Excited to try and be mortgage free

hiddenshadow

Lights left on drives me mad! Fine if you just popped out of the room for a minute, but otherwise how hard is it to flick a switch?

chumpy45

shangaijimmy wrote: »

I keep threatening to knock 20p off DS1's pocket money for everytime I have to turn a light off. But the cheeky sod trumps me by asking how much I'm knocking off Mrs SJ's as she's just as bad!

Haha, this is a brilliant idea SJ (although maybe exclude Mrs SJ for the sake of marital harmony !!). I will make a fortune from DS4

Hi Hidden :wave: lovely to see you. Completely agree with you - just how hard can it be :rotfl:

Thanks for posting SavingHolmes - you are right, those neat numbers and 000s at the end of balances all mount up :T

I had a free appointment with an IFA today to discuss my pension. This was supplied through work so I though I would take advantage and make sure I was on the right track to retire sometime before my 90th birthday :rotfl: Went through endless questionnaires etc etc - what would you like to be able to do in retirement ? well, eat would be a good start, and then of course, the odd world cruise or two lol. Projections looked a little pitiful atm. My normal retirement age is 67, but hopefully with some cunning investments, he will be able to help me reduce this to at the latest 65. Anything earlier will be a bonus. I have a deep mistrust of IFAs due to some very poor advice years ago which left a big hole in our finances, but I suppose I should try and listen to his advice with an open mind. Lots of stuff to read now. But I also have a shiny new folder that was a gift from some students, so I can have a happy half an hour arranging and filing everything pension related. Happy days - I'm easily pleased.

savingholmes

You are doing amazing on the mortgage - wish we had been more focussed sooner. Do you know what pension annual income you are a) likely to have including state pension and b) what you are aiming for?

chumpy45

Hi SavingHolmes, thanks for your comments. With regards to pension forecasts I will have to wait until I hear back from the pension guy with his thoughts and plans. I know what I would like to have :rotfl: but whether that is feasible is unclear atm. The sooner this pesky mortgage is paid off then then we can top up pension investments with the equivalent of the mortgage payments. I would like to think we have enough to be able to relax and enjoy life. A couple of holidays/short breaks/trips out without having to be too penny pinching. I will update once I have heard back from "the pension man". Like you, I really wish we had started this process much, much sooner. However, better late than never I suppose.

chumpy45

Wow, these holidays are whizzing past. Seem to have been quite spendy even though I have been at home for most of it. Must try harder in September. Great excitement today as DS4 achieved fab GCSE results - phew so glad the wait is over and I am a very proud mum. Have sent all necessary pension papers and information to pension advisor so waiting to hear from him. Unbelievably still no decision from my manager as to whether or not I can have full time hours in September (mmmmm, that just a week away I believe ?). I have picked up some hourly paid hours on top of my normal 0.8 contract but that's not quite the same. DS4 has a trip away next week with a group he belongs to so am thinking of having a couple of days away by myself ( or possibly with my bestie). Just something cheap and cheerful nearby on the coast for a little bit of "me" time before the madness of the new academic year begins. Have been working on new budget figures, but need to get DH on board a little more before it can be effective. Right a quick cuppa before I take the pooch for his regular groom and haircut. I will try not to laugh at his little skinny legs later.

savingholmes

Some time away sounds awesome. Glad your DS did well. It's an anxious waiting for parent and child...

chumpy45

Thanks Savingholmes, it was certainly a tense morning until the envelope was opened:rotfl:

I have just realised that this is the first time for 20 years that I won't have to buy "back to school" stuff. That made me feel old. However, having said that, DS4 is starting a performing arts course at college and has a uniform list that rivals starting at Senior School :eek: I have also found it is incredibly difficult to obtain ballet and jazz shoes for a male dancer with size 12 feet :rotfl: He is off early tomorrow morning on a trip to Europe with his choir taking part in a couple of concerts. It's only 5 days as they're back on Sunday, but it will be a very quiet house with no DSs at all !!!! I actually can't remember the last time there were no DSs in the house. I'm not sure OH and I will remember how to speak to each other :rotfl:

