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Cel
Posts: 28 Forumite
Hello 
I’ve finally decided to start my own diary, I’ve been a fan of a few diaries for some time and inspired by you all. I’m hoping this diary will motivate me to push on with overpayments (it’s going to be a long slow slog).
A bit about us, I live with OH and DD who is nearly 2. OH earns a good wage. I’m due to start a new part time job within the next month after being spoilt with extra time offwith DD. loved having this time off, but miss the extra security of having 2 wages coming in and missed having my own money. OH wages have covered the bills whilst I have been off, but we have missed the extra income especially with any unexpected bills.
We have an outstanding mortgage of 143,500 over 28 years!!We’re both in our 30s… ugh!
I’m looking forward to getting out working again; OH and I differ in our opinions on what to do with the extra income. I would love to start paying regular chunks of our mortgage each month, and get on with the sometimes overwhelming amount of work needed on house, whereas OH is looking forward to extra money generally and talking about holidays etc… grr.OH is on board, as long as there is little impact on life as he knows it, any attempt to motivate him further results in a vacant and bored expression on his face :cool:
Changes to OH job recently has shown how quickly the rug can be pulled from under you, thankfully everything has calmed down and looks more secure.
As a test I’ve made an overpayment of £25 which has shown up online on our mortgage statement…. There’s no stopping us now :j
C xx

I’ve finally decided to start my own diary, I’ve been a fan of a few diaries for some time and inspired by you all. I’m hoping this diary will motivate me to push on with overpayments (it’s going to be a long slow slog).
A bit about us, I live with OH and DD who is nearly 2. OH earns a good wage. I’m due to start a new part time job within the next month after being spoilt with extra time offwith DD. loved having this time off, but miss the extra security of having 2 wages coming in and missed having my own money. OH wages have covered the bills whilst I have been off, but we have missed the extra income especially with any unexpected bills.
We have an outstanding mortgage of 143,500 over 28 years!!We’re both in our 30s… ugh!
I’m looking forward to getting out working again; OH and I differ in our opinions on what to do with the extra income. I would love to start paying regular chunks of our mortgage each month, and get on with the sometimes overwhelming amount of work needed on house, whereas OH is looking forward to extra money generally and talking about holidays etc… grr.OH is on board, as long as there is little impact on life as he knows it, any attempt to motivate him further results in a vacant and bored expression on his face :cool:
Changes to OH job recently has shown how quickly the rug can be pulled from under you, thankfully everything has calmed down and looks more secure.
As a test I’ve made an overpayment of £25 which has shown up online on our mortgage statement…. There’s no stopping us now :j
C xx
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Comments
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Sometimes having different viewpoints to OPing can help balance things out a bit and you can come to a happy medium......with some fun included
The main thing is that you are both on board which it sounds like you are.
Best of luck with it Cel!0 -
Hi Cel,
I too have just started out on my MFW diary and quest. Wishing you lots of luck and looking forward to your updates.
RundersMFW Start:[STRIKE] Sep 2014 - £110,844[/STRIKE], July 2019 New Home £190,995 :eek:
Current: £82,999.69, £190,972.18, £188,091.57, £180,026.25
2021MFW #97 OP Goal £296.36/£3000
2020MFW #97 OP Goal £3104.09.09/£3000
2019MFW #109 OP Goal £1024.99/£10000 -
Thanks Always Thinking
we’ll get there, I just refuse to allow him to fritter it away (OH has a slight shopping and technology addiction). Do you have a diary?
Thanks Ridders I’ll subscribe to your diary now, be great to motivate each other!:money:
DD in nursery this morning, not very MFW but I want to make sure she’s 100% happy before I go to work. She doesn’t seem phased at all. Amazed at how quickly she has settled. Think they think I don’t feed her at home the amount of food she has put away in 3 hours! She’s developing a little tum like her mum.
Had to take some more paperwork in before can start job, frustrating it’s a slow process.
Popped to get some paint on way home, on offer in b&q which saved some pennies, I’ll pop that in the OP pot. Strange with DH not at home, I don’t do relaxing very well, so made a complete mess painting for a couple of hours. Any fellow parents find it hard leaving child at nursery? I’m finding it hard than DD atm.
Got a voucher for 8p off fuel at Sainsbury’s if spend £20 on clothing (handy to stock up on next size for DD anyway). I’ll pop back for clothing; will give voucher to OH towards fuel for work. He’s started car sharing which is great, just need him to allocate fuel saving money towards mortgage. Also need to have a chat with him about selling some things; he has a fish tank which hasn’t seen any fish in 2 years, and a telescope he’s used twice.:eek: I’ll have to try not to spring everything on him all at once or I’ll frighten him off.
Hope everyone is enjoying this lovely warm day.
C xx
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Very good luck on your journey. I am sure oh will get on board when he sees the difference the ops make.Paid off mortgage nine years early in 2013. Now picking and choosing our work to fit in with the rest of our lives!
Still thrifty though, after all these years:D0 -
Thanks SSS, we'll get there : ) really enjoying reading through all the diaries, makes me wonder where to start though!
