Bumbling along to be Mortgage Free

twinklie

Awww hon. (((hugs))) The funny thing is I'd love to be in your position...chasing after kids. I know it'll happen one day so I should just suck it up and practice on the little (or rather not so little) cherubs at work. Actually I've got the best of both worlds, I go round to my bro inlaws and play with their little one and then get to go home to a nice quiet house.

Although, it's not just kids....I dropped a massive milk container the other day and it split so managed to save NONE of it! I think I cause enough destruction on my own. I must admit...I did cry over the spilt milk though! :rotfl:

Oh and yey on the mortgage front! :j

twinklie

Ha ha ha....don't get me wrong - you are completely entitled to moan. I think it's good though...it keeps people like me reminded thats it's not all plain sailing and you have to REALLY want them! I do, but it's nice to be reminded!

cocalls

mm yep it is tight, looking at that its hard to see where you are finding the dosh to make over payments, so you're doing really well.
Your partners wage is very low but im presuming there's nothing that can be done on that and im presuming you want to be at home w/ your kids for a bit. The only thing i can suggest is look at entitled to to make sure you're getting all your tax credits, presents seems high to me and just check pet insurance to make sure you're getting the best deal.(We decided not to get insurance and just save £10/mnth as she hardly ever goes out so no risk of injury etc)
Also car maintenence ouch thats alot per month-do you really need two cars?

Just some thoughts but you're doing really well.

gratefulforhelp_2

Hi Michelle. Very brave to post SOA when not in adversity, I'm not sure I could bear to.

You have probably already thought of this, but could you get water butts on freecycle to drop the water bill for the garden a bit? And have you got a water hippo in your cistern?

Does is really cost £170 a month on average for car repairs? I've got a carpy old land rover thats forever going wrong, but I'm not sure it costs that much?

Does DH take his car to work? Could you share a car? Have done this, but as DH took his car to work, it felt quite isolating when I was on maternity leave, but then no buses here.

Just a couple of thoughts, and doubtless you've already had them!

eta just read your comments on the car. Would it be cheaper to hire a car on the occasions he works away?

gratefulforhelp_2

Thats a scary thought, but its true for many of us. Although our incomes are bigger 'cos we both work, our outgoings are vast by comparison, and thats not frivolous spending, its mainly necessities as with you guys.

I've filled a plastic pint of milk container with water and sat it in the cisterns to reduce water use, as we're on a meter too.

But I can see what you say about spontaneity in relation to the car. Its one thing to be a SAHM, and another to be an isolated one.

LilacPixie

Cha- been ages since I posted here. I do think DFW/MFW boards are linked quite alot, afterall mortgage is just another debt to be paid back. Right I cannot remember if you have stopped work altogether. My brain is telling me you have so the following comments are based on this. Call taxcredits and make sure your estimated income for 10/11 is set to zero. Often income seems to rollover from one tax year to another.

I do agree you need two cars. Ithink you need to consider some sort of plan of action for your DH car, It is old, it is high milage and it is costing you money. Does OH need such a big car or could he cope with a deisel astra or something?? There will come a time, possibly soon that DH car will break again and it will cost a fortune. I can empathise my OH drives a renault and it is going the same way. We need to be seriously considering where we draw the line. Do we spend 5k replacing it now andhave a smooth runner for a few years apart from usual servicing costs or do we throw £££ at it each time something goes wrong only to have to replace it totally inmaybe 18months with a 5k car then

Valli

Morning Michelle
keep reading but with nothing useful to add I keeps me gob shut
HOWEVER
have you double checked with tax Credits and reported your change in circumstances? It may be that you are due a rise - new tax year and you not earning also do you have a free prescription card from them? When they base it on last years' income they are assuming a similar income for the current year Yours is now £0!
keep an eye out for birthday gifts (which I am sure you do as you go through the year) - I have the SAME birthday as your mum coming up (keep it to yourself, mind;)) I had to re-read that bit of your post!
Some of the 'hampers' people put together are fabulous and can contain all sorts of bargains - I am green with envy looking at them!

If you e-bay you can pick up FREE bubble wrap in Morrisons - they use it in the fruit and veg crates eg grapes/mushrooms and it's clean and reusable!

Toilet OR use a brick...

from The Hippo website -
If your toilet was installed before 1991 it will be 9 litres in volume, or more. This type of toilet will work well with a Hippo fitted and will reduce the flush volume by up to 3litres. If your toilet was installed between 1992 to 2001, it will be 7.5 litres in volume. This type of toilet will also work well with a Hippo fitted and will reduce the flush volume by up to 2.5 litres.
If your toilet was installed after 2001, it will be 6 litres in volume (the current standard) and it should not be reduced further with any type of device whatsoever.

Cinny91

Trying to think of something helpful to say, but it seems like you've cut back everywhere you can ect. You're doing a pretty fab job on all that though, and like you said your DH does overtime so things aren't really as tight as the SOA seems!

But, is there any chance you could get your Internet cheaper? (if you're not tied into a contract) If your mobile is with O2 you can get unlimited broadband from £7.50. (Or £12.50 if you're not) You get 3 months free too, and if you go via Quidco I'm sure it's £50 cashback. We're with O2 on their Standard package which is the £7.50 and we've had no problems with it at all.

Valli

*glow* *preen*

re the bubble wrap - I just pop a sheet or two in my basket and ask the girl on the checkout - have never had a problem yet.

Now I will make you feel REALLY good - I have to go and do some planning...:(:(

Valli

a thought

the £10K you earned 'last year'
was that your gross?
Was it all earned since 5 April?

assuming yes..

£10000-£6475= £3525

(gross earnings less allowance=amount on which tax to be paid at 20%)

which means you should ONLY have paid £705 tax.
YOU may well have paid too much as the PAYE system would have assumed you would be working the WHOLE year.
(Your taxable income is gross-pension contributions so might have been even lower!)

(I am assuming a tax code of 647L of course)

When is your mum's birthday BTW?

(I don't think you can better your phone/internet/TV deal!)