Hope is not an Effective Financial Strategy

CathT

Thanks Jimmy, just had a quick look and we should be able to secure the 1.99% rate. Not sure it will make a huge difference financially but i'd rather have it [STRIKE]in my pocket[/STRIKE]making a difference on my spreadsheet and mortgage end date.

shangaijimmy

Fingers crossed it works out Cath. The powers of MFW diaries!

Moneyfordreams

I'm hoping to switch to FD mortgages in July. I changed my bank account to them 2 years ago with that plan. I passed but they wanted a solicitors letter for OH not being on the mortgage. I did get a 1.74% to stick with Hfax. But completely agree security is needed. That is my March job

shangaijimmy

Final school run for 2018 done. 2 very excited boys in the car...God help the teachers today with DS2, he's like a coiled spring crossed with a bouncy ball! 31p TT this morning, and a lovely long dog walk in good weather. The Lord must have been watching over us, just as i put the key in the front door the heavens opened!

Our mortgage offer has arrived and duly been signed and ready for returning in the post when i nip out later.

All is moving along well in SJ towers. Mrs SJ has 1 present left to buy for her dad and after that we are done. We have approx 10 presents left to wrap which will be done by school pick and that will see us ready earlier than ever!

shangaijimmy

Wrapping was going great until we ran out of wrapping paper! Under estimation on my part so Mrs SJ wasn't impressed (something to do with nothing now matching... and i'm not sure my response was well selected on this occasion...lets leave it there for now). Anyway we have 3 left to wrap once she has got some more paper.

Yesterday consisted 1 huge dog walk, one small dog walk and then a short run last night. More of the same today i hope. I made a 93p TT this morning to continue with final bits of financials for the year. Christmas appears to have come in about £100 under budget for the first time ever. Though I'm sure I'm missing something so wont commit to this until the constant bank activity calms down.

shangaijimmy

Well as 2018 draws to a close I have our diary and MFW quest review figures sorted. We may have a few more pounds to go in from TT's but less than £10 so not too significant for our figures. So here goes, and thank you for being here for the journey (despite my 3 month absence):

• Opening Balance - £99,371.84
• Closing Balance - £86,608.75
• Total Reduction - £12,763.09
• Average Monthly Reduction - £1,063.59
• Total Overpayments - £6,835.56
• Average Monthly Overpayments - £569.63
• LTV was - 44.96%
• LTV now - 39.19%

Karmacat

Congratulations SJ! As ever, loving your financial summary, that kind of overview really keeps you going.

Suffolk_lass

shangaijimmy wrote: »

Wrapping was going great until we ran out of wrapping paper! Under estimation on my part so Mrs SJ wasn't impressed (something to do with nothing now matching... and i'm not sure my response was well selected on this occasion...lets leave it there for now). Anyway we have 3 left to wrap once she has got some more paper.

I am going for plain brown paper tied up with silver and gold ribbons and bows this year. Interspersed with the (non-matching) coloured parcels from others it looks quite good, if I do say so myself!

shangaijimmy

TT this morning was a paltry 6p, so i did the honourable thing and made it £1.06!

Also started some plotting for next years run challenge. I made my initial 400 miles in 6 month a month early this year and that was after starting from scratch. I always had my eye on 500, but thinking i'd get to about 450 as within that 6 months period we had a week away and then a further 2 weeks. Now I've fell short after a couple of niggly injuries and will end up around the 440 mark, and i suppose that a 6 month period didn't give me enough time to plan for time off or have contingencies and time to claw back from injuries.

So 2019... I'll start by being in some running form so won't have to take 3-4 weeks to build into running. I'll also start 10lbs lighter than i did last time.

So, 1000 miles is the goal. I have my spreadsheet prepared and I'm raring to go... So I'll break it down to approximately I'm looking at 20miles a week, or 5 x 4miles a week, or 4 x 5miles a week....

My other technique is Mrs SJ and me will be targeting 20 exercises a week (Mrs SJ on her bike, me running).

CathT

Great financial summary and running goals.

Don't be disappearing for another 3 months this year though.