My mission to be mortgage free

Sleepy_head_2

Thanks rlc22, nice to know I'm not alone today. I just don't think they see what we do!

Grrr men!

Sleepy_head_2

Yay it's Wednesday and OH redeemed himself on Sunday so all is ok again

Having a productive week trying to reduce payments to various companies. First stop was the car insurance renewal. Despite getting lots of other quotes, our current company was cheapest. I noticed they are offering new customers cashback through Quidco so I mentioned this to the adviser and got £60 knocked off the price immediately- Bingo!

Next up was British Gas Homecare cover. My mum paid for my first year of cover as I would be stuck if boiler had broken and I've now paid for 4 further years and have never needed to call them out. Good but bad IYKWIM! With the AA offering something similar, I queried with BG and I received a 10% discount and £30 compensation for a service I missed 3 years ago. :j

I'm busy researching Virgin to see what deals people are getting. We have our TV, phone and Internet through them and I last tackled the price 2 years ago so this definitely needs reviewing.

The new shopping routine is working well. One big Mr T shop at the start of every month for all the long life type stuff and then little weekly shops locally or in Waitrose...with a very strict shopping list. I know that's not particularly MSE but we are saving far more shopping this way then a weekly shop in Mr T when there is too much opportunity for browsing. We also haven't been tempted by takeaways as the food is different and interesting. It's nice using and supporting more of the local shops too, we are very lucky with the variety on our high street.

Mortgage is down to £60,536.97 so as long as I can make another overpayment of approx £200 this month, I will hit my £60,000 target at the beginning of March. Hurry up with that letter please Halifax!

Sleepy head x

originalmiscellany

You're doing really well, and it's encouraging to read of your victories

We find the shopping is made a lot cheaper by a big Costco shop once a month, and then 2 Tesco shops over the month too. We both have access to our Tesco details so we log in and add essentials as we run out of them over the fortnight, then it all arrives next order.
It is SO much easier than shopping in person, I have to admit the cost of say a fiver for 1 1/2 hours traipsing up and down super markets is worth it.

linz

Nice post Sleepy-head, consumer revenge indeed !

Will have to try what you did when my car insurance is due in April. Interesting to read how willing companies are to offer discounts like you say.

Sleepy_head_2

Last week I didn't have enough energy to deal with Virgin, I got as far as trying to find out what our deal would cost with Sky and it was astronomical....and that's saying something as I think ours is pricey and I don't even pay for it (OH wants sport channels so he pays for the whole thing )

I also tried to look at some of the forums on here but it seemed overwhelming. Think I will try to do some more research this week, even the thought of it seems to haunt me!

Halifax sent me a lovely letter telling me I can't overpay again until January 2012, not sure I believe this as I regularly overpaid last year and as it's a 12 month rolling period surely I should be able to do this year too? It's also slightly intriguing as my mortgage deal runs out with them in October so by January 2012 I don't expect yo be paying them my mortgage let alone overpayments! Do I call them again and request another letter or do I reduce my term? In a way reducing my term would be easier as I wouldn't have to think about overpaying each month and I know I can put it back for free but I'm not sure.

It was lovely to hear how impressed my dad is at my overpaying efforts; I've learnt a lot from him (he accidentally paid his mortgage off about 8 years ago after paying a monthly payment of £5 per year for donkeys years!) . We dropped him home today and the flat is awfully quiet tonight without him

Right off to do lunches before Country File. Is it too early to go to bed, it is Sunday afterall!?

Sleepy head xx

linz

Yes it is too early for bed ! :rotfl:

Did you watch The People's Supermarket last week? That's on again on Ch4 at 8. I thought it was a great idea, trying to bring back a community spirit and helping out local businesses, unfortunately some of the customers on there would rather line the pockets of the robbing large supermarket chains.

Sleepy_head_2

I didn't Linz but may try to watch at 8...if I can wrestle the remote from OH. Alternatively I can go and watch it in bed! :j

mummalove

:hello:Hi sleepyhead, I've just found your diary and wanted to congratulate on your brilliant OPs over the years. Sounds like you have truly got everything in order and are very focussed on your future plans. Good luck with the house move this year (all being well ). Will be following your progress...

I can never watch TV in bed, my body think automatically thinks 'bed time' once I'm in bed and switches to shut down mode!! I am one of those people who go to bed and am asleep in a couple of minutes...:D

Lifes_Grand_Plan

Great diary sleepy head, a really interesting read and I will definitely be coming back regularly to get updates.

Sleepy_head_2

I succumbed and went to bed at 8.30! OH won the battle of the remote which I was secretly pleased about as I watched the Peoples Supermarket- good suggestion Linz, right up my street. I love the whole concept of buying goods which supermarkets reject based on size and shape, it all tastes the same afterall

I started to watch the BAFTA's and the next thing I know the alarm was going , feel so much better this morning than I have done the last few weeks so i think the early night was needed.

Rather than ring the Halifax I thought I'd spend my lunch catching up on people's diaries, so much nicer and inspiring!

Have a good afternoon all, not long till the weekend (I'm a very positive person!) :rotfl: