Simple, Slow Steps To Happiness & Mortgage Freedom

Beckyy

Have you had a look into consent to let for when you move in with your in laws? Just a heads up but you might find there's bother when letting to a relative as a lot of lenders don't like it. I've never applied for CTL so not very sure of the process, but when we took out our BTL mortgage we had to confirm we weren't letting to any relatives.

I_want_a_baby

Thanks Pearla, do you have plans to move?
A grow bag would allow you to plant some lettuce and herbs? You could also grow runner beans from a bag. Allow a little bit of gardening fun just from a balcony and no heavy pots to lug about if you move? x


Beckyy thanks for your comment. We have been told that we would be given consent to let if we wanted it. Interesting to know about possible problems renting to family. I would hope that the fact we would be living rent free in the new house would give them assurances that the mortgage would be paid even if there was a family dispute (which I doubt there ever would be). However I shall get on the phone to them at some point and clarify the situation. Thanks for the heads up! x


So an update from me.


Received our school letter for our son. Refused all three places we applied for. I knew he was a 'baby boom' year but was so upset and shocked. Got given the school for our current catchment which basically takes everyone who doesn't get into a good school (90+ children per year). This is not good anyway as it would be a 1 hour round trip (despite only being 4 miles away) as the town is gridlocked at rush hour.


So have decided to put him on the waiting list at the preferred village school and apply for a place at the local village school. The preferred one is 2 minutes away but unwalkable yet an outstanding school, the local one is a few minutes drive, 25 minutes walked and is the catchment for the new address.


Anyway onto moneysaving etc:

• won the lottery - £25.
• Had an unexpected "night off" as my parents had the children overnight.
• Drew out £20 and bought fish and chips and ate them by the canal whilst the sun set, then bought a bottle of wine and some half price ben and jerrys ice cream for afters.
• Transferred the £5 change to the big plan & put the £4.52 change in cash into the sealed tin.
• Put a £5 note from the food purse into the sealed tin.
• Did a food shop, my husband and children waited in the car so I was very quick and stuck to the list.
• Topcashback of £20.44 received, less £10 used for bet to get other cashback (not yet received) - transferred £10.44 to big plan savings.
• Found another bookcase on ebay this time, £15, collected it and now the childrens books all fit on the shelves! Plus there is plenty of extra room.
• Made a delicious chocolate ganache easter cake.
• Going to a BBQ today at my parents. Don't think we need to take anything so will just take the cake.
• All items ready for easter tomorrow, will do a little easter egg hunt in the garden - hopefully before the rain arrives!
• Despite the school setback feeling very positive.
• Looking forward to my husbands first new payslip and finding out how much more disposable income there is.

Oh I also transferred our £250 'rainy day' savings to the big plan savings. They didn't really have a defined purpose and our emergency savings of £2500 will have to suffice for now - hoping we have no reason to touch this!


Building work starts a week today!


Must dash as we have a busy day ahead!


Happy saving fellow MFWers!


IWAB xx

giblet1979

Hi IWAB,
Sorry to hear about the school difficulties - what a stressful time.
Fantastic progress on the money saving though; you're putting me to shame, lol. Oh and great news about the extra money, how fantastic!
Hope you have a lovely Easter x

RoaringTwenties

Hi IWAB, I subscribed to your thread on day one but haven't got on with posting! Enjoying reading your diary. V impressed with your saving/plans/eBaying/growing!

Sorry to hear you didn't get your favoured school, I've been there and I know how distressing it is. My experience tells me how quickly things can alter though - my son didn't get either of the Outstanding schools that are in walking distance and instead got one that was persistently weak a drive away. Fast forward a year, both the Outstanding schools have lost that status and gone seriously downhill (after 20+ years of being top schools) my son's school now has the best Ofsted in the district and people are clamouring to get in! I know this probably doesn't help right now (like I say I've been there & little comforts you!) I also know all this is very subjective but just wanted to pass it on.

Good luck with all your plans for the future, you're making me want to get super-organised!

