Countdown to Freedom

ammonite

Well done Tilly !! I can't wait for payday! This has been such a slow and poor month! Just totted it up though I've squirreled double the amount I usually do into the savings so no wonder I've felt poor!

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Ammonite, you are really doing brilliantly - its so easy to spend isn't it, and saving is slow. I enjoy thinking about whether to buy something now though. We appreciate the things we do buy more, and really, we hardly spend much any more. Glad to have grown up at last, even if I did leave it a little late.

Best wishes, Tilly x

SJ1

Hi there Tilly

You are doing pretty well yourself! I am so impressed with your going. I was reading back through your diary (at page 15) and making some thoughts about where we are going next and was reading that you were paying off £2,500 per month but it must be more than that the rate you are going!

I too really need to change mortgage although our fix at 4.99% :eek: is not up until Sept 2014 so we have a while to wait. That said it gives me time to plan and to try and put some savings in place. We are getting there -- normal overdraft of £2,500 is now down to £500. So we are getting there. It is sooooo slow though - that is what I struggle with most. I think I need to break it up into smaller week size chunks and they just put any savings into a separate account and see how they add up.

Well done though - you will be at £250,000 before you know it and if you have to buy another car it isn't really going to set you back that far. Out of interest - is the car going wrong? If it is then I would be tempted to look but cars these days are able to last longer, esp motorway mileage - we are on 104,000 miles but will just keep driving it until it starts to go properly wrong.

I am thinking about buying some raised beds - we are off on holiday soon but when I get back I have to get the garden into some sort of order and it looks like we might have the weather for it now!! I have a nice space for a couple of raised beds although perhaps I am starting at wrong time!!! Better late than never!!

SJ

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Hi SJ1, we are making inroads, but £5.5k per month is being thrown at the mortgage now. In order to meet our goal, which is driving other things for the future, we re-thought our plan and increased the OPs. It seems like scary amounts to me, but shows what we wasted in the past :eek:

No more - so with the monthly payment plus any other OPs such as lodgers money, their food money, £co, TCb, I can't do anything else to help now. I posted a few pages back about all the ways we have cut spendng and changed our approach, so now we just have to keep executing the plan. It does get a bit much at times, and we have all realised that we bought things, or went out to avoid sorting out other issues - most of which we have addressed now, so that's also good news.

Sorry to go on, I guess it is just relief at being in such a better place.

Well done on your OD that's a big difference and you must really delighted. .

On the car front, we discussed it on the way to the cinema - we both think the car will go on for longer so have decided to change the £ in the pots we save, and increase the car maintenance one - does mean something else has to be sacrificed but there we go.

On the raised beds, any help I can give you, just PM me - they tend to be very productive although the weather isn't helping this year with anything. I wouldn't buy raised bed packs, you just need the wood and they are easy to knock up.

Have a lovely week and enjoy the sun - i did see a glimpse this evening :T

Best wishes, Tilly x

SJ1

Crikey me Tilly, that is an overpayment and a half!!

Don't beat yourself up over the past, you can't change it. Yes, maybe it does feel like wasted time but you have to be in the right place to change things sometimes and it is clear that you are now there - and that is the main thing!!

SJ

*Jellie*

Wow- I've only read your recent posts and am now feeling inspired! Looks like I'll have to read from page 1 tomorrow. I want to know all the plans and schemes you have in place so I'm looking forward to a good read.

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Morning, I have slept in :eek: I had meant to be out walking the dogs at 6 as I have to be in the office for an early con call. I am feelings like a very bad mother now, as dogs won't have had a walk. Have woken up groggy, so just agreed with DH to take them for an extra long walk this evening.

NSD planned, yesterday DD updated my freezer content list as I wanted to check whether I could use any of the condiment stuff from the fridge, which means maybe changing menu. This decluttering is very good for my mind - doesn't mean to say I don't have a larder, but I only want it stocked with stuff we will use, not one off items, which are hard to menu plan for. I can already see the difference in the fridge. It has less jars of things, but still more to go. I will be looking for bargainous prawns as I have more seafood sauce to use up, which would make a great supper for one. This may not save a fortune, but it will clear the fridge, making it easier to clean, and I won't feel guilty when I open the door, seeing so much stuff not being used.

Off for a cuppa, quick shower then work - have a good day.

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Hi SJ, don't panic........ That figure includes our normal payment, it is the amount of money we put aside purely for the mortgage. 50% (which is over the standard payment) goes straight off the mortgage, 50% goes into the offset mortgage savings jar which we do not touch. Tllly x


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Hi Jellie, reading the whole diary :eek: I am not sure it will be very interesting but I do know that posting most days has been a big help to me. We are all on different journeys, varying incomes, timescales, mortgage/rates etc. As I have written previously, I believe it's about how we cut our costs, then utilise the cash saved in our MF plans. It's a mindset change which is required.

It's been interesting to switch our MF journey into a work type project. That made it easier to see where we had gone wrong, and what had to stop. It's meant some significant changes in the household for us all, but in the 8 months since having a diary, life is very different. . Without a doubt we are all happier - we do have treats etc but they are all out of the entertainment savings jar, if that's empty, then we have to wait to next month.

Thanks for stopping by and good luck with your journey - do you have a diary?

Best wishes Tilly

Radish72

I wondered were you where this morning

Did you have to much :beer: last night trying to empty the cupboards

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Evening Radish, funny you should mention that - perchance a little glass of something may have ended up in my hand :rotfl:

Plus HUGE black cloud overhead so still haven't taken the dogs for a walk/run.

Hope all is going well with you, Tilly x

*Jellie*

I love reading diaries! I have had one over on DFW and two over here ( my new one is very neglected as I've had a rough year!)
I'm enjoying catching up on some diaries for inspiration. As you said I know I need a bit of a mindset change at the moment so I'm really grateful for all the advice and help I'm getting.