Can definitely do better!

Kittenkirst

Well done on all those surveys fab amount to OP!

I hope you are feeling better now!

new_mortgageeee

Wow, a spendy few days, and a few more to come this month... not very MFW at all, but either necessary or planned.

Did my annual sales clothes shop (£150), new pair of binoculars for work (£299), fitbit (£104 (was £159 used some vouchers)). This will hit the amount I normally OP and put into savings this month, but I've just invoiced £600 (additional income) so will balance out again by next month.

Just about to also fork out for new carpet in the lounge and tiling in the kitchen/backdoor entrance area... to the tune of £1200 :eek: and finally my bookcase/cupboard unit is going in at £1800 :eek::eek:!!! But these are allocated out of savings.

Otherwise it should be a very quite month coming up, with no major outgoings. Hoping to keep weekly shops cheap and cheerful, bulk cooking etc. Started with a ratatouille in the oven this afternoon ready for tonight's meal and a few next week.

new_mortgageeee

WHOOPS...! Life got busy

Still been making OPs as and when, and I'm pretty pleased with the total coming down; £6500 since Oct - although I'm not up to date with my MFW 2017 target. There's still time.... maybe!

My savings have dropped (£11k to £8.4k), but that's been exclusively on the house, and they're creeping back up with a general aim to have £10k available.

S&S ISA creeping up, and SIPP also going up in the background. That said, it's been a dire few days for my S&S these are very long term accounts though, so not overly worried for now.

Budgeting on food shopping has generally been terrible!! I've just not felt like I've had time to plan weekly shops properly. And lunches... ARGH. Though I've made my sandwiches for tomorrow already in an act of steely determination.

Life generally pretty dandy though - things going well with (new-ish) OH, job busy but enjoyable for the most part, freelance work continuing to come in at a moderately achievable rate, surveys not very regular, but just cashed out £36 from Prolific which was a pleasant surprise (I'd sort of forgotten about it!).

:beer:

Hopefully wont leave it as long next time! NMx

new_mortgageeee

Ho ho... looks like I did leave it as long. Ah well.

Things have been ticking along - all moving in the right direction. I’ve reduced overpayments as I’ve had some big expenditure over the last year; new car, home improvements etc. But my easy access savings have covered these and (recently) recovered to their 10k levels.

But, overpayments are back on (albeit in a reduced capacity) as I’m due to remortgage next year and 70% LTV is tantalisingly close (needs to be £105,000). That’s an OP of c.£60 a month so that is set to be my minimum.

My OPs have reduced generally because my freelance work has really taken off - and I’ve set up a limited company! This has been both scary and exciting, and a huge learning curve, but it’s going well :j. I’m now paying myself a small (below NI) salary, so my standard monthly income has reduced a little (previously I was a sole trader and all income just came to my main account). The long term plan of working for myself feels a huge step closer now :beer:

Other news, the ‘new OH’ is now a long term OH! We’re looking at buying a place together next year (a new mortgage to OP... wooo!!). Selling his place and keeping mine (partly for work, partly as it presents an income opportunity in the future). This makes SDLT a bit complicated as I’m EXPENSIVE, but we’re speaking to a solicitor.

I’ve just spent a fun half hour catching up on everyone’s stories - I’d forgotten what a wonderful place this is! Have a great day everyone :wave:

NMx

new_mortgageeee

An idle lunch so I thought I'd do an updated SOA...

This feels pretty good. I know I don't have that much at the end of the month, so it goes somewhere - probably 'groceries etc.' again! I'll do a little bit more digging when I find the time, but it's nice to see a change over 18 months with some cheaper expenses (much lower council tax band, cheaper mobile contract, etc.) (albeit some inevitable rises such as petrol due to a longer commute) as well as a much improved net assets due to mortgage OPs, growing S&S ISA and a new car.

