I'm going to do a diary too :)

vl2588

I don't know how well it pays these days but when I was small my mum had a part time Market Research job where you go round high streets etc. asking people 5-10min surveys. It seems this may be covered by online surveys these days but she earnt really good money out of it and they pay your expenses. She could easily fit it around my school etc and never missed out on anything. She did that plus cleaning...not to everyone's taste!!

gerbiljo

I wouldn't mind cleaning, I will do what I need to, I'd love to have time cleaning my own house. I like doing stuff that isn't exciting as long as I can have my own thoughts if that makes sense. i might be a bit scared to approach people tho as I'd be scared incase someone shouted at me hehe. There are lots of things I could do if I quit my job because I have no issues being proud etc, I guess its just deciding whether to step out of my field

vl2588

Yes my mum hated that aspect but made herself do it. I don't think it bodes well for long term happiness if it isn't something you do naturally. If you cleaned a lot you'd never clean your own house as well!

It's a huge leap! I think if you look back over the last year and count the highs as well as the lows...what comes out on top? That should be your answer I suppose!

gerbiljo

I guess the high is the achievement paying off feels good and I feel like it 'is' best for us in the long run if my work days are limited, its not like I've been miserable all year I guess just when I get a glimpse of what I'm missing. It's our anniversary today and we have 6 days off so determined to enjoy it! At some point am gonna set off a new plan so 'if' we stick with it we can finish when this challenge ends (and potentially free childcare). I need a definate end point, but we have maxed the credit card now and once we have sorted car insurance this month we know where we stand and can start getting that cleared.

Have updated google docs- got the extra £20 off hubby £74500- we're in the green

vl2588

Look on the bright side; you have another debt target. There aren't enough colours in your signature btw!!!

gerbiljo

vl2588 wrote: »

Look on the bright side; you have another debt target. There aren't enough colours in your signature btw!!!

You're so right! I haven't really got into the colours have I....I will be changing the signature soon, will have to try and make it more creative!

gerbiljo

I've edited my signature to reflect finishing the mortgage in december 2012, as I think if I was to give up work we wouldn't be able to to overpay a 10th of what we pay now so we might as well go for the ambitious challenge, but I think I need to drum into myself that everything we do helps so if I've had enough then I have to make a decision. This target basically would reflect us getting the extension built and finishing the mortgage so we could have another baby and I could be off for our daughter starting school. I will aim to get to 60k (May) and see how I'm feeling then. I remember a friend saying their mortgage was 60k and thinking 'thats tiny' so I need to keep this thought in mind!

We are looking at knocking off £3k a month possibly if I can £3100. About £360 comes off our balance with our normal payment at the mo but obviously that will increase. If we kept at this rate it would lave us with £500 ish for the final december payment so that gives us a buffer of about £2600 to allow for interest rate rises etc. Of course in this time we have to clear the credit card and start the extension- not sure how this works mathematically! But will not worry for now.

Got an unexpected lunch to pay for today oops. Sure I'm due some voucher soon...

pammyj74

You need to put the other end of [strike] on your sig hun.

Sounds very very ambitious and I am sure you can do it. Just think of the end results and the difference it will make to your family life. I went to my sons concert at school yesterday. Ok he's not going to be the next Nigel Kennedy but just for the look of how proud he was doing this in front of me, being in centre stage was all worth making work upset for not going in He kept waving over to me and beaming. I never had that when I was growing up. I think my parents came to one play as I was sleeping beauty and that was it. And I will always remember that.
I love telling them how proud I am of them when I can actually see how well they are getting on and going into school etc.
I know some parents find it incredibly hard to be able to be there at those moments and I can imagine its as hard for them as it is for the children. I think you are doing a great thing having this goal and I know you can do it. Your kiddies will love showing off to you

vl2588

Pammy your sig is awesome...even if you stopped overpaying you only have 22 months left...I am in awe, well done :T

gerbiljo

pammyj74 wrote: »

You need to put the other end of [strike] on your sig hun.

Sounds very very ambitious and I am sure you can do it. Just think of the end results and the difference it will make to your family life. I went to my sons concert at school yesterday. Ok he's not going to be the next Nigel Kennedy but just for the look of how proud he was doing this in front of me, being in centre stage was all worth making work upset for not going in He kept waving over to me and beaming. I never had that when I was growing up. I think my parents came to one play as I was sleeping beauty and that was it. And I will always remember that.
I love telling them how proud I am of them when I can actually see how well they are getting on and going into school etc.
I know some parents find it incredibly hard to be able to be there at those moments and I can imagine its as hard for them as it is for the children. I think you are doing a great thing having this goal and I know you can do it. Your kiddies will love showing off to you

Ah thank you that is such a lovely post I 'will' be around to see these moments! Definately worth missing work for! Ah bless him, I used to play the violin but I was rubbish hehe. I'll be the annoying parent with the video camera- tho they don't let you take them do they? I wonder if they do nativity at preschool? I had to be an inkeepers wife in our nativity as I have dark hair and only the blonde girls were allowed to be angels! They'd never get away with that nowadays!!

Well we got our car insurance sorted yesterday spent 2 and a half hours ploughing thru comparison sites and the cheapest was about £800 ish for both with about £50 cashback...then hubby said try tescos and it was £640 (with all the extras we wanted) plus we get clubcard points and not charged to use the credit card- perfect, tescos is taking over the world...

The card is now maxed except for about £70. We are planning to get our xmas shop on monday as we have a £7 off voucher, I just got milk and nappies yesterday (£5) so maybe we will only do one weekly shop? hmmm. This means we owe (scared to say) £3750 on the card, so really we actually owe more overall- I just haven't included this value in our total...naughty, might add a bit to the sig as I need to amend it anyway (thanks pammy). We have to pay this by october. We will try and pay off as much as we can and keep to the mortgage target, this will mean it won't be done by April when we were going to do the next stage of the extension- so be it, Hubby has to do another bit of his qualification in May and said its probably not the best time to do it anyway. Obviously if we get close to cc ending time then the mortgage overpayments will be sacrificed as we don't want the interest or it completely defies the point. At least we should have a bit of a buffer.

Having a lovely time off just being at home...will try and get the house clean for xmas now- 3 more days off, the chicken is back out now so we can clean the floor properly!!