Mortgage Free Wannabe - My Diary

v1ckyt

Well, nearly a year since last post, and not sure I should stay in the mortgage free wannabee section technically, as now mortgage free. But only by way to paying last of mortgage off by stoozing it to balance transfer credit cards, as it reached a point whereby the fee for doing that, was less than the interest rate on the mortgage. So technically mortgage free, but have largeish credit card balances which are now the focus of paying off. As these balances are in effect the mortgage I will leave my diary here for now. 

So current plan is pay off £795 pr month from the stoozes, have them gone in about two years, then focus on building savings up pre-retirement.

I have notionally set a retirement date if 31st August 2030, when I will be 57 and a half. Its a stretching target, and I may not be able to fully retire at that point, but it doesn't hurt to have a goal. First stop though is to be stooze free.

Cars full of diesel, cupboards, fridge and freezer full from Christmas leftovers, so hoping for a low spend January to kick start the year. 

Happy New year to everyone when it arrives. 


 

v1ckyt

Another year and a bit later and my overall WIOTW figure has this month has finally gone sub £20k. 

Money news since last post; I have set up salary sacrifice AVCs in hope of building pension pot, whilst also paying off the stoozes. Paid £10k off of the stoozes in past year, so just slightly over my £795 per month aim. 

Smallish stooze will be gone next month, then we have a couple of bigger ones we will need to re-stooze in May and August, but am still getting good offers for doing this. Plan is still to have them gone as soon as possible, whilst topping up pensions, and then save up for retirement and house spends. 

We are quite good at doing the budget and low spending bits, not so good though at income generation. I may need to look at things like Vinted and eBay a bit more I think. I tend to be impatient when decide I am no longer keeping things, and want them gone quickly, so off to the chazza they go. Noble, but not very wise. Perhaps I need to try to list things for a bit, then chazza them if no takers. 

Fridge, freezer and cupboards all stocked. January last year was the least spendy month of 2024, so am hoping to replicate that this month.