Countdown to Freedom

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Thanks PWD, that's what I have in the back of my mind. Our house was built in 1999, 5 bed, 3.5 bathrooms etc, so it's a good size and looks lovely. Although some neighbours have had plastic windows, I don't think they really sit well with the house, however, I am going to check whether they could be refurbished, ie seals etc as this would both be cheaper, and ultimately suits the house more.

Had an interesting chat with my DH today, for the first time in a long while, we know we are on the right path financially. It's hard to articulate but it just feels 'right'. I am toying with selling some gold as well. I was married before and have bits and pieces which I never wear and it sits in a cupboard. It makes more sense to sell it and OP. In some bizarre way, I quite fancy my ex paying off a small piece of my mortgage, rather satisfying. However, some have stones in which I would need to remove, or have removed. Something else to think about.

I am going to clear out the filing cabinet this evening, redo file names etc and sort papers for destroying. I would like to finish it in one go and it means I can start December with less clutter. I started my diary near the beginning of November and what a difference during the last few weeks. I cannot believe how much can be achieved by stopping, taking time to consider and thinking of where you are going. I have always put my work first (I don't mean ahead of DH and kids but of admin and financial stuff at home) and life feels far more balanced now.

Thanks to you all for your advice and support. It's jolly cold here and think it's time for a cuppa.......I will just beckon to DH to get the kettle in .......by beckon I guess I really mean SHOUT hastily adding a please at the end.

Best wishes Tilly

Twiddy

Everyone else other than you always makes a better cuppa I think (that's what I tell them anyway!)....

Keep up the good work Tilly, you always seem chippa, makes for pleasant reading....

All the Best
T

Polly_Wolly_Doodle

Just heading out T but i sold gold i was never wearing anymore to Hatton Garden Metals and they were fab, you send it on one day and the cleared money is in your bank account ready for action the next day!
They have a website that you can predict your gold's value on, just use your kitchen scales if they are reasonable to get your price. Virtually instant and no ebay fuss - i'm a fan!!

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Hi PWD, I have checked them out on this site and they certainly seem reliable. I am a little concerned about the stones though - I had thought about having all the stones put in to a piece of jewellery for my DD when she is 18 - as they are small and could make an unusual design, if I could find a jewellery maker.

Thanks for your views though, as it all helps. I am off to weigh it all now......

Filing system revamped, all irrelevant stuff ready for destroying, all neat and tidy now. Plus I found the financial information required for FD so that's another thing off my mind.

What else? Goodness, I think I can have a breather and by the way, I never got the cup of tea, but I live in hope.

The next few weeks are going to be weird on the lodging topic, as we will be here but the lodger is off here, there and everywhere for work - somehow doesn't sit well with me, taking money when not providing a service, but DH says "if the lodger were paying for a room in an HMO, then they would have to pay whether there or not, it's not a B&B" which is absolutely right. It just makes me feel guilty for taking the money, however, guilt won't clear my mortgage.......

Best wishes Tilly

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

How frustrating, I had just completed an update and lost the whole lot.

Anyway gold weighed in at 102g, have no idea what that means in terms of cash, and it also contains a few bits with stones. I have found a jeweller today who will design a piece - am going for a ring, which hopefully can become heir loomy and be passed through the female line. That would be a lovely thing to have I think although the design would need to be classical.

I have printed off some coupons today, ready for grocery shopping tomorrow night. Expecting a spend in the region of £30 max, so fingers crossed.

Marvellous day at work, busy/verging on manic - just how I like it, but it does mean the weeks fly by. I can't believe we are in December already. The time since kids went back to school in September has disappeared in a flash. Thankfully I can at least look back on November and know MFW plans have made a differene.

