Getting a mortgage and then becoming mortgage-free!

Kittenkirst

Ooooosh what a wet & miserable day today! It has been pelting down with rain all day, which is normally not too much of an issue as I work in an office. However today I was doing a CSR volunteering day dropping leaflets around Market Harborough. 6 hours in the pouring rain means my many many layers, fleece, gloves, hats, knee high socks, trainers are all soaked through but we did deliver an awful lot of leaflets for a charity calling for people to recycle their real Christmas trees in the new year.

Spent some ££ today as we warmed up in a little sandwich shop at lunch- jacket spud & hot choc for me (with cream, sprinkles & jazzies!!) and a toasted wrap & pot of tea for my lady :-) As we didn't know the area we went to a non chain cafe for our lunch- try to support local when we can.

On that theme we called in at a gorgeous farm shop and picked up some apples, a crown prince squash (49p) and a lime & lavender chocolate bar. I get to claim back the petrol and maybe the lunch but will see. Great day in the outdoors and feels lovely to have done something different- I just hope it generates some £££ for the local hospice.

Gf is now snoozing on the sofa- we walked over ten miles according to our fitbits so a little tired.

I'm going to use the micro filler on the ceiling again tonight, ready to sand again tomorrow and the painter to visit on Wednesday.
TV license bought today so we can start watching iplayer (not just Netflix) until the sky is installed. Sky due on Wednesday but no viewing card has arrived so think it needs moving again

Chicken fajitas tonight for dinner- got organic chicken for 30p yesterday in Teccccos- I never find things THAT cheap, ever so was very shocked. Have some peppers from gf's mum (she bought shopping on Tuesday last week and bought lots of the stuff we usually eat so she gave it to us yesterday!) and some butternut squash to use up so should be tasty hopefully!

Edit: decided we weren't overhungry so made veg & ham omelettes from stuffs in the fridge followed by a leftover sweetie from the Halloween housewarming chicken in the freezer and wraps will be used for lunches at work.

Trying frontage Frais this week in place of Greek Fage yogurt- 50p instead of £2.50 for the pot. Mixed done with apple sauce (not got honey in yet!) and some ground almonds. Will make sandwiches in the morning and take the bag of popcorn bought for the meeting!

Kittenkirst

First OP has just been paid!!

:j :j :j :j :j :j :j

I have transferred the tiny sum of £6.82 to the mortgage via the online banking app to test it works ok! The £6.82 is made up of £5 pinecone payment and interest from my current account & the joint bills account this month small amounts but it's a start!

It is £6.82 of capital that we won't have to pay interest on again :money:

I had a fab silver class last night, and was early so nipped into town for a walk- got a half loaf for 10p from M&S for sandwiches today & tomorrow, and some light up pumpkin balloons for the Halloween box reduced to 85p.

Off out tonight to dinner to thank our friend who built the wardrobes for us- going to a lush old fashioned pub that does wonderful homemade pies on a Wednesday- it's not normally too expensive per person but should be a nice treat without breaking the bank.
Packing breakfast & lunches in a minute to avoid any canteen/coffee shop temptation today as already spending.

Up to £7 on Yougov...I fear this will take a while but I'm not going anywhere so I may as well do them when they arrive.

Work being done on the house today:
• sky tv installation so we don't have to just watch master chef! (As much as we love it)
• French patio door being fixed today to lift it as one has dropped down leaving a huge gap at the top- chilly!
• Painter back round to paint th living room & hall ceiling after all the micro filler (saving us £75 we were going to pay the DIY man!)

Awaiting to hear when the plumber is coming for the en suite toilet to be fixed & electrician for the outside light (it works it's just wonky!).
We've called back our electrician as the plugs under the sink have started to work only sporadically- he's coming on Friday to sort it.

All coming together nicely

newgirly

Congrats on the first op , one of many to come :T

themadvix

Woohoo for the OP! It's a great feeling, isn't it?!:beer:

YG is a long-term thing, but at least the payout is decent in the end. I usually find their surveys quite interesting too.

Kittenkirst

Thanks Newgirly & MadVix

Clydesdale don't offer online banking so i shall call them tomorrow to see if it went through ok, and also get the balance so I can workout daily interest and all of that stuff.

Pie night was great and not too expensive either which is fab,ceiling is all sanded and painted so looks like new again. The sky is all installed downstairs & upstairs now so we have tv and the French doors are fixed.

Just waiting on the plumber fixing the en suite toilet and the electrician sorting the plug under the sink out- phew! The last two months have been pretty hectic I must say.

We still have bits to sort like kitchen bin, outside bin etc so we're making a list and checking black Friday deals tonight/tomorrow.

Working from home today so I'm hoping for a no spend day but the lovely lady is off out with some friends for a meal as one is relocating down south. Lots of food in so I'm a little spoilt for choice really- quite fancy pasta or a jacket spud yum yum!

Needhelpsaving

Just popping in to say hi and wish you well on your MF journey - sound like you are off to a great start! :T

Kittenkirst

Thanks Needshelpsaving, nice of you to pop by the thread

Today has been a relaxed day, second sofa was delivered and is looking just gorgeous

I couldn't contain my excitement so I called Clydesdale and the payments clear next day so it was already showing. I asked how much interest was added on 31/10 and it was a bit more than my initial calculations so I need to adjust my spreadsheet.

Bought a colleague flowers for being unwell today from my department, will claim back via expenses but I also got to use quidco so £7 has tracked.

Looking at Christmas gifts for the list of people and a few items from body shop have now been purchased with their 40% code and hopefully will get some cashback too.
£280 sat as tracked in quidco at the moment- even if only half pays out its over £100 off the mortgage for things we wanted to buy anyway so I'm pretty pleased. Just a waiting game now.

Another pinecone completed so awaiting the money clearing.

Sorted out the water account today and they think it'ok be £29 a moth on the meter- I'm not sure how accurate that is so will be keeping an eye on it, annoyingly they only read the meter every six months

Off to make some dinner and get cozy in the front room with the new Sky tv- may pop a little movie on and enjoy a night in on my own! (Part of me is itching to do my accounts spreadsheet and look at where I can make more savings but I think tonight is an unwinding night)

debtfreeoneday

Well done on your first OP, feels good doesn't it!

Have a lovely weekend.

Kittenkirst

Evening MSE-er's!
We're just home & unpacked from a lovely weekend visiting family we were given great tickets to the England V Argentina match and it was a great match. I always love the atmosphere at Twickenham and it didn't disappoint!

Managed to only spend £10 all weekend thanks to the family treating us to food at the match and a few beers, also had a lovely family lunch out today which was scrumptious.

Had a mini splurge online for Black Friday- some beautiful goth bat winged suede boots were on sale for only £20 instead of £70. I had adored them and almost bought them at full price but at the time used the MSE mantra, but at £20 I thought it worth the naughty treat!!

Bags all unpacked & we're just snuggled on the sofa watching Scandak with a cuppa. Going to make squash soup for supper shortly with some crunchy bacon added (gf request for bacon) we brought new things home from the parents that need putting away so will have a blitz round after one episode & supper, then it's back to work tomorrow!

Kittenkirst

All the chores, supper and dishes are done! Phew!

Used leftover butternut squash and a quarter of the crown prince squash, bunged in garlic onions & a spud and simmered down for some time- blitzed up and served with some crust less bread toasted for croutons (had gone a bit stale!) and two slices bacon trimmed and snipped up. Totally beautiful, simple supper and light on the purse too.

2 portions made up and cooling on the side ready for the freezer

Eggs in boiling for pack ups tomorrow with carrot & cabbage salad and some chopped turkey. Feeling all saintly & frugal tonight. :money: