Sundaysgirl's MFW journey - better late than never!

Sundaysgirl · 23 August 2013 at 2:25PM

Sorry, yes - a few people on this board have mentioned this, though I've never come across it myself.

Houe buying is stressful, but oh so worth it - and sounds like a great OP you have planned. From personal experience I would just say make sure you have a decent contingency savings level first as you never know what is going to surface when you buy a house!

Sundaysgirl · 27 August 2013 at 9:09AM

Well I'm not doing too badly - miraculously managed two NSDs over the bank holiday weekend, and a 76p TT today.

I did have to splash out on some bday pressies on Saturday, however these were planned for and I've managed to track £12.17 by using £co.

TV license just bought

but will get £1.46 cashback as I paid by cc

Hols next week, I have all toiletries etc already, just need to get some currency. Should be a reasonably cheap trip, except for pet boarding!

Sundaysgirl · 19 September 2013 at 1:38PM

I'm back from holiday and been playing catch up for the past week. Holiday turned out to be pretty cheap as I took only £230 of currency, with the intention of taking sterling too and converting whilst there if needed... only I forgot to withdraw cash before leaving the UK, and didn't want to incur the charges whilst abroad, so made the currency last for the duration! Didn't feel like I sacrificed anything or scrimped, so very happy with that!

Spends so far this month have been very low, minimal grocery costs and 4/10 days have been NSDs.

Except... I've just booked another (cheap!) mini break for next month. I just like my holidays too darn much!

This weekend will be a bit of a blow out as I have lots planned: drinks with friends, meal with OH, shopping for new work clothes. Planning to find the clothes I want then buy them online through a cashback site to save a little bit more.

Trying not to be too hard on myself, need to have fun now and then otherwise the MFW journey becomes a real chore I guess. I'm hoping my OP target for the year won't slip, £3,050 left to go.

Sundaysgirl · 18 June 2014 at 1:57PM

Gosh it's been a while!

So now that all the excitement of the wedding is over I have more time and money to focus on my MFW journey.

I'm pretty much on track for the year, and my fix ends in September so I'm going to star shopping around in a few weeks' time once I know my annual pay rise. I can OP £2,444 between now and my term end date and think that should be achievable.

However, I'm currently doing lots of home improvements so whilst the OPs are continuing, I'm sacrificing some of my savings to do these. £6k spent to date, about another £3.5k to go I think :eek: but these things are never cheap. On the plus side, houses similar to mine have appreciated by about 50% since I bought under 7 years ago. This is great news, but also panicking me as I was hoping to stay put for a few years and enjoy being MF when the time comes, but now feel that I need to upsize to stay ahead.

Currently looking like MF by Christmas 2017 might be possible at a squeeze, so lots better than originally hoped, but we'll see how it goes!

OP'd £2,250 this month thanks to a bonus. My MFW achievements this month:

- 6 NSDs
- £48.71 earned as a combination of £co, TCB and Santander 123 cashback - all sent to my OP bank account ready to include in next month's OP
- I've (largely) stayed away from the shops - and no toiletries (my weakness!) bought :A

Going to try to do better and update at least weekly!

Sundaysgirl · 20 June 2014 at 9:35AM

Well yesterday was another NSD but not doing quite so well today as I'm travelling for work so breakfast and lunch on the go. I'm usually very good at bringing packed lunches but that wouldn't have worked today so £4.90 for both meals spent.

I'm also meeting my bestie after work for drinks so more spends there, but I rarely get to see her since she lives hundreds of miles away - so I'm marking that up as money well spent investing in an important relationship.

On the plus side, I was planning to treat myself to a mani this weekend but ended up doing it myself last night, saving about £25

Pay day on Wednesday and I'm champing at the bit to make my next OP!

Sundaysgirl · 23 June 2014 at 1:39PM

Some small steps taken this weekend:

- yesterday was a NSD
- treated myself to a takeaway coffee for a long train journey, £2.75 but I had a free voucher...
- £2 MOC used for Mr S shop
- £6.80 £co received
- TT of 24p

Total of £11.79 transferred my my OP bank account ready for my lump sum OP later in the week.

Sundaysgirl · 25 June 2014 at 9:15AM

A NSD yesterday and today I've OP'd £1,100

Sundaysgirl · 30 June 2014 at 2:18PM

So I managed another couple of NSDs since I last updated, thanks to a very busy week at work, taking me to 11/30 for the month. My target for July will be 15, hoping it wo't be a very spendy month.

Pay rise from July, so hoping I can OP an additional £200 pm, will see what the difference is to my net pay later this month and decide then, but plan is to OP the full extra income.

Mortgage ends early September so curretly in the process of renegotiating - fix or tracker? Decisions, decisions!

Sundaysgirl · 16 July 2014 at 1:45PM

Well, I have some good news - my remortgage was approved only 10 days after I applied! I'm moving onto a tracker with no ERC and no OP limits, the rate is much lower than my current fix so povided interest rates don't soar in the next couple of years I'm optimistic that I can clear the mortgage even quicker than originally hoped!

I've managed 6 NSDs so far this month, and a few more expected over the next week, by dint of working SUCH long hours at work - no time for shops/web browsing! On the downside - have decided to redo the bathroom :eek: £££££ Will be paid for from savings though, so hopefully limited impact on OPs.