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

edinburgher

Well done upping S&S DD. I have just reinstated mine after cancelling it in the autumn when we were 'all pennies on deck' for the house purchase.

I'll be honest, I haven't read your blog (takes me 2 days of downtime at work just to catch up with the forum). That said, how does reviewing headphones fit into the bigger picture of what it's about? Do you do reviews/techy stuff? I ask as I am seeing some very weird sponsored posts on blogs of late where I can't help but ask myself 'why'?

For example, frugality blogs pushing 'wants' etc.

ourcornercottage

edinburgher wrote: »

Well done upping S&S DD. I have just reinstated mine after cancelling it in the autumn when we were 'all pennies on deck' for the house purchase.

I'll be honest, I haven't read your blog (takes me 2 days of downtime at work just to catch up with the forum). That said, how does reviewing headphones fit into the bigger picture of what it's about? Do you do reviews/techy stuff? I ask as I am seeing some very weird sponsored posts on blogs of late where I can't help but ask myself 'why'?

For example, frugality blogs pushing 'wants' etc.

TBH I do reviews as they generate lots of traffic to my blog, for some reason they do. Every review will get 100+ views. People really like them!

I definately wouldn't describe my blog as frugality. I write mainly on family money saving (or maybe I should phrase this not wasting money) mainly but do add in some recipes and reviews of products that I consider good value for what they are. I have had a couple of guest posts too, all relating to saving money or things that are good value. My recipes that are gluten free usually get loads of page views too although there are loads of specific GF blogs out there I suppose it is the money saving angle that I incorporate into everything people like

If I purely write on family money saving my page views go down as people must get bored. I find the mix most popular.

The only problem though with writing reviews is that whatever it is has to fit my ethos of being good value, it has to be something that I really want too. Of course I have to get it cheap or free too. I don't get all three of these very often so only so have a handful of reviews on there so far including a couple of products I have received free or cheaply, things I have brought but think they are excellent value and a few eating out ones.

The headphones are fantastic value for money and I was going to buy a similar well known headphones brand so I am well pleased to get to review them. They are really good so far so it will be a pleasure to review them and I will recommend im sure. I have been known not to recommend!

I must admit I do wonder sometimes why people read my blog, but they do and I enjoy writing it. When I don't enjoy it I just stop writing for a few weeks until I get some more inspiration

ourcornercottage

today has been another great day. Small spends today on a few groceries we needed although we are using up every bit of the christmas stuff (£10 spent) and a couple of hours at the skating rink (£20 including skate hire). I have been skating once in my adult life so I am now totally aching. Miniocc loves it so I am sure we will be back on a regular basis.

Before heading out I got a change to review the phone and broadband and managed to review the providers. We are very limited on choice due to our geographical area but it ended up at £300 per year or if I split it out £25 per month which is okay. I know in cities you can get this at half the price but hopefully by the next time we renew the government promises to improve broadband in rural areas will have come to fruition.

Also renewed buildings and contents insurance which was a bit more expensive this year at £170 but I really looked around to get it down but no luck at all. Managed to get existing provider to slightly beat the best quote so i'm happy not to have the hassle of moving.

Still waiting for the shares money and the VM cheque to clear to transfer to ISA but am going to look at SIPPs tonight too so that I can transfer my stakeholder pensions too.

shangaijimmy

All good progress and sets up 2016! We did a mass food clear out yesterday as well, so it seems that this is the time! As a result our food shop was £22

ourcornercottage

shangaijimmy wrote: »

All good progress and sets up 2016! We did a mass food clear out yesterday as well, so it seems that this is the time! As a result our food shop was £22

I need cheese recipes as we have a definate glut

Forgot to say have squeezed the two payments today from general bills account rather than annual bills savings account will need oil soon but will try and do same with that too which will mean that I can transfer that money yo regular savings

ourcornercottage

Happy new year all.

My virgin money payment has cleared so it's going to be transferred to S&S ISA today. Nothing recieved from share sales as yet.

Will make a small op today as I like to get started on 1st, start year as I mean to go on.

Edited : £54.00 overpayment

hiddenshadow

Good start to the year.

Luckyinlife

Nice OP occ :] great start to 2016

ourcornercottage

Thanks guys, its always good to get off to a start early

I have spent the last hour making a list of things I want to achieve this year. I have managed to get 20 things that are really important. Ive decided to list and update monthly on my blog so keep me on track. If you want to join in on FB or Twitter use hashtag #SYP16

Today has been a really really lazy day, miniocc stayed up til after midnight last night and took himself upstairs to watch a film in bed at 4pm as he was tired. what a grown up thing to do. Came down about an hour later in a much better mood after an hour to himself

ourcornercottage

Can't sleep so just went on HSBC website to play around with mortgage figures. I have mortgage in 2 halves part 1 is about 32k on a tracker 13 year term and part 2 is about 94k on a fix ending 2020 17 year term.

I've wanted to fix part 1 for a while so thought I'd play with a 5 year fix in a 6 year term (rate 2.38% no fees) so applied to see what they say. I expect I will get a no as it won't pass affordability although I currently pay £1050 per month with regular OP and this change would make it the same payment per month but as my standard payment. With a few op's along the way part 1 could be clear in 5 years with no interest rate rise worries at all

The balances are still high enough that the limitations on OPs will make no differences at this stage and the rates so low that if I did by any chance get a windfall the money would be better off in a savings account anyway.

Well let's see what they say, if they say yes then I can decide. Do I want to change or stick as I am?