Finally I have a mortgage I can start to pay off!

ch4rly2002

I'm glad that Brexit is benefitting someone, it seems to have been all doom and gloom so far, but I'm sorry it's only temporary. It's completely ravaging my sector I genuinely hope it all works out for the best and settles down eventually but I'm not entirely convinced and I think it will be a bumpy ride in the short term. I saw the House of Lords backed down so May might trigger article 50 soon, so I'm sure it was worth you sorting the work out in advance. Anyway, I try not to get too political in case it upsets people so I'll move on.
Sounds like a good couple of wins for the OP pot Well done! You're well on your way to your OP target for 2017.
£8.22 for your dinners - that's amazing!
I've been there with the eBay postage calculation mix up.... frustrating isn't it?! I'm sure the buyer won't mind you sending it via a courier rather than Royal Mail. I normally send larger parcels through Hermes and I send the tracking number to the buyer with an explanation that it will take a few days to arrive. In my experience they appreciate having a tracking number and don't mind the slower delivery as much as they can track it and see where it is in the delivery process.
Congratulations on the new baby niece! Shame you couldn't use the card and wrapping paper you had, but I'm sure someone will have a boy at some point

themadvix

Thanks Ch4rly! Feel free to get political... the only gains for my business will be short term - it's likely to have fairly dire long-term consequences!

I was convinced that BIL and SIL were going to have a boy (as were they, I think), so it's come as quite a surprise! There are babies hatching all round at the moment, so I'm sure there'll be a boy soon.

themadvix

Hi All,

Not a lot to report today, just finishing off some extra work that came in yesterday. Continuing with surveys and have (hopefully) sold a couple of bits on FB group (a whole 50p's worth!). Have some plumbing bits listed on ebay and they're not shifting. Am wondering about trying them as a job lot on a local FB selling group - any ideas as to whether this might work?! (Would a plumber buy them? They're all priced reasonably on the Bay, but then there's P&P...).

Have booked car in for a new tyre on Monday - needed as it's got a nail in and quite worn (advisories on MOT). Money will come from car maintenance fund, but was pleased to get a few pounds off with a voucher.

Washing out on line, enjoying the lovely sunshine!

DH away with work tonight, so curry from the freezer for me (with hm naan )

I'm off out to enjoy the sunshine for a bit!

try_harder

Try them on faceboox or gumtrex then people can collect ,gumtrex is brilliant.

themadvix

Hi TH, thanks for that - I never think of Gumtree and have never tried but looking at it it might be the answer. It's certainly worth a try!

Might be able to rehome some of the ever expanding numbers of pond fish on there too!

themadvix

£40 from 1P arrived last night, so just transferred that and the 50p from FB sales to my OP fund - now at £487. It's earning 5% where it is so although I'd rather the mortgage account was below £100K (which this wouldn't make it, but it would be closer), it's actually doing more good where it is and if I need it I can access it. Is it bad that I do need to take some money out of savings, but they won't be coming from this? Not just because of the interest rate but because I've worked so hard to scrape this money together! It just seems it would be easier to take the money required out of 'proper' savings (which is what they're there for, being SE) and pay it back at the end of the month when I get paid.

No work as yet today, but some lined up for next week and I know that there's a big project from my main client coming at the end of the month (I was concerned it wasn't going to come, but it seems it's just a bit later than normal). Hopefully this will start to arrive in time for me to invoice as part of this month's income - all my other work is for Americans who have 45 day payment terms, so not much use for cashflow.

Will be chasing the debt collectors today and replying to my longstanding non-payer who lives in the Middle East.... it's a long story, but I don't chase him for money and I think when can actually afford to pay, he will.

Will also investigate GT for selling a few bits.

DH home tonight and we're going for a meal at our favourite cheapy Mexican restaurant - last time we ate there (starter and mains), with Tastecard, it came to £20 (and we had the place virtually to ourselves)! This is delayed date night as we didn't feel we could justify it earlier in the month - I think we'll use DH's £25 Barclaycard credit to pay

Off on a jolly tomorrow - DH has a meeting in Suffolk and as he's only working a half day and got to catch a train in London at 2.30 for the stag do, I'm taking him to the meeting (mileage paid by company) and bringing car back after dropping him at station. I love Suffolk, so while he's in the meeting I'll have a pootle around (will take lappy in case there's work to do). Have also been invited to join them for breakfast as I know the folks he's meeting with I love an occasional cooked breakfast (even better when it's paid for by someone else!)

Things I am grateful for today:

* A (relatively) good night's sleep - have struggled a lot recently and between naps yesterday afternoon and a sleep last night, I'm feeling much more positive!
* Gorgeous weather yesterday - sat out in the garden with my book at lunchtime
* Two pieces of handwritten post this week - letters from friends; I must write back!
* The fact that people on here are mad enough to read my waffling posts!

Have a good day everyone, if you've made it this far!

try_harder

Sounds like you have a wonderful couple of days to look forward to .I love Suffolk and visit mostly every month its so pretty .Enjoy your meal out at the weekend and good luck with the gumtrex sales i sell no end on there its so handy as there are no fees to pay and the buyers just come to the door and collect ,i sold two items on there yesterday and they are brilliant for big pieces as no postage for buyers to pay

ch4rly2002

Well done on the survey pay out I'm at £17 on mine so almost at the half way point. Doing something like this puts into perspective why we shouldn't waste money when it takes hours of answering surveys to get £40!

I'm glad your main client sent the work through. Shame it was late, I can imagine that being worrying. What is it that you do? (don't tell me if you don't feel comfortable in doing so). From how you describe your work, I imagine some kind of freelance writing, like a journalist, but am probably way off the mark

Have a fabulous date night. Good way to spend some quality time together

It's always nice to get perks from your/DH's work isn't it? My DH is working away in Norwich quite a bit at the moment so I try to go with him occasionally. I get to visit my brother and his family (who live about 30 minutes from there), and stay in a hotel and have cooked breakfasts. Because I am home based, I can work in the hotel and then venture out at lunch to explore Norwich. The only thing that isn't included is my lunch and evening meal, which I don't mind, and last time my brother had me round for tea. The best bit is that the fuel for the 404 mile round trip is paid for by the company Enjoy the breakfast and the trip into Suffolk

I love when you end your posts with what you're grateful for. Such a positive way of thinking

themadvix

Hi Ch4rly! My job is nothing so glamorous, I'm afraid, but I'll PM you - I share too much as it is, so trying to retain a little bit of anonymity!

It sounds like a great trip when you get to go to Norwich! I'm meant to be going up to Hull one day with DH for work (more to see the people than the place!), but one way and another it's never happened yet - plus sorting out cat care isn't always easy/cheap.

I find the gratefulness is a good way to make me remember how lucky I am, especially when I'm constantly looking to a 'future' when I've got the house I want etc. Really I can't complain!

ch4rly2002

I know what you mean about sharing too much. DH was a bit mortified when I showed him my thread, but in the end he said if it keeps me motivated to get the mortgage paid off early, meaning more holidays and fun times in future, then he's happy for me to do whatever it takes

Luckily my mum comes and stays at my house if I'm away with DH to look after our cat, which is a relatively new thing as she used to have to stay at home looking after my dad 24/7, so the only slight positive from my dad being in his nursing home, and I would pay for the most expensive cat care in the land if it meant he didn't have to be in that place

I'm going to start thinking about what I'm grateful more as I find it easy to think too much about the negatives with the state of the world and in my life (family health issues etc. I think it's important to stop and smell the roses as they say