Move mortgage mountain project

MatyMoo

Do you have any dress hire shops or agencies near by? It may be cheaper to hire or buy and re-sell the prom dress after the event.

Sepa74

Hi Juliff,

Just been going through your diary. I should be in bed asleep, but couldn't stop reading! I'm also an IT Contractor, so have the uncertainty of never really knowing what I earn because it all goes through the limited company. I find that quite hard, particularly as cash is building up in the company but the interest I'm getting on it is miniscule! I need to talk to my accountant... who unfortunately isn't on a fixed rate!

I sympathise with your situation with your daughters. My mum was a single mother with 4 kids and not a penny from Dad, plus a whole lot of grief! She ended up managing the financial situation by giving us an allowance and all our clothes and spending (including school lunches) had to come out of it. If we got anything extra from dad, good luck to us, but all she gave us was the allowance. If we wanted a raise we had to demonstrate what we were spending it on to show we really did need a raise.

I also sympathise about the cats! I was suckered in to getting two by the Cats Protection People. Luckily not kittens, as I knew I couldn't cope, so I got to adult cats of 8. I have no insurance for them as they are too old, and I'm terrified something might happen to them and it ends up costing me the earth because I know I will just pay. My black cat has been lying beside me while I type, snoring away!!! I live on my own, and they are such a comfort to me, and I have to confess they are worth every penny.

Better go, goodnight!!

Primrose

julliff wrote: »

Hello

Kids went to their Dads last Sunday, and DD1 asked if I would still make dinner. I told her no,that her Dad can do them dinner. I felt a bit mean, but really, he is a parent too, and why should he not provide for them sometimes? I must be getting tougher! Lol.

Well done for toughening jup julliff - no reason why you should let him off the hook. I wonder how much of your divorce settlement he has already spent on himself ? As you say, he needs to be reminded that he is still a parent and has financial responsibilities for his children. I reckon he's getting off pretty lightly!

vandanfc

Gorgeous dress.

julliff

I have not had much time to update this diary - things as ever are hectic.

Anyway, because I worked stupod hours this week, I managed to get off early today at 3pm. So, I finally got around to moving my mortgage to the fee free tracker that is out there. It's 1.79% above base rate, which means that over the next year I will save more in interest than the erc is costing. Added to that I can make unlimited overpayments, so I will be inspired to throw as much at it as I can. It is a lfetime tracker, so unless the rates go up by over 2%in the next year, I will still be quids in.

Have had my contract renewed to end of September, so that is settled, although the job is so,so stressful it is a bit of a cleft stick. Didn't get a single lunch break this week, and the politics are unbelievable. Still, it's work.

Taking girls out tomorrow afternoon shopping. DD1 wants to look at some prom dresses. Have had a bitof a tough time from her, as she has been going to a lot of 16th birthday parties where alcohol is on offer. I don't agree that a 15 year old should be drinking at parties, so we have had a lot of heated discussions about that. Now she has asked me if she can have a party,and I have said no. To be honest, I don't have the capacity to be organising a party. So now she is asking her Dad, who said yes (it will be the first time he has organised anything for his kids- he always left that to me, and even on the day would not help, just drank and socialised). I don't know if he will let her drink, but I don't feel like I can do any more than I have. She knows my position on the matter, and I do not condone it.

I am fast running out of energy to deal with all of this, especially with no-one to share the load. Apperently I am a control freak, oh, and childish as well.

Anyway, enough of that.

I have also opened a 10% fixed rate saver.

January20

Hi Juliff,

I think that 15-16 is an especially difficult time for a teenager's parents. This was the time where I had most problems with my dd, and on the whole, I realise reading a lot of posts on this forum, she was a good kid. In my case, she turned 16, and the "I can leave home if I want" became a bit of an issue. Indeed, she went to stay with her friend... for two days

I hate this British system (I am French) where 16 is such a big turning points, kids know it and play on it. I had a slightly different attitude to you though that I didn't mind her having the odd drink (as long as she didn't over do it) because other things were more important to me (and if it's forbidden it's always more attractive): that she worked and succeeded at school, that the communication channels remained open between us, etc. I always picked my battles carefully.

