greent's mfw journey

RoaringTwenties

Glad you're feeling better illness-wise & have had a good half term. Reading what you say about your sweet tooth really chimes with me, I have a real love of sugar but gave up sweet things for a fortnight after Xmas to try & shift the extra poundage & after a week or so I really didn't miss it. One bit of home baking & I'm addicted again

Glad the Uni visits are going well, I'm sort of dreading that stage for us, with DW an academic & me a former academic I just know we'll be hyper critical of every institution. We'll be those awful parents we get on visit days asking for info on the latest internal review performance with all the other normal parents looking at us like we're total muppets

Final thing: you *must* stay on this board & that's an order It's not just about mortgage-freedom on here is it, its financial independence & all that comes with that, & mortgage-freedom is a step along that road. More importantly, I love reading your posts
:T

Karmacat

Watty1 wrote: »

Oh my that decorating image KC

greent wrote: »

Echoing Watty's 'Oh my!' at that image KC!

What can I tell you, I've always been weird :j

talked to my mum for almost an hour about family hassle between my nan and one of my uncles - very sad and family members are taking sides - I was trying to play Devil's advocate, as it's not clear cut and both are at fault and there could be long lasting family fractures as a result My nan is in her 80s and getting frailer, but my uncle is quite poorly at 60. Argh!! I think my mum thinks I'm being hard hearted in some of things I said, but I'm just trying to be dispassionate about it.

I've got one of those going on, a multi generational thing, between my mum and her (only) granddaughter. I've tried to get my mum to see the part she's played, but stuff like that doesn't stick with her any more, and my niece is so hurt she put the walls up a long time ago, so it *looks* like its her fault I hope yours gets resolved, sounds like it could spread

I kind of feel a fraud posting on here still! I like it too much to leave, though! Perhaps I should start with a repayment plan for the BTL and then I might feel legitimate again! (I will sometime, but I want to get our house in order and big holiday done first) Actually, on that note, our lender has written to us this week about the BTL. When we took it out (14? years ago) we didn't need any sort of repayment vehicle as it was a BTL. We now have to come up with a repayment plan and timescale (I guess it was taken out over 25 years) and let them know it - if we don't have one we have to call them to discuss it. I think not!! I fully intend to tackle it and repay it well ahead of the end date, but I am not setting anything up just yet. Very worst case scenario we'd sell it - but it's a decent (relatively) passive income stream, so wouldn't want to unless necessary (change of mind over this in the past couple of years, I know)

Don't be daft, lass! It may have escaped your notice that I paid off my mortgage years ago and the only saving I'm doing is for my retirement (though some of that will have to be spent on replastering, as the stuff is falling off the walls). Relatively passive income is not to be sniffed at - do the repayment plan, make it vaguely realistic, and go for it - don't let them bully you into selling it! Do what suits you and your OH :kisses3:

Watty1

Not a fraud at all. You are still working at the financial freedom that MF status is part of. I'm currently focussing on our BTL Mortgage, hence my target. It took a push to get me to see that clearing that would shift us along to freedom quicker. (Mind you ours is a repayment rather than interest only BTL mortgage so repayments are higher).

greent

Thanks, everyone - am definitely feeling the love!:grinheart:blushing:


Family matter very much ongoing - had a phone call at 9.30pm after my post the other night and it lasted until gone 10.30pm and my head was spinning afterwards for a good couple of hours. It's all very stressful, and I'm a grandchild - none of the other grandchildren will be involved/ care in any way - but I've always been viewed as 'child no 7' rather than 'grandchild no 1' (in birth order) by most of the family - there's only 8 years difference between my youngest uncle and myself and we lived at my nan's when my parents split up when I was little (pre school age). I've also been viewed as the sensible one who gets things done and then - because I worked in a bank for years - am a master of all matters financial!! (Clearly not the case! )


Enough of that, anyway. I have written to BTL mtge provider saying that we plan to make lump sum payments from future dividend income and a monthly standing order, starting in 2017. I *could* start it before - but want the holiday and kitchen sorted this year. I have started my BTL spreadsheet up ready, though. I have to say, I miss the updating of a spreadsheet - am looking forward to doing that again!


