sarahevie's single quest to mortgage freedom

sarahevie1

Day 3 

Applied for 2 part time jobs either of which fit my current role (trying to get back to full time whilst I try and set up a business.) Will help the funding. Plus if business doesn't happen for lots of reasons at least I'll be in full time employment. 

Diet not great today woke up starving so had 2 bowls of porridge - then had a DD1 and Mummy day as she didn't want to go out with extended family. She wanted pizza hut buffet as a treat (no chance on my diet) so took her for a burger I don't eat them - I had a greek salad sandwich and when we got in some more carrots, grapes and a bowl of weetabix.

Hoped to get quite a few steps in as took DD1 for a walk around our city (we're so lucky to live where we do) unfortunately DD1 was not keen on walking so barely did 10,000 steps. On the plus apart from lunch and a new mattress which was desperate we didn't spend anything else so that was good!

sarahevie1

Day 4

Went to see an event over an hours drive away. Can't remember whether we last went in 2015/2016 but really fancied going and the event does travel around the country it just so happened they were only 40 miles away so off we went - on the spare of the moment yesterday. Tickets were £48 for all of us so not so bad and kids really enjoyed it! 

Afterwards we went to the pub over the road and spent £17 on four drinks and three ice creams - I was absolutely flabbergasted you can probably tell I very rarely go in pubs but it was really nice as a treat and filled in the evening. Felt like we'd had a proper day out.

Diet was ok yesterday still on the fruit and veg. Made a homemade bean dish last night when we got in - cheap and nutritiious.  

Day 5

Took DD3 for a Mummy day today. Broke the diet already and it's only early afternoon. I was kindly gifted afternoon tea at a world famous tea rooms. Was lovely but a bit posh for us. We had to choose three cakes each with our voucher (they were only tiny but still not great when I'm trying to kick my sugar addiction.) DD3 chose a chocolate cake with a marzipan topping, macaroon and a caramal shortcake and then only enjoyed the caramel shortcake. She didn't like the marzipan and the macaroon was an acquired taste.

Was lovely to spend a couple of hours just the two of us. Only spent £3.85 on a little treat for the other two. At home it looks like finally our sunflowers are about to flower - we've never planted them before but DD3 has absolutely loved watering them and watching them everyday.

When we go walking she's always spotting them in people's gardens and yesterday we spotted one that was higher than the owners house. 

Honeysucklelou2

Afternoon tea sounds amazing! Sounds like you are having a good time with your DDs during the summer holidays. Hope the job applications go well. I have just applied for a part time job to go alongside a p/t teaching post and was successful. There are some interesting jobs out there!

sarahevie1

 I have just applied for a part time job to go alongside a p/t teaching post and was successful. There are some interesting jobs out there!

Well done thats amazing!  well done you - I hope you'll really enjoy your new role and that both fit perfectly. 

Day 6

Still trying to remain off the sweets and chocolate. Had homemade pizza swirl for lunch which isn't great but was whole meal flour so not pastry based and no nasties like sweetners,salt added. 

Salad, quorn wraps for tea.

Doing a week as a nursery manager next week through my supply agency. Feeling nervous to be honest but should be and spend week. 

The week after one of my old uni housemates wants to meet up first time I've seen her for two years so I'm slightly excited. There were 6 of us at uni, 2 I never see anymore apart from on social media. 2 a bit sporadic and one I see at least 4 times a year which isn't bad as we're all over the country now. 

sarahevie1

After a few false starts on the diet. Im using an app to log steps and inputting what I'm eating is working - I've lost half a stone. 

Savings are now £10500. Bought most of the uniform for kids  just need a pair of trainers. I need some new work stuff but will wait and see if I can lose a dress size. 

