Ultrarunner's aim to be mortgage-free

ultrarunner

oh yes the money is helpful, but i'll get someone in for sure.

i try not to, i find it quite irritating with a rucksack. you need one which is designed for that sort of thing which can be pulled tight with the straps. even then i find it irritating, i used to do it loads about 8 years ago but now don't bother at all, i'd rather get home and then run unencumbered by a rucksack!

23 lbs lost this year so far :-)

ultrarunner

weight loss now at 25 lbs for the year, not long till I'm underneath another stone threshold :-)

really busy time at work with new software release for tax year end. if i have to review and approve another document i will go potty!

the good news is i have a new lodger lined up to move in the day after my existing one moves out. she should prove a better fit for the house and that solves my overpayments / credit card worries

spent the weekend out in the garden turning over the soil ahead of spring when i plan to turf the soon-to-be-lawn

ultrarunner

Well, lots to report... new lodger moving in next Monday. No void for the room is a massive positive. Think she will be a really good fit for the house and we will get on well.

Garden taking shape, have bought a shed and have planned when to lay turf. In a few months I will be having a nice relaxing drink in the garden, hopefully in time for the 1 year anniversary of moving in.

Presenting to 100 clients and being filmed doing it on Wednesday - my annual trip far outside of my comfort zone!

Still chipping away at the credit card bill, although I am about to buy my flight to Florida which might add a bit back on...

ultrarunner

Hello all, Payday, hurray!

Lots been going on... shed is mostly assembled (a few tweaks required which I will do at the weekend), then it's time to get up a washing line and a water butt. Hopefully turfing it in Mid April, if it ever gets warm!

Got another assignment to finish hopefully by mid April. Received a C- for the last one but a pass is a pass. 2 more to go and a dissertation and I'm free!

Weightloss is now 2.5 stone for the year. Running going well and I'm picking up the pace now.

Florida flights booked :-) My mate who is also coming is transferring me the rest of the money shortly, so hopefully my credit card bill will be beneath 1k shortly.

Not done any overpayments this year, but I have been prioritising home improvements and paying credit card (which has annual season ticket on). I did a list of future improvements, and it will keep me going for some time!

ultrarunner

10 hours of work, shed done, water butt done, washing line done, half of the fence and the shed treated... tired

Up to Wales tomorrow to see relatives. Using a free ticket given free from my annual season ticket to get up to London to get train to Wales.

abouttimetoo

Hi UR

Just been catching up on your thread. Wow, your weightloss is amazing and you seemed to go from 25llbs to 2.5 stone really quickly too.

How is your new lodger settling in?

Well done on your other progress too, I need to take a lead out of your book and prioritise getting some jobs done at home, think I am getting too mean to pay for them :rotfl:

Regards
ATT

ultrarunner

All going well with the new lodger, we have some similar interests which is helping, and she has her own life as well, the last one just tended to mope about the house all weekend.

The weightloss is helped by the running, but mainly by being very strict with my diet, with the occasional bad day allowed. I have a target weight I want to get to before my holiday in 10 weeks... if I keep up the weight loss I should get there.

ultrarunner

Time for a update, hasn't it been a lovely day...

Now it's 3 stone lost... I'm getting there slowly :-) Still running as much as I can, and did a lovely 12 mile run in the countryside last weekend.

Been very busy with work the last few days, but at least that means overtime.

The garden project is now very nearly complete. I have treated the entire fence now. The turf went down last weekend. I picked up a lovely cast iron mosaic topped table on ebay for a tenner last night, and two outdoor chairs for £15. Now keenly scouring the web for a good quality 2nd hand BBQ.

Had a bit of a shock with the size of the gas and electric bill. My direct debits were not nearly sufficient, and the electricity was an estimated reading. On the plus side I kept the money in my pocket over the winter which I needed at the time. I've paid a bit off, tweaked the direct debit and should make up the balance over the summer. I've also changed the settings to lower usage. Ultimately, the energy efficiency isn't great so I want to improve that for next winter - will chuck some insulation in the loft and hopefully that will help.

Credit card bill still just over 1k, and this is stopping me from overpaying. I should get it down well below £500 next month before it spikes when I go on holiday. However after that I want to start overpaying.

ultrarunner

Where does all the time go... Enjoying a day off on study leave but I'm mainly procrastinating.

Been organising a few household bills - managed to save £200 on my house insurance, and hopefully a £70 saving on car insurance too. Mobile phone contract up for renewal at the end of the month, I reckon I can go sim-only and save approx £180 per year as well.

Weight loss now 51 lbs, so approx 2/3 of the way to my target weight, slight drawback - finding clothes that fit me! A new summer wardrobe (and a charity shop clear out!) will be required before Florida!

Credit card bill now below £700 and I hope to bring this down to zero before I go on holiday, however there will be a few spends on holiday no doubt. My bonus in August should clear it for good and then I crack on with the overpaying. If I hadn't decided to go on holiday then the credit card would have gone by now...

Garden project is complete, this and my annual season ticket to work have been the cause of the credit card bill.

ultrarunner

A smidgin of good news from work, we are going to operate the pension via salary sacrifice at some point, this will save me £25 per month due to being more tax efficient

although if i have another day like today with a 3.5 hr journey home (someone jumped in front of a train), I may not be around to benefit from it.