Drip feeding...

themadvix

You did better than me - there's no way I'd have been able to be polite while handing over that sort of cash!:eek:

MichaelDH

wildesavings wrote: »

We hashed it out over a bottle of red wine and came to the sad conclusion that we want to be Mortgage free in the next 10 years (shhh 8 years is my aim...don't tell DH :rotfl:) more than we want/need a new kitchen. So whilst acknowledging that it really needs doing we will continue to bolster our savings at the same time as we pay down the mortgage. We're not going to add another 2 years onto the mortgage for the instant gratification of the kitchen been done now.

Hi wildesavings

I've just caught up on your diary. Well done on all the mortgage ops! Must be very satisfying to get the mortgage below £100k

It's one year today since our mortgage started. We've yet to make any op's yet but have agreed we will make a start next month, so realistically our mortgage isn't too far off the £170,199 it was when it started :mad:

Probably a bit crazy but we intend to actually increase our mortgage next year when the current deal ends to fund an extension which will include a new kitchen. Luckily we bought the worst house in the best area and have added value which will allow for this.

Our thinking is that if we want something enough (i.e. we want a decent sized kitchen with enough storage, that isn't cut off from the rest of the house and doesn't need lights on even in the summer!) then that's more important to us than chipping away at the mortgage as much, and will ultimately have a more positive impact for us on a day to day basis. Extension and new kitchen will probably add more value to the house too so that will be a nice bonus.

If you do reconsider and decide you want a new kitchen have a look at Howdens. I have been told their ktchens are very good quality providing you don't go for their cheapest range, and the fitters buy them using the trade discount. No need to buy from a fancy kitchen showroom, thought they are worth a visit just to use the free design service :rotfl:

wildesavings

themadvix wrote: »

You did better than me - there's no way I'd have been able to be polite while handing over that sort of cash!:eek:

Honestly it was Oscar worthy :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

wildesavings

MichaelDH wrote: »

Hi wildesavings

I've just caught up on your diary. Well done on all the mortgage ops! Must be very satisfying to get the mortgage below £100k

It's one year today since our mortgage started. We've yet to make any op's yet but have agreed we will make a start next month, so realistically our mortgage isn't too far off the £170,199 it was when it started :mad:

Probably a bit crazy but we intend to actually increase our mortgage next year when the current deal ends to fund an extension which will include a new kitchen. Luckily we bought the worst house in the best area and have added value which will allow for this.

Our thinking is that if we want something enough (i.e. we want a decent sized kitchen with enough storage, that isn't cut off from the rest of the house and doesn't need lights on even in the summer!) then that's more important to us than chipping away at the mortgage as much, and will ultimately have a more positive impact for us on a day to day basis. Extension and new kitchen will probably add more value to the house too so that will be a nice bonus.

If you do reconsider and decide you want a new kitchen have a look at Howdens. I have been told their ktchens are very good quality providing you don't go for their cheapest range, and the fitters buy them using the trade discount. No need to buy from a fancy kitchen showroom, thought they are worth a visit just to use the free design service :rotfl:

Ah thanks for reading all that! I'm hoping to post more as now it's 5 figures it feels like it's dropping fast and we can finally make some head room with it. Add ing to the mortgage for us shouldn't be an issue either as our house is now worth a crazy £350k (so thankful we're not FTB now!)

Thanks for the advice re: the kitchen fitters though - I like your idea, I'll keep that up my sleeve if we hit a wall and just want it done with. :beer: At the moment we're living on just my DH income and have been since we had the first of our children 14 years ago. We're both cautious as my DH has had long periods of leave after multiple surgeries and although his firm have been incredible (i.e. 6 months full paid leave each time x 3 in the last 7 years :A ) there's no guarantee this will always be the case and he will need more surgery but when is unknown. It helps us sleep at night knowing we owe the l hat we owe is dwindling fast therefore our monthly living costs can be slashed (by £400min) if we need them to be

wildesavings

£7 spent in 2 days so I've £63 to get 6 days food for a family of 5 :huh: We've got a garden full of apples, potatoes and tomatoes so I'll be using them

