happyfutures quest for just that!

happyfuture

Hi everybody :wave:

Have been lurking here for a couple of weeks, loving these diaries so have decided to start my own wee diary to begin on the road to mortgage freeness! I was previously on the DFW forum but as we have paid off all our credit card debt I'm coming over here

Some background.....

In 30's, married to wonderful DH, 2 stepkids, 2 cats. Wanting to add to our family very soon Just sold our place and at my mum's until our new house is built, hopefully getting a date in July.

I really want to start appreciating the smaller things in life. Had a bit of a LBM today when walking through park to get train home after a wedding yesterday. Saw so many people out enjoying the sunshine with their families and friends. We have an amazing life, I really can't complain at all but I want to start appreciating it more. That means focusing on whats important, us, our family and friends. We spend too much time and effort doing things that we don't actually get much enjoyment out of e.g. shopping, staying longer at work, watching TV etc. I want to focus more on the little things, playing football with DSS, going for walks, having a picnic etc. Things that don't cost much but mean so much more. Life is just too short!

Money situation at the moment.....

Will be taking out a mortgage for £105k over 25 years with Nationwide and I really want to OP as much as possible! Paid off our credit card debt by getting a bigger mortgage (only way bank would give me mortage based on my income alone, hubby has bad credit rating) so we are (I say we, mostly me!) are really wanting to OP and get rid of our new mortgage ASAP. We don't have any other debt apart from car finance. Keeping money back from mortgage as well to fund new purchases for our house, a baby fund and replace some of our savings that we have used to buy house.

Really looking forward to having somewhere to jot down our progress and to read through how everybody else is doing. I find it so inspiring to read through others diaries.

So how is this grand plan gonna work?.....

1. Keep a track of spending

We are both terrible at spending and buying unnecessary things. We have got better but there is so much room for improvement. Tracking where we are at will definitely help me feel more at ease with our spending.

2. Make as much money as possible to overpay

Quidco, ebay, overtime at work (rare) work bank holidays, interest from savings, surveys. Shall be checking out the Up your income page!

3. Budget and save money!

I have never budgeted properly, aim is when we move to get a handle on budgeting to make our money stretch further.

If anybody has any spreadsheets that they would be willing to share I would be very appreciative. Have never used spreadsheets, find them a little daunting but think it could really help me in tracking our spending and getting a grip on it all!

Phew! Never meant to write that much Thank you for making it to the end of my ramblings :rotfl:

Right, here we go! Money saving lifestyle full speed ahead!

Mortgage freeness, here we come.............

Happyfuture
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happyfuture

Ok, tomorrows plan of attack! Some things that I will be doing to support money saving lifestyle.....

1. Take lunch to work including water- this will help me on my other mission which is to lose weight! Wanting to get healthy for starting a family
2. Transfer quidco payment into savings account
3. Take dress back to shop- ripped after wearing for 1 hr so want money back!
4. Look at reductions section to see what bargains can be found for dinner
5. Investigate overpayment options on new mortgage
6. No smoking. Tomorrow is the day of stopping! I've done it before, actually had stopped for 6 years before starting again recently :mad: Money and family is far more important so no cigarettes for me! DH will be pleased, he hates it!

That should keep me busy!

Happy future
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fothers365

Good luck with your journey!

I have started recently and have also become a bit of a spreadsheet addict too. I got a couple of basic books from the library and got the hang of it really quickly.

Financialbliss has a great post helping you to build your own mortgage spreadsheet which works out all your daily and monthly interest so I made that. I added extra sheets to add on monthly overpayments that automatically update the front sheet. I have a daily balance tracking page which I update from the nationwide website every day and lots of graphs here and there.

I have also started spending trackers in a separate file- one for each month split into various categories and a graph page which shows how much is spent on each category every month for comparison.

I also started a meter reading workbook keeping track of the readings with various graphs. We have solar panels so that is quite interesting and gives me an idea of what payment we will get back.

