Closing the mortgage to Open opportunities

Emsky123

I decided that as my holiday money is just sitting there and i get paid before i go on holiday, I have used the holiday money to make my OP early. Have sent £1000 today.

Getting very close to the 10% limit now. I think Septembers payment will be the last i can make in this rolling period so i will concerntrate on building up the savings.

Car boot sale on Sunday, Here's hoping for some decent weather as most of my items are clothes.

Emsky123

Just got back from the boot sale, only made £20 (after the entry costs) but the morning sitting in the sunshine without the kids was priceless!

The rest of the clothes that did not sell will go to the charity shop next week.

Only one more week of work until i have a week off, cant wait, i have now saved around £800 for the holiday but estimate the days out will only cost around £300 so if i stick to the budget i can make another OP when i get back.

Emsky123

Two reasons to be happy today, Firstly its Friday which is always good, Secondly im on holiday next week so no work for 10 days - Yipee.
Its also payday on tuesday so thats a bonus.

Have become really focussed on the Mortgage this week, Read so many Diary's that i cant remember who is who anymore.

I have £3000 left to reach the limit on My OP's , I have decided to use the £1000 sitting in my ISA (earning pennies) and will also have the last of my return to work bonus next month so theres another £1000. Just need to find one more £1000 and i will have hit the target with 6 months still to go till the end of the rolling period.

Can anyone lend me a grand?:rotfl:

The next challenge once i have hit the limit is to boost my savings, I need to get upto £20K by 2013 - I have estimated that by the time my fixed rate ends the mortgage balance should be down to around £40K , My OH already has saved over £20K so if i can match it we will be fully offset and can then decide if we pay off the balance or keep offsetting until the end of term (2016)

I also need to find a good interest rate for my savings as i have a bond maturing in Oct so need to put it away for another year.

Right, time to do some work:D

Emsky123

Ok so my thoughts this week have turned to Christmas - how sad!

I am going to start getting presents from this month, I reckon if i buy two per month i should have them all by christmas. I have been saving my nectar points and currently get double points on shopping as i took their house insurance. I reckon i should get to £50 by christmas so this should cover food (once added to that weeks shopping budget)

Only one more day till we go away on holiday, I am going to try to be internet free for the week, We will be out most days so hopefully it should be easy. Although i might get withdrawal symptoms from by spreadsheets!

Must remember to turn the hot water off whilst im away.

Emsky123

Just back from holiday, Final total up of spending was £120 although £80 of that was petrol, My MIL cooked all meals so we only had to pay for days out and i had vouchers to cover one day so i only needed to pay for one day out.

Not bad considering i saved £800 for the week so thats £680 that can go into the next OP although i need to pay for Car insurance at the end of Sept so i might keep back £200 to cover that.

Really tired due to so much driving, we drove around 2 hours everyday and i drove back home at 6:30 this morning, Got home just after 9 so still have the day ahead of me. Afternoon Nap me thinks!
That's if i can persuade the kids

DS1 starts school full time in just over a weeks time, Can believe its come around so quick, This is where the expense starts - uniforms, school trips etc, time for another budget account:D

Emsky123

A lovely Sunny Bank holiday - That does not sound right:D
but its true so a day in the garden i think is in order. just baked some cookies with DS whilst DD has her morning nap.

Went online yesterday and bought my first Christmas presents, A play kitchen and an electric quad bike, funny thing is they are not for who you would expect!

Got the Bike half price and 25% of the Kitchen, i also used a voucher code to get a further £10 off and chose to pick the items up to save on delivery.

Going to do the budget tomorrow and update all my spread sheets , i will then know the final figure i can OP this month.

September is Car insurance and Oct is Tax although i have a savings bond maturing in Oct so that should cover the tax. I will also need to find a place to put the savings when they mature.

Back to work tomorrow but have another 3 days holiday next week as DS starts School so i want to be there to drop him off on his first few days.

Emsky123

Just done my final figures for August and had £1400 left in the OP pot after the holiday and fist christmas presents. I have sent £1000 to the mortgage today and kept back £400 for Car insurance and emergancies. Will OP what is left from that in September.

I have just rang the Mortgage company to ask for a new letter conifirming the balance left on my allowance. Will hopefully work towards getting the money together to make the final OP in Sept.

Will then concerntrate on Savings, Will feel weird not making OP's until next year - might even get withdrawel symtons:rotfl::rotfl:

Emsky123

What a horrible sunday, Rain Rain and more Rain, I hate it when the kids cant go out into the garden they are definately out door kids and hate being couped up.

Everything was going well this week until i got tempted, We have through work several websites that offer discounts to lots of things, One i found this week was a car dearler ship, They were offering discounts off cars and 5 years interest free, So tempting especially as my car is falling apart and is not really big enough. I would really like something like a zafira with 7 seats and lots more space. My plan was to keep my car till the Mortgage is finished then save for a year and buy a new one but with 5 years interest free i could bring that forward but at the expense of the OP's which is not what i want to do.

Has anyone any experience of these interest free finance deals - Can you pay if off earlier if you want?

Maybe if the offer was still on when i finish the Morgage (yeah right) then i could get the Car straight away instead of saving first.

I now have 3 days off work to settle DS into full time School so whilst he is there i have plenty of time to sort the house out and check finances, Car insurance is due at the end of the month, I already have the money ready so its just a matter of maximising discount and cashback.

We are getting towards the despressing months - Oct and Nov, Dark wet and horrible. I always hate these months as we are usually stuck in the house and summer seems so far away.

Right time to go and tackle the clothes mountain, managed to get everything washed and dryed yesterday but now everything is waiting to be folded/Ironed and put away.

Emsky123

Stupid fridge broke down, There goes the extra money left over from the holiday!

On a MSE note i renewed my Car insurance today, Got £80 quid cash back so the net costs were over £50 less than the renewal from my current insurance company, I also get double points on my shopping (again as im already getting double points for my house ins), At this rate is should be able to collect enough points to cover my Christmas food shopping.

I also used my CC which i get point for so im getting closer to the minimum redemption amount.

Trying to save all points for Christmas, So far i have

B8ots Advantage £24 (bit of a splurge at weekend on Baby 3 4 2 offers, Now have enought nappies till Nov )
CC points - 3500 (Need 5000 points for a £25 gift card)
Nec - £28

Hope to maximise 3-4-2's to make the points go further.

Bought another christmas present yesterday, was in the end of summer sale so i got 25% off.

Cant but anything more now till Oct as i have used up every spare budget for the month.

summerday

Hi Emsky,

I'm very impressed with how yuo're sorting out all your Xmas presents alreaddy, I have made a good start but still have lots more to do so you've spurred me on.

Also you did brilliantly spending so little on your holiday.