Been on a mini break with friends - wasn't too expensive. Overall had a good time but there was a couple of niggles. 

sarahevie1

15885.85 - spends 2018
17885.75 - spends 2019
16447.37 - spends 2020
9567.28 - spends 2021

Just under £1500 spent this month. Quite big purchases with all the school uniform x3 plus spends on the mini break (4 days spent £165. ) We've also spent a fair bit on days out been to a brilliant circus, one of those corn mazes, plus a few beach days.

It's so nice to not be budgeting all the time. If the kids want a cafe lunch we have one - although due to ingrained behaviour we naturally don't spend loads.

Got a few school uniform bargains went to one of those Nike outlet shops one of the DDs was happy with the one line they had at 70% off so with an additional 15% off for downloading the app her Nike air max school trainers were £16 from an original price of £74.99. 

Yesterday had my first day on the app of eating the correct amount of fat, protein, carbs. I've just been eating my usual diet not really thinking about the content just logging. So it seems with logging I'm naturally eating better. Now I've got a 'perfect' diet day from a nutritional point of view I will be trying to recreate more regularly. 

sarahevie1

15885.85 -2018
17885.85 - 2019
16447.37 - 2020
£11225.99 - 2021 so far

2 weeks until I go on my hol to Greece. I'm very excited. Have also had a very productive meeting with my accountant this week and I've decided to expand my BTL business - so have had an offer accepted on another BTL. It looks like my dream of being financially free by 40 may just come true. Fingers and toes crossed.

Whilst I'm awaiting this to happen - I'm still plodding with three evenings at the supermarket and I've been really lucky with overtime I've worked at least 4 days teaching per week tall term so far so that's been better than I had hoped. Someone said to me recently I've got 'career craft' I wasn't sure what they meant but apparently when you're flexible things seems to come your way. I thought it was quite nice anyway. 

Helping backstage at the theatre tonight and tomorrow - helping to dress the littlies in between shows - hope it will be fun and not too stressful! 

sarahevie1

£15885.85 - 2018
£17885.85 - 2019
£16447.37 - 2020
£12713.56 - so far this year. 

Back from a lovely holiday on one of the Greek Islands - had an absolutely amazing time. Felt very lucky and has taken a lot of willpower not to book to go back next year but things to accomplish before that happens.

 My solicitor has got a lot of work on and would like us to instruct another firm (may be for the best - as I've used him before and although he was thorough and I like him he was slow.) I'm more determined than ever that I will be financially free by 40 - there's a whole world out there I'd like to explore. 

Hopefully this month should see the new door fitted. I've also had an amended tax notice from HMRC and due to my pension contributions I only owe £699 by end of Jan - this is good news! 

Having a minor car issue as when I picked my car up from the airport it had a flat tyre (garage have diagnosed a slow puncture so taking that for fixing tomorrow).  Garage said it'll be fine just keep pumping it if needed. Don't really want to drive it but got a late shift at the supermarket tonight and supply gig this afternoon. 

Have only put on a couple of pounds on hol but still a stone heavier than in April this year so really going to try and be good this month (she says whilst scoffing chocolate from halloween!) 

Going to have a mammoth sort of the garage, loft and sideboard in the lounge at the weekend (shouldn't be too bad as I'm no hoarder) I rehome things regularly and avoid buying things where possible. Had a quote of £400 to deep clean my house so keep reminding myself of this and its spurring me on to deep clean bits myself. 

LadyWithAPlan

Your Greek vacation sounds lovely, nothing like having warm bones.

Good luck on your next BTL adventure. Do you currently only have the one?

sarahevie1

LadyWithAPlan said:

Your Greek vacation sounds lovely, nothing like having warm bones.

Good luck on your next BTL adventure. Do you currently only have the one?

Greece was amazing - been invited to Sardinia in December too - a 'friend' *someone I dated 4 years ago* has relocated back to Italy and now owns a holiday house on Sardinia and they have offered me the use of it as they're based in Rome for work most of the year. Don't think I'll be going but heavily tempted. 

I've got 2 BTLs and my partner also has 1 so feel like I have 3 really.