Getting a mortgage and then becoming mortgage-free!

themadvix

Loads to do, but loads done too KK!

I like YG for surveys - they're always fair, don't screen you out and are usually interesting. Reaching pay out can take a while but it's cold hard cash at the end!

misscousinitt

Hope you had a wonderful celebration!

MCI

Kittenkirst

Thanks Themadvix & misscousinitt,

Morning lovelies. We have this week off work to get more stuff sorted and hopefully be ready to move in shortly.

This weekend we sorted out some curtains for the lounge with cushions, duvet cover sets and mops etc for the kitchen.
Paid the electrician and floor fitters so now £2.5k lighter

Diwali family meal went really well, and the food was delicious
We shared leftovers with some friends (Hubble is gluten free and the majority of Gujarati food is with gram flour so okay for him)

Awaiting the handy guy coming out to sand the ceiling (where the spots went in), put shelves in the larder and airing cupboard and put up our curtain rails.

One wardrobe went up yesterday and it looks just fab, and the bed was delivered. More wardrobes to be made and the bed put together and we'all have a bedroom. We need to order a mattress soon too.

Off to IKEA shortly to get a few pieces and we're going to have a treat of a Starbucks on way. Yum!!

Kittenkirst

Long old day yesterday- went to IKEA to get the shelf fixings that were missing from our delivery and the basket that was out of stock when we last went.....got the shelve fixers but bought the wrong basket

Ended up getting a bathroom cabinet, a wheel table thing for the microwave to go on in the larder, a chest of drawers for our room and lots of other stuff..£180 and 3.5hours later We left IKEA :O

We skipped the starbucks as decided we'd use the pennies towards an IKEA brekkie - IKEA family £1.50 veggie breakfasts and free coffee was £3.30.
Our winning item was a hotdog after shopping which we shared on the drive home with some of their hot mulled apple juice they had to sample. small wins.

Friend came over last night and we have the wardrobe frames & the inner drawers in- need the additional shelf and basket and the doors, lighting & handles on and we can start moving stuff in!:)

We have half built the bathroom cabinet- awaiting the handyman affixing to the wall so we can finish it, and we built the wheely table for the larder so got loads done. Got home at 11.30pm so we were pretty pooped last night!

Today we need to exchange the curtains (as they are too short) drop off a few bits and then to the house to try and build the bed and drawers. It's an ottoman style so not sure how easy it is to do between us both but we'll give it a go

I'm feeling quite under the weather at the min so will wrap up warm today and try not to rush around too much. At this rate I'll need time off to recover from our time off!

Signed up to the John Lewis open evening next week so hoping we get tickets- not been to one before but a glass of fizz for free is always nice, and we want to get two Nest Thermostats so will see if any offers

misscousinitt

Busy busy. Hope you feel better soon.

I'd say take it easy, but I know all too well that when there are things to be done...

Good luck.

MCI

Kittenkirst

More building today- built a small pale green chest of drawers for our room, and built half of our Ottaman bed- it's looking fab but took us quite a while.

Was pleased as popped into Dreams whilst out doing errands- we decided on a mattress we liked- £349 in the sale. I noted down the details and then searched online for similar. Found identical for £220 from Argos (Silent night mattress) - was about to pay and thought I'd check for a discount code quickly and found one for 20% off so saved £44! It's being delivered on Monday, quite pleased with that.

Took curtains back to dunelm today and exchanged for longer size, got them home and they are huge. I think that I may have (maybe) not unfolded them fully....will have to go back and exchange again :rotfl: hopefully as getting the shorter pair I'll get £20refund too! Silver lining.

