Pix's aims, dreams and reality

pixnmix_2

Thanks Tattycath, Squirrel and Mamamags
Yes, the extra will be going straight into OP's. Being a short term promotion I don't want to get used to the extra money as part of regular income. I don't know exactly how much it works out as per month extra but every little helps to knock down the mortgage

Got my internet mortgage banking sorted again and logged on tonight. I've already chalked up £90 in interest charges in 8 days:eek: But, I've got £400 ish to put in OP's this month with rebate from remortgage amount, fuel rebate (at last it came through) and £2 coins/ loose change. That'll go in on Saturday.

Just got to phone previous lender tomorrow to find out when I get reimbursed the money I paid on 1st march. That needs to go back into the mortgage pot asap to avoid even more nasty interest charges

pixnmix_2

Well at last I've had the figure for what my first mortgage payment with the new company will be. It's manageable but I still havent been able to sort out getting the payment back that went out to the previous lender on 1st March.
Not been keeping track of spending the last week or 2 with work being ridiculously busy, and been lazy not logging into the forums that normally keep me focused. I need some oooommph and a good kick up the posterior to get back on track.

Hopefully, my next diary entry will be more positive eh?

pixnmix_2

Well a few positives and a potential negative going on in pixland at the mo!
The positives are that the online mortgage account thingy is all sorted so I can start overpaying (didn't get to the bank to start it yet but plan to next weekend); I'm on track with my current account and next month should stay totally in the black before payday (first time in about 2 years); and I can clear my credit card in full on next due date. I've set it up so that every month it direct debits the total owing from my current account. Oh and another positive is that I've managed to save £50 on my car insurance renewal and paid in full rather that costly monthly interest-added payments!
The not so positive is that I haven't received the refund for the 1st March mortgage payment prior to the remortgage completion. Phoned my previous mortgage company who took the money (severl hundred quid) to be told they sent the cheque in my name to the solicitor on 7/3/13 (appointed by new mortgage company) and that it had been cashed on the 20th!! I've spoken to the conveyancer company who say they have no trace of the cheque or letter sent but will ask the person dealing with my remortgage to call me on monday. I have told them and Halifax that I will be contacting the police if I don't get an answer on Monday to my satisfaction!

So a bit of a mixed bag over the last couple of days. Mostly good, some not so good but that's life. Going to have a light tea (salad and ham that needs using up as I'm snowed in so no OH tonight (in his own house and I can't get there) and son in work till late. Might just open a bottle of red vino and potter on here awhile

Bottoms up!

nattypants

Hey pix:D great news on the secondment :T although sorry to hear you're snowed in brrrrrrrrrrr:(

I hope you manage to get the refund sorted out, quick smart and as painlessly as possible....when I moved house, natw*st were taking 2 mortgage payments out of my account, and despite numerous phone calls from me, and being passed from pillar to post, it took them a wee while to rectify, so I do completely understand your stress regarding this so fingers crossed all sorted on Monday.

Secret_Saving_Squirrel

Hello,

Do get tough with the Halifax, they are rubbish. When I paid off my last mortgage, they still took my payment the following month. I went and complained and they sorted it..... And then did the same again the following month! And when I bought my next house they mislaid a telegraphic transfer for £50,000 which very nearly lost me the house I was buying while they were looking for it!

pixnmix_2

Thanks Natty and Squirrel for your helpfulness. Awful that both of you have had a bad experience though. It's not good the way the banks play around with people's money and lives like this!!

Well today was eventful. Tried, stupidly to dig my car out of a snowdrift on the driveway. It was up to my knees!!! Was out at 8am and went back in at 11am crippled! 3 hours of solid digging and carrying lumps of solid snow/ ice isn't a good plan when you're nearly 50! I forget that when I used to climb snowy mountains to dig sheep and lambs out of feet high drifts I was a teenager!! In the end, I managed to clear a path out but needed a bit more to steer onto the road. Then my back started hurting big time. Bath and a phone call later and Son in Law to be arrived with daughter and between then got car onto road. Decided now was as good a time as ever to set off the 20 summat miles to OH's place so packed a few bits together and off to go. Hmm..main roads are ok but the estate was dodgy to say the least. A bit like ice road truckers Ford Fiesta style. Meeting an oncoming car was an adventure in testing the resolve of my little 1200cc engine, and the pixmobile nearly turned back the way it came but I got to OH's unscathed

