The dream is within reach!

gallygirl

Alchemilla wrote: »

Welcome and good luck.
As Dave Ramsey says...you are weird but normal people are broke, so weird is good.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

edinburgher

£60/mth for a phone?!! :eek:

There is a cracking blog/forum/book called 'Early Retirement Extreme' that looks at exceptionally early retirement based on very high savings rates and very low expenses. It advocates saving enough money so that you can cover your expenses forever, so long as you don't go above your 'safe withdrawal rate' (typically 3-4% of your pot each year).

Assuming 4%, you'd need to save £60*12*25=£18,000 to keep this phone package going once you were financially independent. That's my after tax wages for about 10 months :rotfl:

pumpkinpies128

Happy Easter one and all! Edinburgher I have had a look at the Early Retirement Extreme blog.....I think it may be a bit too extreme for me, some good ideas though which I shall try to use in my quest! Feeling a bit flat at the moment, really fed up with work and seriously considering jacking it all in! I just don't enjoy it anymore, and really feel like I am stuck in a rut. Had a chat with my two best chums tonight and they both said it seems to be an area which causes me huge amounts of stress.....but then if I reduce my hours/leave my job it will affect the amount of spare cash I have for OPs!!! Think I need a good shake/talking to/advice please!:eek::(

Miss_money_penny

Well done on getting mortgage under the 80k! As for your job, why not start applying for somewhere else while you continue where you are. Keep thinking of the mortgage!! Lol! My mortgage was 78k last march and we will be under 60 with next payment. So keep chopping away at it

pumpkinpies128

Just another update, we have asked the BS to send us regular statements to show mortgage term reducing and outstanding balance. Had a letter through today....£78491.52 left with 22 years and 10 months to go. All I can think is 'I really want to pay that extra £1.52 off so its a round number!' jeez what is happening to me?!? :rotfl:

pumpkinpies128

Happy bank hol everyone. Rather a frugal week in the pumpkin household this week. Have had seven NSDs in a row, possibly a first since I was a child?!? Also, although I know its warmer weather, but I thought I'd dig out the slow cooker we got for Christmas as it has been left unused. OMG what a convert I am!!! Beef and Ale Stew! Will certainly use some of the ideas I have seen on here to make nicer teas, we will be eating like kings from now on! Mr Pumpkin made an OP on 1st May of £175.00. Not as much as we'd hoped but we are going on holiday later this month and really am trying to get the balance right of saving, spending, overpaying and living....feel like we haven't got it quite right at the minute! Have a lovely day everyone :A

Polly_Wolly_Doodle

Hi Pumpkinpies, fantastic progress with your OPs and they are big amounts:beer:
Any more thoughts on the job situation? If you can keep going you'll get ever closer to being debt free, then you really will have choices.

Love Gallygirl's comment about being 'lucky' to have paid off a mortgage:rotfl:, we're working so hard at being lucky!

edinburgher

SCs are wonderful, aren't they? So easy to use and they cost next to nothing to use.

SG27

What bank are you with? Do they not offer online banking? I make my ops by bank transfer and they show on my mortgage account online next day.

pumpkinpies128

Thanks Polly, what a lovely bit of encouragement! I am checking job sites most days, but haven't seen anything yet...although there does appear to be lots of call for apprentices atm? Unfortunately I am way too old for that now! Ed yes they are, I can't believe I've left it sat in the cupboard for months when I could have been fooling Mr Pumpkin that I am a fabulous cook :rotfl: Have decided I am going to make a sausage and bean casserole next, perhaps on Thursday. The mortgage is with a building society, (which as far as I know doesn't have any online facility to check ops....but I shall certainly look this up to be sure) God help them if it does, I'm sure the girl who takes the payment sighs with dread every time Mr Pumpkin phones up! We didn't even entertain looking at our bank for a mortgage.....they annoyed me beyond belief when I'd gone in branch to pay my loan off....brill day yes...spoiled by being told I qualified for another loan....I actually laughed in the cashiers face. I know they have to ask but still???? :mad: Further to us being 'Lucky', it is actually the majority of posters on here who have made the start of this journey possible. If it wasn't for such inspirational, supportive and fantastical ideas and advice, we would have never discovered this, and would be forever chained to work, sleep, eat, repeat....