Goodbye Mortgage - the beginning of the end!

Beckyy

We're still having flood issues here and more water got into BTL yesterday... just a few days after it was deemed dry. It doesn't seem enough to warrant drying equipment again and is drying out already. Really starting to question whether it's worth our while, for the few thousand we make from it there's so much stress involved at the moment, and we still have to look for a new tenant after it all (if it ever ends!!).

If any further water gets in or causes damage we have to make a separate claim for drying equipment etc., rather than just getting back in as part of the current job, that means we would need to pay another £200 excess.

Intending to get it valued after the work and see if there's a hope in hell that we might be able to sell, if it would only be a small hit and the ERC then I might be sorely tempted in all honesty. Maybe I'm just thinking that way because I'm so exhausted with it all, filling sandbags til late at night and getting in a blind panic every time the rain starts to pelt down. Hopefully the council will follow through with a solution to the problem but until then I feel like I've had enough of it all!

Also, I managed to drop and smash my mobile while filling sandbags so I had to buy a new one straight away for work use - an Argos job so another expense.

Meal planning has gone to pot, was a takeaway last night and no packed lunch for OH. House is a mess and there's more washing in the laundry basket than the wardrobe... oh dear!

Will try and get myself together tomorrow!!

Goldiegirl

How frustrating about the house.

I can understand why you feel that enough is enough, it sounds very stressful.

Hope you get some sort of resolution in the not too distant future.

gallygirl

Oh dear, what a pain, hope it dries quickly.

lilmissmup

Sorry things are still so up in the air. The stress would do my head in.
Well done on making an overpayment though.

Beckyy

Meal planning is back on track, though food budget is being stretech already this month with trying to use more organic foods again. I keep trying, and failing because local quality isn't great, but here's hoping this time might work out better.

I've started Christmas Shopping (shhh!!). Only bought a couple of small things so far but feels like an achievement to have started in October!

Still no changes in the OP front with the BTL uncertainty just now, hoping to make one at the end of the month though.

I ordered fibre optic broadband yesterday. Our supplier was offering their highest speed for £3 more than we are paying now for standard broadband, and we could really do with the boost being rural so we've gone with it. Just have to wait for an engineer to come and upgrade our master socket before it can go live.

Beckyy

Made a £94 OP today.

I've had to cut back on what we OP/save until the flooding work is sorted, insurance dealt with, and I know our tax bill. Hopefully we will still be able to reach out target for the year, despite being behind at the moment.

I've been a while since I've posted, been quite busy and haven't had much MSE-ness doing on with the BTL to sort out.

Christmas shopping is going reasonably wel. We don't really have a huge amount to get, just a couple of relatives who are a little awkward to buy for that might be more difficult.

I've seen there's a tariff in the big energy switch which works out a little bit cheaper for us, about £5 a month but better than nothing. We have a £5 exit fee from current tariff to switch now, but seems worth it so will look into that at the weekend.

lilmissmup

Hope the BTL problems get sorted soon hun x

lilmissmup

Hiya!!!!

Hope all is well with you and that your house is sorted now?

My life is finally calming down so hoping to get on here more often!

Beckyy

So chuffed to see you back lilmissup! Will head over to your diary today

The BTL is still not sorted. At the moment we're waiting for the reinstatement work to be approved. Fingers crossed it will all be over with soon as it's been going on for months.

I've just made an OP of £450, some of it was from savings because I didn't want to leave our 2014 target a couple of hundreds pounds off. I've been thinking about a 2015 target but it's hard to work out as our fix ends in a few months and hopefully we will be able to remortgage at a much better rate, so OP a lot more but there's no guarantee we'd get the mortgage we wanted as we've both been having work changes at the moment. I've started a new job, temporarily, which is a slight pay rise but a lot more hours to fit in. Fingers crossed it will mean I can OP more (as I'll have less time to spend it anyway!!)

We're all sorted for Christmas, we used the money we'd been putting away over the year so it worked out well and we didn't really notice the cost much so will definitely be doing the same for next year. Though I found it hard ot stick to a budget for some people, especially if there was an 'ideal' gift which was £5 or £10 more, and it all adds up!

It's been ages since I've posted, though I'm determined to do better next year and will be working out a new target to aim for. There are also some home improvements we'd like to carry on doing. We haven't met our 2014 savings target, we were a long way off, but I'll think about making one for next year - depends on the remortgage etc.

:xmastree: :xmassmile: :rudolf: Merry Christmas! :rudolf: :xmassmile: :xmastree:

Beckyy

December turned out to be hideously expensive. Between Christmas, going to visit family, and both spending more time at home (therefore online, therefore able to shop online :eek:) we have spent far more than we really should have meaning there's no spare money aside form the bills etc. left. Infact, I've already had to dip into savings for some purchases OH made...

I've OPd 2x£5 rewards that came through today, however there probably won't be another OP until the very end of the month, if at all.

The plan is to try and eat much more fruit and veg, so far so good, but it's costing a lot! Especially when trying to look for organic options if possible. We have a nutribullet on the way courtesy of our survey vouchers and I made a nice batch of sweet potato soup today.

Happy new year everyone! :T