Moved house insurance today saved over £100, hubs was happy to auto renew (he's a work in progress). Had Mr S home delivery using discount codes for newbie, need to have a few low spend weeks now using what we have in. Hubs away with work soon, so just me and DD to feed (quite jealous he gets to eat out every night when away). Still lots to do, had an injured DD this week as she fell ended up in a&e, all ok now, I just need to remove the cotton wool I've wrapped around her.
Happy weekend x0 -
Hey Cel,
Motivating each other sounds great! I've subscribed to your thread too.
Sounds like you are getting on pretty well on the penny saving so far.
I'm glad that your DD is okay after her fall.
I'll be joining you in the realm of painting tomorrow, I feel I'll get more on me than the walls! I've had a bit of an expensive week, so I need to up my game for next week. I'm actually counting down the days till payday!
Hope you are having a good weekendMFW Start:[STRIKE] Sep 2014 - £110,844[/STRIKE], July 2019 New Home £190,995 :eek:
Current: £82,999.69, £190,972.18, £188,091.57, £180,026.25
2021MFW #97 OP Goal £296.36/£3000
2020MFW #97 OP Goal £3104.09.09/£3000
2019MFW #109 OP Goal £1024.99/£10000 -
Morning Cel, thank you for your post on my diary. Thought I'd search to see if you had a diary
I'm glad you have started one, I posted for a while before starting but its the best thing I did. It is so motivating. Like you, my DH wasn't completely on board at the beginning but I deal with the finances much to his relief :rotfl:
A statement of affairs is a good starting point, there you can see exactly where your money goes, what is leftover and what you can potentially OP. have you used the OP calculators to see what a difference even £50 a month could make? This may help to reel DH in. Balance is definitely needed along the way though.
Do you use cashback sites for things like insurance renewals. Those payments add up.
DD will be fine at nursery, my children are 6 and 3 now and have both gone down the nursery route. DS is still there fulltime and I have built up such a fantastic relationship with the staff there. That drop off does get easier in time.
Good luck on your MF journey, the support here is fantastic amd the diaries are so inspiring.June 2025 - part 1 - £19,145 part 2 - £21,973 Total - £41,118 29 months to go!0 -
Hiya
Thanks Rudders, I hope the decorating is going well, feels never ending!
Hi Cath, think little ones start to love their time at nursery. DD lets go of my hand to run to the door now.
Feeling a little in limbo at moment in regards to overpayments. The only spare funds we have are put to one side for DD nursery fees for when I start work. Just waiting for my references to be checked and I should have a start date! feeling impatient. Anyway, I’ve been reading a few diaries which have got me mentally back on track : ) I love how positive this board is, even when you’re a bit stuck for funds, there is always something you can do to get everything moving.:D
I’ve been having a declutter and some bits put for sale on Fbook, the rest taken to the charity shop. Found a load of old clothes given by friends for DD for next stage up, amazed by how kind people are when you have children.
Doing a review of all outgoings, everything is switched to cheaper deal apart from broadband (I’m not overly technical so best left to hubs), and our fixed rate mortgage deal is coming to an end so some research needed there.
I know a lot of people on this board are keen on no spend days, I’m choosing no car days! Feel like I’m constantly running around getting DD in and out of car. Really enjoying this last week getting out walking with her and doing more crafts and cooking treats at home with her. I do a lot of running around for family, which isn’t ideal at the moment with me not bringing any money in. lovely hubs gave my car a good clean at the weekend, showing up rust nicely now : ) time to start putting a bit away towards a new car. Perhaps can start with all the pennies I’m saving on not filling up with petrol
C xx
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Had such a lovely day, spent most of day at forest park. I had to cough up a whole 50p for parking (OH is not a fan of paying parking anywhere). A family were holding a birthday party in the picnic area which was such a lovely idea. They were having a lovely time and DD was tempted to gatecrash a couple of times. Mentioned it to OH It was a nice idea for a party (he agreed but said guests would need to bring their own food – very money saving until remembered he does not share his food). :rotfl:
Frugal day as took a picnic, Hubs did spend a stupid amount on ice creams and present for DD from gift shop. Nice treat for DD, which in all honestly we rarely do (visit gift shops etc, gifts tend to be well thought through etc).
Back home and I’ve counted all the loose change tin and £19 there ready to be used towards OP. Hubs is a nightmare leaving pennies lying around the house, I’ll be pinching all those in future!
I’ve been putting off trying on my pre-baby work clothes for a good while now, as have a slight feeling they will be on the snug side (that’s being optimistic)…. Don’t want to be spending on new work clothes so fingers crossed a couple of bits will be ok until I get myself back in shape. Might make use of an old exercise video whilst OH is away next week. MS as well used DVD over the years, and of course a lot cheaper than gym memberships that I’d never use. :money:
Will cheer myself up later with a cuppa and watching Humans on CH4, anyone else a fan? I’m hooked already!
Hope everyone has had a lovely weekend.
Cel x
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Hello! I've only just started my diary too, so trying to get about and get a feel for this side of the board
I'm also trying to de-snug some clothes, need to get running while the weather is still good! I hope your start date comes through swiftly
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up; always try just one more time0
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