Ultrarunner's aim to be mortgage-free

ultrarunner

Thank you - I have actually been doing that this week, saving on food. Although I did go out for dinner with my friend last night which didn't help.

I do have a slow cooker somewhere but I don't use it. Perhaps I will get myself in gear for using this during the winter. That's another great tip

Been a rather busy few days here, doing a lot of work setting up a festival which I'm helping to run on Saturday, and there's been a bit of spending on things for that, as well as getting my suit dry-cleaned and buying braces for a wedding I am going to next week. I've also been told the start date of my new job may be delayed as the manager has resigned. I've already signed a contract to begin on a set date though so hoping I should get the higher salary still.

ultrarunner

Gosh it's been an expensive few days. Buying a wedding present doesn't help, but at least that's something off the list. 300 mile round trip to Devon for the wedding, and a 3-night stay will be pricey, but I'm car and room-sharing with a friend. He owes me £50 so the hotel shouldn't cost me too much hopefully.

Doing a focus group on energy drinks on Wednesday which will net me £40.

My car is sounding more and more dodgy, I have 3 consecutive weekends of long round trips so I think it's time for it to be serviced ASAP. Fingers crossed this will not impact the October overpayment.

ultrarunner

Back from Exmouth, what an amazing wedding Ended up driving down alone but only stayed two nights in the end which saved a little. Also drove quite economically, getting 60 mpg which is quite good for my very old Yaris. The focus group paid for the petrol, and the hotel only cost £31 if I take off some money my room buddy owed me.

There were a few meals out, drinks and rounds of crazy golf to pay for however. Also slightly embarrassingly I couldn't find the cable to connect my camera to the laptop so ordered a new one from Ebay, only to find it a few minutes later...

Came back to a letter from the management company telling me the TV aerial on the flats needs to be updated ahead of digital TV switchover next year... so that's another unplanned expense. Also need to prioritise the car service, I may see if I can get this done in the next few days as I think the exhaust is on the way out.

The aim for this week is not to spend any money on food. I have lots of food in the freezer and store cupboard I can eat instead, payday is on Friday.

ultrarunner

Well I've spent the last 2 weeks travelling around - Birmingham, Wales, Surrey... barely been at home for more than a few days. And it's cost me quite a lot in petrol, and the meals out, socialising that has come with the travel.

I don't think this is going to be an overpayment month unfortunately. My car is having a service on Wednesday which may be a few hundred pounds, and there is also the prospect of a charge from the flat management company for an upgraded TV aerial for Digital. That will be about £150 apparently.

Good news however - I am getting a £100 bonus next payday for passing the first year of my course from work. My new job starts on Monday as well so that means a payrise and hopefully fewer hours to work too.

When I start the 2nd year of college I will be getting free trips to London as the travel to the course is expensable, so I can meet my friends who live in the big smoke for nothing.

Right, off for a quick round of golf at the £5 / round golf course!

ultrarunner

Well, the service wasn't too expensive, so I've managed a £200 overpayment for this month. Just need to keep a lid on spending till payday.

Not sure about the new job yet, my manager left on Thursday so I will be bumbling along for a bit. Hopefully I will pick it up quickly.

ultrarunner

Hurrah, today is payday! Bit of a bumper one with new salary + overtime + bonus for passing year 1 of college

Another overpayment of £300 made, and come the beginning of November I'll make the full £500 for that month. Hopefully get the deficit below £69k.

Now the bad news... I am starting to doubt whether or not the new internal job is the right one for me. Not having a manager until at least after Christmas is another issue. The hour long commute each way isn't helping, and I am not sure that when I move (at least a year away) I want to move further in that direction.

5 of my friends have been made redundant in the last month which is also making me want to value my personal life ahead of work.

Currently I have a number of options - get a new job externally much closer to home. This will mean repaying 3.5k in training costs however. Although I worked out I spend 3k net a year on commuting... Alternatively I can redeploy at my current work to a different role, my old job will mean taking a pay cut back to my old salary, or maybe go for a different, more structured job which might even pay a little more. Both would mean the same long commute though... but if I could hold out until August I'd have to repay less training costs.... plenty of decisions to make, but for now I'll just try and keep afloat in the new job... I'm thankful that I have the options and I will find a way through it.

lvm

Hey ultrarunner!

Just had a wee read through your diary and you seem to be doing really well on the overpaying so far!

Just wanted to mention about the repaying of training costs. Depending on which sector you work in, you can sometimes negotiate a new employer paying those costs as part of a package as they will be the ones getting the benefit of your skills. Would probably mean signing another agreement with new employer saying you'd pay them if you left in x years but might be worthwhile discussing if you do happen to look at new jobs in the future...

ultrarunner

Hi LVM,

Thanks for your post... that's something to consider, though I'm not sure my industry is big on that sort of thing...

Got turned down for a job today due to my lack of experience of EMEA payroll, my background is UK based so it was a no-go.

ultrarunner

Well a busy weekend... 2nd year of my Foundation Degree began yesterday... it went well, ended up sitting next to a client, and a client of a competitor.

Then out at a michelin-starred restaurant for my Dad's 60th and my upcoming 30th... exquisite food, glad I wasn't paying. I got my presents early from my parents and brother as they're on holiday next week, some toiletries, a shirt and some cuff links.

Also some money from my Grandfather's estate... £25,000 to be precise. I'll be chucking it in a savings account come Monday. My aim is to move house next year, so I'll continue making overpayments from my monthly income and not from the savings capital.

£500 overpayment due on Monday as the new month begins.

ultrarunner

Payment taken today, and overpayment of £500 also made today :-)

Balance now under £69k with the overpayment, and over 5k off the capital this year!