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 1
Number of children in household.........
Number of cars owned.................... 1

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 2459.6
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 2459.6

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 480
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 0
Management charge (leasehold property).. 66
Council tax............................. 75
Electricity............................. 50
Gas..................................... 0
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 0
Telephone (land line)................... 0
Mobile phone............................ 9
TV Licence.............................. 12.55
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 5
Internet Services....................... 0
Groceries etc. ......................... 250
Clothing................................ 10
Petrol/diesel........................... 120
Road tax................................ 10
Car Insurance........................... 25
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 20
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 10
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 15
Buildings insurance..................... 30
Contents insurance...................... 0
Life assurance ......................... 22
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 20
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................... 20
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 1249.55


Assets
Cash.................................... 10050
House value (Gross)..................... 150000
Shares and bonds........................ 1600
Car(s).................................. 5000
Other assets............................ 2000
Total Assets............................ 168650


Secured & HP Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Mortgage...................... 107096...(480)......2.59
Total secured & HP debts...... 107096....-.........-

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Total unsecured debts..........0.........0.........-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 2,459.6
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,249.55
Available for debt repayments........... 1,210.05
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 0
Amount left after debt repayments....... 1,210.05

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 168,650
Total HP & Secured debt................. -107,096
Total Unsecured debt.................... -0
Net Assets.............................. 61,554

Created using the SOA calculator at https://www.stoozing.com.
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using other browser.

new_mortgageeee

A slightly belated Happy New Year to all. I've been lurking and not doing a lot of typing recently! Mostly because things have changed, and my financial priorities seem to be all over the place!

I remortgaged just switching my rate on the 2nd Jan - now on 2.19% for 5 years which, combined with my OPs, has reduced my monthly payment by £63 - now £416. Pretty happy with that. The temptation is to immediately OP this, but new top priority is saving towards another property with my boyfriend; we're looking to buy middle of 2019. I'm aiming for £20k, and am currently at £14k. I do need to fork out a bit on some new tiles for my bathroom but otherwise no big expenditure planned between now and then, so I'm aiming to put aside £1000 a month. This feels a lot, but my SOA says that it's possible!

So, I've been consolidating savings, switching rates/accounts, setting up new standing orders and the like! All good fun.

My top priority personally is to just spend less on weekly groceries. For a one-person shop I seem to be spending a ridiculous amount of money. I know at least in part it's down to being coeliac and lactose intolerant - staples like bread and milk are unfairly expensive. Still, I think I should be able to shop for a week for £30?! That's my aim anyway.

I've just done a week's shop for £32 (included some kindling for the fire), so my challenge now is not to buy anything until next Sunday. I think (think!) I have everything!

new_mortgageeee

Amazingly have managed not to buy any further food this week (so far). No trips out planned today or tomorrow so should make it to the weekend at least. Did have to fill my car up, and pay to post a parcel, but not feeling bad about those. Had a lot of work to do last night under time pressure so only managed beans and cheese on toast for dinner anyway! Plenty left in the cupboard (although not hugely exciting!) for the next three days I think. Best get up and start work. NMx

new_mortgageeee

So the weekend reached with only an additional food purchase of eggs and bananas. Have meal planned and prepped my shopping list for tomorrow already! Should hopefully come in around £30 again, though I’m thinking of increasing my budget to £40 to allow for buying fresh fruit and veg/salad later in the week - things get a bit... tinned otherwise I’ll see how this week goes.

Have re-jigged my savings targets - excluding £4K emergency savings from the new house target, and also (temporarily) aiming to keep £5k available for bits and pieces to my current house, though if not spent that will wrap up into the £20k pot for the new house. Works well with the different savings accounts I have so will see how it goes for the next few months.

Time to get up! A bit of freelance work to do today and then hoping for a nice walk to the beach. Hope everyone has a relaxing weekend. NMx

new_mortgageeee

Shiny new monthly budget spreadsheet for 2019 set up this afternoon. Accounting for big annual bills with a £280 monthly transfer into savings (I've previously swallowed them in the month they arise and put less into savings/OPs, but this feels more sensible). Also careful monitoring (with colour coding!) of all other day-to-day outgoings. Should be interesting, and hopefully will flag up where I can rein it in a bit on the day-to-day. Had four NSDs last week which feels like a positive step.

Did my weekly groceries shop today - £39! But, that included things that will last longer than a week (vitamins, toilet roll, matches... etc), but that make sense to buy in bulk... I should really have NSDs now until next weekend; there's no spending planned. Well, a pet insurance policy to pay, but that will come out of a different account.

I hope everyone has had lovely (but thrifty!) weekends NMx

new_mortgageeee

NSD today :j and I received two refunds that I've been waiting for - £250 back from the work I had done on my hot water tank, and £73 for clothes bought online in the Boxing Day sales returned as they didn't suit.

But, whilst it has been a great day for my bank balance, I haven't had a very productive day work-wise. Just can't seem to get back into the swing of things post Christmas. But now, feet up for Silent Witness... hoping for a better day tomorrow!

NMx