I just started my MF journey!

castlelough

Hi EchoDelta well done on your progress!

You are going really well! :j
I like the idea of overpaying by an entire month at a time. Easier to make sure that the bank are doing the calculations properly! I will probably set up a holding account like you when we get as far as working towards MFW, and transfer bits and bobs in too and then make maybe quarterly overpayments. I'm pretty sure that the banks here will not be so conducive to OPs etc. There is so much less competition between banks in this country unfortunately. They can do what they want .

EchoDelta

castlelough wrote: »

I like the idea of overpaying by an entire month at a time. Easier to make sure that the bank are doing the calculations properly!

I agree - it's much tidier! Just wish they had said in the first place - it upsets my slightly obsessive nature!!

castlelough wrote: »

I'm pretty sure that the banks here will not be so conducive to OPs etc. There is so much less competition between banks in this country unfortunately. They can do what they want .

Good luck when you get started Castlelough.

cookiemonsie

Hey EchoDelta,

Well done on your fab progress! I've been reading your diary with interest as I'm not only with the same bank but also from Cornwall (though don't live there now unfortunately).

We've only just got a mortgage and I'm already making plans to try and overpay as much as possible with the dream of being MF in 10 years (oh how this forum influences you!:rotfl:). Although I can't make any overpayments until after the 1st January it's useful to know that Santanduur are awkward when it comes to overpayments.

Good luck and I've subscribed to keep up with your journey

EchoDelta

Hi cookiemonsie! Good luck with your 10 year plan. You're so right about this place, hehe!

Now have had letter from Santander and it seems that everyone I have spoken to has not given me the right information. Letter says that overpayments have to be sent by cheque. Um okay. Think I will write them a moany letter on Monday (I'll be in a bad mood then anyway so it will add depth to my complaint ).

And they gave me the wrong info about how much the term has been reduced by - it's a couple of months out. Annoying but it is at least going down so trying not to be too mad!

I'm now convinced that they will have given me the wrong figure for how much it takes to reduce term by a month as well so will check that next week as well.

I know I should do it now but Small is poorly and I've been awake since 3am with her coughing and coughing. Touch wood she seems a bit better now so hoping for an early night tonight. Got some old uni friends down for the weekend too so will need my strength!

Thought I would like to have a specific aim of reducing the term by another 2 months by the end of this year.

Happy weekend everyone, take care.

castlelough

Well done on setting yourself goals EchoDelta - that's a sure way of actually achieving something! Sorry to hear Santander are so inefficient, and hope Small picks up before your friends arrive. Have a great weekend! :-)

EchoDelta

Thanks Castlelough

Lovely weekend (shame about the rain though - I miss the sunshine)

Small much better, no coughing last night :T and she is being so sweet with friends' little boy. Heart melting!

And from a mfw point of view it's been a pretty frugal weekend. Chippy tea and then home cooking (not by me, am not a domestic goddess by a long shot!). Soft play for the children yesterday and probably a national trust place today. I have spent less than budgeted so chucking £20 into over payment account.

Hope that you had a good weekend too.

EchoDelta

I started 2013 with the resolution that it was going to be "the year of frugality" and I've done pretty well. Definitely made some new long term habits and loving the mfw thing and seeing how much we can reduce the term by etc.

It has changed me though - and destroyed my ability to enjoy a trip to the shops!!

On Sunday afternoon we decided to go into nearest city to get Small some new clothes as she is shooting up and has grown out of pretty much all her clothes. First time we've been shopping like that in ages. I found it really busy (even though Mr Delta said it wasn't at all) and there was just So Much Stuff!

We had a drink and a cake in a chain coffee shop which was lovely but so expensive and I can't believe we used to do that most weeks :eek:

The good thing was that we got Small completely kitted out for £40 and a tenner of that was a voucher from our energy supplier.

I really never thought I would go off shopping! :rotfl:

EchoDelta

Sent complaint letter to Santander about the inaccurate information so will see what we get back from them. Not holding my breath though - their post system seems really inefficient - just got a letter from them today dated 14th August referring to an over payment made a week before that! Bless them.....

Just hitting the "week til pay day" financial slump! Got full to bursting fridge, freezer and cupboards and money aside for weekend camping down in Penzance but that's it. Nothing more to overpay this month! So, to scratch my mse itch, I have just sent £50 which we had stashed in a 'holding account' to bank of the in laws.

Hooray for the long weekend!

castlelough

Happy weekend Echo Delta!
The camping sounds lovely - enjoy it!

EchoDelta

We didn't make it to camping. Felt ill all day and night Friday and spent Saturday morning in bed completely wiped out. Couldn't face packing up tent in that shivery /hot /cold state!

So we spent the money we would have spent on campsite on a divine pub tea, saw ils and had lovely free day out at a National Trust place today. Small learnt how to skip stones over water, she was so pleased with herself!

Short week at work this week but soooo much to do. Will get through it by remembering that I have half day on Friday to start the long drive to the Lake District for a week self catering holiday with our best friends. Will be awesome .

Currently tackling laundry mountain so we have some clean clothes to take.