My apologies for the girly comments I am about to make...... One of my dreams for when we are MF is to have a manicure, pedicure each month. I don't do anything like this but it would be lovely to know I have both the money and the time, to stop and be pampered. Heavenly. So I will leave DH thumbing through car brochures, and yes he is ALREADY and just book the occasional (by that I mean monthly) treat....:j

Last CC DD has gone out so we don't have any holiday spend left to clear, just the normal monthly spends fr fuel, shopping etc and that's already sitting in the CC pot in the bank waiting. What a relief.

On the door front, we are having a front one fitted next week, but I have the money put aside. For now we are not considering new windows but are going to check out new foamy stuff to stop the gale.

Onwards and upwards to all.

Best wishes, Tilly

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Evening all, said in true Dixon of Dock Green style, which I can only slightly recall from my childhood..

I have been missing in action for a couple of days, the recent family bereavement has taken its toll and I needed a little quiet time.

On a brighter note, popped into London today, didn't catch the train but drove to a tube station and then the tube, saved around £30 in travel costs, plus I could take my boots off in the car on the way home - much needed. Had a very MSE day with a free lunch at a ceremony we attended, no further spends just a bit of people gazing/sight seeing and generally switching off with the kids and DH and having fun. Marvellous.

Food shopping complete early evening and £35 spend. Likely to be same spend next Friday and that's it until almost the New Year. We will be shopping when away but relatively low spends as we have loads of veg and fruit growing so will just need to buy meat, dairy etc. We are all looking forward to going away now.

I have decided to sell my odds and sods jewellery but will do this in the New Year to help the next phase of our journey. All in all an OK if slightly sad few days, but today has helped rebalance our thinking. We have many adventures to have yet, and my DH and I are looking forward to the mortgage getting below £300k, just £7k ish to go and we will have turned the page.

May sound quite mad, as I appreciate the mortgage is huge but since 2004 it has been 3 something, and 2 something sounds more manageable!!!?. I hope someone understands the logic here because even as I type I feel bemused but it has been a long journey to get here and we are only going to pick the pace up. If I start asking for oxygen, please feel free step in.

Hope everyone is enjoying the journey they have chosen. I can't recall what we were talking about in town today, but DD said, 'does this fit in with the MF planning?' - it made me laugh as that's a 15 year old, who will have a different attitude to money than either me or DH, all because of this site. She is now starting to look at the student section as she is planning her A levels ready for Uni. Amazing so thanks Martin.

Best wishes to al, Tilly

lulabelle1

Hi Tilly, sorry to hear about the sadness, keep your chin up, thinking about you.....

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Good morning all, now where shall I start?

I woke early, which is fortunate as I have a mountain of ironing to do, before driving back to the Midlands. We are having a celebration of life today for the close relatives we have lost over the last eighteen months. Strangely I am looking forward to this as there really are many stories to tell, and I can sense much laughter over the dinner table.:A

I am just typing this whilst drinking a cuppa, yes DH sensed my tea neediness, and looking at the ironing. It's covering the wardrobe doors, the chair, the end of the bed - does anyone else feel that sometimes they are ironing their neighbours laundry?

No good procrastinating, that isn't going to get the ironing finished. Am now listening to radio 4X, and catching up with stuff I missed over the last week, so at least I will have company.

Off now, ...............finding it so hard to get out of bed.

Out now:T

Best wishes Tilly

wynnvegas

Morning Tilly,

The celebration of life event sounds fantastic. We tend to do something similar every Christmas and New Year with our families and it usually ends up with a load of tears and laughter.

Cheers,

Billy

Polly_Wolly_Doodle

Morning Tilly,
I love the idea of making the new ring for your daughter from the heirloom stones. I wished Prince William had done that for Kate you know, keep the memory but make it hers.
Hope your celebration with the relatives goes well, it's a good way to get together, some of my best family times have been at funerals if that makes sense, especially the ones who never bragged about what they did in the war. One of my great aunts clearly had a whale of a time in London as an ambulance driver in WWII but the stories and the old boyfriends only came out at the wake!!
Quite a shock for her landowner son to see she had a life before she married and had him!

Right, i'll stop waffling, take care xx