Hurdler's Race to be Mortgage-Free

Hurdler

Thank you so much gally - only 13 days to go (god I LOVE long bank holiday weekends!)

It's all quite exciting - I am basically reading up a lot of stuff on Linked In groups - drafting outlines to discuss later this week with new "boss"!
I have been flexing my (substandard) spreadsheet skills to make sure that I note down all the expenses and get things like invoice templates etc sorted out.
I am not sure what's making me so giddy - the fact that I am actually going IT contracting at last after all that planning and expense this time a year ago.... or the fact that it is effectively an IT Journo role. I think a little of both!

I hoped today was going to be a NSD but I had to nip out for some milk. 2 pints, a loaf of bread and 2 packs of sesame snaps later... sigh.

I DID make it to the gym this morning early... first time since my back seized up the day before my birthday!

I had great plans to sneak in some shorthand today - but somehow that hasn't materialised!

Hurdler

Holy Lord - last night's shorthand has been a real awakening. It was squiggly carnage, the likes of which had never been seen before... everyone had done NOTHING since the last lesson and we couldn't remember anything!!!

Hmmm... and reports from the marking of our Reporting Mocks doesn't sound too promising either :-(

Woke up today with a banging headache... I tried to sleep a little longer to try and sleep it off, but to no avail.

Today I need to battle the airer in the spare room to get to my cover plans and cancel them so that I can save a bit more a month. When I struck that deal with Sky to have HD effectively for free for the next 9 months, I asked them about the cover for the Sky box - and they reckoned that most of the problems can be fixed with a reboot. it's not much of a saving to be honest, around £30 a month all told, but that is a whopping £360 for the year... which would probably more than cover a replacement washing machine/dishwasher or a Sky box visit.

I can always restart them when I have more money coming in, I guess....

Hurdler

Finally got the final month's rent from the useless managing agents. It is two weeks late with constant chasing.
I fear my £200 reserve will be equally late.
Very very annoying.
In happier news - I have at least 1 day at Wimbledon this year courtesy of the LTA ballot, 2nd Monday on Court 1... so 4th round matches therefore likely to still see some good'uns.

I went to Mr T early this morning as my stocks were low and veggies dangerously bendy...

So tired at the moment - catching cat naps when I can (like at lunch time)... as I am working at home.
I guess the stress and then adrenaline of the last couple of weeks is catching up with me!

Peonie

Try putting your veggies in water, they might perk up a bit. Or, cut then cup and make a soup.

Hurdler

OK - so 2 weeks before I start as a WRITER!!!!
I had a nice takeaway last night with my cousin, who popped round after dropping her daughter back at Uni. I had promised the 2 of them my old iPad v1... and wasn't expecting any money for it, but my cousin insisted so I have £50 to put in the bank.

However - as I will be working part time, and effectively taking a more than 50% pay cut ... it is time to get serious about this money saving lark.

I have a load of fresh veggies and I think today's freezer challenge is (I think) chicken, honey and mustard to have with rice with lunch tonight... and I really MUST MUST get myself sorted to have tea before going to school (that doesn't involve a noodle-of-pot!!!)

I am going to attempt to do a spending diary for the next couple of weeks - I used to do one when I was getting myself out of debt *ahem* MANY years ago when I was WAYYYY younger *ahem* and then stopped... so time to start it again methinks.

I don't think it will stop me from spending money after journo school a la Saturday night... but at least I will know that if I do clobber the treat account, then I have to really WORK at replenishing it during the week.
:beer:

In other, less great news, we got the results from out reporting mock exam on Sat - I failed by an agonising 3 marks. THREE!
So I have asked to do some past papers to help sharpen up the sloppy mistakes. The only good thing is that for the FIRST time I had no spelling errors despite my idiotic netbook's attempts to freeze and send me to word-check hell!
But y'know... Grrrr ....

I have had to stop lugging around all my course notes to school - after inflaming my back last month, I am really noticing that if I don't stretch EVERY morning, then it hurts like flamin' nora for the entire day.
So next on the list today is to scan key notes into the 'puter and put them in the iPad.

Then... some writin' ... 'citing! :D

Hurdler

Successfully had an NSD today but I do need to go into town.
I did think that my landline phones needed to be replaced but the one downstairs seems to work now so saving myself the cost of replacing it for the time being. But I do have some share sales money to pay in, and treat account money to put in. And my £50 for the iPad!

I had to chase our completely useless HR manager who just palmed the request on to someone else. He's a friendly bloke but just totally ineffectual at doing anything.

I also sent a note to my manager to tell him I was going to mooch around a trade show for a couple of days - I have not had any contact with him since he sent me an Instant Message after I resigned.

Today I need to do some writing and some law revision, as well as putting together my reporting revision (such as it can be) and I WILL do a stack of shorthand today.

Hurdler

Well I suppose I should be thankful for the rain, that delayed the gate-guys to come and look at my seemingly possessed electric gates.
I decided I would be better off having lunch here and then heading into town to go to the bank - that money needs to be paid in to various accounts and putting it off means it is not working for me!!!

I am looking to tackle one of the scarier articles I need to have in place... if I can get that out of the way today, I will feel very smug with myself!

I feel very bad for NOT making any payments this month - I keep wavering because theoretically I could make a payment from Vernon - although in truth I might tickle Vernon's tum and top up the car account as my insurance is due in June.

Also I won't get my first month's salary from working for myself until at least June... so I need to hold on to funds...
Then again, I have my Voluntary Redundancy money from my previous job sitting waiting in the wings... so not sure whether to dip into that and use Vernon and what ever my final settlement is to heft a load at the mortgage just to help...

I might have to adopt the coalition-decision-making tool, and toss a coin!

Hurdler

So I wrestled with this last night... and took a look at Vernon again.
There was enough in him to top up my car fund AND to pay an extra month into my mortgage.

I had a frustrating conversation with an off-shore person for our European HR who had no idea of tax documents, so I am fearful for how long it will take to get my P45 and my P60 ... I might call the UK based payroll vendor and the tax office this morning...

Anyway...

Mortgage down nicely to a little over £96K on just this month alone...
and Vernon looking a bit slim!





Grrr - I should have swept round some savings accounts to find that extra £67... never mind... next month!

Hurdler

Rats... I bought a set of kitchen scales the other day from lakeland to replace one where I snapped the pan-holding doodah off... and I measured out some flour for Japanese Okonomiyaki pancakes for lunch and thought that the flour amount didn't look quite right.

Thankfully I hadn't thrown out my (smarter looking) scales out yet - so I lobbed the flour in THAT pan... and it was 50g, not 100g as the new scales were saying. So I measured out 100g in the old scales, and tipped the flour into the new bowl and sure enough - shows as 200g bang on the money!

I am so annoyed, because tomorrow - I will have to traipse into town AGAIN now to get a refund.

curlygirl1971

Ooooh I've just made the mistake of googling Okonomiyaki Pankakes...........what do you have yours with? What's the receipe? Are they easy to do?