Baby steps to being mortgage free

Baby_steps_2

I'm home!!!

Its so nice to be back home. But don't get me wrong being home is costing a fortune and undoing all my hard work!! The TV stand and TV has come and I'm really pleased with them. I had to give the ex-OH some money to pay for some of the furniture he had left plus do a big food shop to get a lot of stuff I need now I’m home.

I have managed to get a few more xmas presents as well, so only three left to buy now I think so I’m getting there. I hate going to the shops in December so should get everything done by then.

I am having a nice quite weekend, spent last night in friends, enjoying pizza and DVD’s. Tonight a night in alone enjoying reality TV:D

I was just sat here having a look through some of the diaries and realised people are starting to think about next year’s goals. I think I need to start doing that myself. This year has been a massive learning curve for me, I've cleared my debts but gone through a rubbish few months dealing with the break up. I am hoping by the end of the year that I will finish owing no money and possibly with a small bit in savings.

Oh well, I think the plan is to enjoy the xmas season and start new year in a different place.

CathT

Good plan, hope you settle back in at home this weekend.

Baby_steps_2

Well this month is turning into a financial disaster:eek::eek:

I'm personally blaming the 15% off offer at B&Q:cool: I have bought a fireplace for the house and some shelves for the lounge so £150 pounds went on that, but did save £15 using the voucher so at least I was being a bit mse:A

All I need to do now is get some wallpaper for the firplace breast and then can do some DIY in the loung, I wasn't planning on starting with that but its one of the things off my list of jobs for the house and its really helping me think of this as my home now.

So all in all I think I'll be lucky to even break even this month and will probably end up owing a bit of money. The plan is to be even by the end of the year so next year I can really make a dent in the mortgage and reduce the amount I owe the world:p

I have been really making an effort with my surveys though to try and earn a bit on income and my fingers are crossed that maybe quidco will make a payment before the end of year to help me out!!!

[Deleted User]

well done on the mse sales shopping!
we all need things from time to time and I think making your home "yours" again is important
I too am getting sorted to attack the mortgage big time from 2011 so you arent alone!

Baby_steps_2

Deleted_User wrote: »

I too am getting sorted to attack the mortgage big time from 2011 so you arent alone!

Thank TYO, best of luck for next year with your goals to:D

Well its been yet another busy week at work, but glad its finally friday:j:j

Been catching up on some TV and finally taking a look at the finances!! Turns out it was better than expected. So still not great and will finish a bit down, but should definatly have broken even by the end of the year, despite giving myself a bit of extra cash nect month to allow for some festive fun in the run up to xmas:T:T

I'm off to birmingham tomorrow to catch up with my old uni friends so really looking forward to that and nearly pay day (nect friday) so looking forward to getting my hands on that:D

[Deleted User]

I think breaking even after the year youve had is a great achievement!! I am counting breaking even for me given what we have had happen this year also a fantastic achievement as I remind myself we couldve spiralled into debt or robbing peter to pay paul for things, but instead we realy knuckled down to cut out anything unaffordable ... so remind yourself of that too!

yep I always start thinking of new year and new yrs resolutions (go to the gym, lose half a stone usually on there every year ..maybe should try something different!) around this time, and starting 2011 on an even keel to attack the mortage I think is great!

enjoy your weekend hun

InaPickle

I think breaking even is going to be very good as well, considering what you've had to deal with: well done! :T

When are you planning on starting the decorating?

Baby_steps_2

Hey guys,

Well its been a while since I updated probably because I have fallen off the waggon a bit!!!

Hope everyone is well and getting all ready for xmas. I have had lots of fun doing DIY at home and getting the house sorted. I am doing Ok on the surveys again and getting there with VO & toluna, should nearly be at my second lot of vouchers from them by the end of the year. Onepoll seems to be taking forever but I am up to £15, the £40 does seem a mile away

I’ve come up with a new format for the end of month figures to help me track my progress.

Mortgage – 162,150.68
CC (0%) – Oct 856.62, Nov 2215.01
Savings – Oct 901.51, Nov 1730.10
Net amount owed – Oct 162,105.79, Nov 162,635.59
Month change – Oct -44.89, Nov +529.80:mad:
Overall change – Oct – 44.89, Nov +484.91:mad:
It is disappointing that the figures have gone up this month. However £200 is work expenses I should get back next month and the rest is because of the bits and pieces I have been getting for the house.
I am back on track now though and have sorted out December’s budget and am planning on making sure I stick to it. I have given myself a bit extra spending money as its xmas and I have a lot of nights out planned. One of my biggest areas this month though is going to be food shopping I think. I am doing really well on the batch cooking, but Mr T’s have sent me through the save £4 when you spend over £40. I know its to make you spend but I will save money in the long turn, especially if I get some cat food and keeping things.
Anyway back to the point, I am looking forward to seeing how the numbers change over the next year. I need to think about what I want to achieve next year I also need to decide if I am getting a lodger. I am really enjoying living on my own and I’m not sure If I want to get someone to move in, although the sensible part of me knows that if I do it will mean I will be able to achieve a lot more savings, oh decisions decisions.

