XSpender Speeds it Up - £0 to £60k in 27 months

XSpender

Thanks SL for the link to the MFiT and savings threads. I have signed up for the MFiT thread with a target of £30k, £10k a year and will check out the savings thread shortly to keep me focussed on the costs side of moving! Thinking of £5,000 for that one.

Busy weekend today with shopping, concert and food and drink. Went over shopping budget a little so will dip into savings to cover it but pleased with purchases and sorted for next 6 months and my Christmas gifts:D We are both shattered tonight but need to sort DS stuff for school. Will also need to make something for dinner but I have eaten so much restaurant food in the last two weeks I am sick of food and eating!

No travelling next week so will have a healthy eating week and hit the gym as I have done nothing exercise wise for 2 weeks:eek: DH also wants to lose another 3.5lbs (plus what ever he gained this weekend!) by Christmas so I need to shop tomorrow to stock up on fresh foods.

XSpender

The good news is that after number crunching our spends we can cover the overspend from December's pay as well as make a good OP and add to savings WITHOUT touching the existing savings pot :j

We had planned an uber frugal Jan without a real goal so been able to do this will spur us on and give us a goal to work too

I do not need another piece of clothing until summer after this weekend's purchases and we are saving up for another shopping trip then. I prefer to have a few good pieces that last and are not going to go out of fashion than buy something every month or so.

XSpender

Woo hoo! We are now in receipt of a DiP for a mortgage way over what we want to borrow from a high street lender and at a decent (not credit repair) rate.:D

Savings and mortgage OPs need to ramp up now so we can be ready to sell 1st of March. I have had to add a grand to the budget for moving as I have underestimated the legal fess according to the estimate the broker sent (not that I would use them without checking out another solicitor or 2).

I want to apply for a 0% card to move our CC balance to and to clear our small secured loan balance but after having a rubbish credit rating for so long and getting turned down previously I am a bit nervous about doing it even though our credit file has now been updated correctly.

The broker has said a search or 2 won't effect the mortgage decision and I would only apply for one and if I get turned down I would give up and carry on as we are.

I am WFH today and cannot seem to get motivated:o I need a to do list for home stuff so I can focus on the work stuff:

• [STRIKE]Food shop (just received a Mr T voucher for £7:D)[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Post Christmas cards and sympathy card
  [/STRIKE] [STRIKE]4 left to write and post and all neighbours to write too[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Buy cakes for work[/STRIKE] [STRIKE]and for DS school party[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Buy chocs for DS teacher [/STRIKE]- DH came home with a box from work
• [STRIKE]Buy prosecco for gift
  [/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Buy housewarming card [/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Arrange exchange of gifts with friend[/STRIKE]
• Washing and [STRIKE]sort clean laundry[/STRIKE] 5 load done
• Clean and tidy [STRIKE]living room and [/STRIKE]bedroom
• Arrange meet up with DDad
• Book waxing appointment
• [STRIKE]Book doctors appointment[/STRIKE]

I am sure there are a lot more tasks to add on!

XSpender

Well we bit the bullet last night and applied for a low fee, long term 0% card each and were accepted. After being in the doo doo with credit in the past it was scary to see how easy it was to get such a lot of credit. I feel that we are much more cautious than many people who have never been in financial trouble as we know what it feels like for it to happen whereas if it hasn't happened to you, you cant imagine it happening IYSWIM.

I will transfer the CC balance to mine and DH has arranged to transfer a sum to his account to clear the secured loan. The reduction in monthly payments will mean that we can throw another £550 at the mortgage as an OP and will be ready to move by April We are not planning to put the house on the market until March so this will give us even longer to save. Once our savings are in place we can use the £550 to clear the cards as I don't want the balances to be around for years.

I did see a house yesterday in my perfect location but the stairs are in the living room. I have that now and it is one thing I don't want in my next house. The 3rd bedroom is also too small but there is the potential to extend above the garage. If we were 2 months further along we would definitely have gone to see it but it will be gone this week as it is 'done' very well and in a popular location.

Made some progress with my list yesterday without much effort.:o Today I need to carrying on sorting the living room, post the cards, go to work and ring for a settlement figure on the secured loan and buy the cakes and I forgot them when I was in Mr T last night:mad: Oh and pick up some boots I ordered on line

Pearla*Merle

Great to hear the 0% worked out and has freed up some cash :T

You've reminded me that I really need to post Christmas cards too :eek:

XSpender

XSpender wrote: »

• [STRIKE]Food shop (just received a Mr T voucher for £7:D)[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Post Christmas cards and sympathy card
  [/STRIKE] 4 left to write and post and all neighbours to write too
• [STRIKE]Buy cakes for work[/STRIKE] and for DS school party
• [STRIKE]Buy chocs for DS teacher [/STRIKE]- DH came home with a box from work
• [STRIKE]Buy prosecco for gift
  [/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Buy housewarming card [/STRIKE]
• Arrange exchange of gifts with friend
• Washing and [STRIKE]sort clean laundry[/STRIKE] 1 load done
• Clean and tidy living room and bedroom
• Arrange meet up with DDad
• Book waxing appointment
• [STRIKE]Book doctors appointment[/STRIKE]

Made some progress with my list but must finish the cards tonight, not my favourite Christmas job, and sort out the living room.

Nothing much to report money wise. We have DH Christmas do on Saturday and still need to work out how to get there and back. I am tempted to drive but will just what to go early if I do when DH will want to stay until later. I also do not want to be roped in to driving a lot of drunken random people home:eek: I don't want to spend £30 on a taxi either!

smallholdingsister

Great progress and well done!

XSpender

I forgot that I did have some money news after all:

:)I received a letter last week from the old supplier saying I was due a credit on the gas and electric approx. £90 which I will OP.

:)Balance transfers are in progress but I overestimated the loan and underestimated the CC but luckily they balance each other out and as the loan money is going into the CA I can just pay it across

:)Made a chart to go on the fridge with £500 blocks to colour in every time we overpay/save - 35 x £500 required:eek:

XSpender

£70.70 OP made from TCB I received last week, £80 until I can colour in the next £500 square.:D Will see if I can squeeze this from somewhere before the next lot of TCB comes through

Cleared the secured loan with the 0% balance transfer

Re jigged the budget to increase OP to mortgage

Did a full day's work and got some good feedback for my appraisal next month:eek:

DH's senior manager has been promoted so there is likely to be a reshuffle which would mean a promotion and pay rise for DH :dance:

XSpender

Attempting to squeeze in a bit of housework when WFH today then DH and I are off for something to eat and to see Star Wars. DH is so excited about the film, I hope he isn't disappointed.


Busy day tomorrow as I will need to pick DS up early from DMIL for his last swimming lesson of the year, DH has a hair appointment and then DS will be dropped off at DMIL again as we are at DH Christmas party in the evening. We still haven't decided how to get there or back but I am definitely leaning towards driving as I don't want to waste Sunday feeling rough.


I haven't ran for 3 weeks and I have put on almost 3lb what with sampling Christmas treats. I must make an effort to move my body before Christmas or I will look like Santa by new year!