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

Watty1

found your diary and caught up

Thistlewhistle

Hi Ali,

Good luck with your diary and with your plans. We've both started our diaries about the same time so I'll be following your progress closely (to support......and steal any good ideas you might have:rotfl:)

It's a good feeling to talk to folk who are all pulling in the same direction!!

Thistle;)

Ali-OK

Hi Watty and Thistle :wave:

Thanks for popping in, it's lovely to 'meet' some more MFWers and Watty I've been following your diary for some months now too and in awe at your achievements. :T

You are brave to read my drivel, especially as I can talk for England and touch-type as quick :rotfl:

Thistle - great we're starting our journeys at the same time, it's a long road ahead and motivating each other along the way will be fab.

I have been regurgitating others' ideas mostly though on my DFW diary, I got a bit obsessed by the electricity bill and meter readings, so took out some of the light bulbs in the lounge, then ditched them totally and we used candles. A bit extreme but worked as it gives an extra 2C of heat as well as the light

The Old Style board is a good money-saver too - I'm a fan of Stardrops for cleaning everything - cheap and environmentally friendly, now into soapnuts, the tumble dryer is nearly redundant (love the soft towels though).

Finished at old office :j and £22 later, DS and I have had hair cuts - his is super-trendy and smart and mine is as was minus the ends. 3 x £1 coins to the change bucket.

Lunch from stocks (cucumber sandwiches AGAIN!) and an afternoon to do as I please....reading here and spreadsheet fiddling no doubt

Hope you're having a good day too

AlexLK

Your son's haircut is 'super trendy' ... has he found a girlfriend?

ourcornercottage

I have a guilty confession that I read my electricity meter at least once a week and input them into the Scottish power website so I can track my daily usage. I went through a stage of reading it every day but I've weaned myself off that!

I was horrified that my last reading had increased the daily usage above to 5 units per day. Horrified I tell you!

You see, your behaviour is quite normal on here.....that reminds me I should tell alexLK about the solar tiles you can get to do roofs (spelling?) nowadays although he may be horrified by the suggestion!

AlexLK

I never read my electricity meter and am obviously rather predictable as I will hear of nothing other than stone slate being put on my roof. At the detriment of my finances ... sometimes I wonder if the reading electricity meter, function over form spreadsheet fiddlers have got it right.

ourcornercottage

See, horrified!

I have solar panels but although I do indeed live in a cottage it isn't picturesque (some people may disagree with this) so made no odds to the look. Plus I'm a hippy at heart and am happy not to burn the fossil fuels!

AlexLK

ourcornercottage wrote: »

See, horrified!

I have solar panels but although I do indeed live in a cottage it isn't picturesque (some people may disagree with this) so made no odds to the look.

:rotfl: Indeed, I am horrified.

ourcornercottage wrote: »

Plus I'm a hippy at heart and am happy not to burn the fossil fuels!

:eek:

... you'd really hate me in 'real life'.

Ali-OK

:rotfl::rotfl:

It's great being amongst like minded souls and I can come out of the closet about my (mostly) weekly meter readings too...of course they have a spreadsheet of their own and I track average daily usage from it. Will join you in being horrified at seeing what the garden DIYers have used :eek: and asking them how much more cutting/drilling/whatever they had to do :rotfl: (but not why ).

Don't think DS has a girlfriend, more the hairdresser styled it to suit his face without him protesting. He's also now terrified of growing it long again (it was past his shoulders until the Spring) after his Science teacher told him it would need to be tied back. I owe that teacher

I'm never going to live spreadsheet fiddler or the ecobox down :rotfl:

Ali-OK

Just realised I haven't posted much about finances today except the haircuts.

- Bank account checked - 4p TT to holding pot, £3.45 (P!necone and Qmee) also moved to pot - total is £40.44 to add to next capital payment

- freepostcodelottery checked
- Inbox Pounds - up at £19.34, thrown out of surveys as I try to get to the £20 quicker!
- Qmee - emptied pot, back to zero

Budget spreadsheet sorted to take account of the little movements. Usually on 'pay myself day' (end of month) I round down to nearest £10 and leave the odd in the business account, but as I usually over-estimate tax/ni payments by @ £50 each year, I'm going to mover the exact figure and TT off the odd to the mortgage too.

New brick house spreadsheet completed, thanks SJ for sharing that. LTV could well be lower...neighbour has just sold at asking price within 4 days of going on the market - that's the second like that in the last 3 months. Based on that I'm at 40.30%. Woop! I'll keep it at my conservative value though, as house prices can go down as well as up!