On our way to a mortgage-free day...

debtfreesomeday

Hi moohound and well done on the debts :j This month is our first real full month of no credit card or loan payments going out and it feels brilliant. I'm just trying really hard to spend as little as possible. I'm finding it very hard to part with money now and have to justify big spends. Now that money is coming directly out of my account and not being put on a credit card, it feels a lot more real!

alfiesmum

Hiya DFSD,

Have enjoyed reading your thread so far. You've a lovely easy, friendly way of writing, I shall enjoy keeping up with how you're doing.

We originally took out a 25 year mortgage, and hoped to pay it off in 10 years like yourself. It became so addictive that we did it in just under 6 years instead! So I just know you'll reach your goal.

This was good to use sometimes: http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/mortgages/mortgage-calculator.aspx
It's in dollar sign, but that doesn't matter calculations are exactly the same. Try playing about with various figures/dates etc, to see what difference your overpayments are making. When you click on 'show amortization table' it tells you month by month for the whole term, what you'll owe/when you'll owe it etc. It's a good motivator!!

Good luck with your journey, I'll be popping in to see how you're doing! x

debtfreesomeday

Hi alfiesmum, thanks for stopping by and for your kind words.

Less than six years? Wow. I am utterly in awe of you! I shall be checking out the link very shortly as it sounds brilliant, thanks so much. It must feel amazing to pay off your mortgage so quickly, a huge well done to you. I do hope we can be even half as successful! X

debtfreesomeday

I've transferred £250 to our ISA/car savings pot tonight, taking the total to £2250. Over quarter of the way to our target now.

We have kindly been given £50 in new home cards this week from generous family members. I feel guilty as both parties need to watch their money for differing reasons, but I am very grateful for their kindness. £20 went towards paying for some groceries tonight, the remaining £30 will be used for petrol or essentials over the next couple of weeks. It saves dipping into the bank account.

Today we have had builders in, doing lots of repairs on our snagging list, so it's been a bit hectic. My parents are staying with us too so my Dad has been doing some electrical and practical jobs for us. My Mum has not been feeling so well, so it's been a bit of a worry today too. (For those of you who haven't read my previous diaries, my Mum has lots of serious health problems and the smallest pain or complaint can often get very serious for her very quickly, so we live on tenterhooks a lot of the time. It's very hard to deal with sometimes).
Anyway, she is now on antibiotics after a trip to our local dr this morning, so fingers crossed things get better for her soon.

Back to money talk; I am building our 'car boot pile'in the garage at the moment and now definitely have enough stuff to do one. (groan). Dad has lent us a foldy table, so we now have no excuses. I shall look into doing one next weekend if the weather is good.
(never have I wanted it to rain on a weekend, more!)...

debtfreesomeday

We splashed out at the weekend and bought a shed/playhouse for the garden. It was something that we needed to buy, but found a good deal, so bought one sooner than we had planned. We have the cash for it, so no credit card spending for us. (technically, it was paid for via the credit card to get the tesco points, but has been paid off straight away).

I cleared the garage out at the weekend and tackled the smallest spare room last night. I found a few more bits for charity/ebay/car boot and managed to find my camera charger, so should be able to get ebaying very soon now.

I have also advertised some baby items on the local FB selling page and via work, so hopefully they will sell soon, clear some space and make some more pennies to go towards the savings.

debtfreesomeday

In a bid to avoid doing a car boot sale, I've spent most of the evening in the garage, photographing stuff for sale! I've listed loads of it on the local FB selling page and have already made £30.50! If it doesn't all sell well, I guess I'll have to give in and do a boot sale...

Lots more to photograph for ebay over the next few days...

yukkibear

I'm the same. Don't want to do a car boot sale, just to avoid myself having to get up really early, so am trying local FB site first. Doing ok on some things, but slowly slowly. Tomorrow I have someone collecting something for £1 :rotfl: still that's £1.39 off the mortgage

debtfreesomeday

Yeah, most of the stuff I've sold on FB tonight has been for between £1 and £5, but have made £40.50 tonight and cleared some space! it all adds up doesn't it. I still have lots more to try and get rid of, am feeling very motivated now, long may it last! I'm up really late tonight (for me, with a child that doesn't sleep well...) so I'm sure all motivation will disappear in a tired blur by the morning! X

debtfreesomeday

Another £45 made this morning from selling a large piece of baby equipment. I'm a bit sad to see it go, my baby is growing up fast, but can't be sentimental where money and space is concerned!

Also had enquiries about another £20 item, so hopefully that will have gone by the end of the week.

debtfreesomeday

Lots more little sales since my last post, mostly via our local FB selling site. We've probably made nearly £200 so far by getting rid of *stuff* we no longer use or can't find a place for. I have a few more people collecting stuff this week and then that will probably be the main bulk of it gone and the garage will be a little clearer!

We have also dipped into the savings a little, to the tune of £120, to buy some more suitable furniture for the lounge. The furniture we moved with us was too big for the slightly smaller lounge and wasn't working, so we have purchased some smaller bits before the old stuff marks the new carpet too much. We shopped around and found a clearance and ex-display furniture showroom where we picked it up at very reasonable prices, so am more than happy with that.