Get to grips with removing this millstone from my neck by October 16

andrea_louise

Hi All!

Am very scared about putting this info online, but excited too!

Mortgage taken out in 1996 (may) for £46,000

Had to remortgage by another £8,000 in 2000 to buy out my ex's share. Current interest rate 2.34% (it's base rate plus 0.34 with a 2% tracker floor for the lifetime of the mortgage)

In 2006 I started with major health problems, I was off work for 9 months. The millstone mortgage (as it is now known) became a greater drain on my lesser finances.

Thanks to my amazing Dad, who helped me out no end. I survived!
Come 2007 further spinal surgery was required, and the whole lesser finances experience started again.:(

I thought I was cute, by taking out mppi, but that was rejected as the condition was diagnosed, the day the mppi came into force, even though it was weeks before that I had signed the paperwork! :mad:
Fos upheld avivas decision.

Anyway progress +4 years of discovering MSE and the lovely MSE'ers, Quidco, Topcashback, the competitions board, Grabbits and eBay, and we have a person who has learned the greatest gift of all. How to be frugal, and still live well.

My ill health retirement pension finally paid out last summer, first job of the mega payday (there was 4 years back pay) was to pay my amazing Dad back, second job of the day was to pick up a car that I could get into and out of! Prior to this I had a 2007 Toyota yaris multi mode diesel, but after 2 short journeys in it, I honestly couldn't stand up straight! So I went very un MSE and picked up a used Mercedes ML :T I love it, because I now have independence! (I don't love it on diesel fill up days, but that's only every 8-10 weeks).

I am still sticking to a budget, although £20 more per week than I had pre summer 12. And I am throwing every spare penny at savings to pay off the mortgage.

mortgage payment £247.07, standing order for overpayment £200 PCM (over 75% of the total payment, that sounds good doesn't it?)

First direct regular saver @ 8% £250 PCM

Set up a Santander 123 current account, £1000 PCM goes in there for bills, varies, but generally circa £550 so the remainder and the interest is adding to the potential overpayment. Current balance is slightly over £6,000 (3% interest paid monthly)

I know I would be marginally better off by putting the £200 overpayment into the 123 account, but it's a token payment, to drive the saving for my planned October big over payment!

Why October??? Because I subscribed to LilyP's diary in November, which is when I started the overpayments.

Come on Andi-Lou, lets kick this mortgage into touch!:D :money:

lilyp

Yay you did it! Your goal is so achievable and well deserved too.

I think you are a few years ahead of me with MSE knowledge. You have taught me so much already and I cant wait to read your diary and pick up tip.

Well done on getting started! :beer:

andrea_louise

lilyp wrote: »

Yay you did it! Your goal is so achievable and well deserved too.

I think you are a few years ahead of me with MSE knowledge. You have taught me so much already and I cant wait to read your diary and pick up tip.

Well done on getting started! :beer:

Thank you Lily for being my inspiration to start on this journey. It's not going to be easy, but it will be worth it in the end! :T

andrea_louise

Car was in the garage this morning for them to look at an oil leak, and sort out the high tickover. Oil leak apparently can't be done under warranty, but the throttle cable can. I told the main dealer to leave the oil leak (I have called the warranty company this afternoon - and it is only covered under the warranty if the engine, gearbox or something else needs to be taken out to effect repair???? I plan to go in, and play dumb (that should be easy enough) and ask for a quotation for the work... And whether the engine would need to come out, to repair the sump seal?

A no spend day!

On the plus side, I counted the shrapnel jar, £42 bagged up, and ready to take to the post office.
And got £18.72 confirmed in topcashback, so that is an overpayment next Friday of £250.00 minimum (that's 100% overpayment in February -possibly even more)

I joined a selling site on Facebook! Yesterday afternoon, I advertised some pine drawers, just a 5 drawer unit (which was initially from B&Q about 5 years ago) paid £30 for it in the sale. I do digress, I advertised them for £25, a lady messaged me just after putting the picture up, and she arranged to collect this afternoon. Then she advertised a 3 drawer mahogany bow fronted drawer unit (for £25 - pick up last night) so I asked if we could do a swap? I am absolutely delighted with my freebie item! It even has velvet lining in the drawers! (Wow, I have never owned such an elegant piece of furniture) FOR SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...

I contacted a local antiques dealer, emailed him photographs of the drawers (and he has offered me £150 for them, he is coming to look check abd collect tomorrow) If all goes well, that £150 will be an extra bonus for the Santander account this month!

How I wish every day could be like today (without the car in the garage)

gallygirl

andrea_louise wrote: »

(Wow, I have never owned such an elegant piece of furniture) FOR SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...

:rotfl: Nice one, well done :T.

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Hiya, what a fantastic bit of buying and selling :T

Good luck on your journey, Tilly x x

lilyp

Goodness what a lucky day! I wouldn't have had the heart to part with the drawers. They sound gorgeous!

andrea_louise

Hehe Lily,

A girl after my own heart! All my bedroom furniture is white, the dressing room furniture is white and Nathan's Room has white fitted wardrobes, so although it is luscious it needs to go,

Planned on a nsd today, but then I remembered, it's budget day tomorrow. I have a 5p off a litre voucher for tesco fuel, so when I collect my car from the dealer, I best fill it up. The 5p off a litre should save me £8 or so!

We are having scotch broth for tea, I cooked a ham joint 2 weeks ago, and after ham and chips, ham egg and chips, ham and beetroot sandwiches, I soaked some pearl barley, red lentils etc and popped the leftovers in a broth and put it in the freezer! Am going to enjoy that with some cheese and sundried tomato home made bread!

gallygirl

andrea_louise wrote: »

Planned on a nsd today, but then I remembered, it's budget day tomorrow.

:doh:Thanks for the reminder .

andrea_louise

Mark (The Antiques Dealer) has collected the chest of Drawers, I only got £125 as there was a scratch on the top that needed french polishing. But every little helps!!!

Didnt get to pick the car up until almost 6pm, so did not get filled up with diesel, never mind, there is always the morning. But on the plus side, it was a NSD!

Just remembered I have a mystery shopping payment of £83.15 due next week.

I will put £60 towards the 123 top up, and Nathan and I will have a trip to the Archers ice cream parlour on Saturday. An expense, but justified because, he hasnt been very well. All change from the trip, will go into the shrapnel jar.

So far this month, we have a £250 OP on the mortgage, and a £160 extra top up on the 123 Account. Yay.

andrea_louise

Good day yesterday, £4.24 spend in sainsburys (and didn't fill the car up with diesel) worse day today (cod and chips twice from Barnacle Bills) but on the plus side, used vouchers, so it was only a £7 spend. And they were divine.
Reserve fuel light is on in the car, so best fill up tomorrow :-( got a 5p off a litre voucher for tesco (so that will save me £8 or so) might call into Mr T's too and see if I can find any of the £10.99/kilo lamb (which is incorrectly priced, so with the double the difference they will pay me to take it away!) ;-)