My journey to Mortgage-freedom

unhappy_shopper

Hi all,

I have been a lurker for too long, posting sometimes and without a dairy. So, I thought I would rectify that by creating a diary to remind myself of my journey to being mortgage free.

I have signed up for the MFiT-T2 challenge as #77 and MFW-2012 as #34.

Background: Our MFW journey started in Feb. 2007 when we bought our first home in UK. We had paid off a large chunk by May 2011, when we bought our second home as it is convenient for my OH's job. So now we have 2 mortgages with a combined outstanding amount of approx. £138K. Our major expenses are university tuition fees for DS1 @overseas rate and school fees for DS2 (independent school). Next comes mortgage in the priority of things.

I do small things such as using vouchers for grocery shopping, surveys for Amazon vouchers, cashback on most online purchases. All these go into the OP pot. I have recently switched to Halifax Reward account for the monthly £5 reward. Hope to be MF within the next 5-6 years.

Best Regards,
unhappy_shopper

( I am not unhappy in life, just unhappy to part with my hard-earned cash while shopping - makes me think twice before I hand over my CC to pay at the till)

DawnW

Welcome, Unhappy_Shopper

I have a Halifax reward account too, and always use the £5 reward to overpay

Good luck with your journey, and keep us all updated on your progress!

unhappy_shopper

I have a referral link for superpoints. Anyone interested?

unhappy_shopper

Though late in the day, Happy Easter everyone :-)
:easter_ba

We had a leisurely day today. Enjoyed our Easter choccies and roast leg of lamb. Not to forget, having made an OP of £2K yesterday at the bank, after collecting some of the bargains I ordered on the M&S sale. So, I'm now ready to put up the Windsor jacquard curtains I ordered in the sale. They look lovely out of the wrapper. Hope they look nice hanging too.

http://www.marksandspencer.com/Windsor-Floral-Jacquard-Pencil-Curtains/dp/B004FL33G8?_encoding=UTF8&mnSBrand=core

Also, I have added another £25 to the OP pot (made through sales on ebay this weekend). I keep telling myself ' Little drops of water make the mighty ocean' and our indebtedness to the banks will be a thing of the past in the not-so-far future. Hope everyone is practising their money-saving ways too while enjoying the holidays.

Best Regards,
US

unhappy_shopper

I have adopted Tilly's philosophy of fiscal fast this weekend. I'm not sure how long I'll be able to hold on to it. The Tes** 'Simply Add' glitch was quite tempting and getting my own Cravendale codes too. But, then I was able to send off for the Kermit with the assistance of kind MSErs. So one birthday present sorted the MSE way.

I have also listed a few things on fleabay as it is the free-listing weekend. Let's see whether the fish bite.

Today, I have been pottering around in the garden and have resown beans and peas, as my earlier seedlings (which I had planted out the week before Easter when it was bright and sunny) look very near death due to frost during the past few days. Also, planted the 6' apple tree (Apple 'Festival') bought from T&M. All my other fruit trees (Morello cherry, Conference Pear, Pixirosso, Golden Delicious and James Grieve apple) are coming to bloom.

Hope everyone is doing well in their own MSE strategies. :-)

unhappy_shopper

Today I have entered the 5th day of my fiscal fast and I am quite happy that I have managed to go 4 days without spending any money. For my next week's shopping, I am going to make a list and not deviate from that. Also, plenty of freezer surprises for this week's dinner. I never bother to label containers going into the freezer. However, I am quite thankful that my family will eat anything put on their plates.

This weekend National Trust is having an open entry to its properties. So, it will be a money-saving day out.

Have a good day, everyone :-)

I have added another £200 to the OP pot today with the £co cashback for taking life insurance in mine and OH's names has been paid.

unhappy_shopper

Good morning, fellow MFWs :-) A bright and sunny morning - respite from the unrelenting rain over the past few days.

I lasted 6 days of fiscal fast. Today I have succumbed to the Living Social deal for £10 worth of Boots points for £5. I have posted my referral link in the referrer's board. Hope someone will click through that.

Continuing my MSE activities, I have made a shopping list and will be sticking to it to make use of the £5 APG which expires on 22nd. Words, words, words, ....

Have a nice MSE day, everyone!

JimLad

Im enjoying reading your diary Keep up the good work!

Shopping lists are very important for us. If we dont make one we end up buying all sorts of stuff we wouldnt normally.

unhappy_shopper

Good morning, fellow MFWs :-)

We had MSE days out on Saturday and Sunday - took picnic lunch with us - visiting NT properties taking advantage of the free entry. Though the sun was playing hide-and-seek with the clouds, there was no rain to hinder our visit/relaxation.

Also, managed to stick to the shopping list and limit this week's grocery spend to less than £50. So, with that I'm starting Day 1 of this week's fiscal fast. Hope I make it till Saturday :-)

Over the weekend, I referred one of my friends for the Tes** CC for 1000 points for both of us. Hint hint!

I was using an empty Pringles tube as my piggy bank for so long. On Friday, I found an abandoned piggy in the recycling box at the office. So, now my new OP piggy bank is a dashing piggy named 'Fujitsu' after the logo on its belly.

unhappy_shopper

Good morning, fellow MFWs :-)

I was unable to access the MSE forums from home since the Skimlinks has been switched on as I am on O2. Anybody else facing this issue?

Anyway, my fiscal fast ended abruptly yesterday. I went to Mr.T to return something but couldn't resist the temptation of YS. I was lucky to get about £30 worth of chicken, beef, pork and sausages for £6. Now, if only they'll arrange a suitable YS day for F&V.

I have done a cleanup of the various savings/current/ISA accounts and that activity has fetched me £500. So, I am nearer my OP target by that amount.

Have a good day everyone :-)

coldcazzie

unhappy_shopper wrote: »

Over the weekend, I referred one of my friends for the Tes** CC for 1000 points for both of us. Hint hint!

I shall keep you in mind for the future if we ever consider their CC as an option

Congrats on the £500 clean up to go towards OPing!:T:T