I think what I'm trying to say is that it will pass. I do feel for you because your ex always seems to be working against you. Mine didn't care enough about his daughter to interfere. If you remain consistent your daughter will learn that with you there are a set of rules and with her father things are different. Teenagers have a way of making you feel like you are in the wrong though don't they?

ETA: You're not wrong to not want to organise a party for your dd if alcohol is likely to be smuggled in. It's such a responsibility when you have other people's children in your home. Especially with girls, if you have one of those that won't eat a thing all day and then have several drinks in quick succession (speaking from experience!).

uzubairu

julliff wrote: »

I have not had much time to update this diary - things as ever are hectic.

So, I finally got around to moving my mortgage to the fee free tracker that is out there. It's 1.79% above base rate, which means that over the next year I will save more in interest than the erc is costing. Added to that I can make unlimited overpayments, so I will be inspired to throw as much at it as I can. It is a lfetime tracker, so unless the rates go up by over 2%in the next year, I will still be quids in.

I have also opened a 10% fixed rate saver.

It is true. It does inspire you go for it.

We paid a £2K ERC last August and moved to the First Direct fee-free tracker at the same rate as you.
We are now paying approximately £138 per month in interest instead of nearly £300, so it will take us just over a year to claw it back (if the base rate stays at 0.5%), but the unlimited overpayment feature has meant that we can add as much as we can whenever we want which was a problem with our previous fix (4.79%).

Currently got several regular savings accounts with our overpayment money in them (rates vary between 4% and 8% gross).

You've done a great job so far, so keep up the good work! :beer:

Primrose

Julliff - firstly, well done on sorting out your new mortgage. It's a big thing to have ticked off your Action List, and I'm sure it will be a great incentive to keep overpaying whenever you're in a financial position to do so. Try and think of it as a long term investment to underpin your financial position in your retirement years. Whilst it may not always appear so, foregoing some treats now to ensure you can live comfortably when you can no longer earn a living is worth doing, and something you don't necessarily appreciate the true benefits of until you actually reach that point in your life.

I wouldn't feel guilty about letting your Ex fund a party for your daughter. As you say, he's done precious little during the years you were together and it may help him realise just how much of the daily financial burden you've been carrying. And I'd be inclined to lay down the No Alcohol rules firmly with him too so that he knows once again where the boundaries lie.

Secret_Saving_Squirrel

Well done on getting a new mortgage that you can overpay as and when. I really think that the companies put restrictions on overpayments just to discourage us from doing so, so it is good to fight against that! You will be saving loads in interest before you know it.

Re the teenagers, she would be the same even if OH was still with you, and would probably still play you against each other - they are tough at that age no matter what, and at least you don't have it on a daily basis!

Have a great weekend,

Squirrel:j

julliff

Hi all

Thanks for the replies.

I haved decided I am not getting involved in the party thing. Trying tos peakto my X about the alcohol thing will be pointless, he would go out of his way to not co-operate with me. It's hard to explain what he is like, but he does have a drink problem himself. Maybe, if I leave things alone, he wil do a bit of parenting - dunno. All I hope is that she doesn't end up like him. It may not even happen yet, so I'll just watch and wait.

Anyway, trip yeaterday did not yield any prom dress possibilities, but we had a nice afternoon out. Both girls brought a friend and went off, leaving me to mooch around the shops in peace.

I have actually hung my washing outside today - woohoo! Hoping the windy weather will dry everything,and save me a few pennies on the tumble drying. First time out in the garden for some time, and I noticed my garden table is damaged. It is glass with some coating on the underside. Well,some of the coating has come away - I don't know it was all the bad weather in December, but it looks awful. Also, the canopy frame for the swing seat has come away -probably due to the striong winds. Will have to see if it can be fixed.

Meal plan:

Sun - Lasagne (change from a roast)
Mon - Sausage & Mash
Tues - Spicey bean bake
Weds - Risotto
Thurs- Toad in the hole
Fri - Spag bol
Sat - Fish & chips