Had a mortgage too long - it's going, going, gone!

Ali-OK

Hi MFWs

Hope there's room for another MFW as I think it's time I hopped over from the DFW board to join in rather than lurk at the amazing work everyone is doing here and how motivating it is. :T

The title says it's all, except I haven't reached the 'gone', hence my diary. Bought first house at 18, nearly 29 years ago :eek:, bought ex out, downsized, upsized, then upsized again (to a 25 year mortgage ) and been here nearly 13 years. It is my forever home and almost as I want it - garden renovations are nearly done, though an upper extension is currently brewing with the architect :eek:

They say life is a roller-coaster and it certainly has been, culminating in a DS who is almost 15 (and wants to go to Uni), 2 dogs, leaving well paid employment, being self employed for the last 5 years, battling an undiagnosed health issue and having an I/O mortgage that needs repaying.

I started repaying with overpayments in January last year - the figures are as in my sig with the aim of paying off by Dec 22 at best, more likely between 2023-24.

In a 5 year fix at 3.69% which has over 2 years left to run, the 5% ERC stops me ditching it.

Also a spreadsheet fiddler :rotfl: and a Tilly Tidier

Looking forward to being around these parts for several years!

Monkeychops16

Great stuff, I started my diary today so we can continue the journey together. I forgot about Tilly's tidies. I will add it to my mortgage free wannabe tool list :-)

Bluefire

'Spreadsheet fiddler' is officially now my favourite term ever. I too am a fiddler of spreadsheets!

Ali-OK

I've just posted on your thread MC - we have quite similar situations and I can't wait to get another £10k off to be at your starting figure.

I tend to post daily - all those little DFW things I've carried on to keep the outgoings down and the OPs up

So it's been a steady work day, I viewed a new office which I like but not so keen on the agent - a bit fluffy shall we say . Going to chew that over and decide whether to take it tomorrow. I'm moving out of the current one next week due to serious price hikes :mad:

Came home to find 3 tonnes of sand on the drive - forgot that was being dropped off, literally :rotfl: - to go under the artificial grass that's already here. At least nothing else to pay out for now :j

Food shop done at Ald!, but contemplating whether to try Lidl as it's closer by a good 2 miles.

Spent a higher than average £35.89 - included big bag of dog food, food for lunch/dinners over the weekend for garden DIYers, 3 lots of meat and more cake making ingredients as DS wants another chocolate one.

Financials:
- bank account checked - paid myself back expenses
- freepostcodelottery checked
- Inbox Pounds - up a tad at £18.69
- Qmee - still at 34p

I also do P!necone surveys at £3 a time when they come in - had a recent run of 4, a nice little earner and a preliminary one this week.

Meal plan is done, though I got given 2 home grown cucumbers, tomatoes, strawberries and raspberries, so they'll be cucumber sandwiches for my lunch for a week :rotfl:. Wonder what else I can use them for aside from in salad?

Friday night I always try and crack on with a few housey jobs - get the towels and beds changed, washing on and bins emptied.

Tomorrow I've the biz banking to do first thing, followed by cake making, making tea for the DIYers and hopefully supervising in the sunshine

Luckyinlife

Sounds like you have had a rollercoaster indeed i bet youv enjoyed so much of it tho :]

Good luck ERC are nasty :[ i have to remortgage now next month sometime and have to pay 1.8k to change over but saves me 3k a year in interest so have to pay up grrrr

good luck :]

Ali-OK

Bluefire wrote: »

'Spreadsheet fiddler' is officially now my favourite term ever. I too am a fiddler of spreadsheets!

It's addictive and am bound to share my fiddlings and findings from it :rotfl:

Luckyinlife wrote: »

Sounds like you have had a rollercoaster indeed i bet youv enjoyed so much of it tho :]

Good luck ERC are nasty :[ i have to remortgage now next month sometime and have to pay 1.8k to change over but saves me 3k a year in interest so have to pay up grrrr

good luck :]

Thanks LIL - life has dealt some interesting challenges - certainly had my fair share of fun too . Wasn't quite the DH, 2.4 kids and a dog we started out planning with our then £37k mortgage, but am happy with my lot. Another sports car would be nice (awaits Alex to read that :rotfl:)

I've been lurking on your thread since you started it . You're doing so well - loving your new kitchen and bet you can't wait to enjoy the house all finished. Wish I could do DIY but luckily have great friends that I just have to feed roast dinners, tea and cake in lieu of payment

Your remortgage will be worth it - I'd have to find a 0.96% rate to save anything so crack on and OP for the next 28 months, but will check periodically - wanted to get another 5 yr fix before rates go up but not looking likely for me. Ah well..win some, lose some.

Onwards and upwards

Luckyinlife

Thanks ali

Dont get me started on sports cars haha

Thanks for reading my diary means a lot you take time out to read it. Ya hopefully get it all sorted now by end of this month well most of it then furniture shop get it all in :]

ya my current mortgage rate is shocking by today's standards so need to do something about it

ill follow with interest hope you smash it :]

Ali-OK

:rotfl: I'm sticking with my 1.0, 3 cylinder, 50+ mpg, zero road tax runaround now. Saves me a fortune...the sports car was a second car

Will find your diary and subscribe. Fingers crossed for a much better rate for you too.

Luckyinlife

Thanks :] tax free is always good haha

A_Frayed_Knot

Ali OK - and more cake making ingredients as DS wants another chocolate one.

chocolate - did someone mention chocolate ???

Ok this has to be an omen - Nigella's Malteser Cake - putting the ingredients on my shopping list - right now!!! It'll be baked and eaten by tomorrow night Yumm.

Ali-OK

:rotfl: That's sounds very yummy!

I've been making both lemon and chocolate cakes and triple chocolate chunk muffins (they look like C0sta ones - huge and overflowing ) for the DIYers. DS has caught on (don't normally buy/eat cake) so it seems to be a weekly event now.

I make a standard sponge cake in a loaf tin and top with chocolate buttercream icing and choc chips. Quick and easy - that's about my level :rotfl:. The lemon one, I cut in half and add a layer of lemon curd