Whilst we were at dunelm we nipped into Costco to grab some matts to go under the cross trainer in the spare room (just £10!) and took advantage of the food sampling station to get free lunch!! :money:
Some turkey crown, rib, olives, mozzarella sticks and chocolate later I didn't need lunch! ;D

Checking banking and realised council tax not yet come out- then realised we've had the bill but not yet called to set up DD. So that's a task for the morning. 13 more days until pay day so I'm hoping to stay out of my overdraft, but pay and additional £50 off my credit card (0% until 31st March)

EatingTheElephant

Great progress with the house, bet you can't wait to move in!

Kittenkirst

Morning!
Yes ETE I totally can't wait we finished our bed yesterday and it looks fab- really really pleased with it now it's all done.

Lots of errands to do today, but our handyman finally came over last night and started work (after three weeks of faff!) so hoping he put up the curtain poles and started sanding the ceilings. He's back on Saturday to build the larder shelves, airing cupboard shelves, put the bathroom cabinet up, put some mirrors up, plane down doors and re fit them.

Site manager came round to discuss our snagging list so the guys are coming tuesday and Friday to touch up paint, re do the French doors (which have a large cold gap at the top), sort out the outside tap and redo a door with a screw hole in it (gloss cupboards show every blemish).

Our friend is coming back to fit the wardrobe doors hopefully this weekend too so we can start moving clothes etc in
Its all coming together!

Pinecone survey and yougov surveys completed this morning so I'm chipping away at those. Debating getting a weekday evening job (waitress/barmaid etc) for a little extra cash, once we're moved in I'll look into it properly as I'm really keen to enjoy life but also pay down the mortgage especially when rates are so low....

Kittenkirst

The second pair of curtains were taken back to Dunelm this afternoon, instead of the aubergine we got the raspberry red ones and returned the four cushion covers (decided these were frivolous and I'm going to make some myself before Christmas!).

Alongside this we also got curtains for our room too as we measured it out this morning, with the exchanges/refund we only paid another £30 so not too bad.

As we were over that way (literally across the road!) we nipped into Costco to see what samples they had- some pork steak, ribeye steak, Raffaelos & pancakes later we were full.

Also took back some curtains to next we bought several months ago as the girlfriend has an account they took them back without any issue...just waiting to see if they refund the full value back as they didn't mention anything about different values etc. fingers crossed that will pay for the spare room curtains we have yet to buy

Bought a tv for our room today using sainsburys vouchers (so kinda free really!!) so it can be wall mounted tomorrow, and got a little gift for my cousins new baby as going to visit him tomorrow, also got a little gift for his little girl too. Looking forward to baby cuddles tomorrow

Got the fire on tonight at home to calm the cat down, he was hiding under the bed but he's now settled in front of the fire, he jumps every now & then but it's better than the frightened stance he had earlier. Evening in tonight with the gf and parents, going to catch up on The Missing tonight as it's got quite intense!

Kittenkirst

Wooop the Next refund is showing on the account at the full price we paid! As we paid for them in May/June this will come off next months bill (three large mirrors bought in the VIP sale) so £75 less to find in Novembers pay :j

Not real money saving as such but means the budget will be better for November! Handy guy is coming out today and tomorrow so hopefully the house will look like a house on Monday. Not sure when friend is coming to do the wardrobe doors so we've taken all our clothing that was in storage (whilst I lived at the gf's parents) over in tubs stacked in the corner. Two bags of eb*y stuff already identified. Will look at listing the winter stuffs a few pieces a week and then keep the spring/summer stuff for the new year!

Got a few yellow sticker items yesterday at sainsburys- turkey escalopes, a veggie pizza and a nice pork joint so they are in the freezer at the new house already. I've been reading lots of the budgeting threads for ideas, however gf doesn't want to compromise on foods. I'm hoping I can get the balance right for us so we are saving but not scrimping too much that she notices! :money:

Off to cousins later today which should be lovely- I was going to get her a bunch of flowers but checked presents box and I have a nice sanctuary gift set so will gift that to her so she can pamper herself instead

Have lovely weekends all! Enjoy any fireworks/bonfires and keep those little fur babies nice & safe indoors!