Pay off mortgage and start having fun!

newgirly

I made Jans OP yesterday. Thanks to a tcb payment, I managed to make the maximum 20% of the monthly payment of £86.86. I'm really pleased with this, as I thought i would only manage £20.

Still just can't decide whether to send off the paperwork for the extra borrowing, so am going to put it away for a month and see how I feel then. I can't do any more reasearch into whether its best for us or not.

Managed a few one poll surveys yesterday and a VO finally, which i good but I'm focusing far too much on money and the house at the moment, I need to put more energy into looking after the house , cooking and having fun with the kids. i think i spend far more time reading about doing things than actually doing them

I think i may start doing lists in the hope i will get more done.

• 3 loads washing..............did 4
• clean muddy football boots/pack kits.......done
• surveys.......none
• cook gammon leftover casserole in sc.......done
• clean bathroom........
• clean kitchen.......
• vacum everywhere.......
• change dd's bed.........done
• sort through/clearout 1 drawer in my bedroom.......cleared out 3
• stick to new diet for 1 day!......
• iron for 1 hour at least.......did 2 hours

Lots of catching up to do tomorrow.

mummalove

Well done on your OP :T

As I've said before in a previous thread, I definitely agree you should give yourself some 'thinking time' about the additional borrowing. Like you say, you have worked out every avenue of repayments, costs, etc and know the facts...you just need to decide if it 'feels right' to go ahead.

I too am guilty of spending way too much time on here, planning, money juggling, chatting rather than actually doing anything around the house. I try to give myself 'time slots' I can go on the laptop as otherwise nothing gets done. Time just whizzes by online. Good luck with your 'to do' list...bet you have lots of ticks by most be now?

newgirly

I've been buying presents for Dd's friends today, another 3 birthdays this month , which makes a total of 8 all in all this year.

Managed to get a couple of bits in the boots 90% sale today, a mug for DS1 for 80p and 3 photo albums reduced from £12 to £1.22 each.
I've also had my nieces birthday so some cash needed for the card as well. Spent £15 in M&S on food for packed lunches and got a chicken and a big sponge pudding for £5 on offer. (not the cheapest place but was in the shopping centre so no extra trip needed.)
So am now down to £160 for the rest of feb from £333 :eek: we are only 3 days in and there's not much food in except for kidney beans and chopped tomatoes, we always have a cupboard full of those. Might go to aldi or the farm shop and try and get some fruit and veg, and maybe iceland for some chips and frozen chicken in batter, which is the kids fav.
One good thing is we don't seem to waste a lot now, I used to chuck out so much food before, ready meals/fruit/bread. Now I run out more often, but go shopping locally as and when we need it.

Stll lots of ironing to do as usual, but we have parent eve at DD's senior school tonight which takes ages so will probably start ironing tomorrow.

Oh, good news is I managed to get 2 free tickets for the ideal home exhibition, so will take my mum, thanks Martin :money:

newgirly

Fridays to do list:

• bank transfers/check current account
• cook a huge bean curry in the SC (weezls)
• try and do most of the ironing
• bake a loaf
• clean bathroom
• Tidy kids rooms
• Check and do surveys

newgirly

Yet again I have finished writing and managed to delete before posting it, I'm sure it has nothing to do with feeling very poorly due to a curry and way too much drink last night whilst round my Mum and Dads.

Anyway no to do list today as I'm not up to anything, good old DH has taken the boys out and DD is at the cinema with friends, so I'm taking it easy.

I have had some good news regarding the mortgage, our BS the chelsea has merged and changed their op rules . It used to be 20% of the monthly payment, but they have changed it to 10% of the outstanding balance, I was told last week that it has to be one lump sum op per year, but rang yesterday and was told it can be made in different amonts throughout the year which is great.
We are still on IO so instead of switching back to repayment once we have decided on the loft or not , I might just leave it on IO and Op to the same amount, does anyone know of any drawbacks there may be doing this?

babyb06

Good news on the mortgage.

I am interest only and just op (or put in offset) the amount I would pay on a repayment mortgage. I can't see any disadvantage - i pay the same amount so not losing out on interest but if i have a tough month i can pay a lower amount.

newgirly

Thanks babyb06, it does seem like a good idea, as long as I stay as focused on paying off the mortgage.

Even though I'm being really quite good and counting the pennies, there are still times when the temptation to splurge on something expensive that we don't need is there in the background.
We have a history of doing stupid things (hence the hot tub) and a couple of sports cars that cost a fortune in repairs.
I know its early days mortgage wise, but we have made such a massive change in the way we live and think about everything we buy ( well I do!) I don't think I could do that now.
But I have to say even though DH supports the oping and lets me do the finances, he would go out and buy another sports car tomorrow if I suggested it, so I really do need the support of everyone on the MF board, and need to keep reading the diaries.:D

I might have a look on the celebrations board as its dh's 40th next year, I know its a bit early but I'd like to save a little bit to do something special and I need some ideas. Hope everyone is having a good weekend.

mummalove

newgirly wrote: »

I might have a look on the celebrations board as its dh's 40th next year, I know its a bit early but I'd like to save a little bit to do something special and I need some ideas. Hope everyone is having a good weekend.

For my 40th last year, we had a few days away in Barcelona. I personally love special trips on special birthdays...treasured memories forever. Is there anywhere he has mentioned in the past he would like to go to?

It may be worth having a word in advance with your mum if she could have the kids for a few days and then begin to save :cool: When my DH turned 40 (5 years ago ) I booked a mini-break to France. I made him an album with pics of where we were going with the flight tickets and gave it to him the day before...he was over the moon and I definitely won best wife award!!

SeriouslySeekingtoSave

newgirly wrote: »

I might have a look on the celebrations board as its dh's 40th next year, I know its a bit early but I'd like to save a little bit to do something special and I need some ideas. Hope everyone is having a good weekend.

I was just doing a quick skim of the Forums while I checked my bank account and I saw this. Are you a member of Groupon? I've seen some seriously amazing deals going through those.

newgirly

Thanks guys, I will look at groupon, and Mummalove , the album idea is great. I also saw on one of the boards that a lady, for her husbands 50th gave him 50 small presents, one a day for the 50 days before his birthday. I love that idea, but DH is not V. romantic so its more for me!
Is also mum Mum and dad's 40th anniversary and my little brothers 30th in the same week that dh is 40, so we may have to do some sort of family/friends party or BBQ.

Today seems a bit brighter weather wise, and it really makes a difference to my mood, I've been quite fed up lately, but now I feel like I want to get out and sort out the garden and plant some stuff, way too early I'm sure. I hope the sun stays out though.

DH wants to go to the cinema while the boys go to the game today, to see sanctum, its only showing in 3D and it works out £30.50 for us and DD, which I think is a rip off, when he gets up I might suggest he goes with dd on his own, while I stay at home and watch dancing on ice he'll probably say no though as he is paying! I think DH usually spends most of his "allowance" for work on food and chocolate from the corner shop, as there is never much sweet stuff around now I'm tighter on the food budget.

I must tidy the house today, as its quite bad with dh being incharge yesterday due to my feeling ill, plus I need to sort out school stuff for tomorrow and take up 2 pair of new school trousers, with a needle and thread as that blooming iron on stuff falls apart when I wash them.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend