2011...............and I'm still learning!

Snowdonlily

Good morning everyone, not such a nice day today but a day off nonetheless.

Thanks for saying hello

Karom - I know what you mean about losing your way.....I need to get my eye back on the ball starting today. I'm off to do a big shop in a little while, just need to work on my shoping list first. Also need to get back on the diet wagon.

Chev - You said exactly what my mum said, but we've known each other a while now so we'll see how it goes. She actually said she likes him which is something she never did with H!

Going to start listing a few bits on ebay when I get back. I have a mountain of stuff to shift

Have a good day x

amber03

wow a lot has happened to you since i was last on, a new house and bf moving in, good luck for the future. I have also taken my eye of the ball the last few monthes but hopefully now back on track, must be something about the monthes of feb & march that does it. x

Snowdonlily

Hello everyone! I think its time for a little update. Haven't felt like posting for a while, life's been a bit of a rollercoaster lately and I've been struggling to keep my spending under control. I may not have been posting but I've been lurking every day, keeping up with everyone else's diaries and trying to get my inspiration back!

It hasn't been all bad, but it could be better.

My bank loan is down to £16,494.40 and I've paid my cc off in full:rotfl:

The new house is great (I can't believe we've been here for over 3 months already!). Our leccy/gas bill is now under £50 a month compared to about £150 I was paying in the last place and my petrol bill is down to £120 a month from about £160

The big news is I've put in an offer on a house which has been accepted and have got a mortgage from HSBC. The divorce is all but finalised and other than H trying every trick in the book to make things difficult things are pretty good! I just need to get that little spending demon out of my head (and my purse!!).

I've been following the diaries in the Mortgage Free section. Some of those are really inspirational and I'm really itching to get started on the house and paying it all back .

Its my day off tomorrow so I'm going to get listing on ebay.......I'm not lugging that lot around for a second time when we move to the new house!

I'm off to update my signature now and look for ideas for some spicy batch cooking.

Have a good evening everyone x

Snowdonlily

Not quite a NSD today. Just had lunch with a friend and very nice it was too! Had a lovely JP and a cup of coffee and loads of time to catch up on the gossip.

Its funny how many of my friends now feel able to tell me that they never really liked H that much. She reminded me how he used to talk to me in front of her and her H. I'd actually forgotten some of things he'd done, but she reminded me of something that happened about 15 years ago which she had never forgotten.

True friends will be with you forever. Life has a habit of weeding out the good from the not so good and the ones that disappear from your life when the going gets a little bit rough were never your friends in the first place and aren't worth losing sleep over!

Ok.....rant over for today :rotfl:

Just checked ebay and lots of things with watchers............23 people watching one of my handbags. Trying not to get too excited though, I once had about 20 watchers on a pair of jeans and no bids at all!

Have a full house for dinner tonight, the boys are coming over..........so its chicken breasts stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon with new potatoes and baby carrots....yum!

Had quite a late night last night, I couldn't stop reading all the diaries on the MFW board. I really can't wait to start overpaying on my mortgage. I haven't even got my searches back yet and I'm planning my overpayments :rotfl:

My monthly payments will be about £300 over 20 years..........so, for every £300 I overpay, does that mean that my mortgage term decreases by a month every time? No wonder posters on the MFW board all seem to say that overpaying is addictive!

My plan for this evening once the boys have gone is to see if I can complete some surveys for Toluna. I managed one High Street voucher (took its time to arrive, but it did get here in the end!) and don't think I'm far off another. If I could get a few in between now and Christmas, that would be a great incentive.

Right.........I'm off to do some cooking. I'll probably be back later to lurk on other people's diaries and get some inspiration. Once things have settled a bit, I'll start my own MFW diary.

Oooh, just remembered, I think its free listing weekend on ebay this week. That'll give me something to do on Saturday night. Instead of going out and spending money, I'll stay in and try to make some!

Snowdonlily

Today has been a NSD, but I haven't been anywhere so that was easy!

Its been an eventful few days. My Homebuyers Report came through on Thursday showing major problems with the house I wanted to buy, meaning I'm back to square one with my property hunt! I think I probably could have negotiated a reduction in the purchase price but I doubt they would've dropped the price enough to cover all the remedial works. I'm SO glad I read all the advice on the House Buying threads.........that Report was the best £191 I've ever spent!

Last night, I went to see another property, more expensive than the first one, but ready to move into.....no work needed at all. If they accept my offer, I have an appointment with the mortgage advisor on Weds, so keep your fingers crossed. I've been working on my figures till my brain's fit to burst and I should be left with £500 each month which means I can build up an emergency pot and overpay a little bit each month.

Working it out is easy...........now I just have to put it into practice!

My second bombshell this week came from H. I'm expecting a claim from the CSA as soon as the absolute is pronounced :mad:

I'm currently giving him £100 a month, I buy all DS3's (who's nearly 17 and at college) clothes and pay his mobile contract. He stays with me twice a week and eats his main meal here at four/five days a week. DS1 and DS2 are both independent (but also eat me out of house and home whenever they're home!). I don't begrudge a single penny of this and would be quite happy to have DS3 live with me permanently. What really bugs me is the fact that H's salary is three times what I earn and I know that he's doing this out of spitefulness and not out of financial need.

Rant over.................back to moneysaving.

I've got three items ending on ebay tomorrow, currently standing at about £25 and have just had a look through the cupboards. The only thing we need to get this week is bread. Its payday on Friday so I need to work out a meal plan I can stick to. Any suggestions for tasty, cheap, easy to make meals for the slow cooker are most welcome.

nattypants

Hi Snowdonlily

It's great to read your catch-up news and I have to agree re. mortgage o/ps - I only wish I'd done this years ago!

I o/p by £300 every month and my mortgage has reduced drastically...it needs to tho' as house is currently on the market and I am aiming to have as much equity as possible towards the next place. Yesterday I decided that I would be mortgage free in 10 years (on whatever next mortgage will be) therefore you are the first person I am officially declaring to;
My mortgage free date will be 23/06/2021:T
Good luck with your house hunting and I look forwad to hearing all about it.

NPX