Janey's Journey to Becoming a MFW

ljaneyr

After reading so many great and inspirational diaries on here, I have finally decided to start my own! I have dithered over whether to start a MFW diary since I got the mortgage 16 months ago, because we won't actually be able to overpay anything for a few more years yet. But after receiving a gentle push in the right direction from Lois_E, Pearla*Merle, gallygirl and Goldiegirl, I am finally getting on with it

Our mortgage currently stands at £96,839.00 but will have nearly £500 interest added in a week or two :eek:

However, before we can overpay, we need to save up to extend and completely renovate our house. My current estimate for the work and target to save is around £20,000 but this will probably change when we get drawings and planning.

My main aim with this diary is to keep track of our progress. We have achieved so much in the last few years with saving a deposit, buying a house and getting engaged. I am, and always have been, a saver whereas my OH is definitely not! So I now have total control of our money (at his request) :j

Anyway, I'm looking forward to chatting with you all, so please say hello if you're reading :wave: I will try to post regularly to help keep me motivated!

Janey x

skint_spice

Hello :wave: have you any idea how long it will take you to save for the renovations or will there be a wedding happening at the same time?

ljaneyr

Hi skint_spice!
Renovation savings are currently on hold while we save for a wedding which I hope will not be too expensive. We had a slight moment of madness and booked flights for a holiday in August which we had been talking about for the last few years. It's proving to be a very expensive holiday as we are driving around and staying in a few different places, but we are viewing it as our last chance before starting a family! Once that is paid for we will throw everything at the wedding fund then return to focus on the renovation fund. It all seems very expensive :eek:

ljaneyr

So, time for some figures

Emergency fund: £2400 of £9000

Renovation fund: £4304 of £20,000

Holiday fund: 69% This will become the wedding fund when full!

I also have a small Baby fund which I add to now and then from my personal account but this goal seems a long way away. I'm very impatient and the savings seem to grow really slowly when you keep looking at them!

Pearla*Merle

Yay, Janey! So glad to see your diary up & running. Good luck with all your saving, having a diary is so motivating, I'm sure you'll be hitting the £20k mark before you know it.

Can't wait to hear all the wedding chatter

I used to have a small baby fund too, or rather it was a Montessori school fund, but it got raided when we moved, hopefully I can restart it soon!

PS. You might like to check out newgirly's diary as well (she's just been renovating)

ljaneyr

Hi Pearla, thanks for dropping by! My 'Baby fund' will also probably get raided or turned into something else before too long!

So far this week I've done a lot of cleaning and decluttering so trying to take it a bit easier today

Todays list:
[STRIKE]Update budget[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Menu plan for next week[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]T£sco grocery order[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Book travel insurance[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Book airport parking[/STRIKE]Used £30 of Tesco clubcard vouchers to get £60 off the total cost :j
[STRIKE]Hire car excess insurance[/STRIKE] Booked through Top C@shback at 25%
Clear out car Car parked quite far away, will do it tomorrow if I manage to park closer
Walk dog Walking to the beach after dinner with OH

Currently decluttering some TV from the sky box :rotfl:

Lois_E

Yay! You've started your diary. Well done.

When's the wedding going to be? Do you have an actual date for it yet?

ljaneyr

Hi Lois!

Starting a diary isn't nearly as difficult as thinking about starting one :rotfl: so thanks for the advice We don't have a date as such, it's taken a while to come to terms with the fact that I've got to be centre of attention for a day, not something I enjoy :eek: It has to be school holidays because of my job so we're thinking about next February half-term. We've got a couple of ideas for venues but I want it to be quite informal - no bridesmaids or speeches!



I've had quite a productive day so far. I've nearly completed my list and also managed to put flea stuff on the dog, book an extremely bargainous hire car for the second week of our holiday, applied for a new passport and sat in the sun with a book for an hour :A Now having a quiet cuppa

Also a NSD :A

Edit: not sure it counts as a NSD with all that spending on the credit card :rotfl:

Pearla*Merle

ljaneyr wrote: »

We don't have a date as such, it's taken a while to come to terms with the fact that I've got to be centre of attention for a day, not something I enjoy :eek: It has to be school holidays because of my job so we're thinking about next February half-term. We've got a couple of ideas for venues but I want it to be quite informal - no bridesmaids or speeches!

That's why I'm not married yet either. :rotfl:

I've also been decluttering the sky box today :A

ljaneyr

Pearla*Merle wrote: »

That's why I'm not married yet either. :rotfl:

I've also been decluttering the sky box today :A

It's rubbish isn't it? We almost decided to just go to a registry office with our parents and be done with it, but I know my OH would really love a party.

Alchemilla

Hello Janey. Welcome and good luck.