I really really want to be........mortgage free!

ourcornercottage

Didn't go on the dragon trail as it peed it down. Made some lovely veggie burgers for lunch and wrote the recipe up on a blog post in case you care for a lovely veggie burger. The Suns now come out so back in the garden again.

Jobs to do this week revised with remaining ones
1. Write to Barclays to Change Barclays savings account to current account so I can get blue rewards.
2. Keep Check on bf's PIPP for first direct debit.
3. Transfer tyres money to CC.£140 O/S
4. Add some stuff on eBay
5. Write 1 more blog post, apply for amazon affiliates too.
6. Check money is in place for monthly money shuffle.
7. Sort out m and s online so I can send details to accountant of regular saver.

ourcornercottage

Jobs to do this week revised with remaining ones
1. Write to Barclays to Change Barclays savings account to current account so I can get blue rewards.
2. Keep Check on bf's PIPP for first direct debit.
3. Transfer tyres money to CC. - DONE
4. Add some stuff on eBay
5. Write 1 more blog post, apply for amazon affiliates too.
6. Check money is in place for monthly money shuffle.
7. Sort out m and s online so I can send details to accountant of regular saver.

ourcornercottage

Sorry about the 2 posts but I'm trying another browser and tbh it isn't much better!

Quidco made a small payment off my mortgage of £3.20 today. Thanks Quidco. In addition it was a NSD today although it needs to be as I've gotta b careful until personal spends payday.

Have got a voucher got a local department store and am going to get a volleyball net as the voucher will run out fairly soon.


After playing around with the OP calculator I need to slightly increase my OP target to reach my goal to pay off smaller mortgage in 5 years whilst max OPing the larger fix rate one. I'm not far out with a total of £400 per month so I'm sticking to that for this year and then try for £450 per month next year. I don't want to go too mad as I'm still paying off the remainder of my CC which is on 0% (costs of moving) and also replenishing my savings which were used up buying solar panels earlier in the year. I need to start recording my savings like some of the other diaries do to motivate. In 2016 I'm going to set a savings target as well as an OP target to focus my mind on this too.

ourcornercottage

Okay, today's been an interesting day. Nearly another NSD with the exception of my bus.

Discussed with BF possibility of me retraining as a counsellor in a couple of years so we don't have to work full time in our business forever. Put out a email to local uni telling them of my education level and asking where I would need to start. I'm hoping to start part time in September, with a 5 year plan to tie in with paying off my smaller mortgage. The uni course is 7k so will start saving for this too and if I decide not to progress with it, that's just extra money saved. Therefore my MFW activities are more important than ever now :-)

ourcornercottage

Today I've not been in the greatest of moods today, feeling very negative about everything. I really got out of bed the wrong side. I think I've been working too much so took the afternoon off and have tomorrow off to go to cluster sports day at the local university as son is representing his school.

It's been really difficult to keep motivated with this mood, I am lucky that my black moods clear quickly so hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow. I've been enquiring about the introduction to counselling courses and should be able to start in November, there are 2 parts to do which will cost about £500. I should be able to factor that into my budget as I can pay in installments.

On a MFW note I've had a little FC return. Still haven't had m and s account login to view balanced of regular saver. Nothing else to report. Not a NSD as spent £1!

Sigs updated

ourcornercottage

Today has been much better. It's amazing what taking a day off work can make. Working for ourselves we hardly take a day off unless we are actually going away.

Cluster sports day and miniOCC was up in 2 events for his school. Got a silver in the hurdles which was pretty good as he didn't realise they'd started and was about 2 meters behind and very nearly won. Won the gold in the throwing by a mile, he actually managed to throw further than all the other competitors in reception to year 3, he is in year 1. Sports is his thing. His school pretty much swept the board at every level and won the overall prize too. I got a bit sunburnt despite sunblock. Whoops.

On a money saving front I took snacks and a flask and BF treated my to breakfast out so a NSD for me. He spent £13! Also the money shuffle started again today so will be keeping a good eye on that over the next few days. Have sorted out starting the first of my counselling courses in November but it do mean that the deposit will need to be paid this month which is £60 but that's okay.

Altogether a great day, proud of miniOCC :-)

Ed : sold 2 jars of preserves today £2.50 in holiday fund, holiday fund is growing nicely!

Ed 2 : got £50 funding circle for a referral I did on MSE! Result! If anyone wants me to refer them just PM me.

ourcornercottage

Not much on the MFW to report over the last couple of days. But here are some mumblings.

1. We are going camping tonight with mini's mates. (£18)
2. Made G and T cupcakes that were posted on another diary to take with me to camping. - no cost as had stuff
3. Our corgette plants have a squillion on them, has anyone made corgette chutney?
4. Purchased cakes for kids and BF (Gluten free) so the non GF adults can eat the boozy cupcakes in peace! (£4)
5. Nearly forgot sisters birthday so raided present cupboard and brought wine and card (£7) will need to deliver on way to camping.
6. Is dogs birthday too. He is 12 and cant have any treats as they make him ill. Will let him sleep on my side in camping as a birthday treat!
7. Am bidding on 2 £20 loans on FC with my referral money.
8. My first S&S Isa £50 has started processing. I have no idea whats going on but its doing something.

Finally a question. to those who do tilly tidys. Do you put all the little bits in a seperate account to save them up for an OP or just put them straight into your mortgage account. I have unlimited OP's so in theory could just put them in but it would seem a little mad putting in a few pence. What do you think save them up in an account and then transfer over when at say £10 or do every little one. Also how often do you do TT's, once a week or every time you log onto internet banking?

ourcornercottage

Back from camping was lots of fun! Back in time for the tennis. No additional spends when we got there so very MSE. The G and T cupcakes went down very well and were extremely tasty.

Sold two jars of preserves whilst I was away. £1.80 replenished to the holiday fund. I actually need to make some more as I'm running low again. Just waiting for the fruit in the garden to ripen up so costs per jar are very low.

Not much else going on at the moment but it's miniOCCs school sports day tomorrow so will be there in the morning to cheer him on. He won out of his year last year so I'm preparing him that he might not necessarily win again this year. He's very competitive when it comes to sports although isn't in other things.

Aiming to hit my £400 OP this month, need to locate about another £150 from the budget but should manage it. Here's hoping!

ourcornercottage

Just added savings to my sig. This does include the £245 I have in the holiday fund but as we have no plans to go anywhere at the moment I'm putting it down to savings. I've decided to try and get it to 5000 as my first target. This is a joint emergency fund/house fund.

It doesn't include my shares (they are rubbish) new S&S ISA (£50) and my unit trusts (about 5k I think but to be honest I have no idea!) in the savings as these are part of my retirement fund and I don't even consider them in my everyday savings and cannot be touched no matter what.

ourcornercottage

Back from sports day, miniOCC was really cross as his team came last in the relay and he was running last. He was ranting away to one of his teammates from reception class. They were having a good discussion/rant about why they came last!

Forgot it all when he came top boy in his year again this year and his team came second overall. He really loves sport, shame he don't love maths or spelling this much!

On a bonus note I have the whole day off work and don't have to pick him up til 4.30. I'm slobbing out as I'm feeling quite wiped out after working and camping the weekend. Will give the dogs a walk later on.

On a MSE front main bills account went £25 OD this morning but I moved this from 123 account as my money shuffle needs a bit of tweaking as Halifax and 123 account are having a bit much left in them leaving the bills account a wee bit short. As I'm thinking of adding Barclays in my money shuffle I will probably leave for now and change it when I add Barclays into it. I have text alerts set up and check most days so I should catch any issues.