Today's plans for me are making sure homework's all sorted and bags all packed ready for school tomorrow, putting washing and ironing away, planning the floats required for the NNS next weekend, writing a daily plan for the week ahead and cleaning the ovens (racks have been soaking overnight) DH is painting in DS3's room. Haven't planned dinner yet - assume DD will want roast - so will need to get something from the freezer out for that. Have a box of (HM) crumble topping also in there, so will pull that out, along with some apples and pears for a very quick dessert with lashings of custard OH can have pears poached in red wine, as I made a batch last year and jarred (canned) them, so they are sat hiding at the back of the fridge. Nice and easy


Was awake at just gone 6 this morning and gave in and got up at 6.20 - was relishing the peace but have now been joined by a gorgeous and sleepy looking DS3 so am going to go and snuggle with him and a fresh cup of tea!


Happy Sunday!


xx

brizzledfw

Hello :wave:

Have just subscribed after reading most of your diary this morning. It's very inspirational and I need to remind myself to work hard on getting MF too....more camping holidays in Devon rather than long haul overseas trips I think! Your optimism and drive even in the face of OH being without work for ages was/is amazing. Sorry to hear re recent family problems but helpfully they will be resolved soon?

Have a great Sunday

greent

Hello brizzle - nice to see you! Thank you for your lovely comments I've read the first few pages of your diary and the last 10 pages, so have a vague idea of where you're up to! x


In money news here (yes, I've actually got some!) I forgot to say that I've been re-accepted onto pinecone so have been doing their surveys and finally fully accepted onto Royal Mail, so for the past few weeks I've been posting some things :T


Mortgage statement received for BTL today - I got the ultimate repayment date for most of the debt wrong! But I did pay off the smallest sub account on the BTL today - a whole £35.38! :rotfl: That leaves me with 3 sub accts to repay - 1 for 60k (repayment date in 7 years) and 2 for 5k (1 to be repaid in 7 years, the other 11 years):eek: We clearly didn't originally take it out over 25 years! With this in mind I have decided to start repaying the 5k sub acct after the holiday - a small monthly sto with irregular extra OPs from ebay etc. Small stuff, but it means that some progress will be made without any real effect on our budgets. I haven't set a date to clear it yet - I'll have to set up and play with some spreadsheets in order to set a target. Once it's clear I'll move onto the 60k one. They are all at the same rate (2.5%) with no restrictions on extra payments so it makes no difference, but I like the psychological benefits of repaying one of the sub accts at a time I'm then tackling the 60k as opposed to the other 5k as the repayment date is sooner.


Smallest one has been on a school trip to SS Great Britain today - he had a great time, but is shattered now. Eldest is still awash with coursework. DS1 has GCSE stuff coming out of his ears (his school are great and lay on loads of revision sessions in lunchtimes and after school - and in Easter hols) and DS2 is busy learning lines to perform as Oberon in Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' (obv adapted to children!)


And I lost 2.5lb this week! :j (If I do lots of star jumps for real I might even lose more!):D


xx

brizzledfw

Hello, thanks for the lovely welcome.

dd1 is also hard at work at exams..although this eve has slipped out to earn some money babysitting. As she promises to put half in a long term saving plan I can live with that

Boo to BTL mortgage news but small OPs even if irregular sounds a good way to go. bay of E working out for us too at moment..long may it last

Hollyboll

Hello :hello: greent (I'd forgotten how it always autocorrects to 'great'!)

Just caught up on your diary and wanted to pop on to say how ongoingly (well, you know what I mean!) inspiring you are ... make me laugh when you talk about a day when you've not got much done ... I can't believe your declutter lists almost reached 4 figures at the end of the year! If you do manage to Tame the Paper, please let us all know how (and what your rates are for assisting with the clutter of others ...).

Sorry to hear about fandamily tension, and that you are stuck in the middle.
Complete :eek::eek: about needing a plan to repay BTL ...

Oh, and as for being a fraud on this board. Definitely not! That may apply to the likes of me who lack the progress you did on clearing the mortgage, but as many others have said it's all about a mindset. And one of the brilliant things about MFW is the different stages at which so many people are ... if I hadn't read along the stories of real people (well, virtual real people) like you, and first Tilly and GG, I'd never in a million years have thought there was actually anything I could do to change things. So you aren't allowed to go anywhere! pleeeez ...

Lots to which to look forward this year - exciting about Florida!

