Hurdler's Race to be Mortgage-Free

gallygirl

Hurdler wrote: »

And I am starting my 2012 money campaign by ... no longer buying magazines after I found one of my faves is longer being printed - then I took a look at how much I was spending on the 3 others I used to get - I still subscribe to the Radio Times, but that will now be it.

Best not look at this then Hurdler:


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/49831445#Comment_49831445

Hurdler

gallygirl wrote: »

Best not look at this then Hurdler:


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/49831445#Comment_49831445

Ohhh you know that was pretty tempting as 2 of the mags I usually get were on there - but I am going to be good.

I had a bit of a mare today - manager queried if I needed the two weeks off (my 2 placement weeks) as we have a go live in April - thing is that would mean not being able to take any leave until after then, and then of course there is the next go live and the next. And also - he's just given my colleague 4 weeks off to go to India for a wedding, so clamp down on my leave and reduce MY days? No, I don't think so.
:mad:
Then he got cross because I was copying him on a ridiculous state of affairs re; tax code where I had to talk to this utterly useless person who wouldn't acknowledge that there was an issue with my tax code at all. In the end the silly cow made ME call the Payroll vendor here in the UK and then I came home early to talk to HMRC myself.
AN HOUR AND A HALF later, after going back to the payroll partners, and then getting cut off half way through giving them my new details and getting their "we're busy - call back later" - I FINALLLLLY got through and gave them my new PAYE details, etc.
It seems that now I am sans Company Car, Health and Pension, I will see a bit of a difference in my pay and a huge difference (hopefully) in April.

But it gets better - I got a letter from Computershare - I assumed the proceeds of my stock sale - imagine my HORROR when it was a cheque for...
....
...£0.10.:eek:

Then I realised there must have been some residual fraction in the UK... and I went to check my bank balance and thank the maker... £26,185 in my current account.

I am so angry that the call with the tax office took so long because now I will have to wait until Friday when I am working at home to do the BACS transfer to my mortgage - but it does give me time to make sure my emergency fund is topped up, my Cash Allowance fund is topped up for a year of £70s if I needed it, and the rest will go into Vernon for a supermammoth overpayment to start 2012.

To top it all - I hit the drums for the first time in YEARS... and strangely feel much calmer for it.

Now just need to do a quick work out, have some tea, do some work and then work on my CVs and sort out my placement.

Not much then!

mouche

How frustrating for you Hurdler having to go through so much aggro with payroll and HMRC. Hope you gave yourself a nice big glass of wine at the end of it! Still, must be nice having such a large amount come into your account - I'll bet it will make a most satisfactory dent in your mortgage. Happy New Year and hope you achieve all your dreams in 2012.

Hurdler

Hi mouche
well - by the time I had my tea and write up my notes from last night's journo school - it's a little late to try and snaffle some revision time.
I MUST remember to try and print out my sheets in the office tomorrow before people come in.

I am tempted to have a glass of wine - but I think I might opt for a mug of Horlicks!

Hurdler

It's really not my week for finances.
I got home to find a really badly worded letter from HSBC for one of my "piggy banks" telling me initially that I haven't met the criteria for my "Bank Account" and unless I pay in £500 immediately and every month thereafter, I will be "downgraded" to a current account.
The irony is I never wanted anything more than a current account.

But more annoying still- I had the exact same badly worded letter last March - so I phoned up customer services and let them have it.

Mind you on the plus side - my altercation with play.com after the idiocy of their (non) express delivery resulted in a £15 voucher of goodwill, and I checked that they had refunded the postage to my credit card.

Tomorrow I am going to tackle topping my cash fund (sadly with HSBC.... grrr) and then overpay what's left. No need for waiting until the 16th to see what has been taken out (I guess because my overpayments last month would have been single pounds over the 3 times trigger, I doubt they'll recalculate it now ...

Hopefully though this should drop the mortgage to below £500 a month, although I think I will still be outside the magic £100K threshold... never mind... it's more within reach now...

Hurdler

well on a more positive note - This morning's weigh-in showed a 1.5lb loss which I am pretty happy with...

Working at home today - so a few things on the To Do list

• Work (of course)... notes to write up and one thing to get out by the end of the day
• [STRIKE]Transfer top ups to emergency funds from the share proceeds[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Pay off probably at least £20K off the mortgage - soooo tantalisingly close to dipping below £100K[/STRIKE]...:p
• [STRIKE]Remember to take out a piece of salmon for a risotto this evening[/STRIKE]
• Workout this evening to keep up the trend (but probably not enough time for a decent play on the wii)
• Revision and shorthand - at least an hour each on Local & Central Govt
• Switch off for at least an hour, unwinding watching films

Have a good day, all

Hurdler

£20K off the mortgage via CHAPS ... looks like it is gonna chop my monthly payment to about £470
ALSO had clarification that paying 3 times+ over the month is not the trigger for a recalc... it's a SINGLE overpayment of 3x the contracted amount - not the combination.
I don't know why that didn't sink in sooner... #tiredbrainandgettingold

I am updating Vernon and I think I will hold off a payment this month and wait until the effects of the £20K have come through... the poor loves at woolwich do seem to get very confused very easily if i do too much at once #evenmoretiredbrains

Peonie

Nice overpayment; it's time to celebrate. :T:T:T

When do you think you'll get below £100k?

Hurdler

Peonie wrote: »

Nice overpayment; it's time to celebrate. :T:T:T

When do you think you'll get below £100k?

well I allowed myself a cheeky glass of wine just now - but alas revision beckons!

If it's around £106K - I think it will be maybe 4 months paying off £1500 or thereabouts each of those months... maybe a month earlier as I left quite a large balance in my current account but I have to fork out £1K to fix te back door in the flat I let out, and £300 or so to have the last remaining windows done in the conservatory...

I have about 2K in the savings account associated with the flat so maybe I might try and cover the cost from there...

sweetdaisy

Congratulations on the Overpayment and weight loss :T