Getting a mortgage and then becoming mortgage-free!

Needhelpsaving

Great news on both the student loan and mortgage- that's a huge step towards your future financial security x

Kittenkirst

Fingers crossed that it'll be gone by the end of the year!

Weather here has been truly awful, so much so that I'm putting off driving to the jewellery class (it's about 45mins each way along the motorway and I don't fancy taking my car out in the weather).

Think I'll make an early dinner and do some beading as the gf is away with work for the next two nights.

Weather is not looking promising for download this weekend. Think I need to get some sun dances going!

Kittenkirst

On a use up mission today- dinner was lamb in gravy from the freezer topped with some leftover pastry from last week chopped a large spud and had potatoe wedges & brocolli with it.

Dessert was naughtily a peach cobbler using the remaining tinned peaches from last week. Scrumptious!

Kittenkirst

I'm currently doing a little happy dance- having given our gas and elec readings monthly since we moved in, we are again still in a large credit following our most recent bill. I therefore requested £150 refund as we are going into hotter months so usage will reduce so we do not need such a huge credit.

They've emailed to confirm it will clear in ten working days :beer:
They need to amend our monthly DD as our usage is around £30 a month on average but they're taking £70. I'm happy to build up a buffer but £150 credit before they take this months DD is a bit much!

Have worked from home again today so no petrol used, and still using up from stores as had porridge for brekkie followed by potato scone with an egg for lunch.

Dinner I'm debating making either a butternut squash ravioli or risotto as the butternut looks a bit sorry for itself. Will walk to gf's parents shortly to see how they are and may even borrow neighbours lawn mower to mow the garden. It'll then need raking but will mean we can put some lawn seed & lawn feed down....maybe that's a weekend job!

The boys have been snuggly all day today, curled up next to me whilst I've been working which is lovely :heartpuls

themadvix

Great figures for gas and electricity use - I wish ours were so low (even though we're pretty good about switching stuff off and freezing in winter), I guess that's a benefit of a brand new house.

You've reminded me that there's half a butternut in our fridge... whoops!

Kittenkirst

It's been a long & very fun week.
In non MSE news I blew the Download festival budget and had a fantastic time dancing with my bestie, Luke, in the sunshine!

In MSE news the refund has been received from a first Utility so £150 back into the bills account. Pinecone has credited £3 which has been overpaid to the mortgage and as its payday the standard £89.80 round up overpayment has been made. Making OPs total £171.31 which includes
Some Tilly tidies too.

I've also opened a LISA and bunged £10 in for the moment, I then opened one for gf and popped £10 in there as she only had until tomorrow to open it as it's her 40th on Sunday so I've been busy plotting lovely stuff for her; I hope she loves it! :heartpuls

chumpy45

Great news on the gas and electricity front - what a lovely bonus. Always good to receive a refund :T

CathT

Great news your student loan is almost cleared. Hope you both enjoy the birthday celebrations, weather is going to be glorious!

Kittenkirst

Hi all,
Time for a slightly longer post.

Gf's birthday is tomorrow so I've got her a hot air balloon ride which we'll do later in the year: will book a hotel and make a weekend of it. I've then filed our two f&m hampers with some champers, plastic glasses and lots of delicious snacks.

I've ordered banners, confetti balloons and some hot air ballloon fairy lights which I'll set up tonight when she goes to bed, with some hot Air balloon confetti and streamers.

I also got her a small Sterling silver bracelet to match the necklace I bought her a few years ago for Christmas. I've budgeted for all these spends as I knew being her 40th I'd want to make it decimal. This has meant the savings has dropped but I'm not worrying.

Pay day was this week so my first SIP contribution of £50 went out, feels good to have spread the savings out across a few platforms.

£20 being paid into the joint acct tomorrow from the change hat which will swiftly be overpaid and another Pinecone survey completed just awaiting the money hitting Paypal so additional £23 OP will be made this week

Off to London for the London eye and dinner with gf's family which should be lovely although the three hour drive there in the heat might be a bit sticky!!

Weekly shop done today at T*scos and was surprised how much it came to; think I'm getting used to L*dl/aldi prices! £27 spent and not that much in the trolley; making Kung pao chicken and greens tonight from scratch (one of our favourites) and bacon bought for bacon butties in the morning before the drive which I think chicken and bacon alone ways £7.50 (two chicken breasts left over for another meal at least!)

A further 91 paid to student loan on payday (taken out of salary) so that's nicely reducing too....it shall be gone soon and that's another £91 (minus tax) that can be thrown at savings or the mortgage hurrah!

Elephantchunks

Ace diary. Loving the positivity!
My diary is a bit stressy at the moment so when I move house I may need to start a more positive one.
The gifts for your gf sound really fun and thoughtful. Hope you're both having a fab day!