Have told DS (who is working again) to come here after he finishes but the stubborn so n so wants to get home as he's up at 6am for work again tomorrow and it's closer to get to from home. There's a beef casserole all sorted so he won't starve. And although I feel guilty abandoning him he has a full fridge/ freezer and is 5 miles from work. I also have a very good chance of getting to work tomorrow as it's only got a smattering of snow here and I'm 15 miles closer to get there

By the way Tilly, if you read this...my wish came true...OH is making roast lamb for dinner

pixnmix_2

Hmmm.... well the plot thickens quicker than wallpaper paste with a tub of flour in it! I have made 3 phone calls:

1st phone call today was to conveyancer who confirmed that no cheque or letter had been received from H. 2nd call, to H, resulted in them also standing their ground and saying cheque was sent and recorded as cashed. On informing the H rep that this was possible fraud and police would be contacted to look into it, he said he was passing the matter to his manager for escalation into the possible fraud, and to find out where the cheque had been cashed. 3rd phone call was to conveyancer who phoned H on my behalf to clarify matters and was told by H that no cheque had been sent at all and that the one due to be sent would be for around £200 more than the original sent/unsent one! The conveyancer was told this would be sent out within 2 days to them in my name and the conveyancer informed me that it would be forwarded to me the same day as received there.

So the "cheque that wasn't" saga goes on. One thing I will say is that if I don't receive it by end of next week i'll be fuming! That's a month worth of MY money that I could overpay my mortgage with. Instead that amount is adding to the interest balance.

Sitting in bed with a cuppa, cough, sore throat and an achey back. What I need is some good news! Off to find some in diaries.

pixnmix_2

Well the cough and acheyness ended up as a fluey thing that knocked me off my feet since Tuesday. Was sent home from work at lunchtime on Tuesday and been bedbound since then apart from loo and drinks breaks. Today I feel a tad better so off for a bubble bath then going to try to get out to pick up a few groceries and easter eggs for the kids. The sun's shining but will still be freezing out there so will wrap up well.

If that outing goes ok, I hope to get into town tomorrow to do my first mortgage OP Need to sit down later to work out exactly what that OP will be. Still await refund cheque but not going to get twitched about it till next week.

Got paid on Wednesday and am firmly in the black with a decent amount spare after all the DD's go out so relaxing a bit on the stress front, but not so much that I lose the OP momentum. That mortgage needs reducing and is my main priority for any surplus cash. Not going to be too restricted though. Still plan to have some social life and buy the odd thing to make the house a home.

Am off work until next Thursday (annual leave and Easter) so jobs list over next 6 days is:
Overpay mortgage on Saturday
Start decorating hall (if I'm well enough)
Ebay a few things
Meet up with best pal for dinner and a catch up (scheduled for Tuesday)
Tackle ironing mountain
Pressure wash patio if snow clears!
Re-stock take freezer and menu plan for the week

I think that'll do for now. Back tomorrow to update on OP amount. I feel a Tillytidy coming on

pixnmix_2

**drum roll**
My first mortgage overpayment has been made! all £39 of it Not as much as I had anticipated as my initial regular payment will be £300 more than normal to take into account interest. So, the fuel rebate and another cheque went into my current account to make sure that the increased amount is covered. However, if I get the expected refund cheque of £700 in April (and it better had do!) I will put £200 more in the OP and in May the full monthly allowance of £500 will be OP'd.

The £39 was made up of loose change, £2 coins and ebay sales. Some of the money in the paypal account has been used to buy a couple of ebay items. So my lesson from that is to have more self discipline and only buy what I need from ebay....!
I now need to set up a standing order so that I can transfer money into the mortgage for OP's as and when I have em. That will have to wait till another day now, cos this fluey thing has hit me tonight, definately don't have as much energy as normal and walking round town has knackered me.
Have a chicken with lemon, coriander, honey and apricot tagine cooking away at the moment. A Jamie Oliver recipe that I adapted and took out the olives and fennel, as OH and DS don't like them. Hmm I hope it tastes as good as it smells. Will be ready at 6.30 Have a big pot of chicken and veg broth in the slow cooker. Somehow, i don't think we'll starve this bank holiday

Alchemilla

Well done you. xxx