Hurdler's Race to be Mortgage-Free

Phelpsie001

I did the same when I came into money .... paid £5,000 off the mortgage and replaced all of the windows and external doors.

Hopefully I will notice the difference when winter rolls round!!

Hurdler

I know when I did it on the flat I now rent out, I noticed a MAHUSIVE difference - but that was replacing single glazing completely. The seals are going on some of the windows (my bedroom one, for starters) and the windows in the Conservatory - I daren't open them because they are the devil's own job to shut again.

Also - I want to have a nicer style of windows - I bought my house from a man who was retired and lived with his mother! Never married (and I could see why!)... that whole house was an homage to 1960's/70's decor... and not in a good way!

In all honesty - the double glazing is the last thing left really to update in the house... so I might bite the bullet once it's done, and get the estate agents in to value the house... it will be interesting to see what it's value is having bought it just at the start of the economic downtown... (and of course to compare what my LTV is)...

Hurdler

oh sorry Phelpsie - I forgot to answer your quessie... £30K off my current payment should knock 42 months off ... but what they do is recalculate to the end term of March 2033 and reduce the amounts - which is what I want.

By the time October rolls around... I should have been paid properly (pfft!) and I am debating... I suspect the rates will stay low now for some time (if the monthly pundits are to be believed) but I did my little Excel house and what I want to do is overpay by monthly amounts and colour in little bricks!!!

So I am debating leaving the DDR to stay as the amount should be and then just pay ad-hoc additional payments equal to the monthly amount as and when I can. Means I don't have to then ring them each/every time the rate changes to then fix overpayments.

In a weird way, psychologically I will feel as though I am repaying more than if I set the monthly amount plus a rounded up over payment (even though the end result would be the same,

Or maybe I'm just weird... :undecided

Phelpsie001

I understand what you mean! I overpay monthly via rounding up my direct debit but that becomes 'the norm' and I only feel like I am actually overpaying when I ring up and overpay an ad hoc chunk of money

I am debating paying off £500 today ... I want to, but I also want to build my savings up a little ...

I'll let you know what I do!! =P

Hurdler

I'm glad you do - I read that last post of mine back and thought that it was either fluent jabberwocky or that I came across deranged!!!

:rotfl:

Hurdler

Ah sheeesh... I had a long call with the US AGAIN yesterday to try and get to the bottom of these extra shares from my old company.
Gawd, I wish I'd read their initial letter properly and just sold the damn things there and then!

Because I have some registered (in the US) with my full name, and some that were registered on a UK scheme, now transferred to the US and corrected, but to a SHORTENED version of my name, I have to go some a might of rigmarole to either tie them all together, or even to sell them!

I have to get a Medallion Guarantee stamp and initially (talking to the UK firm who transferred my shares) they put me in touch with a company that deals with it, but you are talking between £400-500!!!!
I had originally asked my bank as I am supposedly one of their super-duper Premier clients and initially they were all "hmm I dunno"... so I tried again yesterday and a lovely friendly young man said that it can be done for about £75... WAYYYYYYY better.

It did remind me, though, that at some stage I really ought to examine how many shares I have.
My dad invested a lot in my name, and when he died, my mother decided that she had no interest in them, and turned over his investments to my name.
But since he died, I lost my interest in following the stock market. Didn't seem as much fun anymore.
But now - I really should do that (and take golf back up... in fact all the things I used to do with him that I stopped dead when he died).
I dunno - it was 5 years this year - is this a landmark in the grieving process I wonder?

Hurdler

My last full weekend of freedom before my course starts next Saturday!! Spoiling my mum this weekend as it is her birthday in September and I won't be able to be here for a full weekend. That being said - I also went to PC world, initially to buy myself a mini/netbook sized mouse. I came away with THE COOLEST Miscrosoft Arc Touch keyboard and Arc Touch mouse that looks simply amazing!!!!

Ah well - a treat for me to start using as I am FINALLY getting started with my new client, pretty much full time from next week. I am actually giddy to be getting into it now!!

I have been thinking a lot about what I am going to do for the mortgage and I have decided that I will feel that psychologically it will feel better to pay monthly amounts extra to feel like I am making inroads.

I also have to register at work for their critical illness cover and health plan next week to make sure that it gets included in the payroll...
And I discovered that Barclays no longer sells pensions - so any advice as to where to find a decent IFA?

Phelpsie001

Hi Hurdler....check this link out!

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/savings/best-financial-advisers

Hurdler

:beer: Phelpsie - will you be my best friend forever

Phelpsie001

Hope that it helps Hurdler!!