Getting a mortgage and then becoming mortgage-free!

Busy_Mee1

Sounds like you are doing really well Kittenkirst - have you got a date yet for completion on your house ?

Busy_Mee1

That is getting excitingly near Kittenkirst - it shouldn't be too long. Sounds like you are being really sensible, but a few shiny, pretty things wouldn't hurt : )

misscousinitt

Keep going...

MCI

gallygirl

Kittenkirst wrote: »

I'm off to look at train tickets using the ticket split method that worked last time so well!

I think I'm the only person in the UK who has never found a cheaper split ticket .

Getting close now :T. Don't be surprised if you think the rooms look tiny when you see the house unplastered and with the windows in :eek:. It will look much bigger once plastered and even more so when painted :T (then full again when all your boxes get moved in but that's another story :rotfl:).

mortgage_girl

Well done on saving the pennies Kittenkirst. You're doing amazingly well. Is it looking like you might get to move in any faster?

MGx

Kittenkirst

Afternoon all!
This week has been a busy week with work and not too great on the savings front unfortunately!

Edinburgh was a very worthwhile trip for work, and I navigated the bus from leith to the main city and got to have a wander for a few hours before getting the bus back to the hotel!

Good MSE things this week:
•pinecone survey completed
•using the bus when my hotel told me to get a taxi
•making sure to take all the toiletries & coffees from my three nights in hotels
•three days of Bounts points (& £5 Starbucks voucher has arrived!)
•Nutribullet ordered for the gf via John Lewis vouchers- collection tomorrow
•lunch on the company three times this week due to meetings etc
•using a sample of La Prairie face cream at the duty free (£250 a tub!!)
•put expenses claims in straight away on Friday for the £200 spent on all travel/taxis etc

Naughty things-
•having hotel drinks one evening with a colleague (hotel bar prices )
•two bought lunches and one bought brekkie at work instead if pre prepping
•bought a hoodie at the airport (saved £7.50 due to tax though!!)
•more than my weekly allowance of bought coffees!

So this week there is no travel so already planned work breakfasts and lunches! Will take my own coffee in so no naughty lattes/Americanos!
Regular saver comes out tomorrow and interest should be paid on savings too so that's a small gain!

I noticed pinecone has taken away their vouchers but now pay direct to PayPal! Have emailed to add my paypal onto the acct and will then transfer the £18 earned into savings.

On the house front the date is still mid September however we bought a linen basket yesterday in town and are going to visit our plot in the week! Wahoo, and that was on the must-but list. Feels nice to be buying little bits whilst we patiently wait!

Off to read more diaries and think of ways to save a bit more over the next six weeks!

Busy_Mee1

Hi Kittenkirst - it sounds like you are doing brilliantly and the waiting will soon be over and you will be moving into your lovely new house.
I am also guilty of "lifting" the toiletries from hotels and particularly decaff coffee -so I don't have to buy a jar for people who prefer decaff. I am a bit sad because I now choose hotels for work based on the quality of their toiletries and I particularly like a hotel that provides a bottle of water and biscuits !

Kittenkirst

Morning all, been a few weeks since my last post :O

Life's been a little hectic recently as we have had close friends wedding and a family wedding so a total of 7 events to attend and dress up for. I tried to be savvy and saved my debenhams vouchers I get as a work benefit for the last 9 months so the dresses didn't come out of savings pot. I managed to mix in some dresses from last year and bought three new ones with the vouchers (one in sale too!)

The weddings themselves were just so beautiful. As I do silversmithing (as a novice) my friends asked me to make their sterling silver wedding bands which was such an honour. I was so nervous with the sizing and whether they would like them but they adored them! It also worked to fire up my creative juices and get me back on the bench and playing, so today is dedicated day off for playing with the silversmith bench, beads and the resin stuffs from my course earlier in the year.

We've had indication that the house will be ready around 30th September so not long now. We're both saving madly but this month we knew would be expensive as I had a girly trip to Liverpool with friends, we had a weekend in Brighton visiting a friend and the two marriages and events to travel to/get gifts for etc.

So my savings is now at:
Standard savings: £3218
Regular savings (for next year not to be spent): £1800

Which with September pay (on 15th) is more than enough to cover the stamp duty, legal fees and remainder of the options through Barratts.

As soon as we have the official 28 day notification we will book in the flooring peeps too

Kittenkirst

Evening all, having a nice quiet evening in watching some Netflix with the lady.
No update on the house completion date which is making me a little tetchy as we thought it was the 30th of this month and we get 28 days notice but so far not heard a peep!

I have geekily drawn up my house chart with 1% bricks and roof tiles to mark off each time we have paid 1% capital ..... So excited!!


Trying to catch up with a lot of different friends in September so that means a lot of meals out (tasty but expensive!) can't wait for the house to be ready to have people over for dinner instead!

Have managed to collect lots of vouchers/free events to use soon though:
-free cake & coffee at John Lewis x2
-free handmade burger
-free drive in grease cinema on Friday night (will take own snacks too!)
-two pizzas at pizza express (exchanged £5 nectar vouchers for it)

Other than that all is quiet, been back silversmithing a little recently and am working on some ideas for when I have the silversmith room all set up

Off to read some diaries for inspiration!

Kittenkirst

Oh and looking up a bills account to set up with the girlfriend- think we'll set one up, organize DD's for all bills & then look to do a switch to take advantage of the switching bonus