Goodbye Mortgage - the beginning of the end!

lilmissmup

Wow lots going on Becky! Hope the BTLs bring you in the money you want!

Beckyy

Thanks lilmissup! I hope things are going well for you!

I had the pet insurance renewals through for cat and dog. Cat's will be cancelled, I only took it out initially because the Quidco cashback was more than the entire policy.

The dog's has gone up the same as it has done every year, we normally cancel it and take out the same policy again at the old price. It's coming in cheaper this year and should get £60 cashback, however we never had his booster vacs and I'm concerned they might wiggle out of every claim we could make because of that. Not a lot of choice though as it's a necessary evil with his breed being so prone to expensive health problems.

Have been batch cooking lasagne and enjoying it so much. making Jamie Olivers 15min Meals Sweet and Sour tonight. Tomorrow I'm using leftover ingredients for a noodle stir fry with hoi sin sauce, am roasting some duck for OHs and I'm having some posh mushrooms I got reduced today.

Loan offer for remortgage arrived - just need solicitor to tie everything up now!

Lots to get done around the house, as always - it's never ending!

Beckyy

Just had an annoying encounter with the bank...

Logged in online to cancel the pet insurance DDs and it asked me to change my password. Wasn't expecting it but assumed it was because I got it wrong a few times earlier on, changed it and it had to phone me to confirm... but I didn't have a signal so opted to call number and put in code... but got it wrong. Asked to speak to an advisor who told me that because I didn't do telephone banking I had to have a 6 digit code posted to me before I could reset my password and would either have to go into branch with ID or wait for it as I coldn't pass security without it. Was not very happy as it's online banking, not telephone. Anyhow, got off the phone feeling a little bit ruffled and managed to call the automated number back and put it all in correctly - why could he not tell me to do that!?

Cancelled DDs. Cancelled dog's old policy and took out a new one for slightly less and £60 Quidco cashback.

ETA:
Just checked the mortgage balance: £97,025.68 so will likely be into the next thousand down on the next OP

Beckyy

Had the quote in for changing our open fire to a stove. With everything it's likely to be just under £4,000. It will heat our radiators and hot water though so I think we'll go for it as long as everthing completes okay with the remortgage.

Wondering if we shoud try and stick to a 60% LTV on our next BTL, that will likely mean waiting a bit longer to save some more for it...

Quidco Cashback has tracked from pet insurance. Hopefully cashback from LL Insurance will come through soon as the policy was paid in full. Should hopefully get my payslip soon so I can work out how much we can start saving/OPing this month

Making a baked chicken curry tonight (quorn & veg for me) from River Cottage everyday with homemade Naan bread and pilau rice - yum!

pixiedust09

Doing well with the batch cooking beckyy. i did a load the middle of last month but need to do another lot now. You've inspired my to check out quidco, as my car insurance is up for renewel, so I'll see how much i can save.

MallyGirl

I am about to cancel cat insurance too. She has fits when put in a box to take to the vet - never any other time - so I would need to pay for a home visit for every jab at £150 a time. Add that to £12 pcm for the insurance itself and I think we would be better to self insure i.e. just pay out if something happens. We are keeping the dog insurance though as she is large and every little thing at the vet costs a bomb as a result - got cashback for switching on that.

Beckyy

I agree - it isn't worth it for smaller pets providing you're happy to pay for anything. Sometimes the excess would be just as much as the actual fees anyway for some policies!

Pixiedust - I hope you find a good deal! quidco is definitely worth joining, my total cashback is just nearing the £1000 mark and I'm just a casual user.

I had to get a new tyre yesterday and have my wheels realigned, so that was £100 for both - taken out of car account.

I've finished work for the day now, this afternoon I have to:

- Walk dog - done
- Make last lasagne - done
- Hoover downstairs - done
- Hoover stairs/upstairs - done
- Clean out littertray - done
- Wash dog's bed cover - done
- Make dinner (Steak, HM chips and broccoli tonight, & veggie option) - done
- File/tidy the pile of letters that's appeared on the table - sort of done
- Tackle the ironing

Beckyy

Today wasn't quite as productive as yesterday, didn't get as much done around the house, but had a busier morning at work.

Reward points are building up for various surverys again, think they'll all be redeemable at the same time!

Hoping my payslip will appear tomorrow as I'm desperate to see our savings start to go up. I ought to do a new SOA too as I don't really have an up to date one anymore. Unsuprisngly there never seems to be as much left over at the end of the month as there is on paper!

Beckyy

My time on the RM survey panel is just about to finish, have loads of stamps to keep up going and will likel do it again if I get the opportunity. I didn't enjo it so much at the beginning but got into the swing of it more as it went on.

We've put a deposit down on a car for OH and should pick it up this week. It's definitely a treat for him and he'll need to keep it for a few years, but we have been saying that we would trade his car in for some time now so it's worked out about right.

Our remortgage should be complete this week and it's also payday soon so I'm going to rebudget and start from scratch as it's all gone to pot this monthw ith havign so many one off expenses and things to pay for. I've got a really busy week at work so hopefully I'll feel te benefit of it next payday!

Beckyy

I managed to register with an NHS dentist today! They're the same one as my MIL goes to and she likes them so that's great. The only problem was they wouldn't let me register OH. They said he'd have to go in himself, and trying to get him to will be like pulling teeth in itself. I'll try and take him in after work tomorrow but have my doubts he'll go!!