Aspirations of Frugality and Fun on the Road to Mortgage Freedom

Alchemilla

Sounds like Mr Dedicated needs incentivising!

DedicatedDFW

So another disturbed nights sleep last night - i thought of going to bed about 9.30pm but knew i was too awake and would neither sleep or rest. I decided to go to bed quite late so that i'd be tired enough to sleep - i did get to sleep quite quickly so that bit worked but i woke up several times again. I am currently decluttering an eye cream - and i really need it at the mo! :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I achieved quite alot under the stairs yesterday. Some of it was quick as it was my Mr's or tools as we have no shed to stash these in at the mo. Some of the next bits will be a bit slower as i have folders of paperwork and will check all the papers are needed etc. But i am pleased that what i have done is keep only what is needed and that it is all tidy I can't do any more just now as my Mr has put all his work stuff in front of the door - too heavy for me to move :cool:

I have not been up long having had little sleep i had a rest in bed this morning which was lovely and much needed But i have lifted tomorrows tea out of the freezer got screened out of several surveys checked bay of e :cool: and have just popped croissantsin the oven

That reminds me, yesterday when i did all the re-lists i went through and revised the price of the items - these are items that have been listed several times and i am happy to let them go for a lower price - the start price is still more than i would get on the carboot. The things i would happily keep i've not changed the price on

DedicatedDFW

Alchemilla wrote: »

Sounds like Mr Dedicated needs incentivising!

:eek: :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Ellidee

Sounds more like Mr D needs a kick up the bahookie !

Karmacat

Good grief thats a long list :rotfl: with an awful lot of crossings out :j:j:j

Sorry the sleep's still a problem - I find it tricky myself to be honest - I do find its better if I get to bed early enough, and move around enough during the day - hanging about on the laptop doesn't work

DedicatedDFW

Ellidee wrote: »

Sounds more like Mr D needs a kick up the bahookie !

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

DedicatedDFW

Thanks for the support all

KC - you are right - this last week or so i have been toying with reduced internet useage - won't save pennies but i think its good to get away from the comp on occasion I will implement this from tomorrow as i am still feeling pretty tired out and have been having a nice tome catching up on diaries and being inspired and motivated again :T

Next part is the motivation and a possible small part of the reason for lack of sleep.

Ok, i say a small part because it is how other things impact on that and they are the bigger part. The bigger part is my lack of income and money. In the next couple of months i will be spending the majority of time i spend studying looking for a new and better paid job i look a little bit now but only if a job came up in a good company and good location for me is all After may i will be committed to actively seeking that new job and better income

The small part is the mortgage overpayments and home maintenance / improvements - small as it is really the income that will have the biggest impact on this. I have been frustrated this last few months at the lower payments i've made and how my extra income is all going on essential bills which my income doesn't cover (insurance, car repairs, car insurance, significant birthdays etc.). I am also coming to the end of decluttering and this means i will lose the extra bay of e income i have been generating.

To this end i have committed to starting MB after may also = extra income

By Tuesday i will do a true SOA a' la p&f - taking into account all the things that come up that i don't budget for now.

This will give me a good idea as to what i am able to do with a better income so motivational and also [STRIKE]if[/STRIKE] when i get a new job the money won't be frittered and i also won't need to worry about working out a whole new soa it will just be income and possible travel costs that will change - and maybe a 1 off work outfits purchase as where i work is really quite casual :cool:

I will also be dusting off my ideas of where money will come from for mortgage overpayments and update this :T All of this - even talking about it now - is making me feel much more positive about things

Karmacat

DedicatedDFW wrote: »

KC - you are right - this last week or so i have been toying with reduced internet useage - won't save pennies but i think its good to get away from the comp on occasion I will implement this from tomorrow as i am still feeling pretty tired out and have been having a nice tome catching up on diaries and being inspired and motivated again :T

Eye focus and brain activity are the reasons to get away from it for me, tbh.

Next part is the motivation and a possible small part of the reason for lack of sleep.

Ok, i say a small part because it is how other things impact on that and they are the bigger part. The bigger part is my lack of income and money.

I'm right there with you, sadly - not on the lack of sleep, actually, but on trying to focus on earning more.

To this end i have committed to starting MB after may also = extra income

:j:j:j

A work colleague was explaining how they will have paid their mortgage off in the next 7 years. This will be at the end of the 'usual' 25 year term so no overpayments made and they will be in their 60's then. They do have a much lower interest rate than me though and having been in the same house for such a long time paid a lot less than i did for the property. I know they are excited about this but i don't find them saying things like 'can you imagine if you opened your statement and had paid off £6000 in a year isn't it a shame that you can't' etc. not very helpful. I don't discuss the specifics of my mortgage and have not said that i do overpay simply that i am on a higher interest rate. I am hoping this week they will stop with these 'motivational' comments. The thing is though, in a wierd way i have been a bit motivated by this as i am determined to have paid my mortgage off before then - so alot less than a 25 years mortgage

:eek: Fancy them saying that to you!

At the same time my friend has been popping round an as much as she is lovely she can't seem to stop herself telling me how 'loaded' she is. How she has £100's of pounds spare each month, how low their mortgage is, how she is glad they bought when they did and not when i did :eek: how she loves buying anything she wants and how £1000 isn't alot of money :eek: She is a really nice, friendly, chatty person. I just respond with how i am pleased for her and how even 1 extra car journey can push me over on what i can afford in the month. Again i will use this to motivate myself to not spending frivoulously and clearing the mortgage as quickly as i can. I may sound a bit jealous but its not that at all - i just think people who haven't struggled financially really do not appreciate how difficult things are. This is the friend who when i was made redundant did not see how the recession was affecting anyone :eek:

A lot of people aren't terribly self aware, especially around money. But even around other things, I had an example of it today - the friend I'm going to see this evening is out for the day at the Ideal Home Show, and she'll be back after our evening is supposed to start, so she was warning me to come along maybe 30 mins later "and if I'm not there, just wait outside".

:eek::eek::eek: I don't have a car, I'm skint, I'm already paying for a train fare and a bottle of wine, there's no pub or cafe to wait in (its way out in the sticks, and I don't want to spend money like that just to sit somewhere). Rather than going 30 mins later, I'll go an hour later. If she doesn't like it, she can stick it - she should have got back earlier!

I do of course 'wish' i was on the same income i was on before as things woudbe alot easier and overpayments much more significant but i do spend my money a bit more wisely now (i was pretty good anyway) and when my income goes up i will continue to do so There will just be the spare money for an odd meal out etc which will also be budgeted for

As do I - if I was on the same income as 2003 or so, I'd be doing really, really well on the savings for the pension thing

It is what it is. We have to find other ways of making ends meet. We'll get there :kisses3:

in_need_of_direction

Do you not think that if you had maintained your income as was, money would still be evaporating? I'm not saying being skint is good but I learnt quite a few things that I would have remained oblivious to and not just about cash

edinburgher

I'd also like to get into stocks and shares but am not sure where to get the info. on this really

Monevator. It's written at a level that's reasonably advanced, but you're easily smart enough as an OU student

Particularly the section on passive investing.