Baby_steps_2

Hi all,

Hope everyone is having a good week and the cold weather hasn't affected to many people. On the plus side (for me at least) its so cold that I can't be bothered to go out so its been a nice cheap weekend for me watching reality TV and staying out the cold:D

I have managed to get some of my xmas presents using the clubcard exchange scheme so costing me nothing and another using there deal vouchers. I am nearly there with the xmas shopping and looking about being £50 under budget, so I’m chuffed by that.:A

I have had to spend out £87 for a hotel for a friend’s wedding next May. That is for 2 nights with breakfast so fairly cheap for Bath. I also bought a really nice dress ready in the warehouse sale reduced from £65 to £30 so have got that all ready.

I’m likely to go over budget on food by about £50 this month, I can explain this though honest!! Tesco sent me through a load of money off vouchers, where you spend £40 and get £4 or £6 off. So I’m stocking up on cat food and the like to get me through January so should work out cheaper in the long run.

I’m also likely to go about £50 over budget with my spending money this month:eek::eek:. No excuses on that front except that its Christmas so seem to have a lot of social bits and pieces on. I have had a £55 pay out from quidco for home insurance bought in May so that covers that little slip up!!

I’ve also claimed a Debenhams voucher from toluna, I’m hoping this will come in time to treat myself to something in the sale!!

I’m starting of thinking about my targets for next year, I’m not quite sure what they are going to be but I’m thinking it will be to save at least £3000 in the house fund not to be touched so I will have a total saved of £4000 by the end of the year.

I also want to save an extra £250 from quidco, surveys and just maximising my income this will then pay for next xmas.

Once I have thought about these I will make a proper list here to document them all so I can record them all ready to review them a year later and see how I have done!!:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Baby_steps_2

Well only one more pay day before the end of this year and it looks like I should manage to break even by the end of the year. Which after all the rubbish this year I'm chuffed with.

Earlier this year I set myself some targets so thought I would review and see how I have done, before I start thinking about next year. It seems these were set to run untill 30 March next year, but given all the changes in my life I feel like some new years resolutions may be in order!!

Baby_steps wrote: »

Well I've noticed on here a lot of people set themselves challenges for the year so thought I would give it ago and then in a years time I can review the progress I have made, so by the 31 March 2011

- Reduce the mortgage to £155,000 (7K by normal and overpayments) Not achieved:( In fact no where near, but as I'm now working on one income.
- Earn 200 using cashback sites (currently £110 so another 90 by next April) Done:T:T - I'm actually up to £285, of which £234.50 has paid out. This has been helped by the matched betting I did this year as I got quite a bit from that.
- Earn £75 from survey sites (currently registered on Toluna and Valued opinions, not sure of the current balance).Not done I have to admit looking at this it seems totally over optimistic. Knowing how much time surveys now take, and to be honest the limited time I have available to them!!! I have however made £45 which I have caseh out and toluna is up to £17, so not to bad I suppose.
- Clear all debt (currently £2750 credit cards and £1000 overdraft, i know naughty girl not mentioning the OD before, but was going to crack on with this after the CC debt dealt with. Plus clear plan in place will be gone by Dec). Done:T:T (well looks like it will be!!).
-I have cleared the OD and my current account is now always in credit (this is a big achievement for me!!:A)
- I have cleared our joint credit card which I think in January this year started about £3K, as well as clearing the balance I had on my personal on (about £750 I think)
- I still have money on the barclaycard but I am using this for a slow stooze so (should have by Dec) the corresponding amount ina savings account. This has meant I can take advantage of my cash ISA allowence this year.
- Save £500 (not a lot but after dealing with all the debts this seems realistic). I'm going to cheat and say done:D:D I do technically have a lot more than this in savings account!!!

Baby_steps wrote: »

I think that’s it for now. To be honest the key thing for me is getting everything the right way round in money terms. Since becoming a student I have spent the money on credit and then paid it off. I'm really keen to teach myself to save for what I want and then to get it. I think this is really important for me and I also now appreciate this takes time as have to shift the debt, then save for anything else I want. I have to say this was a big thing for me, to get my finances the right way around, and for me I honestly feel there is no going back for me on this. I will no longer get into debt to do things I can't afford. I am allocating my savings money into 5 categories, barclaycard, house, hols, cats, gifts & insurance.

Money that is allocated to the house can not be touched. Any of the other funds can be moved or combined to ensure I have the money to cover any big items that are needed durring the year:T

Wow, that has been a real eye opener for me. I have not achieved some things. But I have achieved all the ones that were really important to me.

Now all I have to do is decide what I should set for next year!!!