We will just about squeak through to the end of the month. I had forgotten to transfer the money to our current account for DH's recent car service, so that made the balance a little healthier. DH also has some expenses owing, so hopefully we will make it. Next month with a return to work/college should be a little easier hopefully. Enjoy the sunshine .

chumpy45

Just realised my long post on September 1st did not publish and is now lost. I retyped it but forgot to switch on the power lead for my laptop and it just died and lost it all again. So, third time lucky, and now in summary form, with the mortgage normal payment plus an OP of £260 and the odd pence to round things down, the o/s mortgage now stands at £15,999.00. It's creeping down :T September seems to have been non-stop paying out, mainly related to DS4 as he starts college. All his usual singing and dancing classes have also restarted for the new year so it has been a little painful. DS3's Uni support money from us has also started again as he has returned to his new student house. We also did an emergency dash to see him on Saturday as he split up from his girlfriend and was very upset. It was horrible seeing him so low . Much TLC and dinner at Pizza Express was required. (Even though I didn't begrudge some comfort TLC at all, I did have a voucher which had been a present from some of my students which made it slightly less painful!). Have tried again to get OH on board with MSE ways and a "simpler life", but he's not buying it. I think I have accepted it is all coming from me now, but it is very frustrating :mad: My Vanguard obsession is still going strong and I love to log in first thing in the morning with a cuppa. My rate of return is well over 5% now which is very pleasing as it is beating my regular saver (atm anyway !). Students were back this week which was a little :eek:, not sure if any of you other teachers out there would agree, but the job is much more fun when they're on holiday :rotfl: Right, need a quick turnaround of tea tonight as off to a meeting. Just baked a few buns for DS4's lunch boxes this week. Need to prepare my bag for tomorrow so I am ready to go in the morning. Can't get used to the alarm going off again and it's only Monday ! Have a good week everyone.

chumpy45

Survived my first week back at work, although was absolutely shattered by Friday. Desperately need to transfer some budgeted money from savings to the current account, as it is looking a little :eek: Have sorted out the airing cupboard this weekend and the pantry which was a complete mess. Menu planned for the week and read the latest blog post from the Escape Artist, so I am ready to rock and roll this week. Hope it's a good one for everyone.

chumpy45

Squeaking our way to a much needed payday this week. Roll on Friday. Work is pants at the moment, my new timetable is not great. I'm not sure if I'm generally feeling bleurgh which is affecting the way I am feeling about work or if it's work specifically. But I am not feeling the lurve this term. There is a position vacant atm that I am considering applying for. It would be a return to admin on a 9-5 basis and I could leave at the end of the day without worrying about preparation, marking or students' personal issues and could reclaim my weekends, but I am not sure if I should go for it or not. Some more consideration needed.
Money saving has been in the form of eating from the freezer and store cupboards which has generated some interesting combos! I have just made a Shepherds Pie as I am teaching until 9pm tonight so I can eat now and DH and DS4 can eat when they get home. It is smelling lovely atm. Was going to make brownies for lunch boxes but I have run out of time. I have made a big effort not to use my credit card this month. Even though I clear it every month the amount seemed to keep creeping up. Next month should only be about £50 which was 2 birthday presents which will be a lot less painful. The child benefit office has contacted OH and advised we have been overpaid by £1000 and this will be collected via an adjustment to his tax code. He has contacted the accountant for her to check the figures that were on his tax return. It all seems a little weird to me as nothing has changed and we have never had this situation before. Not much else to report atm, just hanging on for payday and then can do the money shuffle again. A very grey and rainy day, so I am going to enjoy the next 30 mins eating my lunch and watching a little tv before I head off to teach this afternoon. Hope everyone is having a good week.