It is very addictive:o and I knew nothing about spreadsheets a year ago. I use googledocs rather than excel as my little netbook doesn't have office. It was excel library books though and also you can normally find the answer on how to do any formula or fancy thing you like on google.

We have cut back on the day trips out and now do a lot more of the things you suggest- walks in the peak district with picnics and flasks of coffee and hot choc. Our kids are just very little and more than happy sitting on a picnic rug surrounded by sheep:)

happyfuture

And I'm back! After all the best laid plans, I came down with a really heavy cold on Monday and have been laid up in bed since then! Achieved nothing this week :rotfl: Although have lost a couple of lbs so all is not lost

Been off sick for the last 2 days and am day off today. Feeling much better, so glad I won't be spending another day in bed! Although I have been reading MFW's diaries whilst in bed so maybe this counts as attempts to become MF?!

Today's MFW plans are.....

1. Return dresses-take a walk into town to return loads of dresses that I bought online for a wedding as didn't have time to go into shops! Lots of money back into account
2. Investigate overpayments on mortgage
3. Squirrel some money away into OP fund by looking at online banking-also move around any money for gifts, car etc
4. Do bzzagent work, love the free stuff!
5. Sell extra ticket that I have to concert next week somehow....

Here's to a good day :beer: Had to laugh this morning when I said to DH about OP mortgage, his reply was "yeah but everybody has a mortgage" Think I have a lot of work to do there :rotfl:

Happyfuture
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happyfuture

fothers365 wrote: »

Good luck with your journey!

I have started recently and have also become a bit of a spreadsheet addict too. I got a couple of basic books from the library and got the hang of it really quickly.

Financialbliss has a great post helping you to build your own mortgage spreadsheet which works out all your daily and monthly interest so I made that. I added extra sheets to add on monthly overpayments that automatically update the front sheet. I have a daily balance tracking page which I update from the nationwide website every day and lots of graphs here and there.

I have also started spending trackers in a separate file- one for each month split into various categories and a graph page which shows how much is spent on each category every month for comparison.

I also started a meter reading workbook keeping track of the readings with various graphs. We have solar panels so that is quite interesting and gives me an idea of what payment we will get back.

It is very addictive:o and I knew nothing about spreadsheets a year ago. I use googledocs rather than excel as my little netbook doesn't have office. It was excel library books though and also you can normally find the answer on how to do any formula or fancy thing you like on google.

We have cut back on the day trips out and now do a lot more of the things you suggest- walks in the peak district with picnics and flasks of coffee and hot choc. Our kids are just very little and more than happy sitting on a picnic rug surrounded by sheep:)

Wow thanks for the great advice on spreadsheets! I'm not quite so scared now Have briefly investigated googledocs and it looks great! Cheers too for highlighting Financialbliss' post on spreadsheets. Going to investigate the local library and see what I can find. Appreciate your help :beer:

Happyfuture
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happyfuture

So today has been more productive than the last 3!

[STRIKE]
1. Return dresses-take a walk into town to return loads of dresses that I bought online for a wedding as didn't have time to go into shops! Lots of money back into account [/STRIKE] Done! Lady in shop really not best pleased at all the returns but I did apologise!
[STRIKE] 2. Investigate overpayments on mortgage [/STRIKE] Done! Now to make sense of it all....
[STRIKE] 3. Squirrel some money away into OP fund by looking at online banking-also move around any money for gifts, car etc [/STRIKE] Done!
[STRIKE] 4. Do bzzagent work, love the free stuff! [/STRIKE] Done!
5. Sell extra ticket that I have to concert next week somehow.... not done Struggling to get rid on the gummy tree, fleabay took my listing down. Any ideas people?

Also made 45p by checking in to shops whilst taking dresses back so that will be going towards the OP fund, all the pennies make the pounds!