I'll look forward to following along ...
xx

greent

brizzledfw wrote: »

Hello, thanks for the lovely welcome.

dd1 is also hard at work at exams..although this eve has slipped out to earn some money babysitting. As she promises to put half in a long term saving plan I can live with that

Boo to BTL mortgage news but small OPs even if irregular sounds a good way to go. bay of E working out for us too at moment..long may it last

That's a very sensible approach by DD1 to her finances :T x

Hollyboll wrote: »

Hello :hello: greent (I'd forgotten how it always autocorrects to 'great'!) Haha! How funny! I didn' know that it did that!

Just caught up on your diary and wanted to pop on to say how ongoingly (well, you know what I mean!) inspiring you are ... make me laugh when you talk about a day when you've not got much done ... I can't believe your declutter lists almost reached 4 figures at the end of the year! If you do manage to Tame the Paper, please let us all know how (and what your rates are for assisting with the clutter of others ...).

Sorry to hear about fandamily tension, and that you are stuck in the middle.
Complete :eek::eek: about needing a plan to repay BTL ...

Oh, and as for being a fraud on this board. Definitely not! That may apply to the likes of me who lack the progress you did on clearing the mortgage, but as many others have said it's all about a mindset. And one of the brilliant things about MFW is the different stages at which so many people are ... if I hadn't read along the stories of real people (well, virtual real people) like you, and first Tilly and GG, I'd never in a million years have thought there was actually anything I could do to change things. So you aren't allowed to go anywhere! pleeeez ...

Lots to which to look forward this year - exciting about Florida!

I'll look forward to following along ...
xx

Thanks, Hollyboll xx


I'm actually quite 'excited' in some ways about the BTL - I've now got spreadsheets set up and a target to aim for - I think I've been missing something to really focus on! :j Having changed my mind from the original plan, I'm only going to set up payments for the shorter term 5k, leaving the rest 'as is' and I will set up payments to go into a dedicated savings account for it, thereby earning interest and also keeping most of it as tax deductible I'm only paying the small one back to give me the thrill of seeing a reducing balance! :rotfl:(and it sort of shows willing with the lender)






Sold masses of stuff at a NNS this morning. Mostly priced very low, so sales achieved figure will not increase massively, but lots of items have gone, and of those unsold I've set aside a box worth to go to the CS tomorrow. That leaves 2 boxes ([EMAIL="W@lkers"]W@lkers[/EMAIL] 40 packs of crisps boxes ) to go back into the garage loft for another attempt in July's sale. I will be getting all my 'sold' tickets back, so I can then calculate how much the children have made from selling their things and pay them their share I only bought 2 things :T- a book (50p) and a spare pair of Blue Zoo swim shorts for DS3 (he has some amazing Angry Bird ones but I figure 2 pairs will be needed for hols) for £1.


DS1's bedroom is nearly finished now, just some finishing touches (and OH needs to gloss his wardrobe doors) and he and I need to agree where everything is going and if anything can go He's also got a whole heap of new-to-him clothes in his wardrobe, as I got a big box down from the loft of outgrown clothes from DS2, so he has a pile of Mario/ Lego/ Star Wars tshirts, tops and hoodies that he's very pleased with


DS2's room next on the list for decorating (although we still need to buy new lights for DS3's room - I don't want to get something which will just do in the meantime - I'd rather wait and get the right ones His room is very, very messy - so I'm looking forward to having to sort through everything once it's all out of there before it goes back! Am hopeful that some things won't be going back - whether they then get snaffled by DS3 is another matter...!!


DS1 is away at army camp this weekend. He really enjoys his cadets DD is holed up in her room studying - as is usually the case at the moment.


Am working 4/5 days (paid work ) next week - and have 3 slots of volunteering to do too! Luckily only one day is all day - the other three are only until lunchtime. However, as all monies received from paid work are going direct into 'Florida Fund', I'm not going to turn it down! I think I've then got several weeks of no paid work, so that'll be fine - I can catch up on house stuff (and volunteering paperwork) then


Off for a mooch around diaries now before thinking about dinner


xx


xx

Hollyboll

greent wrote: »

I will set up payments to go into a dedicated savings account for it, thereby earning interest and also keeping most of it as tax deductible

Will this still work with the new rules? I'm finding it incredibly hard to work out what is actually going to be what, between all the fuss about them ... I know you are the font of all gurus on such matters