Need to be MF so I can retire

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Hi Hardup Hester, welcome to the forum. Really lovely to *see* you here.

I often think of you when I'm reading Lee Child books .

Best wishes Tilly x x

A_Frayed_Knot

Hi Hester, it is Hester and not Heater:D as Tilly calls you (must be the Christmas Cheer;)):rotfl:No Offence Tilly - hic, hic, must be the heat going for you:D.


Welcome and Good Luck, I also took out a mortgage around the same age as yourself and i'm only nearly 4 years in, and doing a bit of mental arithmetic - I'm very close to your salary as well.



Good place and time to start.

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

A_Frayed_Knot wrote: »

Hi Hester, it is Hester and not Heater:D as Tilly calls you (must be the Christmas Cheer;)):rotfl:No Offence Tilly - hic, hic, must be the heat going for you:D.

thank you :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: all fixed now

Hard_Up_Hester

Hi Tilly, I wasn't sure if you would remember me.
Hester, Heater either will do, some people have thought the Hard Up is a sexual reference, rather than being skint!
SSS, the £2000 is ok for now eventually we'd like to get up to £4000 for funeral payment.
Ecoelle, I find meal planning very easy, my beloved is one of the fussiest eaters I have ever met and only eats about 10 meal so I just cook them in rotation, very boring but it make life simple.
Two of my DGD's have birthdays in January, I bought them both a Frozen doll, they were reduced from £27 to £9.
Hester

pathtofreedom

Depending how long you've had the bank accounts and what benefits you get from them, it might be worth looking into switching deals, and or rewards, which might get you a little more cash.

Quidco and similar are also good for cash back, every little helps.

I shop at a few places, but get some things from sainsburys, along with diesel, as the nectar points can be turned into vouchers to spend on ebay which helps for buying other things.

I wouldn't lose your emergency fund, but just try and find the best savings account for it you can to get the most interest for it. Some people do a virtual offset, which means if you can find a savings account which is a higher rate than your mortgage rate after tax, you're just keeping your mortgage overpayments in a place that will earn you a little bit extra as well.

Another idea I saw on here when I first started really trying to OP was to draw a picture, or make a picture on a spreadsheet, of a house. So each brick / roof tile on your house is worth £1000 or something, then you can colour that in each time you pay off a bit more. Like the old thermometer style charity counters for raising money on blue peter. So the more you pay the more you can see the house slowly be yours as you colour in each bit.

It might be worth posting a soa to see if people can spot anywhere you might be able to get better deals, to help cut costs.

Hard_Up_Hester

Thanks PTF, I've tried a few cashback sites but never got anything back.
I will work on my SOA.
Hester

brizzledfw

Wishing you best of luck..great goals to have

newgirly

Hi hester, welcome, I am a reader of your blog and wanted to wish you all the best for the new year and your new mf diary

greent

Hi Hester - I loved your old blog and then was so pleased to find you again when you started your new one - I don't often comment, but do read it all the time


Are you planning on saving smaller amounts into your emergency fund and then paying off £500 chunks every time you reach that figure?


Do neither of you have life assurance? - just wondering because of wanting to save more for funerals. If you do, then surely it would cover the costs?


My mil died suddenly 3 months ago and we did the funeral (not inc the wake) for £2700 including printing orders of service, the crem fees and a bespoke cardboard coffin (purple with a rainbow, unicorns and fairy dust on - it was amazing!) People don't tend to shop around for funerals - it's a hard enough time already, but the difference in the costs for the same service can easily be £2000 here in Glos.


Look forward to following you here in MFW land


x

Hard_Up_Hester

We had visitors today, lovely to see them all, it also means the house is free of Christmas presents, apart from the ones we were given, as most of them are smellies or edible they don't really count as clutter.
DGD's birthday presents arrived today, their b'days are 2 day's apart, I bought them both a Frozen doll, reduced from £27 to £9.
We didn't go mad with Christmas gifts for the family, we have 4 children, their partners and 9 grandchildren so we don't spend much per head. most people got a onesie they cost between £5.50 & £12.99 depending on size.
I usually make edible Christmas gifts or hampers for people but we lost hubby's Mum in November and the family problems are many and varied, they are also still ongoing. This has meant many hours spent bashing up and down the M4, many hysterical phone calls from family members and many less hysterical, but still complicated phone calls to and from the solicitors. All this has left me too harassed and exhausted to think about making and cooking gifts this year, Maybe next year I will do better!
I'm spending tomorrow filling the freezer with 'building blocks' I don't plan exactly what food we are eating each day, rather I make sure there are part prepared meals in the fridge. It shortens the cooking time when hubby gets home from work and means hubby is less likely to want a takeaway.
Hester