Sweetdaisy's aim to be mortgage-free

southerndave

"I love feeling that I am part of a 'secret' group on here because other than close family no one knows my MFW plans. When I have mentioned it in the past some people become jealous/look at you stupid at the mere suggestion that you want to repay a 25 year debt early! So I quietly keep my calculations to myself and constantly think about being mortgage free."

I echo that! Well done and keep going!

sweetdaisy

A quick update for the end of October. Total overpayments made this month is £183 - higher than normal but this is due to redeeming some money from doing surveys etc. I am also building up our savings account as well.

DH has an interview next week with an agency for a warehouse job. Before being made redundant the agency came to his workplace to help people register with them to look for work. From what they said, it looks like there are full-time jobs available and he has been asked to go to their office to go through the job details, provide ID etc. So fingers crossed.

Christmas shopping has almost been completed, just a few family members to buy for and stocking fillers for the children. We have done the Christmas rota in work and unfortunately I was picked to work Christmas Day (in the evening) so at least I get to see the children open their presents and will be able to make lunch before going into work and I am also working on Boxing Day morning. Due to working Christmas Day though I don't have to work Christmas Eve, so I will enjoy that as I'll be able to wind up the children before the Big Day :xmassmile.

Southernman

Omg don't even get me started on Christmas presents. It's November tomorrow and i haven't bought a single thing!!

Although i have bought my dad's birthday present (December) the obligatory box of Thorntons he loves!

sweetdaisy

Southernman wrote: »

Omg don't even get me started on Christmas presents. It's November tomorrow and i haven't bought a single thing!!

Although i have bought my dad's birthday present (December) the obligatory box of Thorntons he loves!

I am going to be organised this year! I hope to have everything wrapped in a few weeks and by being organised it means that I can put all presents up in the attic out of the way and then as I know that I am 'all done' I won't be tempted to buy additional presents that we don't need.

sweetdaisy

Been really busy today sorting out the house (again!). Emptied kitchen cupboards and re-arranged everything. I've got a habit of putting stuff on top of the fridge/freezer so cleared it all and binned/recycled things no longer needed. Sorted out the children's toys and went through some cupboards and de-cluttered.

Did a food shop a couple of days ago and was under budget and also redeemed some money from a cashback site so an overpayment of £33 was made towards the mortgage.

This week I seem to have increased my motivation to reduce the mortgage. I am looking to change jobs, but there isn't anything out there at the moment around my current salary. I am thankful that I am in a good job, but I think that in order to change job so that I can spend more time with the children and work closer to home, I will probably have to take quite a pay cut. So until something else comes up I want to reduce the mortgage as quickly as I can.

I have been on the cross-trainer 4 times this week, so gave myself a day off today and will be back on it tomorrow. I have been eating healthier but have been dipping into DS1's 'treat tin' as he went trick or treating on Halloween and came back with an obscene amount of sweets, so I have had one or two . . .:shhh:.

southerndave

Sounds like your cracking on regardless SD, which is great! Jump into minimalism, it really is the future - do a Google search and check out some of the websites and blogs. Ignore the extreme @I live with less than 100 things' rubbish by New York 20 somethings living off other people, but check out minimalistmom, the minimalists, minimalist families and the like. We really don't need half the junk in our homes, yet we keep on working all the hours to earn the money to buy the stuff to let it sit there once the initial always-less-than-expected excitment has worn off. We are still 'de-cluttering' our home and it staggers me how much we have wasted over the years buying rubbish. Never again though.

sweetdaisy

southerndave wrote: »

Sounds like your cracking on regardless SD, which is great! Jump into minimalism, it really is the future - do a Google search and check out some of the websites and blogs. Ignore the extreme @I live with less than 100 things' rubbish by New York 20 somethings living off other people, but check out minimalistmom, the minimalists, minimalist families and the like. We really don't need half the junk in our homes, yet we keep on working all the hours to earn the money to buy the stuff to let it sit there once the initial always-less-than-expected excitment has worn off. We are still 'de-cluttering' our home and it staggers me how much we have wasted over the years buying rubbish. Never again though.

Thanks southerndave, I will take a look at some 'minimalist' sites. I am quite organised and can't stand clutter, but over the years we seem to have stored things away (in cupboards and attic) rather than sorting out. So, slowly I have been going through the cupboards and having a good look at things that we don't need.

I have made a start in the attic, but this will take a long time, so hopefully will have another go in a few weeks. Besides, when I do clear the attic, I am going to add more insulation as it has become thin over the years and hopefully this will help retain more heat in the house.

Since becoming a MFW, I don't tend to make impulse purchases and this means that I am not wasting money on things that are not really needed - I would rather save up for something that I really need. I am also buying goods of better quality so that they last longer and in general am 'making do' with the things that we have. I am not one to 'keep up with the Jones' so this reduces the pressure to buy the latest gadgets/fashion etc.

southerndave

sweetdaisy wrote: »

Since becoming a MFW, I don't tend to make impulse purchases and this means that I am not wasting money on things that are not really needed - I would rather save up for something that I really need. I am also buying goods of better quality so that they last longer and in general am 'making do' with the things that we have. I am not one to 'keep up with the Jones' so this reduces the pressure to buy the latest gadgets/fashion etc.

And that is EXACTLY what minimalism is all about - less stuff but better quality and only what you need.

Try these if the links work:

http://www.theminimalistmom.com/

http://www.everydayminimalist.com/

sweetdaisy

So far this month I have made overpayments amounting to £67. I am continuing to keep well within my weekly food budget - thanks to Aldi . I love the quality of their food and even though they don't have such an extensive range of products compared to the other supermarkets, this makes it easier for me to spend less.

I have trawled through my survey/cashback sites etc and have redeemed £95 - a combination of money and vouchers, so when the cash gets paid, 50% will go towards the mortgage.

I have nearly done the Christmas Shopping, just a few bits and bobs left and hope to start wrapping Christmas presents next weekend :xmassmile.

sweetdaisy

Monthly mortgage paid yesterday and £20 mortgage overpayment made today - total overpayment for November stands at £144 .

I hope to start wrapping Christmas presents next week, as they are currently in the wardrobe and have to make sure that DS1 is nowhere in sight before opening the doors :rotfl:.

DH is continuing to look for work. He has had two interviews with agencies for temp warehouse/packing jobs and was going to be starting a temp job on Monday, however there is a change of plan! DH as been advised by our local Careers Advice Service to apply for 'ReAct funding' which is available to those who have been made redundant within the last 6 months and the funding pays up to £1500 towards the cost of vocational training courses linked to their future job role. So, as DH has completed his Level 2 City & Guilds in Electrical Engineering he is being sent on a load of training courses in December and one to get his 'CSCS card'. Unfortunately, he is not able to get this funding whilst working, so he is going to attend the training courses first and then see if he can work alongside Electricians in a volunteer capacity as an electrician's mate to build experience/skills etc before applying to some electrical agencies. We have a family member who is an electrician and he said that he will steer him in the right direction.