Pay off mortgage and start having fun!

greent

Love the idea of going somewhere and celebrating all the birthdays and your anniversary


x

newgirly

It's the first day I have used the Fitbit my parents bought me for xmas, only did 7800 odd steps though and burned just over 2000 cals, can't see how that's possible if I have lost 4.5 lbs in a week eating 1650 a day, time will tell I guess.


Iv'e been thinking about clearing the cc's in the next three months, we will have more money through the dividends in the next 3 months and it is exactly the amount needed to clear them both (with £7 left !) if we don't pay the mortgage except for interest of course. Not sure if there will be extra money come April yet.

It had not been the plan, however the 0% on one card ends in June and it would be nice to be rid, it would up the mortgage payments needed to cover the missing 3 months, but there would be no more cc payments, it's swings and roundabouts really.

AlexLK

I think the credit card debt is a difficult one for you, due to the amount of overpaying you need to do on the mortgage to pay off in time. Not sure if any do this now but perhaps it's worth transferring another card offering 0% on transfers?

newgirly

Yes that's what I was going to do, although the savings made not making the monthly payments will be op'd so it should not make any difference financially if that makes sense. It would just save the faff of switching deal really. Can't believe I still have not made a firm plan for 2016 yet, it's not like me at all.

ourcornercottage

If you can't decide you could save into a regular saver that allows withdrawals like TSB (there must be others) and decide when you are sure. Just another option for you.

Another option to have target to pay off cc in 2016 and do abit of both.

You need to consider the effect on your motivation too, as you really have s a hard challenge and it must be hard to keep motivated at the best of times

Muser1

I've just got a 3 year 0% cc with M B N A I've set up a direct debit and can forget about it now. Perhaps worth trying to get a deal like that?

lulabelle1

Hi newgirly..I think that since your mortgage has no flexibility and MUST be paid off within the permitted timescale, then you must stick to the plans you have made to do that. I would ensure that you stick to all overpayment plans otherwise you're just adding more stress and pressure on yourselves down the line.
I would do as others have said and look to transfer the CC debt to another 0% option.

daisy_1571

Hi NG,

HNY etc. When my mil and fil died in 2014 we decided to use a wee bit of money and take our families away to a big house - we picked on the Landmark Trust, Auchinleck House. Like your idea, it was only two days but it was fabulous to live in this huge house and eat in the dining room etc and live like lords. We paid for the house but asked everyone to bring their own food. As suspected, although we tried to coordinate to a certain extent, everyone brought loads so we did not go short and it was wonderful spending time with brothers, sisters inlaws, my parents and dh's young niece and nephew and my late teens/early 20s nephews. It seems like a lot of money to pay out in one go but as you say it will suffice for several parties, if you combine all the money that you would be paying for individual parties plus some money on a holiday then it probably works out about even. And it is a great experience to look back on as everyone gets older and inevitably more frail (im thinking of the older members of the family here of course).

Also, we went on loads of holidays with my mil and fil to Florida in our 30s and 40s and also a holiday to Las Vegas with my mum and dad in 1999. They have also been on holiday with their other children (my brothers) and the inlaws also went away with their other son. So holidays do still happen with grown up children - they are just different to hols with youngsters so dont worry that all your hols with them will cease. Its up to everyone, parents and children, to suggest things to do together throughout life and that could be cottages in this country, larger houses here or abroad etc etc. (And not to have unrealistic ideas about spending every minute of the fortnight together of course!!)

Hope you do book it and you have a marvelous time

daisy xx

newgirly

Thanks for the comments everyone

Daisy that sounds such a lovely idea, although teenage friends who we don't really know might not be as much fun
Great to hear that you still had holidays with parents later on, we have been away many times with my parents when the kids were little, I might be nice to do a few more holidays in the future.

As for the cc's , I guess it probably is the best option to stick with plan a and not get tempted to change it. at the very least every month the minimum needed to clear in term should be paid - £1839, Thank you to lulabelle, muster and occ it nice to have so many lovely people willing to offer advice and a little nudge.

It's not been a great evening, ds2 seems to have acquired a superiority complex in the last few weeks, which I need to remove from him! I guess it's another lovely teenage phase to weather, who knew such cute little babies would grow up eh? :rotfl:

And the iPad i thought was ok has started pressing its own buttons again just as I have fallen back in love with it

And the maths tutor for ds2 has put her prices up to £40 ph from when dd had her and she was £30 :eek:

And I have over eaten by 240 cals today.

edinburgher

newgirly wrote: »

Struggling food wise today and have gone over by 164 cals and am very hungry I suppose yesterday was under so it even out. I've realised how many calories were going on drink both alcoholic and not, I never drink sugary fizzy drinks but do have white coffee and tea all day long, plus the wine in the evening :eek:

Another one finding calorie restriction tough

Not sure if I'm misinterpreting, but if wine is a daily treat, can I suggest gently that it probably shouldn't be? :beer: (but no more than a few days a week max)!