Happy Easter xx

Welshlassie

Hi IWAB, so sorry to hear about the school situation. We were there a few years ago with my son. He did a years nursery in the school we applied to for reception, but he didn't get a place, although all his friends did. We started at the alternative Church school that was our 3rd (reluctant) choice, but kept in touch with the original school. Just after half term, the original school called me to say a place had come up and because I'd stayed in touch they offered us the place before telling the council and we got it. It was one of the most stressful times of my life, but it all worked out in the end. I know it's no comfort for you now, but if you can make best of the situation and don't let on to your child how disappointed you are, you never know what will happen. Things change so quickly with schools especially during the first cut of places.

You've made so much progress elsewhere, well done.

I_want_a_baby

Hi Giblet & thank you xx All lovely & happy here xx


Hi RoaringTwenties thanks for stopping by (and lurking!).
Thank you for your lovely comment! I have calmed down a bit since decision day and I am just going to 'trust' that everything will work out for the best. The less desirable school has had a new head 6 months ago so she may well work wonders yet!


Hi Welshlassie again thanks for the lovely comment. I am going to phone up and ask to be put on the waiting list for the amazing school. If by chance and luck we get offered a place then great but I am not going to get into a stew about it. I want my son to look forward to going to school so I need to stay happy and positive about it all!


We have had a busy few days. Building work was supposed to start this Monday but actually started last Thursday. In 5 days they have demolished the garage, dug up the floor, dug out the foundations, filled the foundations with concrete, dug out and laid pipes for drainage and moved the oil tank! Exciting times indeed!


Today is the day before payday.
As I have the payslip I have transferred the wage into all the budget pots on the spreadsheet so tomorrow when it arrives it will clear the income clearing column!


I have transferred £145 to the big plan savings plus £2.98 leftover in the monthly budget.
This brings the BIG PLAN SAVINGS to £737.08.


MAY TARGETS:
Big Plan - Increase Balance from £737.08 to £800 (£0/£62.92)
Cash Sealed Tin - Save a note a week (£0/£20)
Baby no 3 Fund - Increase from £43.33 to £50.00 (£0/£6.67)
TGW - Reduce borrowed money column from -£49.14 to -£40 (£0/£9.14)
Small Mortgage OP to round mortgage down - TBC after may payment comes out.


CASH BUDGETS:
Food Budgets 4 x £40pw starting each Friday.
Fritter Budget £50 (£20 for Misc, £30 for wedding we are attending).
Fuel £90 - In bank.
All other budgets looking healthy due to being strict in 2014 and not allowing myself to borrow from accounts for unrelated items.
* Borrowed money column referred to above is the last one from last year!


Gave meter readings - still in credit by £50.


Mortgage currently £88799.00 will find out new figure in a week or so when the next payment shows on the online banking.


In April our net worth has increased by £464.51 (cash only) or *apparently* £5191.55 including rise in house price. I say apparently as house value figures taken from zoopla which I appreciate may not be that accurate but gives me an indication of what house prices are doing.


So all in all a great update! I shall try and update a bit more regularly but we have been driving down to the building site most days and everything has been very tiring.


Hoping for a very frugal may which includes meal plans and using up food stores!


I will be back...


IWAB xx

giblet1979

What a fantastic update IWAB - and during a potentially stressful time as well, with all that work going on. You're doing great x

I_want_a_baby

Morning everyone!

Very foggy and cold here, hoping that will clear and bring us a nice sunny day!

In order to achieve lots this month and to squeeze as many pennies out of our budget for saving I need to focus on little things I can do to save money.

Today I am going to focus on food & I am going to write a list of all food we have and then a meal plan for today to Thursday and another from Friday to next Thursday. As Friday is the start of my food shop week and when I take that weeks cash. As I write the meal pla I will write a shopping list which I will then stick to!

So I have the plan, now to put it into action...

IWAB x

Beckyy

Just had a quick nosey on zoopla after seeing you'd been on there, the values don't seem far off for houses which are currently for sale in my area so would be very nice if their estimate for our house was right as it's gone up!

Sounds like all systems go with the building works, but great they're getting started and stuck in!

I_want_a_baby

Thanks Beckyy!

That's good then about zoopla. It seems ours has risen by 9k in the 18 months we have been here is that is the case.

Just a quick update:

Store cupboard/fridge/freezer list written :eek:
Meal planning started.
NSD yesterday.
£22.05 requested from topcashback.

Be back later x

IWAB xx