a couple of months

I have done a fair bit of gardening, though - had the time to, was signed off work for several weeks with work induced stress and reactive anxiety and depression, so I widened my west facing border by over a foot along it's full length, and also dug all the weeds out mu gravel drive whilsh we had no rain. Only problem there is once the rain returned, the drive started getting green again with a vengeance - doh! Back at work now, though, so every reason to give in and break out the weedkiller On the plus side, I had my first beans and peas this week, and I've already had so may raspberries off the canes I planted last year they've paid for themselves twice over already

Decided not to up the overpayments for now, as the shenanigans at work mean I may not be getting a pay increase this year. Which was one of the stress factors, but I'm not going to let it get me down again. The new water pump on the car and a modification of driving style has indeed resulted in more miles per tank, though, so despite the price hikes my petrol costs haven't risen too much.

Oh, and paperwork is now fully filed! Aside from a few recent things I haven't got round to yet...

So, currently debating what to do to the house next. I do have to redecorate this year or next (at the latest, a term of the 50% lease bit), just wondering if I can be bothered this year... But it would be nice to have it out of the way, and as most of it is simply white/magnolia paint it'd be easy enough to do if I put my mind to it. It's just the thought of the mess! :eek:

~Jes

Jesthar

OK, I do have a (semi) valid reason for quietness this time, my old laptop display stopped working and I had to run it through the TV just to get e-mail... Now have a new one, but that's probably put the kybosh on decorating this year. Although there is a rumour we might get a bonus at work this year, which is a rarity but would be very helpful!

I've also had to get my leaky toilet and a fence panel that came loose fixed, taken the cat for her annual service and pay her insurance, plus been on holiday, so been a pricey few months. Hopefully I can make up for it over the remainder of the year...

In the meantime the paperwork fairy appears to have gone on holiday herself, and a fair bit needs filing - oops!

Garden isn't so bad, though the lawn wants mowing. Shed has been coated with preservative, and the beans are producing. Hopefully the leeks will start to grow properly soon too. I've weeded most of my drive for a second time, though the beggars keep coming back - grrr! I also won an automatic watering system, which has been very useful for the tomatoes in their gro-bag - hoping to extend the system next year to water the veggie patch etc. too! Should really look at getting some compost bins too, especially as my council is going to start charging £60 a year for a garden waste wheelie bin! :eek: I've been planning to get the bins for ages and I'll fork out for an incinerator can too (no bonfire restrictions here ) before I pay THAT much to have somone cart my grass clippings away every few weeks... Ash is good for the garden, too

~Jes