Family all want a BBQ this afternoon too so I'll be hitting the shops soon and attempting to shoehorn a week shop into my trolley for as little as possible

Edit to add : Shop done and 3 days of food all for £24 = a very happy me.

wildesavings

Well I limped to the finish line. Just within budget so GOLD STAR for me :T

Friday was pay day. whoop! It was also the day our youngest decided her tiny butt required an entire toilet roll and she single-handedly managed to destroy our plumbing. :(:( Tried to fix it myself but had to finally give in when I notice that the manhole in the garden had been turned into a fountain water feature :eek: So byebye £120. Thankfully now all sorted.

I've been mainly plugging away at this mortgage free idea without my OH's input as he would love the mortgage gone but doesn't really think it's anywhere near possible therefore pretty uninteresting. But last night we were chatting finances and I mentioned that our balance is now really close to being in the 80's.... that grabbed his attention. :cool: So I'm hoping we might get a bit more intense about paying this thing off and will be updating my first post to include some new goals this afternoon.

As for me I'm having a big-spendy day today. Last child (14yo) requires back to school shop. Bag, shoes, socks, stationary and a dressing gown as I accused her of wearing the tiny 11yo's gown a few weeks back but turns out it's hers and she been wearing it for 6 years... oops. Somethings slip through the net when parenting 3 daughters. I also need to do the first shop of the month and we're out of EVERYTHING!!! :eek: I'm thinking that if today comes in under £300 that would be a miracle.

wildesavings

Copy of my very very optimistic goals for the next year duplicated here I'm very aware that almost 12k for us in a year is crazy .... YET.... I might be able to move a small chunk from the savings to boost an over payment in a few months time... IF we don't get ambushed by yet another cash guzzling crisis.
I'm also hoping that my tiny job income (dinner lady) will just help oil the wheels of our finances slightly and I can free up a bit of cash for throw at the mortgage.

I'm a goal orientated person. Can you tell?

Updated in bold August 2017 with goals for the next year!!!!

Starting at Aug 2017 - £92441.
Goal to be 80,000 in August 2018
TARGETS
September : 91400
October : 90,360
November : 89320
December : 88,280
January : 87240
February : 86200
March : 85190
April : 84150
May : 83110
June : 82070
July : 81030
August : 79990 :beer:

Kittenkirst

You can do it!

wildesavings

Kittenkirst wrote: »

You can do it!

Oh I hope so!!!

Yesterday's shopping trip came in at a very healthy £200 - Shopping, petrol and back to school items. :j Then had an email reminder that gymnastic fees were due so £80 gone there but I'll take it Just awaiting all my debits to come out but I think I'm down to £600 left for the month already thanks to the plumbing issue, clubs and other expenses I was awaiting pay day for :rotfl: Easy come easy go....

wildesavings

So having read lots of other diaries other the last few days I'm inspired to do some little things to help our MFW cause. It seems clear that all the small things add up fast when you read a years worth of diary entries where the author is just chipping away at it yet a year later that adds up and they're knocking capital off on a regular basis.

1. Tilly-tidying - One of my bank accounts was being completely unused so I've changed it's name to 'Over-payment AC' and will aim to tidy up stray pennies (under £1) from my current account into it. This i'll aim to pay in monthly. it's stands at a whooping 27p

2. Ebay/FB selling pages. I've been on a major clear out and just sending stuff to charity shops but I might start listing things in the hope that I can glean a few pennies.

3. Food budget I set myself weekly spend limits and if i'm under I'll put that aside and stash that in the over- payment fund

Today's been a lovely almost no spend day. Made jars of tomato chutney, blackberry jam, apple pie fillings to freeze all from produce from the garden. Also a massive chilli con carne to feed us all for a few days PLUS meal portions for Mr WS to take to work on nights.

I'm feeling very virtuous