QB Wolf's long and winding road

Lois_E

QB_Wolf wrote: »

Thanks Jellie, I try my hardest not to get depressed about it all, the first 6 months of my MFW journey has been tough and I've failed my initial target, but I have come a long way in 6 months (more on all of that soon).

And what you've achieved so far will make a difference. I do know how you feel about the enormity of it all. My numbers may not be as high, but my MFD is just as distant as yours because as a lone parents with only a part time job I can't pay off as much as many of the others. Us long-haulers just have to keep telling ourselves (and each other) that some progress is better than no progress, and we will get there in the end.

Lois_E

Just decided to follow your example and add daily interest to my sig - although it's been on my spreadsheet for a while.

Now just hoping rates stay low for a nice long time.

QB_Wolf

QB_Wolf wrote: »

Today we're going to Bicester village, there are some things I'd like but they're going to have to be cheap, if they aren't will just go and have a good day - it'll be nice to be out anyway

Had a great day shopping....... bought nothing :rotfl:

Bicester was stupidly busy, I went in one shop, my wife went in two and we left - never again.

So we went to a local garden centre, with our friends and our boys had a great time at the soft play area, we had a great meal at a pub which was good value - had a great day and didn't spend much.:T

QB_Wolf

Lois_E wrote: »

And what you've achieved so far will make a difference. I do know how you feel about the enormity of it all. My numbers may not be as high, but my MFD is just as distant as yours because as a lone parents with only a part time job I can't pay off as much as many of the others. Us long-haulers just have to keep telling ourselves (and each other) that some progress is better than no progress, and we will get there in the end.

Thanks Lois really appreciate your support, it's great to know people are reading each others diaries and really encouraging each other to acheive their goals.:j

QB_Wolf

I have been a MFW for 6 months and the New Year seems a good excuse for a six monthly report.

So firstly I am a failure – my aim was to get to £180k from £188k and I’ve only managed £183k and a bit (well I will have in a day or two). So that’s the bad news!!

Now onto the good bits. I have:-

· OP’d £1450.

· Reduced my debts from £3k to about £300

· Saved £1500 in my sharesave.

My favourite bit is that the mortgage would be higher without the OPs. :T

Few little things have helped:-

· Surviving on one car

· Most shopping at German supermarkets beginning with A

· Packed lunches every day

· Only one take away a month

In all I’m about 9k better off than I was 6 months ago. Not bad considering we’re doing it all on one salary, supporting a family of 4 and making sure we enjoy and the kids enjoy their childhood – appreciating that you don’t need to spend a lot to do this – but you do have to spend a little occasionally.

So pretty chuffed really and perhaps I’m not a failure. Certainly leaves me motivated for 2013. Most importantly I’ve made a start, and now clearing all debt is within touching distance I can really focus my efforts on OPing and the aim is to OP £10k in 2013 :T

*Jellie*

You are doing really well. We are also long haulers and we haven't reached our targets for the last couple of years. Things are only getting worse with me going part time. However we have also done really well in that we're moving in the right direction and our mortgage neutral date has moved nearer. Every day we bring it closer saves us money and means less for the banks.
I might put daily interest in my sig as well

sweetdaisy

Good progress QB Wolf . Don't feel down about not meeting your target, in 6 months you have overpaid the mortgage, reduced your debts and managed to increase your savings - that's good going.

I too shop in Aldi and it saves me around £25 a week compared to Tesco. I have a weekly shopping budget of £80 (for the 4 of us) and I regularly underspend and all underspends are divided 50/50, so 50% paid to the mortgage and 50% paid into savings.

lulabelle1

Don't beat yourself up, you are far from a failure and are doing really well.

Bicester - I tend to pop there a bit but thankfully I go when it's not too busy. I went on a Saturday once to meet some friends and was horrified at how busy the place was, it was awful. Never again.

Lois_E

I agree with the others, QBW, you don't sound like a failure to me. Well done on everything you've achieved so far. :T

pavlovs_dog

There are some healthy figures there QBW, and it does seem to get that little bit easier the longer you've been doing it. There's something quite motivational at looking back at early OP stats and seeing how far you've come.

something else that always gives me a boost is working out what % of my capital repayment that year was thanks to OPs. That's when I think you really notice the difference as a long hauler, especially when your day to day OPs feel like a drop in the ocean. These are only ballpark figures as we won't get the 2012 statement until Feb 2013, but we've reduced our capital balance by about £5k this year, over £2k of which has been OPs. It might not seem like the odd few quid each month makes a difference, but when you see it like that it puts a different spin on things.