I sent off for a cash 4 gold pack from Tesco too, sure I've got old jewellery in the loft here at my mums so will be looking that out!

Been shopping with mum and bought some stuff for lunches so will be trying to take them in with me- am rubbish at it but will really try

Hope all you MFW's are having fun hammering down your mortgages

Happyfuture
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fothers365

For the selling gold thing have you looked at the gold comparison site? I know there is a comparison site of the companies for rates then go via quidco for the best one and get extra cash back. We did that and got some extra money.

I have something to take back too- must remember today:)

Not sure about the tickets. Could you stick something on your facebook page if you use it and see whether anyone is interested or maybe preloved?

newgirly

Hi happy future, welcome to h mfw board sounds like you have a good few ideas about oping, I am sure you will train your dh in time to be a mfw it just takes a little patience

happyfuture

fothers365 wrote: »

For the selling gold thing have you looked at the gold comparison site? I know there is a comparison site of the companies for rates then go via quidco for the best one and get extra cash back. We did that and got some extra money.

I have something to take back too- must remember today:)

Not sure about the tickets. Could you stick something on your facebook page if you use it and see whether anyone is interested or maybe preloved?

Oooo didn't know that existed! Shall have a nosy and see what I can find out. Thanks for that :T

One of my friends is now wanting to come to concert so ticket is sold! Thankfully, was beginning to panic that I would be left with it :eek: Is looking like another one of my friends will pull out and she hasn't paid for her ticket yet that I paid for :mad: She can be a bit flaky but she might come through, have texted her today and waiting on reply....

Happyfuture
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happyfuture

newgirly wrote: »

Hi happy future, welcome to h mfw board sounds like you have a good few ideas about oping, I am sure you will train your dh in time to be a mfw it just takes a little patience

Thanks for the welcome :beer: Have started reading your diary, wow! You have done so well Shall continue reading (lots of inspiring pages to get through!)

Happyfuture
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happyfuture

Been a busy little bee this morning! Have been looking at the :money: budget planner, what a brilliant tool for budgeting (an alien concept to me!) Have been texting DH non stop with some of the results it is giving me. Have been doing lots of different scenarios

Our circumstances have recently changed when we moved to my mums. We no longer have debt :j so feels like we have loads more money!!! Our bills will all be changing as well when we move to our new place next month so have accounted for that and still have a great excess! Just need to direct these pennies to good use....

Basically we will have about £900 left after everything is paid, minus any 'extras' That is with bills, car payment, child maintenance, food, diesel and money aside for gifts all accounted for. Amazing!!!

The reality is that it will be a little less per month as we get paid 4 weekly and all bills are monthly but it works out over the year. I haven't put anything in for entertainment (one of our biggest spend areas!) I really want to set ourselves a budget here. Just don't know what is reasonable? Any ideas?

Have also looked at the potential of me being off on maternity leave at some point in the future. Have done some basic calculations and looks like we would be fine money wise if I was but overpayments might need to take a drop but that's ok. Just want to make as many as possible now!

DH is coming onboard slowly, was saying to him last night 'can you imagine not having a mortgage?' He was thinking about it and you could see his mind ticking over with all the things he would buy!!!

We now need to work out what I've maybe missed (doing together later tonight) and what budget for entertainment then.... how much regular OP to mortgage :j

Today's plan...

1. [STRIKE]Look at budget [/STRIKE] Done! Now to tweak it...
2. Low spend day- only need dinner at work (should be taking in but difficult to cook at my mums although do need to be better!)
3. Print off maternity policy at work and investigate options
4. Do my first Tilly tidy, love that phrase
5. Take back ripped dress to shop for refund

Phew! First day back at work after being sick earlier in week so will be a busy one. Working early tomorrow then we are getting DSS and DSD tomorrow evening. Hardly see DSD, she lives 170 miles away but when we do see her it's great so going to enjoy that. DSS will be as high as a kite, he loves seeing his sister

Happyfuture
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